Prices locally for eyeglasses and contact lenses vary widely

In one form or another, eyeglasses have existed for centuries. Ancient Roman scholars and medieval monks used blown glass to magnify manuscripts. Paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries depict well-to-do folks sporting eyeglasses, including Benjamin Franklin, who invented bifocals. Leonardo da Vinci conceptualized contact lenses as early as 1508. Now the 75% of American adults who need some sort of corrective eyewear can choose between comfortable contacts and thousands of fashionable frames. Still, shopping for new specs and contacts can be a major hassle. Advertisement Nonprofit Twin Cities Consumers’ Checkbook’s surveys of local consumers reveal sizable differences in customer satisfaction. In general, chains and franchise operations were rated lower than independent firms , but there was variation within each outlet type. You’ll want to shop around for price. Checkbook’s undercover shoppers collected prices for 18 models of eyeglasses (with single-correction lenses) and found that some outlets charge twice as much as others. For example, a pair of Ray-Ban RX5286 eyeglass frames with lenses ranged from $160 to $466. For eyeglasses, the least expensive sellers were usually online.