In 2008, a reader wrote and asked about purchasing trifocal glasses online. I remember doing a bit of research and to my dismay, none of the online discounters offered much in the way of multifocal lenses.

Today, the market has changed. Trifocal lenses are available from one online shop for less than a $100 surcharge. Progressives and bifocals are available at several shops for even less, most surcharges in the $50 range.

	Bifocal	Progressive	Trifocal
Eyebuydirect	$19	$39	$69
GlassesUSA	$70	$90	N/A
39DollarGlasses	$40	$50	N/A

 Multifocal surcharges at various online eyewear shops

	Bifocal	Progressive	Trifocal
	Bifocal	Progressive	Trifocal
Eyebuydirect	$65	$85	$115
GlassesUSA	$110	$114	N/A
39DollarGlasses	$85	$95	N/A

Multifocal estimated total cost per pair. Total cost based on mid-priced frame with typical configuration and generally available discounts.

Secondly, let’s face it — glasses shopping for most people involves boots on the ground, going to a mall or boutique, and finding the perfect pair. The glasses you find there will almost invariably be an off-the-shelf product from one of the dozens of common eyewear designers. At the lower end of the price range you’ll find brands like Elements and Esprit; at the higher end you’ll find names like Prada and Versace. If you look, all the frames will have a  maker and model number printed on a little wrap-around sticker or other tag. You’ll find the same makers and often the same models at Pearle Vision, Lens Crafters, or any of a number of similar stores. You’ll also find all these stores charging almost exactly the MSRP for the frame, and strikingly similar prices for lenses.

My goal here is to compare the price of the exact same pair of prescription eyeglasses at a typical mall glasses store and at an online designer shop selling all of the major brands. Specifically, my price comparison is based on available pricing at Pearle Vision and available pricing at the online store, Frames Direct. To obtain this information, I first visited a retailer at the mall, found a style I liked, and then requested pricing info from the retailer. Next, I jumped online and quoted the same pair with the same specs from one of the more common online shops. I believe this order of comparison (retailer first, online second) was important. Starting with the online shop could have introduced bias — perhaps the website would lead me to their most discounted frame, for example, thereby exaggerating price differences if I compared the website’s most promoted and discounted frame with the same frame, unpromoted and undiscounted at the store in the mall.

Okay, so let’s get right to the numbers, which I think speak for themselves.

	Retail	Online
Frame - Versace VE1190	$225	$182.75
Lens - Standard polycarbonate	$215	$89
Coatings: UV and anti-scratch	$0	$0
Coating: Anti-glare	$100	$44.95
Tax (7%) + delivery / shipping	$37.80	$0
Discounts available at writing	$0	$53.18
Total	$577.80	$263.12

Now, a couple of items worth mentioning: I obtained the prices from the retailer by requesting a custom quote from the Pearle Vision at the mall. These prices are set, to some degree, by the individual franchise.  Second, I assumed a local tax rate of 7%. Finally, at the time of writing, Frames Direct offered 40% off the lenses only if paired with certain frames, of which Versace happened to be one. This discount may or may not be available when you order. This particular online shop advertises their coupon codes very prominently on their front page, so it is super easy to see what coupons are available.

Pros and cons of buying eyeglasses online

Pros:

• Low prices: as much as 70 percent less than in traditional optical stores.
• Convenience: Shop from home and have your glasses delivered to your door.
• Selection: thousands of frames to choose from at the click of a mouse.

Cons:

• Can’t actually try them on.
• Possible return hassles.
• Still may have to have your frames professionally adjusted.

That’s just a portion of a pretty well-done article, really it is a lot like this article that I wrote four years ago. Clearly, the whole saving-a-bunch-of-money thing on prescription eyewear has broad appeal.

Another retailer, Eyewear Online, recommends parasitic shopping: Spend a little shoe-leather looking at shops; when you find a frame you like, make a note of the manufacturer, frame color, and the numbers on the temple arm; then plug that info into the site. But salespeople are hip to this and tend to icily discourage notetaking. Sometimes shops white-out these numbers or replace them with an internal code. Take heart: You can still get the measurements you need with a ruler and a whole lot of moxie. (This page explains how.)

Most people have a round, square, or oval face, although some have a heart-shaped, triangle, or any of several other shapes. I’ve talked face shape here and here and prepared a video playlist, below:

Find Your Face Shape, measurements!

Title

Find Your Face Shape, measurements!

Runtime

6:18

Views

81,723

Title

How to choose Glasses 1 - Face Shapes

Runtime

2:45

Views

50,335

Title

Basic Face Shapes

Runtime

4:58

Views

34,692

Title

For Men Only: What's Your Face Shape?

Runtime

4:08

Views

8,680

Titanium is most commonly found in those professional and businessy-looking semi-rimless, small-framed glasses.  The problem with the online retailers is this is where they stopped. Their aviators glasses and sunglasses are, nearly without exception, made not from titanium but from heavy, clunky metal alloys.

I’ve scoured the online sources and there are merely two pairs of titanium aviators available. This compares to more than 30 aviators made from heavier, cheaper alloys. Color selection is also extremely limited. My findings follow:

Titanium aviators at GlassesUSA - This pair is a large, traditional aviator. It runs about a hundred bucks typically configured, including lenses

Smaller aviator at EBD. About 30% smaller than the frame above.

Ray-ban 5121 Wayfarer

For prescription wearers, the Ray-ban 5121 wayfarer (above) is identical to Ray-ban’s signature wayfarer sunglasses.  At BestBuyEyeglasses, this pair runs about $200 with a single-vision lens. Not a bad price, as these typically sell for $350 or more at a boutique. This classic pair set the bar by which others are measured.

Glasses USA iSee026, an alternative to the Rayban 5121

For a similar look requiring less cash, check out GlassesUSA’s iSee 026 is a nice looking pair, certainly inspired by the Rayban 5120. The shelf price is $80, including lenses.