Is one high index lens = to another?

[dogkat]

Hi, I've never posted here before but had read a bit, and was
reassured that buying glasses online might be worth a try. I did, and
found some frames I thought I would like at eyebuydirect.com. It
turns out I was right about the frames; they are just as nice as I'd
hoped and the price was great for them, as well as the 1.74 high index
lenses. However, the lenses leave something to be desired. Is it
just my pickiness? I sort of wonder, but I dont think so.

I am rather nearsighted, over -8 in each eye, so I'm used to dealing
with thick lenses and how they look. Every time I've bought at a
store, I've been instructed to buy the smaller frame size, and anti-
reflective coating, and I've most of the time been pretty happy at the
result. But the glasses I got in the mail give me this VERY coke
bottle look, even from straight on. Had to describe; the lenses are
pretty thin and dont go too much beyond the frames, but they somehow
dont seem to look as thin as they are, and I think this may have to do
with the curve of them on the back, and flat front surfaces, as well
as what I think may be an inferior anti-reflective coating? I mean, I
can tell the coating is there from the rainbow look when I look at
them in the light, but it's not that effective. I was wearing them in
my car and happened to look at myself in the rear view mirror today
and the reflections were extremely bad. The lenses themselves also
have a grey look to them even though I ordered no tint.

So I guess my question to those of you out there who know these things
is - what do I need to know when ordering (and paying extra for) super
high index lenses? Do I really need to pay more for a name brand?
Due to an eye condition, I will now need to wear glasses a lot more of
the time than I used to, my eyes cant tolerate contacts as well, so
this is a big deal to me.

[J. Evan]

Not all high index lenses are of the same quality. Not all anti
reflective coatings are of the same quality. Not all frames are of the
same quality.

Lens manufacturers use different quality raw materials and different
manufacturing processes and thus, quality will vary. These differences
are more noticeable the higher index the lens. This is because you're
bending light at a more extreme rate the higher index you use. The
more you bend light, the greater you'll notice the deficiencies in the
lens. Ask most professional photographers who makes the best quality
lenses for their camera. They'll likely tell you Zeiss or Leica or
Seiko, but these lenses are among the most expensive on the market.
The professional photographer doesn't expect to go to a much less well
known manufacturer in China and receive the same quality as the Leica
but for far less. But that's basically what's happening with the
majority of online discount eyeglass companies - and it's likely
what's happened to you with eyebuydirect.

That's not to say that your local optical shop always uses the top
quality lenses or frames and charges you accordingly, but most of the
time you get what you pay for.

Most people might not notice the difference. Many people might notice
a difference but weigh this against the lower price they paid. But if
you're used to getting Seiko 1.67 aspheric quality lenses (and paying
$300 for them), you'll be disappointed to discover that Zenni's $39
upgrade for their 1.67 lenses just don't quite match up.

Besides material quality and manufacturing quality control, the lens
design is also important for high index lenses. That's likely what
you're noticing when you looked in the mirror the other day. The base
curve (the curve on the inside of the lens for you) varies depending
on the design and shape and even the rotation of the lens if you have
astigmatism.

So, when you're buying frames and lenses online for a fraction of the
cost of what you pay in your local store, you're not getting the exact
same level of quality but for a lot less money. I've used the analogy
in a previous thread of the Hyundai versus the Mercedes or Honda.
Hyundai makes a fine car, with a great warranty for a very good price.
For people who view a car as simply an appliance that transports them
from place to place, they're fine with the Hyundai. But, no one
rationally thinks that the Hyundai and the Mercedes cost the same to
produce, except Mercedes simply pockets the rest as profit.

You will need to decide for yourself whether the difference in price
is worth the difference in quality.

Having said that, I encourage you to keep trying your new glasses,
give them a fair and honest chance - assuming the prescription is
correct, most people really like their discount glasses they buy
online.

J. Evan

[dogkat]

Thank you for this! Very informative. I do have some astigmatism in
both eyes, more in one than in the other, so maybe that's contributing
to these problems. However I guess youre right, what I'm wearing
right now is a Hyundai, not that I have ever worn a pair of Mercedes
exactly. Maybe a high end Toyota is what I'm used to. Anyways as I
said do like the actual frames on these new glasses so I guess I'm
going to give them a chance. It helps that my last 2 pairs of glasses
(which are several years old) are both terribly stretched and fall
down my nose and drive me crazy. But yes I like the lenses in the old
ones better (and yes they both cost well over 2x what I paid at
eyebuydirect). I compared them to my new ones and the mail order ones
for sure are greyer and have much more reflection and a thicker look.
The
new ones are a bit thicker on the edges, but the frames are wider than
either of my old ones.

When I wear the new ones I can even see reflection from the back of
the lens, I think! That just doesnt happen with my store bought
ones. I have to admit that my appearance is pretty important to me,
and I don't know that these "cut" it. Plus things just dont look as
crisp with them at any distance and even colors seem "duller"
somehow. I dont know that this is really a prescription issue, I'm
wondering if its just the "hyundai" lens quality.

Does anyone have any suggestions on better quality online glasses
sites that are still a bit more reasonably priced than stores?

Thanks!

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