My Zenni Optical Review
My experience buying three pairs of eyeglasses online
After doing lots of research, I decided I was ready to try buying glasses online. The hours of googling and reading message boards told me that most people seemed to really like a company called Zenni Optical. They are based in China but send glasses worldwide via DHL, and delivery is just $4.95.
In Zenni Optical reviews I had read, people kept saying how low the prices are, and that is definitely true. Frames go up from $6.95, and that price includes the prescription lens! Anti scratch coatings are included. Thinner lens are a bit more expensive, and an anti-reflective coating cost five bucks. Overall incredible prices for eyewear compared to your local optometrist or chain store like Lenscrafters or Hakim Optical.
Visit the Zenni Optical site
Another cool things is that for only five dollars they will tint the lenses a color of your choice; thereby making any pair of glasses into a pair of prescription sunglasses - for as low as twelve bucks. Pretty wild.
I decided to order one cheap pair and see how it went. I choose this frame:
which believe it or not, was only $12.95 including the lens. They do make progressive and bifocal lenses; but I just wanted a "single vision" lens for reading.
I ponied up 5 more dollars for the anti-reflective coating; which regular optical stores charge much more for. With the $4.95 delivery charge, i was getting a new pair of glasses for less than $25! No sales tax either. For such a low amount, I wouldn't mind that much if things turned out badly.
After about 10 days I received a DHL package at my condo and sure enough, it was the glasses. They were packed in a plastic hard case with a cleaning cloth, and well packed for delivery. The pair of glasses looked good and then came the moment of truth - I tried them on. Perfect! They were just right. I had just gotten for $25 something most people are used to paying many hundreds of dollars for.
After using the glasses for a couple of weeks; I decided I'd prefer a bigger frame and bigger lens. I also wanted to try a pair of prescription sunglasses. For the reading glasses I choose this frame:
and this one for the sunglasses:
I figured I could get the money back from my work benefits so decided to spring for the better frames. But there is a ton of selection, even for $6.95 frames. Again the lenses were included, so I just paid a couple of bucks for the anti reflective coatings and $4.95 to tint the sunglasses a dark amber. The delivery charge of five bucks stays the same no matter how many glasses you order... pretty cool.
Anyways, once again I received a package less than two weeks after ordering. I opened it and found the glasses to pretty much be exactly like I had hoped. The bigger reading glasses had the prescription just right and I liked the size better. The sunglasses looked great, had a perfect prescription and fit well. Better than I hoped, considering I was ordering them online from only pictures and measurements. Here's how the sunglasses looked:
Conclusion:
Have to say that I am extremely happy with my experience with Zenni Optical, and would definitely recommend them for good quality and extremely low priced eyeglasses. I hope this quick review helps people out.
Help with sizing: