Looking back, I wish someone had stopped me from opening my wallet four years ago. I’m sharing my story to explain how I ended up throwing away hundreds of dollars on cheap progressive reading glasses. My prescription is complex, covering both shortsighted needs (-6.0) and reading needs (+6.00). I thought buying the least expensive pair online would be a smart way to save.
I couldn’t have been more mistaken. I lost time, money, and a great deal of patience. The persistent headaches and blurry vision weren’t worth the minor upfront savings. In all, I bought about four terrible pairs, which adds up to over $350 completely wasted. On top of that, waiting weeks for low-quality products to arrive felt endless.
We’ve all seen those ads for unbelievably cheap progressive reading glasses online. They promise the world for less than the cost of a nice meal. I fell for it every single time. I told myself, "If they break, I’ll just order another pair."
The trouble is, cheap almost always means poor materials. The lenses would scratch within weeks. The frames snapped if I handled them a bit too briskly. The flimsy plastic never felt secure, and they never sat correctly on my face. This misalignment meant the focal points were always wrong, distorting my vision. I learned the hard way that you can’t cut corners on quality when it comes to your eyesight.
Quality Indicators I missed:
Verdict: Extremely low prices signal low-quality materials. Never settle for anything less than a proper TR90 frame if you want durability.
My biggest regret was trusting companies that failed to deliver on their promises. I once ordered from a well-known online glasses retailer, hoping for prompt service. Instead, it led to weeks of headaches and stress.
They promised fast shipping, then claimed the order was "delayed due to weather." Eventually, they admitted the glasses hadn’t even been manufactured yet. That’s unacceptable customer service. They held onto my money and misled me about the status for weeks.
I even came across a review from another customer who went through the same ordeal:
Experiences like this shatter your trust in online shopping. I started to worry my prescription was too complex for them to handle. I was anxious that even if the glasses finally arrived, they’d be incorrect. Waiting indefinitely for subpar products that may or may not ship is a massive waste of time.
Action Step: Always check reviews about a company’s delivery and customer service before you make a purchase. Reliable support is crucial, especially for custom prescriptions.
When your glasses need to cover a broad range—like my required -6.0 to +6.00 customization—you can’t settle for generic lenses. I attempted to use standard progressive lenses made only for simple reading. They were completely ineffective for distance viewing.