The Top 5 Ways to Lower the Cost of your Eyewear

Glasses and contact lenses can get very expensive very quickly for the inexperienced buyer, the replacement cost of some eye wear can easily cost hundreds of pounds if not thought out carefully. There are a few tricks and tips, however, which can help to substantially reduce the cost of your opticians’ bill. Below are the top five ways to save money on your eyes.

Do your research: The last thing needed when shopping for new glasses or contacts is to be sold something that is totally unnecessary. The best place to start a hunt is to research different products and styles before going to buy. There are plenty of opticians online that you can choose from to help you along the way.

Buy Online: If you are already researching online, consider making your purchase that way also. Often you can find great deals available only through the internet, and sometimes you can even find free shipping. You can almost always use paper vouchers for your online order.

Buy in bulk: Specifically for contact lenses, consider buying them in bulk quantities as you can often get a great discount on large orders. Instead of ordering just enough for a month, try ordering enough for six months or even a year. It might be a big investment up front but it could save hundreds in the long run. Also, don’t be afraid to get two sets of glasses that you really like at one time, especially if you find a deal on the purchase of multiple pairs.

Return or Repair: Check the return and replacement policy on your eyewear before throwing the receipt away. You will find that often the manufacturer will repair or replace your glasses if there is a defect and sometimes it even covers some wear and tear issues. If you don’t have any kind of insurance coverage on them, try seeing how much it would be to pay to get them repaired, it could often be a huge savings.

Take care of them: It might go without saying, but the best way to extend the life of your glasses or contacts and save money is to treat them right. Maintenance is easier on the wallet than replacing, and a few easy steps could give you a whole lot of extra money. Always wear your contact lenses as prescribed; never sleep with them in unless you are prescribed extended wear lenses, wearing them more than you are supposed to will reduce their lifespan. Clean them regularly in the containers and solutions recommended by your optician, and never run them under tap water or rinse them with your saliva as the bacteria can cause serious eye infections. For glasses, regularly clean them with a soft lens cloth and consider buying a spray or cleaning to help. Check often to make sure the screws are secure so that you don’t lose part or the frame by mistake.

By following any number of these steps there is hope to reducing the cost of your eye wear. Remember to ask for more advice from your optician as there are plenty of tricks out there to lower your costs. Saving money starts before you go to the store, however, so be sure to have a plan on what you hope to achieve from the outset of your shopping experience.