New to Online Eyeglasses? Click Here!
Ongoing: Click here for 15%-off EVERY ORDER at EyeBuyDirect This is the best ongoing deal on the internet for EyeBuyDirect!
Goggles4U drops prices, drops additional discount codes. People are concerned, but this is still one of the best places to buy online. Link!

I just spent a weekend up at the lake in Northern Minnesota. The weather turned out to be a lot better than the forecast. I was really glad I had my sunglasses, because I gotta tell you life is so much better behind darkened lenses when the sun is beating down.

I lived the majority of the first 35+ years of my life with an expression not unlike the one you see below:

I'd fight all summer against the sun and then fight even more in January, when the sheer white landscape reflected the full force of the sun at me. Pretty bleak, but nothing compared to the traditional cost of prescription sunglasses. I was never offered them as a child - they weren't budgeted for. I don't think any of my friends who wore glasses had sunglasses either.

Now I don't go anywhere without at least one pair of sunglasses at the ready. I keep a pair in my backpack, a pair in each of the cars and one on the boat -- and why not for as little as $20 a pair (a far cry from the astronomical fees you'll pay at LensCrafters).

In writing this, I realized that I don't really get headaches any more either. Coincidence? Maybe, but I used to get headaches all the time.

I've come up with a couple of short lists for both of the scenarios. Add to them in the comments!

With Prescription Sunglasses:

  • Better for your eyes
  • Better for your skin
  • See more clearly
  • Look (ever so slightly more) like Brad Pitt
Without Prescription Sunglasses:
  • May start your lashes on fire
  • Crow's feet on your crow's feet
  • Crash into stuff
  • Look like French Stewart



Have kids with glasses? Get a few pairs for all of the places they'll appreciate them.

Just returned home from a technology-free weekend on the lake, with my three sons -- sorry for the delay in getting back to some of you. I plan on digging out of the email avalanche this evening.

The conclusion of a week of incredible deals is upon us, but for those of you new to the scene, or those returning from their vacations, you still have until midnight Pacific time to take advantage of the EyeBuyDirect's sale.

This just in from 39DollarGlasses!

Due to the enormous popularity of the $20 off coupon, and the requests we've had for some people to give a little more time to get their eyes examined, we're extending the coupon .another 72 hours to Friday night at midnight
So there you have it, you've gotten a 3-day reprieve on the end of the sale. Don't waste it! ;-)

Here's that coupon link again, and a link to the sale information post.

I got a comment this morning from an anonymous reader, and it was a good one.

Here it is:

You should get little "post this to facebook" thingys at the bottom of your posts. Who needs cheap glasses? College students!
Done.

So, I've had a Facebook "Fan page" for a while now, but never really talked about it much because, well, what is there to really talk about? It does make great way to tell the people in your networks where you're finding information and such great deals on eyeglasses -- and helps me reach new people too!

If you're on Facebook, become a "fan"
. It's easy!


I've added a "widget" to the side of the site... we'll see if it makes the cut for the redesign I'm working on.

So begins a memorable week in online eyeglasses if you're looking to start or add to your collection.

The EyeBuyDirect "Buy One Get One Free Sale" began at Midnight and will continue for a week.



The 39DollarGlasses "5 DAY MID-SUMMER BLOWOUT" continues Monday and Tuesday.
39DollarGlasses Link!

UPDATED: Just got some additional information that is sure to bring a smile to your faces. I've updated the post to reflect that it's $20 off each pair of glasses you order!



Woke up this morning and checked the email as I was making breakfast for the kids. What an eye-opener this was!

Not to be outdone, and learning a lesson or two on the terms clarification, 39DollarGlasses has provided me with the following deal:

Save $20 on ANY PURCHASE from 39DollarGlasses.com EXCLUSIVELY from GlassyEyes.


You won't see mention of this on the site, as it's just for us. Best of all, it's drop-dead simple. Every order PAIR, using these links, gets $20 off -- no code to enter, no nothing. Add your glasses, and work through the payment process, you'll eventually see the $20 savings per pair at the very end of the checkout process (before you submit the order).

Order two pair, get $40 off. Order four? That'd be an $80 discount! More than that, break out your own calculator.

It all ends at 11:59 EDT on Tuesday, July 21st, so if you're in the market -- or not -- now may be the time.

Here's the text straight from the email I received this morning (so there is no confusion):
Exclusively for our GlassyEyes customers…

$20 OFF ANY PAIR of eyeglasses or sunglasses. Absolutely no restrictions!
  • Complete Pair with Single Vision 1.59 High Index Lenses
    only $19.00
  • Complete Pair with Single Vision 1.67 Super High Index Lenses
    only $49.00
  • Complete Pair with Single Vision Genuine Transitions® Lenses
    only $68.90
  • Complete Pair with Free-form High Index Progressive Lenses
    only $69.00
Same $20 off savings on Varilux®, 1.74 Ultra High Index, NuPolar® Polarized Sunglasses, Drivewear® Lenses, and much more!

As always, every order comes with
  • FREE UV coatings!
  • FREE anti-scratch coatings!
  • FREE polished lens edges!
  • FREE attractive hard case!
  • FREE microfiber cleaning pouch!
  • FREE shipping on multi-pair orders or orders over $99!
and every pair is custom-made for you in the USA!
This is the best offer 39DollarGlasses has ever provided ANYONE. Exciting times these are in the online eyeglasses world.

Tell your friends!



A lot of you have probably already received the email alerting you to this opportunity.

EyeBuyDirect is having another Buy One Get One sale starting on Monday, July 20th and lasting until the 26th. They're expecting quite an outpouring of love on this -- I think you may even read about this in your newspapers or see something on the local news affiliate.

The people at EyeBuyDirect continue to push the ball forward. I think this has the potential to alert quite a few new people to the concept of online eyeglasses and is therefore a positive for the entire industry.

BuyOne, GetOne Free for a Week - 7/20-7/26!

I'll remind you again on Monday if you'd like to sign up for the feed (see the green area near the top left of the page) or follow me on Twitter at @glassyeyes.

Terms (some are pretty significant):
  • Sale lasts one week between Monday July 20th and Sunday July 26th (sale starts and ends midnight PST)
  • Minimum order $14.95
  • Free eyeglasses- cheaper of the two
  • Offer not including Designer frames, Sport frames & Sunglasses
  • Offer includes only single vision lenses with anti-scratch coating
  • No double discounts- Buy one Get one Free overrides other coupons & discounts
UPDATE! ajeep8u asked a good question in comments, and I got the answer almost immediately via online help. Here goes:

Ira Mitchell: Regarding the Buy One Get One Free sale: If I bought a frame for $49.95 and sprung for the 1.74 lenses plus all the coatings, the total is $173.85. Could I get an identical second pair for free? Or are you saying that only a frame of equal or lesser price plus the Standard lens would be free?

You are now speaking with Juanita of Customer Service.

Juanita: It is only the frame for the 2nd pair which is free. Lens upgrades are additional costs.


Tell your friends!



Related Posts and Links:

In the past few months, I've gotten a number of emails and instant messages from people who have had their prescriptions "held hostage" at the optical shop. It's been awhile since I've seen anything like this. It makes me think that these stores are starting to feel the combined pinch of the economy (that we've all been feeling for the last year or so) and that the online eyeglasses retailers are taking market share at an faster rate.

Either way, there is no excuse for holding these prescriptions and frankly -- in the United States at least -- it's against the law.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission enforces the so-called "Eyeglass Rule" which requires eye doctors to provide their patients (stop thinking of us as "customers") "one copy" of the prescription at the end of the eye exam.

If you EVER get any attitude or have your prescription held against your will CALL the Federal Trade Commission at 202-326-3528 or 1-877-FTC-HELP.

Here is the statute:

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
PART 456--OPHTHALMIC PRACTICE RULES--


Sec. 456.2 Separation of examination and dispensing.

It is an unfair act or practice for an ophthalmologist or optometrist to:

(a) Fail to provide to the patient one copy of the patient's prescription immediately after the eye examination is completed.

Provided: An ophthalmologist or optometrist may refuse to give the patient a copy of the patient's prescription until the patient has paid for the eye examination, but only if that ophthalmologist or optometrist would have required immediate payment from that patient had the examination revealed that no ophthalmic goods were required;

(b) Condition the availability of an eye examination to any person on a requirement that the patient agree to purchase any ophthalmic goods from the ophthalmologist or optometrist;

(c) Charge the patient any fee in addition to the ophthalmologist's or optometrist's examination fee as a condition to releasing the prescription to the patient. Provided: An ophthalmologist or optometrist may charge an additional fee for verifying ophthalmic goods dispensed by another seller when the additional fee is imposed at the time the verification is performed; or

(d) Place on the prescription, or require the patient to sign, or deliver to the patient a form or notice waiving or disclaiming the liability or responsibility of the ophthalmologist or optometrist for the accuracy of the eye examination or the accuracy of the ophthalmic goods and services dispensed by another seller.

Revised as of January 1, 1999]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 16CFR456.2]
[Page 453]


A note to optometrists out there; Start charging the appropriate amount for an eye exam and be up front about it. The more educated people get, and the more you try to hide your motives, the more you'll be hurting in the end.

Also, we, as patients, need to start lobbying for the PD (pupillary distance) to be included in the exam -- they have it and there is no extra work on their part to add it to the prescription card.

UPDATED: 7/1/2009

39DollarGlasses Link!39DollarGlasses has issued some excellent new promo links and they appear to be at least semi-permanent (which is awesome for me not having to keep updating this). Here are the latest coupons and descriptions of the deals.

Let me know if any of these stop working.

Here is the general link to 39DollarGlasses.

  • Click Here for $10 Off Any Eyeglasses Purchase!
  • Click Here for $15 on all orders of $125 or more plus free shipping!
  • Click Here for $20 on all orders of $175 or more plus free shipping!

Those last two links (for multiple pairs or nice progressives) end up at roughly 15% off including that free shipping.