The glasses mafia in France

[Linux-SWAT]

Hi !

So people with eye problems need glasses.
Glasses prices are not regulated in France. Although consumer rights associations tries to clear things with justice, prices are kept extremely high by the optician mafia.

Actually, my mother has to redo her lenses (not the frame/chassis), it will cost 600€.

I would like to know how things are in other countries.

 

[Chip]

Glasses are artificially expensive in US retail stores (thanks, luxotica!), but not $600 expensive unless you're buying absurd designer frames.  A "cheap" pair (lenses & frames) is going to run you around $200 at a chain optician like pearl vision, or a bit less at walmart.  

I haven't bothered with that nonsense for many years though.  Online glasses shops are just as good and a fraction of the price.  39dollarglasses ships to France.  I've bought a few pairs from them in the last decade, and they've been extremely good for the price.  The pairs I've bought have lasted a couple years each with part time use (I wear contacts during the day) and no special care in their handling (I just toss them around - they're only $40 FFS).

Problem solved.

 

[Inqui]

In germany it starts with 40 for cheap plastic and goes up to 200-300 for thin glasses with special optics.

Addictional cost for bicular ones (near/far) than may double it

 

[comradekingu]

In some way 600€ for something that improves your vision considerably isnt all that much. I do however see your point.

That being said i think there are some really great optics coming out of france, like angenieux. Solid tradition going back to fresnel.

Things should be getting cheaper once all the manual labour is done away with, it might be if you adjust for inflation, but still very odd.

I only buy sunglasses, and they have definitely gotten cheaper lately as the smaller producers achieve the same quality. Maybe it will happen to spectacles as well.

 

[rygD]

In some way 600€ for something that improves your vision considerably isnt all that much.

They are something that people need to get with variable frequency for various reasons.  If somebody isn't wealthy and they need new ones every year that cost adds up quickly.  If they have a hard time functioning without their glasses, it isn't like they have a choice.  I have had some ugly frames with some terrible lenses (they scratched if you looked...through them), so if there was a cheaper option I wouldn't see a problem, but Linux-SWAT is only talking about lenses, so I would say that is extremely high.

Linux-SWAT: Are contact lenses or laser surgery an option, and if so what do those prices look like?

 

[comradekingu]

Pretty grim to pray on people that need them. Its like speculating into prices of raw food supply.

 

[rygD]

I was considering comparing it to food or water, however it isn't quite that bad, but still pretty fucked. 

 

[Linux-SWAT]

Have no idea about surgery's price. Not an option.

 

[rygD]

Try one of those cheap online places.  If that won't work I am sure one of us in a place where they aren't so expensive can try to help out.

 

[TrashyMG]

They're pricey in the US, but luckily my health insurance covers almost all of the expense for them, usually just leave paying about $30 USD for a bill priced around $500 USD and I can get new glasses every year.

 

[comradekingu]

At-least you see the predicament others are in.
Some people don't even have the full overview on how low you can eye-ball it at others expense.

 

[fusion_power]

In germany it starts with 40 for cheap plastic and goes up to 200-300 for thin glasses with special optics.

Addictional cost for bicular ones (near/far) than may double it

Ha, up to date theme, I recieved my new glasses just yesterday!   I had my last glasses since 2009 and they did a good job. Well but I really needed new ones, went from ~-3 to -4 dioptre. And I was actualy pretty shocked that I had to pay 130€ for these new ones and that was already the more cheap plastic ones. I payed 60€ for the old glasses, they were real glass, double non-refelcting, double thin cut etc. I just wanted the same quality. They sayed these type of glasses are not made anymore but I've got no explanation why. Times may change but that huge? I suspect a glasses Mafia in Germany too, it would not be the first time that an cartel was revealed here. At least the frame was for free, it's pretty common for Fielmann .  
So now I have my first plastic glasses, I'm still confused that some small pieces of transparent plastic can be that much expensive.

 

[TrashyMG]

At-least you see the predicament others are in.

Well not without my glasses of course.

 

[rygD]

I wish I could read what everyone was posting, but I can't afford to right now.

Seriously, I am overdue for new glasses, just trying to find someone to get to look at my peepers, and some time.  I would really like something better than what I got the last few times, but with all this talk of really expensive lenses and plastic being the only affordable choice I may have to stick with easily scratched plastic lenses...might as well go with the cheapest metal frames again, as well.

 

[DrHAX]

Seeing that prices for lenses makes me worried about my eyes. I've got absurdly sensitive eyes..(I have the brightness turned down on everything to the lowest setting and it still is too bright.. my room has 40 watt light bulbs and it just is too much at times. Florescent lighting gives me headache. I was actually giving permission by the school nurse in school to wear sunglasses inside... B) ) I have a every so slight astigmatism and I had a prescription for glasses filled out yet the cheap ass frames broke on me the first HOUR I had them.. then they disappeared. the US isn't the greatest either. I'm just gonna end up getting the prescription lenses again then seeing about having some lenses made for some antique gold filled frames.  Might be pricier but it'd fit my tastes better. (I have the frames already,  Victorian era with a hexagon base. Look's quite nice on me I think.) My biggest issue with his glasses is everything I like predates the 1940's. Wire frames with hexagon lenses, or etches on the rims. Just really lovely things.  The fact my wire frame on the NEW glasses instantly exploded the moment they got shipped to me.. (Took 4 weeks since they kept on having issues!)

If you got some standardized frames maybe purchasing the lenses online with the prescription would be a valid option.I can't do it sadly because of my choice of antiquated frames.. (When  I find somebody willing to make the damn lenses I will be their customer for life.)

Also for custom work.. most places won't do it here because they don't stock the frames. so if they fuck up your vintage frame your SOL. Granted this won't apply to 99.98% of you out there but it is something to keep in mind.. Also most places won't touch crap unless it's THEIR lenses or w/e. So if you acquire lenses hope the frames can easily have them removed, I'm certain the placement of the lenses into the frames aren't as "complex and critical" as the formation of them, since everything seems to be a fixed with little variables.

 

[ekianjo]

You don't need price regulation to have cheap prices. Actually quite the contrary !
In Japan you can get glasses as cheap as 50 USD. And not shitty ones either, quite fashionable I'd say. And this price includes the visit to check your eyes and ensure you have the right lenses for your sight.

The french system sucks because there's no free market.

Advice: fly to Japan for fun, and get glasses here during you visit. Buy three pairs at least so that you won't have to worry about it for a while.

 

[Holliefant]

In germany, and as far as I know in the netherlands also, you can get glasses for about 100-200 € I paid 89€ for mine but that was an special offer. If you need glasses with multi focus? (sry don´t know the english expression for that) you pay a bit more. 

 

[Neelix]

That's close enough to the english to be well understood.   We normally use the terms bifocal (for 2 foci) or multi-focal (for more than 2) as a descriptor. i.e.:  "bifocal lenses". 

Bifocal glasses are usually just referred to as "bifocals"  similarly glasses with multi-focal lenses are called "multi-focals".

-Neelix

 

 

[ZXDunny]

I recently got two pairs of glasses for about £40/pair, and they're proper glass with anti-glare coatings etc.

D.
 

 

[iprice]

Yeah, Asda (Walmart) and Tesco in the UK do two pairs of glasses for around £99.

https://opticians.asda.com/info/our-complete-price-on-glasses

We have to pay around £15 for an eye test in most places - some places offer free eye tests if you buy the glasses from them, but that generally works out more expensive anyway.