I get it. We all want a good deal when buying prescription reading glasses online. Why pay the eye doctor hundreds when a few clicks can get you a new pair for much less? But saving money can cost you big time if you ignore the details.
I made these mistakes so you don't have to. I bought a new set of prescription reading glasses, complete with a handy portable PU leather snap-fastener case, thinking I got a steal. What I actually got was flimsy frames, useless lenses, and a case that barely held up. Learn from me before you waste your own cash.
Here are the five big errors I made when shopping for affordable prescription lenses and their storage accessories.
I saw the price tag and jumped on it. It was half the cost of similar products. My thinking was simple: a lens is a lens, right? Big mistake. The frame felt cheap and lightweight the moment it arrived. The plastic hinges were flimsy. I knew they would not last.
Super cheap frames use the lowest quality plastic or thin metal alloys. They snap easily. The screws holding the arms quickly strip or fall out. You think you saved $20, but you will have to replace the glasses in two months. That means you spent money twice.
Cheap reading glasses also often use weak coatings on the lenses. They scratch quickly. If you are buying a product that comes with a protective case, you need to make sure the glasses themselves can handle normal wear and tear before they even make it into the case.
Verdict: Don't make my error and prioritize rock-bottom price. Set a minimum price limit and stick to it. If the glasses are suspiciously cheap, they will break fast.
When you are buying glasses that come with an accessory, like the Hanging Rope Sunglasses Cases Portable PU Leather Snap-fastener Sunglasses Bag, you have to check the quality of both parts. I focused only on the lenses. I completely ignored the details about the case.
The description mentioned "PU Leather" and a "Snap-fastener." Real PU leather is fine, but cheap PU leather feels like plastic wrap and cracks quickly. My snap-fastener case failed within weeks. The snap stopped catching because the material around it ripped. The hanging rope quickly started to fray.
I should have checked the details for the frames themselves too. Look for key terms for frame durability:
Verdict: Always assume the accessories bundled with cheap glasses are also cheap. If the case is supposed to protect the glasses, it must be durable. Check for metal parts and reinforced stitching.
I checked the overall star rating, but I did not dig into the low-rating reviews. This was a critical failure. If a product has 4.5 stars, but five different people mention the hinge broke on day three, that is a massive warning sign. I learned this the hard way.