Lentils

Roger Vaughn said:So, after seven years of rocking glasses with a pretty mild prescription, I’ve finally reached the point where I need to upgrade... though I’ve decided to make the jump to contact lenses—mostly just for the sheer practicality of it all.
Now, my main dilemma is WHERE. For instance, I know there’s an EssilorLuxottica over on Fifth Avenue where the exam costs about $67 but they throw in the lenses for free if you buy them through them. Is that actually standard practice for most private boutiques, or is it just their specific thing...?
Anyway... I’d love some recommendations for a solid shop—specifically a reliable private practitioner. If it ends up costing me $17 more than expected, I don't really care; what matters to me is that the job is done right from the start.
Regarding EssilorLuxottica... I have this slight aversion to those massive, megalomaniac corporations with branches scattered all over the globe. On one hand, I suppose that implies scale, quality, and experience, but on the other—what do they actually care about a single customer who might walk away dissatisfied? Maybe it’s just me, of course, but that’s why I’m asking here... if you guys vouch for them, I’ll go.
Generally speaking, I tend to stick to the downtown area and moving toward the south side... which is why I'm hitting up this forum—I really don't want to end up with a "regular guy" on the complete opposite side of the city.
If anyone knows a decent spot... please, share your experiences.

By the way... what’s the word on those LensCrafters near the George Washington Bridge? They seem to be the polar opposite of EssilorLuxottica 🙂 ...again, maybe it's just my take 🤷

Thanks in advance

Honestly, for practical reasons, glasses are just easier.🙂With contacts, you have to take them out before bed and then put them back in every morning—and you have to be super careful about hygiene so you don't end up with an eye infection. I just couldn't get used to them; they were constantly bothering me, even when I tried the soft ones. I gave up after two months and went back to glasses. In the long run, a decent pair of glasses will last you five years easily.

Alexander Hall43 said:Honestly, for practical reasons, glasses are just easier.🙂With contacts, you have to take them out before bed and then put them back in every morning—and you have to be super careful about hygiene so you don't end up with an eye infection. I just couldn't get used to them; they were constantly bothering me, even when I tried the soft ones. I gave up after two months and went back to glasses. In the long run, a decent pair of glasses will last you five years easily.

I don't quite follow... even a basic pair of glasses will run you at least... $333There are two specific options that are actually decent—and more importantly, healthy—but if you're looking for something that will last as long as you need it to, there are quite a few more to consider...
I shelled out about $700 of my own money for this—and honestly, looking back six months later, I really regret not coughing up a bit more to get something decent. It’s absolute garbage.
Lenses—as far as I can tell—you’re looking at about 500 to 600 soft ones, and that supply lasts you at least a year. Of course, once you factor in the cleaning solution, the price climbs... I don't have the exact math down because I'm not entirely sure what the solution runs me—maybe $15 or $20?—nor how long a single bottle actually lasts. I suppose those variables can shift quite a bit depending on how much you use.
If I’ve gotten anything entirely wrong here—and let's face it, my memory isn't exactly what it used to be—please, do correct me. I'm working strictly from what I can recall.

As far as practicality goes... if you ask me, what’s actually bothering you here is just a matter of hygiene and laziness—no offense intended, of course. I don't exactly consider myself an overachiever when it comes to being meticulous about cleanliness, but there's a line. 🙂 The practicality alone is enough—take glasses, for instance. You want sunglasses in the summer, but then your nose starts sweating, or you’re actually trying to get something done and they just keep sliding down your face. Or maybe you're out being active or playing a sport and they end up slipping right off entirely. It’s a hassle. If you ask me... you'd choose freedom. 😁
A little bit of maintenance in the evening isn't exactly a burden—not that anyone ever seems to have the patience for it these days.

Well, standard glasses usually last about $333—I mean, let's be real, those lenses are good for a year and a half, not just one.
Regarding hygiene, sure, everything sounds fine on paper, but life happens! You might nod off for a second and end up running late for work—then you’ve got the whole whole ordeal of cleaning your lenses, washing your hands, and getting them in your eyes—and when you're rushing, you'll probably miss the mark... or maybe you head out for a workout and sweat starts stinging your eyes, or you accidentally fall asleep with them in after a few drinks. Look, I'm not trying to lecture you here, it just crossed my mind while I was reading your post.👍

Alexander Hall43 said:Well, standard glasses usually last about $333—I mean, let's be real, those lenses are good for a year and a half, not just one.
Regarding hygiene, sure, everything sounds fine on paper, but life happens! You might nod off for a second and end up running late for work—then you’ve got the whole whole ordeal of cleaning your lenses, washing your hands, and getting them in your eyes—and when you're rushing, you'll probably miss the mark... or maybe you head out for a workout and sweat starts stinging your eyes, or you accidentally fall asleep with them in after a few drinks. Look, I'm not trying to lecture you here, it just crossed my mind while I was reading your post.👍

Let's be clear—all this information has been quite useful. 🙂

Just throw in a recommendation for a decent shop and we're set. 😁

Roger Vaughn said:Let's be clear—all this information has been quite useful. 🙂

Just throw in a recommendation for a decent shop and we're set. 😁

🤷Honestly, I don't think it matters where you shop as much as what you actually end up buying.

King Eye Care 👍

As for the contact lenses themselves, I would personally suggest opting for monthly disposables... provided, of course, that such an expense doesn't stretch your budget too thin... 🤷

www.clevelandclinic.com

👍

I’ve noticed quite a few people praising King for their eyewear, so I assume they carry high-quality lenses. What kind of soft contacts do you all usually pick up there? Their website mentions that exams are done by an optometrist—it even lists a specific professional title—but he isn't actually a specialized ophthalmologist. I guess I'm just not sure how reliable that really is; he can determine my prescription, sure, but he might not be qualified to perform a full, comprehensive eye exam.

Lately, I’ve been getting my lenses at the Mayo Clinic over by Central Park. I was using these annual soft Johnson & Johnson lenses with 42% water content, which cost $173 for the pair. Those were honestly great. When I went back about a year and a half later, I asked for the exact same ones, but they didn't have them in stock. Instead, they tried to give me these six-month lenses as a substitute for the same price. They were different Johnson & Johnson lenses with 56% water content. I really didn't like them; they felt much thinner than the first pair, they kept sticking, and they were so much harder to get into my eyes. To make matters worse, I think one of the lenses was actually the wrong prescription because my vision was blurry in one eye. I didn't even realize it until I got home, and I didn't bother trying to return them because, well, I didn't think I'd actually get anywhere with it.

I feel like they probably should have just told me to wait for a new shipment to arrive. I mean, if anyone is planning to go there, just watch out. I honestly got the impression they were just trying to offload whatever they had on hand just to clear out inventory. When I first went in for my original lenses, they gave me plenty of options to choose from, so I'm not sure why there wasn't any variety the second time around, other than that one specific type.

Does anyone know where I can find annual soft lenses with 42% water content in Chicago, somewhere that also offers a complete, thorough eye exam?

Rebecca Myers38 said:King Eye Care 👍

As for the contact lenses themselves, I would personally suggest opting for monthly disposables... provided, of course, that such an expense doesn't stretch your budget too thin... 🤷

I actually picked up a pair of glasses there once and was beyond disappointed. They weren't exactly pricey, sure, but honestly, it felt like I was being sold refurbished junk.
To make matters worse, I later ran into people sharing horror stories like, "Whatever you do, stay away from King..." so yeah, I'm skipping them entirely. 🙂

That's exactly why I'm looking for a smaller, private practice instead. A local guy actually cares about customer satisfaction—he'll go the extra mile to keep you coming back—unlike one of those massive, megalomaniacal big-box retailers.

P.S. Can someone break down those water permeability percentages for me? Or maybe just drop a link? And do I even need to stress over this stuff, or will the doctor walk me through everything?

mistyjackal842 said:I’ve noticed quite a few people praising King for their eyewear, so I assume they carry high-quality lenses. What kind of soft contacts do you all usually pick up there? Their website mentions that exams are done by an optometrist—it even lists a specific professional title—but he isn't actually a specialized ophthalmologist. I guess I'm just not sure how reliable that really is; he can determine my prescription, sure, but he might not be qualified to perform a full, comprehensive eye exam.

Lately, I’ve been getting my lenses at the Mayo Clinic over by Central Park. I was using these annual soft Johnson & Johnson lenses with 42% water content, which cost $173 for the pair. Those were honestly great. When I went back about a year and a half later, I asked for the exact same ones, but they didn't have them in stock. Instead, they tried to give me these six-month lenses as a substitute for the same price. They were different Johnson & Johnson lenses with 56% water content. I really didn't like them; they felt much thinner than the first pair, they kept sticking, and they were so much harder to get into my eyes. To make matters worse, I think one of the lenses was actually the wrong prescription because my vision was blurry in one eye. I didn't even realize it until I got home, and I didn't bother trying to return them because, well, I didn't think I'd actually get anywhere with it.

I feel like they probably should have just told me to wait for a new shipment to arrive. I mean, if anyone is planning to go there, just watch out. I honestly got the impression they were just trying to offload whatever they had on hand just to clear out inventory. When I first went in for my original lenses, they gave me plenty of options to choose from, so I'm not sure why there wasn't any variety the second time around, other than that one specific type.

Does anyone know where I can find annual soft lenses with 42% water content in Chicago, somewhere that also offers a complete, thorough eye exam?

All registered ophthalmology clinics and optical centers provide comprehensive eye exams...

The Cleveland Clinic is one of those providers.👍

Roger Vaughn said:I actually picked up a pair of glasses there once and was beyond disappointed. They weren't exactly pricey, sure, but honestly, it felt like I was being sold refurbished junk.
To make matters worse, I later ran into people sharing horror stories like, "Whatever you do, stay away from King..." so yeah, I'm skipping them entirely. 🙂

That's exactly why I'm looking for a smaller, private practice instead. A local guy actually cares about customer satisfaction—he'll go the extra mile to keep you coming back—unlike one of those massive, megalomaniacal big-box retailers.

P.S. Can someone break down those water permeability percentages for me? Or maybe just drop a link? And do I even need to stress over this stuff, or will the doctor walk me through everything?

Your ophthalmologist will explain everything to you.👍

redhound8 said:All registered ophthalmology clinics and optical centers provide comprehensive eye exams...

The Cleveland Clinic is one of those providers.👍

Talk about subtle advertising... redhound8 is out here advertising redhound8 🙂

Roger Vaughn said:Talk about subtle advertising... redhound8 is out here advertising redhound8 🙂

That surname is quite common.🙂

redhound8 said:That surname is quite common.🙂

Ha ha, yeah, sure, whatever you say. 😁😁

If you had just given us a straight answer right away instead of sending me off to the Cleveland Clinic—maybe then I would have actually believed you within a split second. 😁

Anyway, good luck with your job or whatever. 👍

I’d personally suggest seeing Dr. Vasharevic over on Fifth Avenue.

I’ve been going to him for about 15 or 16 years now, and honestly, my lenses have been nothing short of fantastic... I wear semi-rigid ones; this particular pair has actually lasted me over seven years and they’re still in wonderful shape, all while my prescription remains perfectly stable.

If I recall correctly, they cost about two hundred old dollars back then, or what would be roughly a hundred bucks today.

In any case, it’s more than worth the investment.

Roger Vaughn said:Ha ha, yeah, sure, whatever you say. 😁😁

If you had just given us a straight answer right away instead of sending me off to the Cleveland Clinic—maybe then I would have actually believed you within a split second. 😁

Anyway, good luck with your job or whatever. 👍

The point remains the same.😁

Bottom line: find yourself a reputable ophthalmologist and consult with them directly. It really is that simple.

mistyjackal842 said:I’ve noticed quite a few people praising King for their eyewear, so I assume they carry high-quality lenses. What kind of soft contacts do you all usually pick up there? Their website mentions that exams are done by an optometrist—it even lists a specific professional title—but he isn't actually a specialized ophthalmologist. I guess I'm just not sure how reliable that really is; he can determine my prescription, sure, but he might not be qualified to perform a full, comprehensive eye exam.

Lately, I’ve been getting my lenses at the Mayo Clinic over by Central Park. I was using these annual soft Johnson & Johnson lenses with 42% water content, which cost $173 for the pair. Those were honestly great. When I went back about a year and a half later, I asked for the exact same ones, but they didn't have them in stock. Instead, they tried to give me these six-month lenses as a substitute for the same price. They were different Johnson & Johnson lenses with 56% water content. I really didn't like them; they felt much thinner than the first pair, they kept sticking, and they were so much harder to get into my eyes. To make matters worse, I think one of the lenses was actually the wrong prescription because my vision was blurry in one eye. I didn't even realize it until I got home, and I didn't bother trying to return them because, well, I didn't think I'd actually get anywhere with it.

I feel like they probably should have just told me to wait for a new shipment to arrive. I mean, if anyone is planning to go there, just watch out. I honestly got the impression they were just trying to offload whatever they had on hand just to clear out inventory. When I first went in for my original lenses, they gave me plenty of options to choose from, so I'm not sure why there wasn't any variety the second time around, other than that one specific type.

Does anyone know where I can find annual soft lenses with 42% water content in Chicago, somewhere that also offers a complete, thorough eye exam?

King has a pretty solid selection and the prices are low (compared to some of the other crooks out there). They even give you a trial pair if you're buying monthly or bi-weekly ones, which makes them better than most optical shops in Chicago. As for those annual soft lenses? You might want to skip them. For the health of your eyes, silicone hydrogels are much better because they have significantly higher oxygen permeability—though you'll mostly find those in monthly or even more frequent replacements...

I find myself in total agreement with everyone who suggested the Cleveland Clinic. They were incredibly quick and highly professional.
I also happen to side with those who aren't exactly fans of contact lenses. I went through a similar phase of thinking—I was just getting bored with my glasses, so I decided to try contacts instead—but honestly, the whole process is such a massive hassle that I ended up giving up after just one month.
For what it's worth, the eye exam and the soft contact lenses ended up costing me about $217.

If you're in Chicago, I’d suggest heading over to the Eye Care Center for an exam first. You really need a specialist to run through the numbers—get your prescription dialed in and figure out which lens type actually suits your eyes. I'm not sure what their current waitlist looks like, but expect maybe a month or two for an initial appointment.

I've personally been wearing Johnson & Johnson soft lenses for about seven years now, and they’ve been great 🙂. My prescription hasn't even budged since I made the switch, and honestly, the sense of freedom is hard to describe. I don't even touch glasses anymore 🙂

I used to stick with annuals, but lately, I've switched to bi-weekly or daily disposables. They're significantly more comfortable than the yearly ones—plus, you have to consider that annual lenses usually start feeling irritating after only 8 or 10 months. Not to mention, the maintenance routine is totally different.

boldwolf27 said:If you're in Chicago, I’d suggest heading over to the Eye Care Center for an exam first. You really need a specialist to run through the numbers—get your prescription dialed in and figure out which lens type actually suits your eyes. I'm not sure what their current waitlist looks like, but expect maybe a month or two for an initial appointment.

I've personally been wearing Johnson & Johnson soft lenses for about seven years now, and they’ve been great 🙂. My prescription hasn't even budged since I made the switch, and honestly, the sense of freedom is hard to describe. I don't even touch glasses anymore 🙂

I used to stick with annuals, but lately, I've switched to bi-weekly or daily disposables. They're significantly more comfortable than the yearly ones—plus, you have to consider that annual lenses usually start feeling irritating after only 8 or 10 months. Not to mention, the maintenance routine is totally different.

But look, I’ve run into another issue that I just realized yesterday... through some stroke of bad luck, I've ended up without health insurance. They took my card/booklet, and unless I land a job, I'm stuck without coverage... even though everyone keeps insisting that I *should* be able to get it regardless... but I went down to the office and apparently a 30-day window has already passed, so now I'm screwed... which means going to the Eye Care Center or the local hospital isn't really an option. I can't afford to wait two months either because this is urgent... I need to renew my driver's license, which has already expired... ummm, yesterday 🙂... and for that, I have to redo my vision exam through them 🙂 lol