Rx Eyeglasses, Paris or London.
 

I'm always shocked by the price of prescription eyeglasses in the US and have been postponing getting new ones for too long. Can an foreign visitor, in town for a week, get a prescription and get if filled in that time? And for those who, like me, eschew designer frames and have bought theirs in either city, what might one pay for some at the lowish end, bifocals. I realize no one can pin it down precisely for me, but an idea of what one might pay, if it's even possible, will be interesting.

I recently went to Costco here in Oregon for an eye exam.
I got my new Rx on paper and went home and entered it on Zenni.com I believe they ship worldwide.
They have a huge range of frames from low end to high end.
Make sure to get the distance between your pupils to finish the Rx.
My DW recently sent her Rx to 39dollarglasses.com The bifocals with a line are much cheaper than the no lines.

Thanks, tomfuller, I'll have your suggestions here if my curiosity comes to nothing. My point in asking is more the fun of shopping for them elsewhere than the strictly practical aspects. Costco isn't quite the same as Paris.

"Can an foreign visitor, in town for a week, get a prescription and get if filled in that time"

Why would you think otherwise? A foreign visitor in New York can get a pair of glasses within two hours of an optometrist's exam: LensCrafters is Italian-owned: for decades its major US competitor was British owned, and a major current competitor (For Eyes) is French

All branches of Vision Express (London: www.visionexpress.com ) offer more or less a one-hour service and a substantial proportion of their sister companies in Paris (a cluster of brands accessible at www.generale-optique.com ) also do.

Prices, self-evidently, vary from a few pounds for a sensible own label frame with a basic prescription to thousands for a pointless fashion brand with complex optics and high tech lenses. You need to browse the operators' web sites, and follow the promotions.

In Britain, it's a legal requirement for optometrists to give you a prescription you can use elsewhere: there's really no particular advantage in using the same place for getting the prescription as for making then glasses. Boots is on almost every shopping street, though I think they no longer offer same-day service anywhere in central London.

HOWEVER: few of us really need our glasses in an hour - or even a week - and few opticians can justify preposterous investments in mini factories on expensive retail real estate. So the norm in both cities (in London, the market leaders are Specsavers and Boots Opticians) is for a roughly one week turnaround. It's quite important to check before starting a conversation whether a branch can deliver in the time.

Specsavers has a few same-day operations in central London.

My own views on this are relatively simple. Getting the right prescription requires having an optometrist you can speak easily to. I've yet to find an optometrist in Continental Europe whose English is subtle enough (or where my French, Spanish or Italian is up to it) for a useful conversation.

Can you give me an idea of what I should expect to pay, flanneruk, for an exam and prescription from a UK optometrist?

There's a Vision Express and a Specsavers location near where I'm staying. I'll contact them directly and ask the price for an exam and the time required. Many thanks for the information.

MmePerdu - My brother always gets his glasses in the US because it's generally cheaper than the UK. However, I agree they can be ridiculously expensive. Have you heard of Warby Parker? Lots of great designs - frames and lenses for $95, really! It's a great concept, I've been to their store in Hayes Valley in SF but they have shops in NY and elsewhere.

<i>Can you give me an idea of what I should expect to pay, flanneruk, for an exam and prescription from a UK optometrist?</i>

For just an exam and prescription, I think I paid around £30.

Glasses and frames are probably going to cost me around £300-450.

We find the cost of eyeglasses far higher here in France than in the UK. Whenever we have a new prescription and are planning a few days in the UK,we make an effort to purchase our eyeglasses there. As we have a week in Boston, MA, next year, we plan to purchase some glasses there as well. All our friends who travel regularly to the UK or US report the same shopping habits.

tesco does free prescriptions and glasses from £15

https://www.tescoopticians.com/

Hi
I'm not familiar with the term 'optométrist' (translated in french by 'optométriste - I read the definition', so it is not a question of language but plain stupidity).

So, I know ophtalmologists (doctors for the eyes) and opticians (technicans), don't understand where optometrists fit in (are they doctors ?).

However ophtalmologists will cost in Belgian (and in France) about 50-60 e for a visit, and from 50-100 € more in case of more examens needed. Opticians are for free if you buy glasses there. Ophtalmos usually have a waiting list of at least 1 month, usually 2, and more in Paris.

According to Collins Dictionary, an optometrist is:

"a person who is qualified to examine the eyes and prescribe and supply spectacles and contact lenses"

Our optométriste here in France told us there are no opthalmologistes in France. Whether he's correct or not, I don't know. But to give you some idea of prices, I bought 3 pairs of absolutely great prescription glasses a few months ago - one long-distance clear lenses, one long-distance sun glasses (with the super glare-resistant stuff), and one short-vision reading glasses, for 475 euros. And the long-distance clear glasses came with two extra pairs of clip-on design-changing frames. That included a thorough exam (probably 45 minutes). I thought that was a bargain, frankly. This was at a chain called 2000 Optic. My husband is going next week for his new glasses. We love these guys.

You can get cheap eyeglasses everywhere.

Thing is since these are my eyes we're talking about, I want a pair of good frames and durable coatings and those do not come cheap.

"Our optométriste here in France told us there are no opthalmologistes in France."
He is wrong.
http://www.lentilles-pour-astigmates....php?id_news=6

I got new glasses in Paris last year, and was just looking at my receipts while doing my taxes.

I was examined by an opthalmologue - 90EU (I don't benefit from the French social security system). It took 3 weeks to get an appointment, which is fairly common - many people wait even longer, especially if it's around "back-to-school" time.

I chose my glasses at an opticien's shop and had them made there - had to make an appointment about one week out, but some places have walk-in service. 235 EU for designer frames and the bifocal lenses cost an additional 265 EU, including scratch-proof coating.

You can purchase basic frames for as little as 35 EU, and some shops offer specials, such as 2-for-1 deals on frames, etc. The lenses cost a lot extra, especially bifocals. If you want decent or high-quality bifocals, you'll probably pay about what I did for them.

Unfortunately, I don't think you have the time to arrange to get all this done while in Paris, but you could certainly go to any number of eyeglass boutiques, purchase designer frames and have them made back home. All told, I think the cost is about the same, unless your insurance covers glasses. Since you might not be happy with your prescription in Paris - the technical language and questions are different and might be confusing - or might need follow up care for your eyes and glasses, I'd recommend having your regular eye doctor prescribe for you.

There are literally tons of eyeglass shops in the Marais and on blvd. St Germain - you can Google or check "les pages jaunes" - or just wander the streets.

In the US, ophthalmologists are doctors of medicine (4 years of training after medical school) and fully qualified to do everything up to very complicated eye surgery/plastic eye surgery (not just laser, cataracts and glaucoma surgery).

Optometrists are not MDs but do have 4 years of training in optometry schools after university and have a PhD in optometry. They can examine eyes, diagnose common eye disesaes and and treat eye diseases with medications (such as glaucoma) as well as do full eye exams, including making prescriptions for glasses and contact.

Opticians can only fill prescriptions and fit glasses/lenses. They typically have 1 or 2 years of training.

In the US when you go to an eye glass store for an exam and prescription you are very often seeing an optometrist (not an ophthalmologist, who usually have private medical offices).

Three of my traveling buddies are Opticians so we are always looking at frames in the shop windows. Europe always has the latest styles before they get to the US. We have bought frames and taken them back to the states and had their people do the lenses. They get great discounts..

Funnily enough flpab my brother and SIL do the opposite, buying frames in the US, then having another brother,who is an optician (dispensing optician as they are called in the UK) fit the lenses.

I shall be looking for cheaper glasses next time I need them. The ones I have now cost €800 with the lenses. I don't get the benefit of the optician brother, since he doesn't talk to me.

Geez, by the time you read all of these entries you could have had the glasses.

true, there are plenty of places to get cheap glasses in the US, so it isn't true universally that it is expensive. it can be expensive if you buy glasses in an optometrist's shop or some designer frames, of course. Optometrist's mark them up quite a bit. Then you can get them dirt cheap at some chain stores, so it's just a choice. I have gotten them in the US at Four Eyes, a chain store that often has specials where you get two pair for $100 (and that includes the lenses and the frames). They have a decent selection of frames, also, and I think their lab is very good quality. That is single vision, of course, and not the designer frame selection.

On the other hand, I go to my optometrist to get my eyes checked and a new prescription, and sometimes by my frames online, where even designer frames are about 100% cheaper than what an optometrist charges, same frame. Then I have them filled by an optician as I have a tricky prescription. I have also bought some online and they were very good quality and cheap but I only do that with single vision, wouldn't do it for progressives as they are too tricky.

There is no easy answer to this question as it depends on taste. I wouldn't go to an optometrist in a mall or with a chain but my eyes are very tricky. My private optometrist charges around $100 for the visit, maybe $125. I buy frames for $100 or less online, but I pay about $450 for Zeiss progressive lenses, which I think are the best quality. But you can get good deals at Sears, actually, and their optometry dept is owned by the international company Luxottica. Their quality isn't bad, I've bought some there, but wouldn't let them do my eye exam. But I'm very particular about that. I think I paid about $200-250 there for some lesser designer frames plus progressive lenses with my own prescription.

It doesn't really sound believable that France wouldn't have a medical specialty devoted to eyes.

Doctors specialized in the eyes are called ophthalmos in France or Belgium. They have studied 10 years as said above. 6 years to be a doc 4 to specialize.

To make things more complicated Ophtalmo are called ophthalmologues in Belgium and mostly ophthalmologistes in France.

We don't always speak the same language. ;-)

Ophtalmo do indeed spot if you have glaucauma and such. Don't know if optometrist do.

Research continues. Lots of information to compare. And hetismij2, good to hear I'm not alone in having a useless brother. Not that I thought I was, just good to hear it sometimes.

Thanks, y'all.

Cheryl always buys her glasses in Bangkok - great prices, great selection.

I bought a pair of glasses in the Marais last month. I brought my prescription with me and they had them ready for me in 2 days.

I did not save any money as I have a complicated prescription and want coated progressive lenses. With my VAT refund they cost slightly less than I've paid at home. The optician who fitted them was excellent and I haven't had any issues with them.

Judy, can you give me the name & address of the optician you mention, please? I may do just that, bring a new prescription with me and if it doesn't work out, well, if not Paris, there's always Costco.

MmePerdu, my receipt says Mil Optical but I'm not certain the shop said that. Walking down rue des Rosier from the St Paul metro, look for the eyeglasses hanging overhead over the door.....sorry can't be more specific!

Paris beats Costco.

I'll have a look, thanks. I'm sure there's a Costco within an hour or so drive from me but I don't know where. I do know where rue des Rosiers is though.

I looked at my Amex account. It was Mil'Optic at 17 rue des Rosier. Sorry but was in the middle of something else earlier so did not take the time to look it up.

Thanks! Noted. I appreciate it.

Prices vary so much depending whether you need simple lenses or more complex. From my experience in the U.S. and France, if you want lightweight, high impact varifocals and have other issues such as an astigmatism, the lenses alone cost around $600 and the same amount in euros, not including the prescription which was about $125 in the U.S. and 80€ in France.

Frames can add what ever you want on top of that. Very few places do this type of lens same day, most need 4-5 working days as they are fabricated in off/site labs, possibly less time in major metro centers where the labs may be local.

Plus, any reputable office whether optometrist, optician, opthamologist will insist on a fitting and adjustment. A UK friend ran into this when she wanted lenses made quickly in the UK from a French prescription. The prescription was no problem but she wasn't going to be in the UK long enough for the glasses to be made and fitted.

My French ophtalmologue was a cranky so and so but quite good.

One thing that I don;t see discussed is the specific prescription. For many people with simple aging of the eye the drugstore glasses at $15-$20 (all they do is magnify a little) will let them read comfortably.

But if you have a complicated prescription your lenses are going to cost more anywhere.

As for frames - that's really up to each person. You can easily get very basic ones rather than designer.

I had to wait almost 3 months for my last appointment at the ophthalmologist, but that was because I wanted to go to a specific one in my neighborhood. Anybody in a hurry can go to a big <i>centre médical</i> and usually get an appointment within 10 days. One that I used in the past was the Centre Miromesnil which fills a 7-floor building. An examination and prescription will cost 35 euros there, and they are very thorough.

Sometimes I get my glasses in US - I just travel with my prescription (in case I lose or break my glasses which I did in Madrid ) and get the script made up in New York at my friends optician. Last pair were Vera Wang frames which I couldn't get in Oz.