FWIW, you shouldn't treat the cost of glasses as a medical expense. The lenses, maybe, but the frames are effectively jewelry. Glasses effect how you look every bit as much as the clothes you wear.


I couldn't agree more with the last sentence. I have been wearing glasses since I was 2, and know only too well the taunting and bullying that can arise in schools from wearing the 'wrong' type of frame. (Anyone in the UK remember the NHS dark plastic frames?? Ugh.) Given the choice then, I would have never worn glasses, and the reason that I have continued to do so is purely medical.

That being said, all that taunting and bullying goes away eventually. It's possible now that it doesn't really happen much in schools today, since a significantly larger percentage of kids wear glasses, and advances in materials have resulted in stronger and lighter glasses that are less ugly.

But still, the fact remains, I wear glasses for a medical reason, not to look good. It's only in the past few years that soft contacts have even been an option for me (astigmatism), and since most people that I know with contacts still have glasses too, that'd only be additional cost.

I agree that glasses can also have a cosmetic effect, although I'd observe that it is diminished somewhat for far-sighted people such as myself - The nicest frames in the World aren't going to overwhelm the 'Bottle-bottom, huge-freaky-eyes' effect that far-sighted lenses have. I'd also observe that a lot of the more 'cosmetic' frames seem too restrictive in their styling for general purpose use. The stylish small squarish frames that would look great on me when I'm in a suit with my hair in a ponytail just aren't going to cut the biscuit when I'm in jeans and t-shirt at a rock gig. So that'd result in multiple pairs being necessary.

I see where you're coming from...it's just I've never really considered glasses as a 'luxury' item, and to buy multiple pairs for purely cosmetic reasons. Too long in the saddle I guess. And better toys to spend the cash on

<Rant Mode>
Why are all the manufacturers sheep, and insist on following each other along the fashion road? I don't have a problem with them introducing new styles, or keeping an eye on fashion. But they just seem to choose a new fashion, and produce 90%+ of their frames to fit that fashion, hence severely limiting choices for those whose faces don't fit it..If I have to see just one more pair of ridiculously small lensed frames that will never suit me (not in a million years), then I swear I'm gonna scream.