Possible to get prescription lenses made for el-cheapo sunglasses frames?

[Deactivated] on 24/01/2015 - 21:06

Hoping there might be some eye-people here in the business who could answer my possibly odd question… :P

I wear prescription glasses all the time. Trouble is, it's hard for me to find frames I really like.

Today I found this cheapo $25 pair of sunglasses that really suit my face, and I reckon they'd easily work aesthetically as reading glasses too (medium thickness plastic frames).

So is it at all possible to buy cheap sunglasses which obviously weren't designed to hold Rx lenses, and bring those in to say OPSM or whatever, to get Rx lenses put in? Or is it extremely, almost entirely, unlikely that it'd work? (for the very fact they weren't designed that way)?

They were such nice frames :(

Health & Beauty

Comments

  • mooney on 24/01/2015 - 22:49
    +1

    Hi. I can answer this for you. You technically might be able to get someone to put RX lenses in for you but that doesn't mean they should.

    The issue you'll run into is that these cheapo sunnies won't be structurally sound enough to last satisfactorily. In OPSM we don't typically put RX lenses in any of our sub $100 sunglasses due to the stupidly high failure rate.

    I'm intrigued to see the sunnies now though. I work in buying for OPSM so I'm keen to understand how we are failing you!

    • [Deactivated] on 25/01/2015 - 00:58

      Thanks for the info :)

      You're not failing in any way, don't worry! I only just bought a pair in December 2014 from OPSM lol very happy with them style wise, but realised after wearing them out that they can be rather heavy for my face and may fall. They're slightly too wide (though in saying that, I do need to go back to have them adjusted - I just haven't had the chance yet) and they're mens frames.. while I'm not a man. Skinny female with skinny face but high/wide cheek bones so the frames DO suit me extremely well, butttt I've also realised that the frames literally sit and squish my cheeks/cheekbones when I laugh. Frames are: TF05196 ;)

      So I'm just thinking about the cheapo frames since they're so comfortable. Just having them as a back up pair (and just claim for the lenses with my health cover this year).

  • Speckled Jim on 25/01/2015 - 10:20

    I've done exactly this.

    The first time was 2003. I bought two pairs of Polaroid metal-framed sunnies from Big W. Came to $60 for those.
    The plan being, if I damaged the first pair of frames, I'd simply transplant the lenses to the spare frame!

    They were done through a dispensary in Perth. Their only concern was the frames had a slight wrap (curvature) that meant the lenses had to be thicker at the outsides. I didn't mind that. The lenses were Hoya (their version of Transitions) at the time they were just over $200 for the lenses.

    Between the two frames, I used them for (too long).

    More recently, I ordered Oakley Whisker (Rx) complete glasses with photosensitive lenses from specsonline. The key things here are to accurately measure your pupilary distance and ensure the frame dimensions are suitable for your face.
    These are my favourite ever glasses.

  • mooney on 25/01/2015 - 10:20

    Good choice. They're lovely frames.

    If you're looking for a backup pair and to pay nothing through your health fund via no gap then, assuming you're happy with opsm, we have a good selection of frames available. If you've already checked it out and can't find anything it could be worth looking in again end Feb/ march time. We get lots of newness in Feb and we are getting some super cool new branded stuff for no gap.

    That's my sales pitch! :)

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