Seen the numerous ads, so are those........

[Heafcliffe]

Warby Parker frames worth the scratch?

[jason_carreira]

They aren't that expensive at under $100

[runner-guy]

Warby Parker is great deal, especially when you consider that prescription lenses are included. They have some really nice styles.

[jason_carreira]

I wish they had more of their prescription frames available as sunglasses

[LesserBlackDog]

Some of their frames seem nicer than others. One thing I did find disappointing when I got my home try-ons is the lack of spring-loaded hinges. They're certainly interesting glasses if you're looking for a trendy look, but the overall quality seems pretty mediocre. It's hard to comment on lens quality since they send the home try-ons with cheap plastic lenses.


$99 is a decent deal but keep in mind that you will have to pay $30 extra if your prescription is particularly strong. That's still a pretty good deal but not astoundingly so - I ordered a pair of Rx sunglasses from Costco the other day for about $120 ($45 for the frame and $75 for polarized polycarbonate Rx lenses. They are a basic aviator style.


I've ordered a second set of home try-ons in hopes of finding a frame that works really well for me, but I need a prism in one lens and they don't even have an option for that when filling out the prescription form. I e-mailed them to see if they can accommodate for it. I liked one of the 5 frames I got last time but it was pretty tight in the temples.


One more thing to keep in mind is something my mom commented to me while I was visiting over Christmas break. She recently got new glasses - she's normally just gone the cheap Costco route in the past, but she couldn't find anything she liked. She ended up going to the local high-end optical shop and got new glasses for something like $500. She said it was definitely a lot of money, but if you're blind like we are, your glasses are the thing you wear more than anything else, and you depend on them more than any other item in your wardrobe. Your vision is a big deal. Plus your face and your head is the most expressive part of yourself, the seat of your whole identity both physically and neurologically. It's worth spending a bit of extra money and making sure you are absolutely satisfied with your glasses and that they are flattering and comfortable. That's why I don't plan on buying Warby Parkers unless I can find a pair that I unequivocally love.

[Rodney Dean]

My wife just got a pair and likes them.


Bottom line: Glasses are overpriced, and WB is trying to cut in. Most fashion-branded glasses are all made my same company, and Burberry or Ralph Lauren are just slapped on the side.

[LesserBlackDog]

I just heard back from WP and it turns out they don't make lenses with prisms. So I guess I'm SOL on that front. I guess I'll check out some of the optical shops around town.


I was a little offended by their email suggestions - essentially that I could just ignore the prism requirement and get glasses from them anyway. Um, hello, I get the prism because it prevents me from experiencing vertigo and severe migraines caused by my vertical heterophoria, not because my eye doc arbitrarily decides to write it on my Rx. Sigh.

[jason_carreira]

You can get their frames for 10% off with no lenses then get lenses locally

[bruschetta]

I have a few of their frames here as part of their try-at-home trial. I'm not sure what I think, so I'm going to let the Mrs. decide. I'd be happy to take some pictures of them if it would help you.

[bremersm]

@BenR that sucks as I require prizms as well.


While I like the styles I think I will stick with my Rayban RB6106. I have had them for 5 years and they are still like new.

[Heafcliffe]

Thanks guys for the advice!


Thing is I work for a private eyeglass company that supplies eyeglasses to inmates. Anyways, it is amazing how much glasses and the lenses cost are versus the original cost basis. To use BenR for an example, the same lenses that cost $75 to purchase probably cost the manufacturer 10 cents. YES!! 10 CENTS!!! It is all a mark-up.


Another thing.... those frames that are $300- 500 from a major company (i.e. Burberry, Versace, Calvin), for the most part, weren't designed by them. What they do is have the original manufacturer (a no name company) come through their offices and then pick some styles (for pennies) they feel represent them AND SLAP a logo on it! Disgusting.


Unfortunately, the frames we have are relics (bc of the clients we are serving) and I wanted to get a fresh new frame for the spring. Thanks again for ya'll insight.

[LesserBlackDog]

@ JC - Yeah I know. But I don't think their frames are worth $86 or whatever the 10% discount would bring it to. For me, the appeal of the WP deal was the significant savings over the usual cost of frames + Rx lenses. My Rx is such that the lenses will always be the more expensive part of an eyeglass purchase.


I can get a set of frames of the same or higher quality than the WP ones from Costco for $50-100. The reason the WP ones were attractive is that I could get the full package for $125 (with high index lenses), whereas for the Costco ones, it could get up closer to $200 depending on the frames I picked. But if I have to buy the frames for $86 and then get my own lenses for $75+, that isn't such a great bargain.

[LesserBlackDog]

@ Heafcliffe - I find it hard to believe that my (comparatively cheap!) $75 Rx lenses cost only $.10 to produce. I imagine the labor costs alone of grinding them to fit the frames would far exceed that.

[Heafcliffe]

@ BenR, I speaking as far how much the raw materials costs. As for the labor, considering that a machine does most of the work and its not manual, the cost basis is still relatively low. I would think it cost approx. $3 to 5 to make 2 lenses. No exaggeration. I, too, was blown away by the RIDICULOUS mark-up for glasses. Makes you think.

[LesserBlackDog]

Just gotta say this because it just came to me... I feel like WP is sort of the Indochino of the eyeglass world. They offer high-style, "luxury" glasses frames for a low price, and I'm sure a lot of people will love them, but don't expect to get the same quality that you could get elsewhere if you were willing to cough up more than $95.