I would get the prescription filled. Eyesight is too important (for me) to mess with.

And you can find some nice frames at Costco. They have an Optical department.

I don't know if they send to Canada or not but try Zenni optical (online)

My friend got 2 pairs very cheap, she is happy with them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Zenni Optical

If you only need glasses to read and there's little difference between your eyes, why not get cheapie 'readers'? You'll have to put them on every time you need close vision.

If there is a difference between your eyes and/or you want to wear glasses similar to what you have now (clear for distance), you'll need to get the prescription filled.

I voted myself not to be carrying around reading glasses.

I will tell my story here. I have worn readers for years, but finally decided I would go with prescriptions. Selected a beautiful (expensive) set of frames and was very excited when the bifocal glasses (my sight is like yours, jasdip - excellent far not so good for reading) came in. I have taken them back about five or six times for fine tuning, adjusting, etc. Finally gave up and went back to readers. They can't seen get the beginning of the bifocal part high enough because of the slim frames. Remember how big the glasses were several years ago? I think they need to go back to those big frames. I spent lots of money for nothing. My two cents.

Walnutcreek, I did the same thing, but with TWO pairs. I should have pursued returning them for a refund. I buy readers from Amazon, 'cause Costco's only go up to 2.75, darn it.

Walnut and Erin, my glasses now are the narrow, rectangular style. The lady said yesterday that this style is hard to put the bifocals in. I told her that I have to raise my head in order to read my computer.

The styles are larger now and she's glad too. I definitely want the new style, and I still see a lot of slim rectangular shapes in reader.

An eye dr. told my dh to go get glasses at Dollar Tree. He only needs them to read, and he seldom reads.

My eye doctors also recommend glasses from the dollar store.

"60 Minutes" had a story about the company in Italy that makes zillions of frames to be sold under almost every brand name. They own most of the optical stores all over the world, free-standing and inside department stores.

It's a veritable monopoly. I suppose that if they need to boost sales, they can easily sway popular opinion about what is 'in' and what is 'out'.

It's a hugely profitable business. The mark-up is enormous. People are buying the same range of styles, but paying for 'the name' printed on them: Gucci, Channel, Ray-Ban, XYZ Person-Famous-For-Being-Famous. The 'name' doesn't even design the frames; the company does it all. The 'name' gets paid for the use of the 'name'.

My favorite glasses were titanium frames that lasted a long, long time and were very light and flexible. (I don't remember there being a 'name' on them!)

I've started wearing glasses for reading in the past 10 years. These are only my second pair, I've had them for more than 5 years. They're lightweight with thin frames (I want the wider ones now). No issues with them at all. They have flexible arms which I really like.

I don't look at name-brands. I doubt anyone is going to walk up to my eyes to read my frames! Much like clothing sizing!!! Is anyone going to turn my waistband or neckband inside out to see if I'm a 00 (whatever the heck that is.....a ghost?) or a 20???? (Another pet peeve of mine.....vanity sizing)

I don't understand the popularity of the skinny long lenses at all. They look hideous and they are so impractical, how can someone even see anything. And as was already stated here, you can't put bifocals in them because there's not enough "real estate" so to speak. Now they are trying to bring back the huge "dork glasses" as I call them(think Steve Urkel)...can't they just have some nice unobtrusive frames that actually flatter a face?

Different lens shapes are just a matter of style, don't you think?

I've had a variety over the years - skinny rectangular, round and much in between. Progressive lens in all, the skinny ones took a few iterations to get right but in the end they worked fine. With the wide range of shapes and sizes, I found I adapted to what I had without difficulty. Even when I had skinny rectangular ones, I had aviator style sunglasses. Changing from one to the other several times a day required no adjustment on my part.

They all do the job, no matter what the shape.

I remember when people would wear those 1/2 lenses. I guess they were just bifocals. Then they are constantly peering at you over the top.

My guy said that the difference with pricing of readers is the quality of the glass. He said you don't have to fill the prescription but buy your readers from an optician because the glass will be a better quality.

It depends on how much reading you do and I do a lot of reading.

But, who knows.

Anyway, you're wondering about getting another pair of new bifocals or just readers. Well let me tell you that I have probably 15 pairs of readers all over the house so if you don't mind wearing glasses(bifocals) all the time then just get prescription glasses, it would be much less of a headache. I personally can't stand to wear glasses except when I just have to. I don't need them at all for far away vision.

Those 1/2 lens glasses are like granny glasses, they are what readers used to be when they first came out. I suppose the theory is that you can wear them all the time but who the heck would be caught dead in those ugly things nowadays!? HA!

My glasses are prescriptions and even so, I only put them on to read. After sometimes not having them with me, and always having to get them out of my purse or wherever I left them, I decided long ago to just wear them all of the time.

I'll have the same issue with readers, unless I buy multiple pairs for the computer, purse, kitchen, etc.

Jasdip, I have narrow height frames like you and have three prescriptions to cram in there. I visited six (6!) optometrists before I found one who said they could do it. It was a little boutique shop and they filled the frames twice with different (but still demanding) prescriptions.

I can read most things without glasses but I need glasses for distance. Hate carrying glasses everywhere I go so I wanted glasses that I could wear all the time and use for driving, computer and reading.

The way they approached my prescription was pretty unique. Since I read more than I drive, they made the bottom reading area larger. Then they moved the horizon up so when I drive I need to tilt my head slightly down to see distance. My computer range isn't affected at all for some reason.

I got tired of paying the boutique lens prices but loved the Armani frames I bought there so I decided to see if Costco was up for the challenge. At first they balked, then they examined my lenses and said, the horizon looks high so I explained how we approached it and they agreed to give it a try. They did a perfect job for a fraction of the cost. I was so, so pleased.

Jodi-

I have monovision--left eye is great for distance; right eye is good (used to be great) for reading. The ophthalmologist tells me that many people have surgery to get the type of vision I have naturally. I have to wear glasses for driving, only because the state doesn't make allowances for monovision (the lens in the left is clear).

I bought my first "real" glasses last year, and was shocked at the cost. They were almost $300 (after a 20% discount). The frames are titanium (which I like); the lenses are progressive, with prisms (my eyes sometimes "wander" when I am tired). I am facing cataract surgery at some point in the future, and hope that will totally fix my vision, as I hate wearing glasses.

I've had trifocals (progressives) for years. The lenses from top to bottom on my current glasses measure 1 and 1/8". I remember it did take about 2 weeks before I was fully adjusted to them.....learning how much to cock my head for distance, mid-range, and close-up. Now it's totally natural and I don't even think about it. I do think it's important to go to a good optician for progressives so they get the horizons correct.

I'd go with the cheapie ones,for the time being-see how they work,and if not happy,then fill script

I need reading glasses ... get 'em for a buck at the dollar store .... sometimes a buck and a quarter ... plus tax 13% Fed/Prov in both cases. Couldn't read this screen well without them.

Don't need them for distance ... but find that I wear them most of the time ...pull them down the nose a bit, when necessary, while driving.

Carry a second pair ensconced in a kid's sock in the glove compartment in the car, in case I go somewhere without them ... and inconvenient due to time or distance to go to the dollar store for another pair.

I prefer the 4.0 when I can get them, but usually have to settle for 3.5, 3.25, etc. Haven't tried the 2.5, so don't know whether they'd do an adequate job: could take a small-print book into the store and try a pair, I suppose.

I had some prescription ones ... something like 30 years ago: they did the job, at a much higher cost. I think they were bifocals, probably with clear on the top.

ole joyful

I have a dozen pair of readers and one pair of prescriptions. I can't really tell any difference. Quality of glass? I have them on every desk counter top/surface because I don't like to wear them around my neck and I don't like to look for them. I've paid $15 for them and more often $1 and can't tell the difference...

If I am shopping I wear a contact in my left eye so I don't have to wear readers...I like that the best for shopping but too lazy to do that every day.

This post was edited by ruthieg__tx on Sun, Nov 16, 14 at 12:19

Glasses here, started young. no problem, went through the four-eyes routine. Cataract surgery helped when aging, but still need bifocals. The top lens is clear glass. No I'm not going to fiddle around having readers all over the house and car when I can wear one pair and be done with it. For some wearing glasses is a vanity issue, but they are stylish. No, don't waste your money on frames with a "name", a name they can stamp on anything. Waiting for new spectacles now, and with the prescription, my 2nd backup pair may cost up to $20 online. Learned where to get them CHEAP from a post on here almost 7 years ago.