Each week on Wednesday, I spotlight a website that I think is worthy, and give you a little review of it.
In the spotlight for March 25, 2009 is Zenni Optical!
If I told you that you could get glasses for $30 a pair, you would think that was an incredible deal. But would you believe me if I told you that you could actually get glasses for $8 a pair? You can! I saw some great reviews on this site from other great bloggers HERE and HERE, and decided that I needed to give this company a try. I’ve had glasses since I was eight, and it has always been a financial burden. My eyes have a very high prescription and glasses have always cost me more than $200 because of the special lenses that I need.
I thought there was no way I would get them cheap, but I did. My glasses cost me under $40, and that is only because I had to get special lenses. Now if your eyes aren’t as bad as mine, then you can get your glasses for only $8. But even if you do have bad eyes, you can still pay a fraction of what you would pay by going to the eye doctor.
I received my glasses a few days before we moved and have been very happy. They are just like the glasses in the doctor’s office. If you think you will be getting some cheap spin-off, you’re wrong. They are great quality, and I easily would have spent over $200 to get these lenses and frames at the eye doctor.
You do need to know your prescription to order, and you also need to know what looks good on you. That’s the big drawback: you can’t try them before you buy them. Another drawback is that you don’t have someone to adjust them on your face. You will have to do any and all adjusting if the frames don’t exactly work right on your face. But for $8, who can really complain?
If you have ordered glasses from Zenni Optical, I would love to hear your feedback. This is such an easy and awesome way to save some money!
Do you have a site you want to nominate to be Wednesday’s Website? Send me an email and tell me why you want that site to be spotlighted.
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
My daughter broke my glasses beyond repair last month so I HAD to get new ones. We have a good friend who is an optometrist, and have gotten glasses at cost from him before, but even his cost cannot beat Zenni optical. I love my glasses and still cannot believe I got them for 12.95 (including shipping)!! They are cute and seem pretty good quality. The only downside is that they did not have them in all black. I got black outside and blue on the inside part of the frame.
That is AWESOME! I have worn glasses since I was 8 and I would love to have more variety but could never afford it, now I may get a pair for each day of the week!
Like Jill, my glasses were 12.95 with s/h. They are great and mainly just to wear around the house or when I don’t wear my contacts. I am very pleased with them. Shipping took approx. 3 weeks, as they came from Hong Kong.
I ordered my son a back up pair of glasses from Zenni. I must say I was very impressed with the quality of the frame. I think it’s even more durable then his regular frames. I tested him with both sets of glasses to see if the prescription was the same. He saw the same with both sets. His glasses were the $9 ones and the s/h was $4.95.
I will definitely order his next set of frames from there.
My friend ordered from this website and loves her new glasses. They look great on her. She got them adjusted for free at Wal-Mart.
thanks for linking to our Zenni Optical review. I ordered another pair for myself recently, and will posting an updated review of Zenni. (the last one was my husband’s review, figured I needed to do one too, lol!)
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On several occasions, I’ve gone in to a walk-in optometrist (think Wal-Mart) and they’ve been happy to adjust the fit of my glasses for free! I discovered this on vacation when my son got hold of my glasses. I’m sure this would work when your new glasses arrive.
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Has anyone gotten resistance from your doctor when you tried to get the prescription so you could place the online order? I will need to get a new prescription and most doctors like for you to purchase the glasses from thier office. I’d much rather spend $8.00!
I’m actually wearing mine right now and I love them! It was so worth the money….I use mine as back up for when I don’t want to wear my contacts. I plan on ordering my daughters glasses from there too! I would recommend to anyone.
What about insurance? can you claim it somehow??
Thanks for the tip!!!
I ordered and received my 1st pair of funky glasses from Zennioptical. It took less than 2 weeks to arrive in Canada. As long as you know how to measure the size in millimetres, you’re good to go! Just use a pair of your current glasses and look on the inside of the arm. It will say something like: 52-18-135. 52 means the width of each lens is 5.2 cm, 18 means the width of the nose is 1.8cm, and 135 is from the front of the glasses to the end of the arm is 13.5cm. Also, be sure to know exactly how wide you need the frames to be. Zenni will give the whole frame width, which is great (not all online optical stores will do this). If you have a wider face, stay away from frame widths that are in the 120′s. They’ll be way too small. I have a medium width face (not super skinny), and I usually go with an overall frame width of at least 131 mm to 140 mm.
Anyhow, LOVE zennioptical, and will definitely purchase from them again! As far as getting your prescription from your eyedoctor? Well, by law, they have to release it to you. It’s YOUR prescription.
Good luck!
Pathetic! I ordered glasses with Photochromic (Transition) and Progressive. Yes, it was a year ago but I was not familiar with Trinsition type glasses and thought they were right…but they seemed dark all the time. It has been a difficult year with them. I had my annual exam today and was told that the glasses are not transition type..they are only tinted. I PAID Zenni Optical FOR Photocromic. I called Zenni, they verified I did purchase Photocromic, and I was told that there is a 30 day adjustment policy so I am too late.
can understand that, BUT I can NOT understand they charging me for something and not giving it to me. They need to deliver what is ordered and paid for, not less. I referred 8 others and they bought from Zenni Optical, and I know they will not buy again after I tell them about this. And, Clark Howard needs, and will, know about this rip-off.
NO MORE ZENNI!!!!
I just bought a pair from Zenni Optical and love them! I was a little nervous about how they’d fit and look, but they’re great! I’m going to buy another pair soon, just for fun!
I’ve had a total of 28 pairs come from zenni, this is from my immediate family and a sister-in-law. We’ve had no problems, except one pair of memory titanium that broke, i ordered a replacement frame for 1/2 price the cost(7 or 8 bucks) they provided the screwdriver to change the lenses. I’m nothing but happy. No more glasses from the eye doctor.
I am in the process of doing a review on Zenni for my website. I went to get copies from my kids prescriptions this a.m. The doctor, by law, HAS to give you copy of your prescription (at least here in FL) . I told the girl at the doc office what I was doing and the site and she freaked… in a good way. Wrote it all down and said WOW with savings like this I can drop my eye insurance and save a bundle!
My very first pair of glasses just arrived this morning. Must say im very impressed, I ordered the photochromic lenses and its perfect. I even stuffed up the order but let them know within the required 24hrs and they worked with me with great communication to fix it.
Everything for under $80 AUS which here would normally cost me $500 plus. Best of all they arrived within a week.
Will definitely be buying more from these guys, but with so many choices I found it had enough to pick these ones out, so it may take me a while.
I would like to rave about Zenni Optical. They get an A+++. Ordered my daughters glasses on 11/23/09 and 11 days later they arrived (we live in the Midwest). Beautifully done and my daughter loves them. Total cost for an eye exam and her glasses cost us $75 and that included shipping & handling and a pair of clip-on shades. Fabulous. I will definitely be ordering from them again.
I’ve given Zenni’s website address to dozens of people. I’ve ordered several pair and have never been disapointed. They are everybit as good as the ones you get in the optician’s. Besides, aren’t all glasses (and everything else) made in China, so why not buy direct and save $ hundreds.
I first started my online purchasing at Zenni, got a couple of glasses, OK quality, great prices, but not too great customer service. Plus the website is pretty old fashion. Then I moved onto eyebuydirect.com and have been riding their wave for quite some time now. Love their promotions and website. I try and recommend to as many ppl as possible so here is my public recommendation.