I'm nearsighted. Eyeglasses have been part of my daily life since I was in fourth grade. At age 17 I finally realized my vision had deteriorated to the point that I needed corrective lenses 100% of the time. Since then I have purchased eyeglasses through my optometrist, at major mall outlets and at local eyeglass retailers with widely varying degrees of quality, performance and retail price.
I was an early adopter of the internet. I wholeheartedly embraced internet commerce in the mid nineties. I've purchased music, books, electronics and clothing online-all with excellent results. In spite of my embrace of internet commerce I have been hesitant to utilize the internet for eyeglasses. This has been due to a desire to see how the frames looked on my face and to evaluate the quality of the finished product before I make a purchase decision. Time and again I visited online glasses retailers enchanted by the low prices but I still continued to purchase glasses through my usual outlets. That was before the recession. I'm one of the lucky ones because I am still working full time; albeit for a much lower salary.
Recently, I broke my newest pair of stylish glasses that I purchased from a major mall retailer. I couldn't afford to replace them as the warranty had expired. I ended up wearing a much more durable (and cheaper) pair I purchased from a big box store optical department 12 years ago. At this point my wife told me to check out Glasses USA. I figured I had nothing to lose so I typed the URL into my browser. Immediately I was surprised to find a significant selection of stylish eyeglass frames. Typically discount online eyeglass retailers have a limited selection of generic looking frames that practically scream, "CHEAP!" The contemporary and stylish selection at Glasses USA was a refreshing change. There was a considerable selection of well known designer styles available at bargain prices as well.
The biggest objection for me has been that I want to see what the eyeglasses look like on my face. Glasses USA overcame this objection by creating a way to do this virtually. Through the "Virtual Mirror" feature I was able to upload a head shot from my webcam (you can also use a digital picture) and methodically try each frame shape on to ascertain the best shape and color for my face. I tried several styles and settled on the contemporary semi-rimless style "Playground Black" which sells for a base price of $39 with standard single vision lenses.
Glasses USA gives you multiple lens and lens coating options at a very competitive pricing. I opted for thin lenses for an extra $49 and all three coatings (scratch, UV and reflective) for an additional $17.85. There were also options for Transitions lenses and a polarized sunglasses lens option and a color tinted lens option. The total for my pair came to a very reasonable $105.65 with free standard shipping. I entered the prescription information from my most recent eye exam and sent in my order.
A few days later my new glasses arrived. I unpacked them and gave them a thorough examination. I determined the glasses felt substantial and are clearly very good quality. The prescription was accurate and the finished glasses fit my face perfectly and look sharp. Glasses USA also provided a high quality padded hard case and lens cloth with my order. This unexpected extra completed an excellent experience. I highly recommend Glasses USA. The experience from beginning to end was smooth and easy. I particularly liked the easy to navigate website, Virtual Mirror feature and most of all the value. Thanks Glasses USA!
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