after an eye exam by a reputable optometrist, why should the patient
buy eye glasses from him/her instead of going to lenscrafters or a
comparable store with the new prescription and buy them there. the
frames at the optometrist's cost $199 and exactly repeat exactly the
same frames at lenscrafters cost $104. the lenses for a normal far
sighted prescription at the optometrist cost $100 and the lenses at lenscrafters
for the same prescription cost $89. Total cost at lenscrafters would
be $193 and total cost at the optometrist's would be $299. Do the
optometrist's have better grinding capabilities (sending them to a lab
or perhaps even grinding it at their lab) than lenscrafters or a
comparative store? In other words is the extra $106 worth it because
the optometrist's lab grinds better? if possible, i would prefer an
answer that is supported by documentation instead of "i  think the
lenscrafters eye glasses are fine." thank you

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Clarification of Question by fredg2004-ga on 06 May 2006 17:27 PDT

stanmartin....thank you for your input....i know this...i know you can
buy them cheaper at a place like that instead at an optomertrist who
just examinued your eyes.................i asked if there is any
detailed written evidence if one is better than the other if the  with
such a different price at an optometrist. if so, could the reason be
because of the lab that prepares the lenses..

If you go to an eye doctor  - and pay -  you can have your glasses
made anywhere you want.  The cost of the optometrist's examination is
not really free, why should it be?

LensCrafters has independent optometrists on site.  I like my
inside-LensCrafters eye doc.

thank you for the two comments but of course it did not answer my
question. i do not expect the optometrist's exam to be free. i know
lenscrafters is at least a reliable outlet. my question asked is there
a hard and fast rule about buying the eyeglasses from the optometrist
even with the difference in price because the optometrist will usually
use a lab for the grinding of the prescription of the eyeglasses
better than outlets like lenscrafters. i know i can have my glasses
made anywhere....

About a week ago there was a story at fark.com about the price of
eyeglasses. A British student needed glasses and wondered why he had
to pay around $200 for a little glass and wire. He did some checking
around (talked to former optical staff) and found that glasses only
cost about 10% of what they sell for. When he graduated, he started
his own company that charges much less than what the other companies
charge. He has a chain now in Britain and is thinking of taking it
worldwide.