SAVE & SEE

This pair of prescription glasses only cost me $17! Yes, really.

I love a good bargain, but admittedly I’m not a great thrift shopper. I don’t enjoy the process of digging through bins of books or racks of clothing just to save a few dollars, but I’m always on the look out for a good sale on a quality product. I’m a sucker for coupons, promo codes and free shipping.

One of my favorite places to get a good deal is www.zennioptical.com and let me also preface this post by saying that Zenni Optical could care less about who I am and they aren’t asking me to say nice things about them. I just absolutely love their products!

If you’re like most people, you don’t have perfect eyesight but you also may not have vision insurance—which means you are forced to pay out of pocket for optometry appointments, contacts and new glasses. Or you simply squint and pretend it’s normal. I was lucky to have parents who took me to annual optometry appointments throughout middle school and high school, so I wore contacts for most of my life. But when I started college and was responsible for paying my own bills, the cost of contacts was more than my part-time coffee shop job could afford. Thankfully, glasses were becoming trendy around the same time—so I ditched the contacts and started wearing glasses almost exclusively.

My parents bought me a pair of DKNY glasses from LenCrafters as a Christmas present (with a hefty price tag) and I wore them until the screws were falling out and the paint on the side was fading. But because they were so expensive, I couldn’t justify replacing them.

Then I found Zenni! (Cue dramatic music)

As I browsed the site, I was skeptical. How could they offer prescription glasses for $10 or $25? Certainly there would be hidden fees. Would they have what I needed to fit my astigmatism? Truthfully, I didn’t know what that was, but I knew I had it. How could I buy glasses without trying them on in a mirror? Inconceivable. What if they weren’t the right prescription? Then I would be stuck.

But I had heard nothing but rave reviews from a friend’s parents. So, I ordered my first pair—two of them, actually. I chose a pair of navy blue, wide-rim glasses for everyday and a pair of turquoise prescription sunglasses that admittedly looked like knock-off Ray Bans. To my amazement, the process of ordering them was extremely easy and a lot of my questions were answered by simply exploring the website.

1. Yes, the price advertised was really the price I paid! Customers can tack on extras like anti-glare lenses (worth it for only $5!) or custom engraving on the inside of the frames but these are totally optional add-ons.
2. If you have an astigmatism or other special vision needs, they can accommodate for minimal fees. (A co-worker of mine usually pays a minimum of $250+ for his lenses alone because of an abnormality with his vision, but he got his frames and lenses on Zenni for a total of $75!)
3. You can try the frames on digitally by uploading a selfie. It’s actually really accurate and helps you envision how certain styles will compliment your face shape if you’re not sure what you like.
4. If you’ve been to an optometrist, they are legally obligated to provide you with your prescription information. Some offices don’t offer this readily because they want you to order through their office ($$$), but if you call and request it, they must give it to you. Or, if you’re afraid to call and start something, just look on a box of contacts and you can see the same information. Zenni makes it easy to input all the details and the only measuring you have to do is to figure out your PD (pupillary distance) which is the millimeter distance from the center of one eye to the center of the other eye. This ensures your prescription and frames fit correctly. Zenni even provides a free printable “ruler” that allows you to look in the mirror (or request the help of a friend) to figure out the PD. It takes 2 minutes.

This new pair is en-route to my home now!

Just be prepared to pay some minimal tax and shipping ($5) and wait 14-21 days, although you can pay for expedited shipping for just a few dollars more. I prefer to go the cheap route with shipping, splurge on an extra cup of coffee, and enjoy the anticipation.

I’ve honestly loved every pair of glasses that I’ve received from Zenni. But if you’re still skeptical about ordering glasses online, they have a great return policy that may help you make the leap. If you’re not happy with the glasses (for any reason) you can return them for a 50% refund in the first 30 days or for a 100% store credit to use toward a different pair.

I’ve never paid more than $40 for any of my glasses and I have more pairs than I’d like to admit. But in total they all cost less than my original DKNY frames! I love the option to mix and match with outfits or moods, keep up with the trends without going broke, and I truly feel like my glasses are a reflection of my personality.

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If you decide to order, make sure to save 10% with this code at checkout: WELCOME10

Want to learn more about why other glasses are so expensive? Zenni put together this infographic to help you visualize it.