Choosing Prescription Eyewear

Air Date:
Heard On The Larry Meiller Show

Choosing the right pair of prescription eyewear is important. Judith Siers-Poisson finds out what to look for.

Featured in this Show

  • Choose Eyeglass Frames Wisely, Expert Says

    For those millions of people who wear prescription eyeglasses, they know that they’re often a pretty sizeable investment. And at this time of year, a lot of people are looking at their health savings plans to budget for next year, and to use up the funds that they still have to “use or lose.”

    Jim La Luzerne enjoyed a 45-year career as the CEO of five different optical-related companies, including the largest manufacturer of prescription eyeglasses in the world, and is an inductee in the Optical Hall of Fame. He said he has tips for those looking at buying their next pair of glasses.

    La Luzerne said that one of the ways to save on prescription eyewear is to choose the frames wisely. If a person can resist the lure of the name-brand designer models, they can save quite a bit of money. He commented that in preparation for appearing on “The Larry Meiller Show,” he visited a local retail chain to check out their frame selection.

    “And I was amazed,” he said. “I looked for one for myself, and the retail price was $50. It was a very nice frame, and it fit me well, and it would have been a nice, attractive frame. Right next to it was a designer frame that had the name on the side so your friends could see that it was a designer frame, and it was $200.”

    La Luzerne pointed out that that comes out to a four-fold difference in the price, and, if those frames had been in a higher-end store, the difference might have between $100 to $400 instead.

    If a person doesn’t feel they can afford the higher price, but are hoping for a more fashionable look, La Luzerne said that sometimes there will be designer frames from previous seasons that are a little less expensive because they aren’t the most recent styles.

    In addition, La Luzerne advised that letting the employee who is helping know that the person is looking to keep the budget in check might result in them bringing out some of their more budget models, which may not be displayed prominently.

    La Luzerne emphasized that the frames a person chooses don’t have any bearing on the quality of the lenses, or how well a person can see. And whether they are designer frames or not, most will last for about the same amount of time.

    “Most frames, if they’re sold through a retail place of any repute, are pretty darn good today,” he said. “So, even if you buy a less expensive one, you’re probably OK.”

    Most people need a new prescription for their lenses every two years or so. But if the frames are still in good shape and without any damage, a person could consider putting the new lenses into the previous frames. That way, not only do they know that the frames fit well and are comfortable, but they’ll save some money at the same time.

Episode Credits

  • Judith Siers-Poisson Host
  • Judith Siers-Poisson Producer
  • Jim La Luzerne Guest