<story><title>The One Product You Should Buy Online: Eyeglasses</title><url>https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-one-product-you-should-buy-online_us_598e1777e4b0ed1f464c0aac</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>morganvachon</author><text>A coworker once worked as a technician at a chain optometrist&amp;#x27;s office. He swears the frames from Zenni and other online retailers are substandard and will fall apart, but my experience has been otherwise. He gave me one of his old frames (never worn by him beyond initial fitting) to save me money on a visit once, they were Ralph Lauren or something like that and he claimed retail cost was over $500 before lenses. They lasted all of six months before they literally fell apart on my face. I found a replacement of the same model in a different color on eBay used for $50. After cleaning them and swapping my lenses over, I got another three months before they failed as well.&lt;p&gt;The ones I have now were $70, are more attractive, more comfortable, and so far have lasted over a year. I did get them at the optometrist but they were on clearance and were only a few dollars more than if I&amp;#x27;d gotten the same ones online at Zenni.</text></item><item><author>awareBrah</author><text>Went to the opthamologist this year cause I could tell my vision was worsening.&lt;p&gt;After all was said and done they ushered me into their eyeglasses store which was physically connected to their office. A nice friendly man told me the frames start at 299 and go up from there.&lt;p&gt;I said thanks man with this eye exam I can barely open my eyes so I’ll come back.&lt;p&gt;Got two pairs of awesome glasses from Zenni for $55 total.&lt;p&gt;I’ve read this is online movement is destroying the career of optometrists. Also the eyeglasses scam also seems to be connected to Luxottica which is a well known sunglasses scam also. I will continue to buy from Zenni</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>interfixus</author><text>Counterstory: I went to my local optician for a check-up. He&amp;#x27;s fourth or fifth generation: Shop&amp;#x27;s been there, same address, since the eighteen hundreds (and so far, they haven&amp;#x27;t seen the need to join a chain, or to start one, for that matter). I got the works. Very thorough test of my ocular abilities. Yes, I needed new reading glasses. But &lt;i&gt;no&lt;/i&gt;, he didn&amp;#x27;t really think he would sell me any. &amp;quot;Listen, you&amp;#x27;ll be fine with some cheap over-the-counter stuff. I haven&amp;#x27;t really got any in your particular strength - try the bookstore across the street&amp;quot;.
Me: &amp;quot;Well, in that case, I should pay you for the test&amp;quot;.
&amp;quot;Nah, don&amp;#x27;t think about it. Come back when you need &lt;i&gt;real&lt;/i&gt; glasses&amp;quot;.
And you know, I do believe I shall.</text></comment>
<story><title>The One Product You Should Buy Online: Eyeglasses</title><url>https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-one-product-you-should-buy-online_us_598e1777e4b0ed1f464c0aac</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>morganvachon</author><text>A coworker once worked as a technician at a chain optometrist&amp;#x27;s office. He swears the frames from Zenni and other online retailers are substandard and will fall apart, but my experience has been otherwise. He gave me one of his old frames (never worn by him beyond initial fitting) to save me money on a visit once, they were Ralph Lauren or something like that and he claimed retail cost was over $500 before lenses. They lasted all of six months before they literally fell apart on my face. I found a replacement of the same model in a different color on eBay used for $50. After cleaning them and swapping my lenses over, I got another three months before they failed as well.&lt;p&gt;The ones I have now were $70, are more attractive, more comfortable, and so far have lasted over a year. I did get them at the optometrist but they were on clearance and were only a few dollars more than if I&amp;#x27;d gotten the same ones online at Zenni.</text></item><item><author>awareBrah</author><text>Went to the opthamologist this year cause I could tell my vision was worsening.&lt;p&gt;After all was said and done they ushered me into their eyeglasses store which was physically connected to their office. A nice friendly man told me the frames start at 299 and go up from there.&lt;p&gt;I said thanks man with this eye exam I can barely open my eyes so I’ll come back.&lt;p&gt;Got two pairs of awesome glasses from Zenni for $55 total.&lt;p&gt;I’ve read this is online movement is destroying the career of optometrists. Also the eyeglasses scam also seems to be connected to Luxottica which is a well known sunglasses scam also. I will continue to buy from Zenni</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>kstrauser</author><text>My Warby Parker glasses feel insubstantial, but they&amp;#x27;ve been unfailingly durable and I&amp;#x27;m confident they&amp;#x27;ll last at least as long as my prescription (or my desire to have a different look). I don&amp;#x27;t &lt;i&gt;expect&lt;/i&gt; them to be a lifetime purchase.</text></comment>