Prescription Sunglasses

[killramos]

Just thought I’d put out a feeler as to what other people do around prescription sunglasses here in a Canada?

I feel like every time I go down this path I feel like we have some sort of backwards cartel/resaler model with prices and requirements based out of thin air and I inevitably walk away after feeling like I am being ripped off.

Is there anywhere in Canada where you can get legitmate (non generic) lenses for name brand sunglasses for high prescriptions? I have tried going through my optometrist in the past but they basically come back to some ridiculous quote north of 800 bucks lenses only for some generic lenses with no polarization or anything special.

After checking their requirements and noticing my prescription was within their ranges I tried ordering a set of Oakley prizm golf’s in the US to go pick them up in Phoenix next time I am down there but they ended up cancelling my order saying they couldn’t make the lenses and to contact a local resaler...

In Canada the Oakley prescription page is blank, same with Ray Ban and others and always with some stupid link to LensCrafters which I already know won’t help me.

I’m pretty blind but nothing excessive, -6.25 in my worse eye (so oakleys claim of being able to go to -7 is apparently full of shit).

Apparently I should just get laser... but that’s a different topic with some complications in my case.

/rant

What do you guys all do?

[The Cosworth]

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Just thought I’d put out a feeler as to what other people do around prescription sunglasses here in a Canada?

I feel like every time I go down this path I feel like we have some sort of backwards cartel/resaler model with prices and requirements based out of thin air and I inevitably walk away after feeling like I am being ripped off.

Is there anywhere in Canada where you can get legitmate (non generic) lenses for name brand sunglasses for high prescriptions? I have tried going through my optometrist in the past but they basically come back to some ridiculous quote north of 800 bucks lenses only for some generic lenses with no polarization or anything special.

After checking their requirements and noticing my prescription was within their ranges I tried ordering a set of Oakley prizm golf’s in the US to go pick them up in Phoenix next time I am down there but they ended up cancelling my order saying they couldn’t make the lenses and to contact a local resaler...

In Canada the Oakley prescription page is blank, same with Ray Ban and others and always with some stupid link to LensCrafters which I already know won’t help me.

I’m pretty blind but nothing excessive, -6.25 in my worse eye (so oakleys claim of being able to go to -7 is apparently full of shit).

Apparently I should just get laser... but that’s a different topic with some complications in my case.

/rant

What do you guys all do?

I got screwed around by a couple places like that. I think people just use benefits so don't look that close, so places jack the prices. However I found that Airdrie Eyecare was good. I think my oakleys and raybans were both in that $500 range including frames.

https://www.airdrieeyecare.com/ (no affiliation)

Could also be the frames you picked. I know I have some glasses that I love and wanted lenses but they were some crazy custom because of the size, so I never did those.

[nzwasp]

I got a pair of prescription aviators online for about $50 and they were pretty good. Also if you like the online prices because there so much cheaper than traditional glasses places but you dont want to do it all online you could go to Bailey Nelson in Kensington or Chinook Mall.

[killramos]

Yea I’m not even into anything crazy, at the time I was looking at Gascans but currently looking for some Holbrooks with some decent glass otherwise I feel like I might as well just wear contact lenses with non Rx but I have never reacted well to contacts.

I am game to order online(that’s what I was trying with Oakley RX in the states), that doesn’t bother me, I just want quality lenses or else it defeats the entire purpose of getting good sunglasses and I might as well buy sunglasses at the drugstore checkout.

[shakalaka]

Online for sure. Wife got a pair of RayBans or something like that online from Clearly for just over $200.

There is also another site where I ordered my Prada's (not prescription - but they do those too) from but I can't think of the name right now. Their prices were even better and they had way more selection.

I will try to find it.

Edit: Came to me; www.smartbuyglasses.ca

[killramos]

^ will check them out!

[prae]

I just hit up Costco. Pick out a pair of frames for about $100 or so and then order tinted prescription lenses. Bought some acetate Wayfarer look-a-likes that I've been happy as hell with. Prior to that bought some Aviator-like frames that I also really enjoy.

Costco warranty is also killer. Nothing beats being able to try them on in person. Clearly and other online retailers have great deals but usually I end up disappointed with the fit.

Trying to get name brand sunglasses like Oakley, RayBan etc in prescription lenses has always been brutally costly.

[The Cosworth]

Just called and asked. My glasses were actually Armani, $180 for the frame. $189 for each lens and they're polarized. So $580 total. So while not as cheap as what some of the online ones seem to be, if you want brick and mortar they seem better.

Maybe it is because you're -7.0? I am like -1.25 or something.

[killramos]

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Just called and asked. My glasses were actually Armani, $180 for the frame. $189 for each lens and they're polarized. So $580 total. So while not as cheap as what some of the online ones seem to be, if you want brick and mortar they seem better.

Maybe it is because you're -7.0? I am like -1.25 or something.

^ it certainly doesn’t help. 580 I can live with.

Thanks a lot guys. I have a couple options to consider.

[JfuckinC]

i got on my fiances benefits a while ago so i went to look for some RX sunglasses and couldn't believe what they wanted for them. Even if they were mostly covered i still wasn't going for it. i get glasses off Zenni that have a magnet shades attachment lol

[Mitsu3000gt]

I gave up on prescription sunglasses and just wear contacts + whatever sunglasses I want and I don't need new sunglasses every time my prescription changes. Not everyone likes contacts though.

[HiTempguy1]

I think I was about ~$800 all in on my Gucci shades (yes. Seriously ). I shopped designs for ever and settled on them, and of course, they were pricey as all hell no matter where I went (online, local stores, sunglasses hut).

What I ended up doing is buying them from the Sunglasses Hut as they were in stock immediately, no worries of them being knockoffs (ALWAYS a concern when buying online), and then went and had lenses made at my local glasses store.

I'm practically blind though, and got the newer 1.74 index which bumped the price up quite a bit. 1.6 and 1.67 would have been much cheaper.

I usually keep my prescription sunglasses for 2-4 years, so the cost doesn't bother me, and is covered by benefits (young healthy male, don't really have anything else to use my HSA on).

[ExtraSlow]

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got the newer 1.74 index which bumped the price up quite a bit. 1.6 and 1.67 would have been much cheaper.

only half off topic, is that the highest index available these days? Is it same in untinted lenses?

[HiSpec]

I gave up looking for RX sunglasses. With my RX at -9, I just wear daily contacts with non-RX sunglasses. This is with my being in the optical industry for 10+ years.

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only half off topic, is that the highest index available these days? Is it same in untinted lenses?

You can get 1.74 polarized, tinted and untinted lenses for single vision. For progressive user, polarized is only up to 1.67 index.

However, certain optometrist have access to 1.8/1.9 glass lenses. I know there for sure there's one optometrist in Calgary that does Zeiss glass lenses. Feel free to PM me if you would the name of optometry.

[HiTempguy1]

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only half off topic, is that the highest index available these days? Is it same in untinted lenses?

I think I got them late 2015, maybe early 2016. Things might have changed (answer below it sounds like)

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However, certain optometrist have access to 1.8/1.9 glass lenses. I know there for sure there's one optometrist in Calgary that does Zeiss glass lenses. Feel free to PM me if you would the name of optometry.

I would love to talk to them as the f*&king coatings peeled/melted (?!) off the lenses I have. Super weird. They are currently good enough, but with new funds in the HSA that needs to be spent, I'd love to get new lenses for the old frames.

[LLLimit]

Visions Eyecare Centre, chinatown.
Centre Street & 3rd ave sw
No affiliation, but my wife & I, + inlaws been going there for years. Also, we asians so we fit right in.

-6.5 with astigmatism.
Picked up RayBan Wayfarers several years ago, popped out the existing and punched in some high index Nikons + gradient.
I remember customization being good: just about any wayfarer as long as they had stock or can order in, can gradient most/all the typical colors; green, blue, etc.
My lens thickness still slightly thicker than the frame, but works well nonetheless. You don't get the "RAYBAN" logo on the Nikon lens, and you get to keep the original lenses.

~$500 iirc, about 5-6 years ago iirc.
~$100(?) to wayfarer, remainder $ to high index Nikon.
My wife rammed it through our health benefits, I don't remember it being a problem.

[Buster]

I got some recent fancy aviators at Brass Monocle. But they were pricey.

FYI does my oakleys. Also expensive, but worth it.

[nzwasp]

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^ it certainly doesn’t help. 580 I can live with.

Thanks a lot guys. I have a couple options to consider.

If you are asian and have a lack of nose bridge you may want to avoid online stores solely because unless they have a return policy like warby parker you wont be able to return them if they dont fit.

In saying that my wife ordered some prescription glasses from Bailey Nelson and her prescription is -8.5 and they cost her around $350 because she needed the high index lens.

[killramos]

Not Asian.

Ordered a pair from Smartbuyglasses. 360 bucks shipped for the thinnest lens I could spec in a mirrored lens with some cool Hobrook frames. Will see how it goes.

Worse case all I am out is the cost of the lenses and I’ll pop some non RX’s into the frames and just wear with contacts. Actually the return policy seemed pretty robust with 2 year warranty.

FYI bought out my optometrists office and I use them for my real glasses, Oakley with decent Nikon lenses, it’s just every time we start adding tint that I start seeing stars with them.

[shakalaka]

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Not Asian.

Ordered a pair from Smartbuyglasses. 360 bucks shipped for the thinnest lens I could spec in a mirrored lens with some cool Hobrook frames. Will see how it goes.

Worse case all I am out is the cost of the lenses and I’ll pop some non RX’s into the frames and just wear with contacts. Actually the return policy seemed pretty robust with 2 year warranty.

FYI bought out my optometrists office and I use them for my real glasses, Oakley with decent Nikon lenses, it’s just every time we start adding tint that I start seeing stars with them.

Yea I like smartbuy. I don't need prescription glasses but a few years ago when I liked the look, I ordered a pair of Prada's with clear non-prescription lens that looked like glasses but had no number. lol.

Still have those kicking around somewhere and they have been awesome. Don't wear them much anymore but if I ever wanted to look smart, I would definitely opt for them. Haha. They only ended up costing me $200-$250 I think.