the Cost of an Optometrist

I visited a national chain eye-care company for a checkup and a fresh pair of glasses.

For $500, I got a fresh prescription after a very thorough and caring eye exam, and I walked out with a brand new set of lenses in awesome memory frames which can be bent and twisted without breaking, along with a pair of snazzy prescription sunglasses to protect my eyes on bright days.

Be aware that I have an unusual prescription, so you may be able to obtain glasses at a lower cost if you have a more common vision problem.

As you can probably guess from the above, I was really pleased with my service. I have extremely bad eyesight, and I had not visited an optometrist in far too long. Instead of scolding me for being slow to care for my eyes, I was treated with courtesy and respect, and the optometrist took the time to answer all of my questions and address all my concerns.

The glasses were made on-site in a very clean, high quality lab and I continue to be very satisfied with them. I am a huge fan of frames that can be abused, as I am very hard on glasses, and it's nice to know that I don't need to stress about about my glasses during physical activity.

This company has an agreement with a national bank to offer credit to their customers; I was approved instantly and got a promotional card with no interest for the first six months. Since I paid off my balance within a few months, I ended up paying no interest and improving my credit rating to boot.

Eye care is extremely important!

If you have bad eyes, make sure to visit an optometrist at least once a year. Other folks should have checkups every two years, as your eyes can provide early warnings about underlying and sometimes serious medical conditions.

Shop around for an optometrist, and ask for word of mouth recommendations. Some optometrists will try and rush you through appointments, which is not the way to go.

You might also want to consider the frame selection available, and how long it will take to make your new glasses. If you don't completely destroy your frames like I do, find out if lenses can be ordered for your old frames and installed in the office by your optometrist. If you're worried about cost, ask about credit and payment plans when you make an appointment.