Shop for glasses these days, and you’re likely to wind up bleary-eyed. You have to choose from thousands of frames and confusing combinations of coatings and lenses available from your eye doctor, your neighborhood optician, chain stores, warehouse clubs, and Internet merchants.

If you’re not careful, you could end up paying hundreds of dollars unnecessarily.

However, that glasses don’t have to cost that much. Not only were its prices low, but it also garnered applause for service, scoring nearly as well overall as private medical offices and small independent optical shops, which continue to top all categories but the price.

How to Choose Glasses

Glasses Lenses first. For the low price and optical quality, they are less shatter-resistant than other lenses, and with strong prescriptions.

If you buy polycarbonate or high-index lenses, you don’t have to pay extra for UV protection and scratch-resistant coatings because such features are already included.

Glasses Frames second. Frames come in so many metals and resins that you could go crazy trying to sort them out. Generally, there’s no particular reason for selecting one over the other unless you’re concerned about durability or allergies. Plastic frames break more easily than metal ones, but they are fine for people susceptible to allergies. So are stainless steel and titanium frames, which, unlike those made of nickel alloy, don’t irritate the skin. If durability is a concern, you should choose titanium frames and titanium-based flexible metals, which can withstand the most abuse. If you’re constantly putting your glasses on and taking them off, opt for spring hinges, which need fewer adjustments and make the frame fit better.

How frames look is also important. Consider frames that complement the shape of your face–say, rectangular ones for a round face or round frames for a square face. If your prescription requires thick lenses, go with frames that have rims. Rimless and semi-rimless frames will make thick lenses look even thicker.

Where to shop for Glasses. Your choice of the store may depend partly on how quickly you need your glasses. If you’re not in a rush, plan to check out Internet retailers. They are great places to compare prices, look at frames, and even try on glasses using software that lets you upload your photograph and superimpose images of frames. You can print photos of your favorites and also use online prices to negotiate with a local store.

You can enter your prescription and order your glasses at a Web site and get them in about seven days. If there’s a problem, however, you would have to mail the glasses back and wait for the Web site to send them again. You can have the best of the online and offline worlds by ordering frames from a Web site and having lenses made at a store where an optician can fit the glasses. You might pay extra to the ­brick-and-mortar merchant for this service.

Finalize the purchase. If you’re in the market for glasses, check out promotions and discounts. Look in your local paper, visit store Web sites, and ask salespeople. Some stores offer second-pair discounts so that you can buy a backup pair of sunglasses. Just be careful that you don’t wind up with easily breakable or pop-out frames. Don’t hesitate to negotiate, especially if you found a better deal on frames and lenses elsewhere.

Ask about warranties and return policies. Ask whether you can exchange the frame if it isn’t comfortable and whether the store will remake the lenses at no cost if the doctor made an error in your prescription. You should also ask whether the store will give you a new lens at a lower cost if you cannot get used to no-line glasses and need a pair of bifocals.

Finally, if you’re dissatisfied with your new glasses, let the store know, even if your complaint isn’t covered by the store’s guarantee or return policy. Some shops told us that they often bend the rules to make a customer happy.

→ Save Money for Eyeglasses
→ Wal-Mart cuts prices on glasses contacts and kids’ glasses