Why would you buy a brand-new pair of glasses while you can reglaze your existing one at a fraction of a price? Reglazing means you preserve your frame and replace the lenses. This usually costs much less because, particularly design frames, come at very high prices. And this is where the savings come from.
The procedure is very easy and it’s usually done in a matter of a few hours by specialized personnel. The reglazing is mostly worth in case of vision glasses but also applies for sunglasses or for any other type of glasses you might have. In case of vision glasses, this is particularly important because, if you bought a really expensive piece and within a matter of a few months your doctor decides you need to adjust the diopters or other elements pertaining to the lenses, this would cost you significantly more than if you changed the lenses alone. So, reglazing your glasses would be the most affordable, logical solution over wasting additional money to change the frame as well, especially if the frame is in a perfectly fine condition.
Reglazing glasses can be done either online or in person if you decide to go personally to an optician. The online option is more straightforward and requires less effort from your side. All you have to do is to send the glasses to the optician and they will do the reglazing for you. You will be then sent back the glasses with the new lenses fitted on. The payment is done, most of the time, online.
How does it work?
In both cases, reglaze experts analyze your glasses first to ascertain the type of lenses and any other particularities. In case of online services, they will call you to talk additional details such as the range of lens options and as soon as everything gets settled you will have to make the payment. After the reglazing process has been completed, you will be sent back the glasses with the new lenses on as well as the old lenses, in case you need them later. This is done via standard postal mail or courier.
The advantage of the online reglazing service over the standard one is that you don’t have to make any trips to the optical store. Everything is done online at no additional cost, excepting the stamp fee.
The process
On the market, there are three kinds of lens:
- Single vision – the reglazing process is very easy and can be done in a matter of a few days after ordering it online.
- Bi-focal – the process is not very complicated but it takes a bit longer due to a wider variety of bi-focal lenses.
- Varifocal – due to the various types, sizes, and configurations, varifocal lenses may take up to 2 weeks for reglazing.
Another option for reglazing is the rimless glasses. On average the process is more exhaustive, requires more intensive work, and may take much longer. For this reason, the price tags are also higher. Additionally, more special skills and precision are required during the procedure.
When you choose an online reglazing service you have to do a bit of background check. You have to check what other previous customers say about their experience with the provider and also if the provider has positive reviews. This can be found usually online by doing a quick search for “<provider name> reviews”. A good track record means the service is trustable and you can expect good quality work to be done. Nonetheless, if you own a special or more complex type of a frame, you have to acknowledge the provider’s skills before ordering the service. Working with complicated and challenging frames is not an easy task and a less skilled person can cause serious damage to it during the reglazing process or entirely destroy the frame.
All in all, if you follow the advice above you should be safe with your glasses reglazing online; however, if by any means you feel safer to contact a real-world optician, then the choice is entirely yours. The most important is the result to be satisfactory.
