The Cost of Clear Vision

If we had a penny for every time someone asked us about vision insurance, we’d probably be able to buy ourselves a new pair of glasses without it. Depending on your vision insurance provider and plan, your new eye candy may be partially or entirely covered. Most standard PPO, HMO, and indemnity vision insurance plans cover glasses, but have a limit on that will be covered. Typically, they’ll cover the cost of one pair of glasses and one set of new lenses per calendar year. More comprehensive plans will offer you more coverage on fancier features, like progressive or polarized lenses.

You know your plan better than we do (we hope), so be sure to check with your insurance provider for eligibility for an out-of-network provider. We don’t bill insurance companies directly, but would be more than happy to provide you with an itemized receipt after purchase. Simply forward it to your provider for reimbursement and skip straight to looking like a million bucks in your new frames (without actually paying a million bucks for them). Just pop into the chat box on our website, contact us at omfg@eyebobs.com, or give us a call at 1-866-393-2627.

Good vision comes at a price, but thankfully not one that will have you clutching your wallet to your chest in horror. Allow us to put a price on your head, or on the glasses that sit on your head, at least. 

First, you can rest easy in the knowledge that even without vision insurance, our frames won’t break the bank – we’re all about giving you the chance to snag designer frames at non-designer prices. In other words, we’re putting our money where our mouth is, so you can put yours where your eyes are. Okay, enough wordplay: let’s get down to business.

If you’re operating sans vision insurance, we commend you for living on the edge. Here’s how much eye exams and prescription eyewear are likely to run you if you’re paying out of pocket.

For those in need of distance vision correction, you’ll need an expert to weigh in to determine your prescription. Taking a stab at your RX all by your lonesome isn’t recommended – you’re more than likely to end up with a pair that gives you a headache or isn’t strong enough. Without insurance, a trip to the optometrist for an eye exam will likely cost somewhere in the realm of $75 - $200, depending on your location and individual eyewear needs. If you only require close-up vision correction, you may be able to DIY an eye exam using our Reader Strength Test. All you need is a printer and your eyeballs. To most accurately determine your diopter, though, we’d still recommend leaving it to the pros.

In general, you’ll probably be looking at a price tag of anywhere between $200 and $600 when all is said and done, although many designer frames will run you even more – we’re talking up to and beyond $1000. At eyebobs, our readers start at $95 and our prescription glasses start at $245, so that’s about what you can expect to pay out of pocket without insurance. Time is money, and the seconds you’ll save by not having to squint will pay dividends.

If you have no intention of parting ways with your current frames but are finding yourself squinting more than usual, we’re here to help. Our lens replacement service will get your vision back on the money in no time. Simply choose the lens type and prescription you want, send us your frames, and we’ll take care of the rest. All you’ll be paying is the cost of the lenses, which range from $50 for reader lens replacements to $250 for the highest prescriptions.

We’ve got the dirt on the dough you’ll need to shell out for all of our eyewear offerings. If you’re in the market for a new pair of readers, traditional reader lenses start at $95 and progressive readers start at $155. Progressives with both a reader strength and distance prescription start at $345, and single-vision prescription glasses start at $245. See? Even if you aren’t covered by vision insurance, our frames will never make you feel like they might require crowdsourcing. Phew!

Expect updating your prescription to cost you between $150 for your run-of-the-mill RX and $250 for heavy-duty, High Index lenses. That’s what you’ll spend, but the crystal clear vision you’ll have afterwards? Priceless.

We’d bet money these will be worth yours, especially at prices like these. Expect our non-prescription reading glasses to run you around $95. That’s pretty darn close to drugstore prices for frames that are worlds apart from drugstore quality. We try not to pat ourselves on the back too much, but sometimes it’s warranted.

While it depends on your insurance provider, many do have coverage that extends to non-prescription glasses, including readers and blue light blockers. If you haven’t gotten up close and personal with your plan yet, it’s probably high time to do so.