Spectacle prices

Had a long chat to my optometrist. She recons there are three reputable multi focal lens manufacturers, Hoya, Zeis and another that I can't remember. They order the lenses ready-made, they just get cut here in SA. They can vet cheaper, but the amount of comebacks are just not worth it. If it weren't for the frame breaking on my current set, I would still be wearing them.
 
Lord Farquart said:
Had a long chat to my optometrist. She recons there are three reputable multi focal lens manufacturers, Hoya, Zeis and another that I can't remember. They order the lenses ready-made, they just get cut here in SA. They can vet cheaper, but the amount of comebacks are just not worth it. If it weren't for the frame breaking on my current set, I would still be wearing them.
Click to expand...

Bausch and Lomb?
 
I tend to ignore these threads to some degree. I flinch every time I see people comparing their lens costs. Apples and oranges...

Lord Farquart said:
Had a long chat to my optometrist. She recons there are three reputable multi focal lens manufacturers, Hoya, Zeis and another that I can't remember. They order the lenses ready-made, they just get cut here in SA. They can vet cheaper, but the amount of comebacks are just not worth it. If it weren't for the frame breaking on my current set, I would still be wearing them.
Click to expand...

Essilor.

All of these lens manufacturers have long lists of lenses. Then you get your unbranded/generic lenses. There is even a magazine dedicated to all the different lens choices - although it does not even begin to cover all the lenses available in the SA market and abroad. What people do not know is that you get lenses and you get lenses. Comebacks are also a big problem with some of these lenses. But it is addressable. We have addressed it to a large extent and are sitting at ~2 comebacks a year.
 
reactor_sa said:
**** luxottica, they are a world wide monopoly.
They have licence to manufacture pretty much every designer label frame.
They also own sunglass hut as their retail chain.
Click to expand...

Luxottica does very little lenses, mostly frames which is why Essilor and Luxottica are merging.
 
Dammit. After waiting 7 working days, I've just been told the lab has had a problem and need to re-order my lenses...
 
backstreetboy said:
Not sure I'd trust the Chinese or even the Indians with my eyes :erm:
Click to expand...

I've been wearing Chinese sourced prescription glasses for +-6 years now.

All designer frames. I simply send my brother my prescription and he gets glasses made / brought back. Not hard to do - we get ripped off in SA.
 
tRoN said:
Where is this seedy place...maybe can score a cheap BJ on the way
Click to expand...

I can't remember. Somewhere near the Esplanade in Durban

This year is the first time I am wearing glasses, so I don't think my lenses are too strong or fancy.
 
ld13 said:
I tend to ignore these threads to some degree. I flinch every time I see people comparing their lens costs. Apples and oranges...



Essilor.

All of these lens manufacturers have long lists of lenses. Then you get your unbranded/generic lenses. There is even a magazine dedicated to all the different lens choices - although it does not even begin to cover all the lenses available in the SA market and abroad. What people do not know is that you get lenses and you get lenses. Comebacks are also a big problem with some of these lenses. But it is addressable. We have addressed it to a large extent and are sitting at ~2 comebacks a year.
Click to expand...

What results in “comebacks” with the lenses?
 
tRoN said:
What results in “comebacks” with the lenses?
Click to expand...

In the industry it is called Non-adaptation. It is quite an issue and the labs have gone so far as to appoint 'reps' that would go out to assist in cases like these. Reputable labs will even replace the lenses for free but that compounds the problem in my opinion.

Non-adaptation with spectacles can be due to a wide array of interconnected factors:
Manufacturing fault
Script (RX) fault
Abbe values
Incorrect RX measurements
Incorrect Pupil Distance measurements (Monocular PDs!)
Incorrect fitting heights for chosen frame
Disregard to wrap or faceform angle
Disregard to vertex distance from lens to eye
Disregard for pantoscopic tilt
Disregard for final optical center/PRP heights
Frame adjustments done AFTER the fitment of the lenses
Incorrect positioning of frame/Skew frame
Incorrect handling of frame
Inaccurate feedback from patient about what the glasses will be used for
Bad lens design (you get lenses and lenses)
Mismatch between lens design & frame & px requirements
Inaccurate medical history taken re: medications
Blood pressure
Diabetes
Cataracts
Macular degeneration
Age
etc etc

TL;DR - Comebacks are caused by
Lack of education
Optometrists
Patients
Industry

If I have more time I can expand on the above and probably explain it better. The problem is that the one leads to the other...
 
ld13 said:
Comebacks are caused by
Lack of education
Optometrists
Patients
Industry
Click to expand...

So clearly it has little to do with the quality of the plastic itself and who makes it so why the exorbitant price?
 
tRoN said:
So clearly it has little to do with the quality of the plastic itself
Click to expand...

Please keep in mind that my responses are extremely simplistic and ignores a boat-load of other relevant factors...

The quality of the plastic and who makes it does come into play. That is where the abbe values, lens design etc come in. Then you also get lenses and lenses. You might e.g. cope with cheap "injection molded" (there is a better term but it has slipped my mind) lenses that some local labs are playing with, due to factors like a low RX, while I may not.

Given the same script (RX) an entry level cheap pair of multifocal lenses will never give you as much range and reading ability as a top of the line Zeiss or Hoya backed multifocal lens. Zeiss likes to brag as to how they are using the masses of prescriptions they have processed over the years to optimize their premium products to give the wearer a much more comfortable experience. Even Hoya uses their software (and pay them click-fees). Improvements in technology has removed a lot of the previous factors that gave multifocal lenses a bad name. As new products are introduced (at a cost-premium), older (cheaper) products are phased out.

You get what you pay for in the end.

At what price should spectacles be sold in your opinion?
 
ld13 said:
Please keep in mind that my responses are extremely simplistic and ignores a boat-load of other relevant factors...

The quality of the plastic and who makes it does come into play. That is where the abbe values, lens design etc come in. Then you also get lenses and lenses. You might e.g. cope with cheap "injection molded" (there is a better term but it has slipped my mind) lenses that some local labs are playing with, due to factors like a low RX, while I may not.

Given the same script (RX) an entry level cheap pair of multifocal lenses will never give you as much range and reading ability as a top of the line Zeiss or Hoya backed multifocal lens. Zeiss likes to brag as to how they are using the masses of prescriptions they have processed over the years to optimize their premium products to give the wearer a much more comfortable experience. Even Hoya uses their software (and pay them click-fees). Improvements in technology has removed a lot of the previous factors that gave multifocal lenses a bad name. As new products are introduced (at a cost-premium), older (cheaper) products are phased out.

You get what you pay for in the end.

At what price should spectacles be sold in your opinion?
Click to expand...

How can I tell which brand of lenses my optometrist uses in any case?
They could be using cheap ones and marking it up.

Excluding the frame I would not want to pay more than 1 k for both lenses
 
tRoN said:
How can I tell which brand of lenses my optometrist uses in any case? They could be using cheap ones and marking it up.
Click to expand...

You don't. Some lenses do have markings on them, but even then some are removed as a matter of course during the manufacturing process. Even then it can be difficult to identify a lens. Zeiss lenses are identifiable due to the tell-tale Z 'engraved' into them, and the e in some Essilor lenses and whatever Hoya feels like using. But this can be a hindrance to some.

PPN is the only medical administrator that checks that whatever is fitted by the lab matches the invoice. But if you own your own lab ... yeah

tRoN said:
Excluding the frame I would not want to pay more than 1 k for both lenses
Click to expand...

The minimum you will get away with, is ~R660 per M/F lens. But then you are getting the cheapest M/F the optometrists can source. Exactly the type of lens we avoid like the plague.
 
Thanks after reading some of the comments I feel better, paid R3800 for mine I thought that is expensive.
 
ld13 said:
You don't. Some lenses do have markings on them, but even then some are removed as a matter of course during the manufacturing process. Even then it can be difficult to identify a lens. Zeiss lenses are identifiable due to the tell-tale Z 'engraved' into them, and the e in some Essilor lenses and whatever Hoya feels like using. But this can be a hindrance to some.

PPN is the only medical administrator that checks that whatever is fitted by the lab matches the invoice. But if you own your own lab ... yeah



The minimum you will get away with, is ~R660 per M/F lens. But then you are getting the cheapest M/F the optometrists can source. Exactly the type of lens we avoid like the plague.
Click to expand...

Well, delay in mine is because one of the lenses was faulty, and it comes from overseas, so hopefully that means it's not a no-name brand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X