My needs were straightforward: clear vision at a 1.25 strength and frames that wouldn’t break the moment I handled them. For years, I came up short. I used to assume all reading glasses were essentially the same. I couldn’t have been more mistaken.
I was always drawn to the cheapest offers. I purchased readers from every discount site and pharmacy shelf I could find. They all claimed to offer great quality at a low price. They weren't telling the truth. It took wasting a significant amount of money and time before I finally learned my lesson.
So, how much did I actually throw away? I rely on 1.25 reading glasses for computer work and reading menus. The inexpensive pairs I bought typically cost between $25 and $40 each. They usually lasted around two months before a hinge snapped or a lens popped out.
In just one year, I went through five different pairs. Let's assume I spent an average of $30 on each one:
That adds up to $150 wasted on subpar products that either gave me headaches or never showed up. This doesn't even account for the time I lost driving back to stores or being stuck on hold with unhelpful customer service. If I had simply invested in one quality product from the start, I'd be $150 better off and far less stressed.
I regret always opting for the cheapest plastic frames I could find. I told myself, "They're only 1.25 reading glasses. How durable do they really need to be?" The answer, I discovered, is very durable.
The budget frames consistently suffered from three major issues:
I once bought a pair advertised as a "strong metal alloy," and it rusted after just two months of use. It felt like every time I tried to save $10, I'd end up spending another $30 a few weeks later.