How much should prism glasses cost? It’s a question that’s confounding internet users.
While prism glasses sound like high-tech glasses that come with a high cost, that isn’t truly the case. This is technology that’s been around since the 1930s!
Let’s find out more about prism glasses and where you can buy them without needing to empty your bank account!
While on Reddit, I happened upon a post by MysteryVent, asking about prism glasses. The Reddit Original Poster (OP) was mostly concerned about the cost. His glasses came with a $300 price tag!
MysteryVent said that he’s drowning in medical bills from a recent surgery, and the glasses offered were too expensive. He wanted a suggestion on where to get them affordably:
“Where do you guys get your prism glasses? Has anyone had luck online? I got prescribed prism glasses at the optometrist and they quoted me $300, Ive never needed glasses before and I unfortunately don’t have insurance and I am drowning in medical bills from a surgery early this year, not to mention I am going to have to find out how to pay for an MRI asap. I need suggestions for anything affordable please!”
The Reddit community was quick to chime in with cost-saving suggestions. A couple suggested getting the optometrist’s prescription so that the OP can get his glasses somewhere else.
Metamoose1 said:
“You could get a copy of the prescription and take it to a Walmart or other chain optical store that might have more deals, as long as it’s somewhere in person that they can measure the lenses so the prism is correct.”
This is a great idea. Walmart and other retailers, including those online, offer affordable options for those needing prism glasses. Also, as the patient, OP MysteryVent should get a copy of his prescription, whether he buys from his current optician or elsewhere.
An interesting warning came from user labmanagerbill. He said:
“Do not order glasses with Prism online. I know it sucks to pay more, but you really need a professional to take accurate measurements in order for the Prisms to work correctly. You need an accurate monocular pupillary distance as well as an accurate optical center measurement. If any of these are off even a few millimeters, it can throw the prism off a noticeable amount.”
This struck me as odd, painting online eyeglasses shops as bad when they’re not the ones doing the measurements. Your optician should provide you with an accurate prescription. Once you have your prescription, you should be able to buy glasses anywhere you like.
Suggestions like this are unfair portrayals of online merchants and limit MysteryVent’s affordable options. Eyewear retailers with proper labs should be able to create prism glasses with no issue, as long as the measurements are precise.
What Are Prism Glasses?
Woman With Sun Rays on Face
Before we go further, let’s break down what prism glasses are exactly. Prism glasses are specialized eyeglasses that are designed to correct double vision (or diplopia).
This condition has several possible causes, including existing eye conditions such as astigmatism, cataracts, and macular degeneration. Some medical conditions also cause diplopia, such as Graves’ disease, strokes, and brain tumors.
Regardless of what’s causing your double vision, prism glasses can be a way to correct it.
How Do Prism Glasses Work?
To see clearly, light should enter your eye and focus on your retina, which is at the back of your eye. This is the signal for your brain to produce the images that you see in front of you. In certain cases, however, some parts of your eye become too weak and cause the rest of your eye muscles to strain. This eye strain can cause headaches and double vision.
Prism glasses refract or bend the light that enters your eyes, which helps compensate for misalignment of the eyes. By bending the light, prism glasses help the brain merge the two images seen by each eye into one coherent image. Many users report that wearing prism glasses significantly reduces eye strain and fatigue.
Who Can Benefit from Prism Glasses?
Prism glasses can help a variety of people who see double:
People with Binocular Vision Dysfunction(BVD): This is a common vision problem where your eyes struggle to work together. This leads to misalignment and eye strain.
Individuals with eye muscle disorders: If you’re experiencing weakness in your eyes, this may cause double vision.
Post-surgery patients: Some people who have undergone eye surgery may experience double vision temporarily.
Where to Buy Prism Glasses
A Smiling Man Wearing Glasses
As some of the Redditors mentioned, you can get prism glasses from optical retailers, online retailers, and even discount stores like Walmart. You aren’t just limited to where you got your prescription.
The key to buying these glasses confidently is to make sure your optician provides you with an accurate prescription. That’s it! Once you have your prescription, you can buy these glasses anywhere that suits your budget.
On EZContacts, it’s an option that you can choose when filling out your prescription details.
Ordering Prism Glasses on EZContacts
As you can see, it’s just a $29.95 add-on at EZContacts. If you’re working with a limited budget, just choose from the many bargain glasses on sale.
You can find frames starting at around $4.31 from brands like Peachtree. Basic plastic lenses are $39.95 at EZContacts, and the clear lens color is $9.95. And so, after you add in the $29.95 prism lenses, your total for these glasses would be $84.16. This is far less than the $300 quoted by Redditor MysteryVent’s optician.
What to Remember When Buying Prism Glasses
Keep this in mind when buying your prism glasses:
Prescription
Always get a proper eye examination and prescription from a qualified eye care professional. Prism glasses require precise measurements to be effective.
Type of Prism
There are different types of prisms (e.g., base-in, base-out) depending on your specific vision issue. Make sure your optician determines the best type for you.
Frame Style
Choose a comfortable frame that’s light and durable. You might need to wear them for extended periods in order to correct your eye condition.
Prism glasses are an effective solution to double vision. You just need to get a pair with perfectly accurate specifications for your unique requirements.
TL;DR
Reddit user MysteryVent was prescribed prism glasses, but they came with a $300 price tag from his optician.
The Reddit community chimed in with affordable alternative sources for prism glasses, including Walmart and online eyewear retailers.
Prism glasses are eyeglasses specially designed to correct double vision.
They work by bending light so that when light enters your eye, it focuses on your retina each time.
People with diplopia (double vision), people with eye muscle disorders, and those recovering from eye surgery can benefit from these glasses.
You can buy prism glasses from optical shops, online retailers, and even discount stores. Just make sure you have an accurate prescription.
My life rotates through five lenses: distance and reading glasses, sunglasses, contacts, and my diving mask's lenses. If I'm not writing, I'm in the kitchen, gym, or under the sea.
