The Spectacles Thread.

[Seannie]

RRP for crizal advance Asp 1.74 is ~$400-$420

RRP for Nikon Seecoat Asp 1.74 is $488

RRP for Carl Zeiss Lotutec 1.74 Asp is $560


So for Hoya 1.74 to be $1k should mean that it's not a normal Aspherical 1.74 design.

this just simply exposes that xiaokaka doesnt get his knowledge & facts well enough to advise ple here. For your info & add to your knowledge, HOYA 1.74 RX does NOT have any single aspherical lens at all. Their 1.74 RX lenses are all double aspherical design & costs RRP$1k.

 

[Seannie]

I find it weird. if the shop owner can give you more than 50% discount for crizal 1.74, I don't understand why he can't give you the same for Hoya 1.74 .

He only quote you RRP for Hoya 1.74 at $1000, how come he did not quote you RRP for crizal ??? which I believe should be around $500 to $600 + ....

So did he really want to sell you Hoya lens or crizal lens ??? he could have quoted you a high price of Hoya 1.74 to discourage you from getting Hoya.

This is a sales tactic used by many salesman to sell their house brand products (cos they earn more commission) rather than branded products.

does that mean he has been duped into buying the house-brand lenses instead of crizal lens??

if he cant give the same amount of discount for hoya lens, then i dont really see the point of me wasting my trip down to that shop & try to bargain for it. Becos my regular shop is able to give 30% off without the need to bargain my head off.

 

[Seannie]

Thinnest in the market should be Tokai's 1.76 Bi-Aspheric Lens..

Very high price point so not sure if u feel if ur comfortable with.

Last i remembered was around $2k - $2.4k

ofcos this is not worth it. I buy specs every so often. I am thinking if you have such a high degree then maybe getting bi-aspheric is much better, and no need for 1.74 or 1.76.

1.67 dbl aspheric should be good enough, as long as it is a DOUBLE aspheric instead of a single.

Please correct me if i am wrong in this.

 

[Seannie]

how can non chain stores survive if people go to JB to find cheaper stuff and don't support local shops ??

if they cant survive, then they got to stop charging us the consumers so high for just a pair of specs! Dont you agree that actually the original cost price of a pair of specs is very low, and retailers earn about a few times the cost price??

For example, a spec frame could retail for abt $200but in fact the cost price is only $50 but yet they mark it up so high. Ofcos we got to look for the better bargains to justify our buys.

 

[Seannie]

you see.............. you think spectacle shop can survive if you patronise them once every 15 years ???

wat i mean is for those really poor people. Do you knoe that in sg there are still many poor folks who cant even afford a proper pair of specs? i've seen ple who scotch-taped their broken specs & ple who have their lens chipped badly yet are still wearing them ard & my heart really goes out to these folks.

Your shop's survival will have to leave it to those rich ple who can patronise your shop every year to change their specs.

Please have some compaasion in your trade.

 

[2pm2am]

wat i mean is for those really poor people. Do you knoe that in sg there are still many poor folks who cant even afford a proper pair of specs? i've seen ple who scotch-taped their broken specs & ple who have their lens chipped badly yet are still wearing them ard & my heart really goes out to these folks.

Your shop's survival will have to leave it to those rich ple who can patronise your shop every year to change their specs.

Please have some compaasion in your trade.

no matter how poor they are, i am sure they can afford a pair of glasses according to their budget unless their prescription is so high that they need Rx lenses that cost alot.

incidentally there are also stingy but well off people who change their glasses once every 4 or 5 years. not only the retailers can't survive, the suppliers can't survive also if retailers don't buy from the suppliers.

 

[2pm2am]

if they cant survive, then they got to stop charging us the consumers so high for just a pair of specs! Dont you agree that actually the original cost price of a pair of specs is very low, and retailers earn about a few times the cost price??

For example, a spec frame could retail for abt $200but in fact the cost price is only $50 but yet they mark it up so high. Ofcos we got to look for the better bargains to justify our buys.

Things are generally expensive. you think only optical shop charge high price by doing such price comparison ?

what about people who sell coffee in coffeeshop? 1 cup of coffee cost $1. what do you think is the cost ? it's mark up even more. the same for can drinks. what about BQQ chicken wings. 1 for 1.20, what do you think is the cost ? or what about satay. now 1 stick cost at least 60c for a few pieces of meat. i can go on and on.

 

[Auspicium Melioris Aevi]

ofcos this is not worth it. I buy specs every so often. I am thinking if you have such a high degree then maybe getting bi-aspheric is much better, and no need for 1.74 or 1.76.

1.67 dbl aspheric should be good enough, as long as it is a DOUBLE aspheric instead of a single.

Please correct me if i am wrong in this.

May I ask if bi-aspheric is similar to free-form types of lens?
eg: Hoya Nulux? Bi-aspheric means that it gives a wider field of vision?

Nulux ep

 

[Auspicium Melioris Aevi]

no matter how poor they are, i am sure they can afford a pair of glasses according to their budget unless their prescription is so high that they need Rx lenses that cost alot.

incidentally there are also stingy but well off people who change their glasses once every 4 or 5 years. not only the retailers can't survive, the suppliers can't survive also if retailers don't buy from the suppliers.

Spectacles need not be very expensive.

I was told that one famous Ophthalmologist telling his old patient after her cataract operation that she need not make expensive prescription lenses. A cheap lens for a couple of bucks from pasar malam is good enough to assist in her reading.

 

[Seannie]

Spectacles need not be very expensive.

I was told that one famous Ophthalmologist telling his old patient after her cataract operation that she need not make expensive prescription lenses. A cheap lens for a couple of bucks from pasar malam is good enough to assist in her reading.

precisely. wholesalers & retailers price spectacles so expensive that consumers will rather stretch their specs lifespan as long as they can, otherwise they will rather resort to eye surgery which is a much cheaper option nowadays.

People in the optical trade have only themselves to blame if they cant survive due to the overpricing. As mre & mre people are taking on the risks of eye surgeries in paer due to the cost savings. This is a sad trend that i see now.

People who has cataract has no choice. But why do people with only myopia & astig go for surgeries which are not necessary just for the sake of looking good? And face possible permanent risks to their eyes?

One famous doctor in taiwan has already decided to "keep" her knife and stop doing lasik surgeries as she has discovered that her patients who has done such operations 20 yrs ago are starting to appear side effects which can have a detrimental effect in their vision. Some as bad as affecting their daily routine activities. This is due to the scar of lasik surgeries not able to recover completely, leaving eye inflammation & causing damage in the long term.

 

[striker22]

Spectacle mark-ups are high and exist in every level of the supply chain, not just the retailer. Imagine how a strip of metal parts can cost upward of $300 or a piece of plastic lens that is less than $3 to produce end up costing hundreds of dollars when filled.

Spectacle shops know that so they try to do things like hide or don't tell you your PD and prescription or they try to sell you on their other services like free adjustments, cleaning etc. It is ridiculous how much they actually make. Their own brand frames cost as little as $5 but when they sell you with lenses it becomes over $100. The only benefit of a shop is you get to try many pairs before deciding.

I wouldn't advise Lasik or any corrective eye surgery. Even the doctors who operate on you and many specialist still continue to use glasses themselves. Anytime you remove or alter something surgically from the body, the risks is always there.

 

[Seannie]

May I ask if bi-aspheric is similar to free-form types of lens?
eg: Hoya Nulux? Bi-aspheric means that it gives a wider field of vision?

Nulux ep

yes, hoya free form technology. Not sure whether is it due to the free form that makes hoya lens that clearer than nikon. Nulux EP is bi-asph.

 

[Seannie]

no matter how poor they are, i am sure they can afford a pair of glasses according to their budget unless their prescription is so high that they need Rx lenses that cost alot.

incidentally there are also stingy but well off people who change their glasses once every 4 or 5 years. not only the retailers can't survive, the suppliers can't survive also if retailers don't buy from the suppliers.

cant understand y RX cost so much more. Another sale tactic to chop mre $ out of us poor consumers.

 

[2pm2am]

cant understand y RX cost so much more. Another sale tactic to chop mre $ out of us poor consumers.

the reason why Rx lenses cost much more is because it's custom made.

You go G2000 buy pants and you tailor make one pair, which one cost more ?

if you want to talk about chopping.... many people like to go xinwang cafe eat instant noodle that cost 10x more..... when they can eat at home.

 

[2pm2am]

Spectacles need not be very expensive.

I was told that one famous Ophthalmologist telling his old patient after her cataract operation that she need not make expensive prescription lenses. A cheap lens for a couple of bucks from pasar malam is good enough to assist in her reading.

I also tell many ophthalmologist that they don't have to drive expensive merc or porsches or ferraris to drive to work. A honda and toyota is good enough.

They can also live in HDB flats, why need to stay in expensive condos or bungalows ?

 

[2pm2am]

Spectacle mark-ups are high and exist in every level of the supply chain, not just the retailer. Imagine how a strip of metal parts can cost upward of $300 or a piece of plastic lens that is less than $3 to produce end up costing hundreds of dollars when filled.

Spectacle shops know that so they try to do things like hide or don't tell you your PD and prescription or they try to sell you on their other services like free adjustments, cleaning etc. It is ridiculous how much they actually make. Their own brand frames cost as little as $5 but when they sell you with lenses it becomes over $100. The only benefit of a shop is you get to try many pairs before deciding.

I wouldn't advise Lasik or any corrective eye surgery. Even the doctors who operate on you and many specialist still continue to use glasses themselves. Anytime you remove or alter something surgically from the body, the risks is always there.

The only benefit of a shop is so you can try many pairs before deciding ? so who is going to test your eyes ?

If you think optical shops make a lot of money then what about doctors? A gynae charge $200/day for "standby" fee when you give birth in a private hospital. So if you stay 3 days she charge you $600.... just for standing by doing nothing..... easy money.

how about real estate agent. if they rent out your commercial unit for you, the fee they charge is 1st month rent. imagine if you can rent out your commercial unit for $20k. they will get 20k for just doing paper work ! how many spectacles do optical shops have to sell to earn 20K ???

 

[Auspicium Melioris Aevi]

I also tell many ophthalmologist that they don't have to drive expensive merc or porsches or ferraris to drive to work. A honda and toyota is good enough.

They can also live in HDB flats, why need to stay in expensive condos or bungalows ?

Your examples are extremes & the exception rather than the rule. What is the point?

I also know of wealthy people on the other end of the spending spectrum - eg a successful ENT in Gleneagles who used to drive his old Ford until it was 20yrs old & wears a casio watch. I know of 2 multi-millionaire traders who live in AMK hdb flats.

Live according to your means &/or lifestyle wishes.

There are many in this thread who would shell $400 & much more for some stylish (subjective) branded specs just as would some wimmin who would spend even more for handbags which has some logos emblazoned across it.

So why do such people complain & fuss when they obviously value style over affordability?

What is important is value & quality & service.

 

[Auspicium Melioris Aevi]

yes, hoya free form technology. Not sure whether is it due to the free form that makes hoya lens that clearer than nikon. Nulux EP is bi-asph.

Do you know of other brands of lens that are also bi-asph?

Are all free form lens considered bi-asph too?

 

[razrorochi]

nice shop at holland v. dono wats it called but go see

 

[xiaokaka]

this just simply exposes that xiaokaka doesnt get his knowledge & facts well enough to advise ple here. For your info & add to your knowledge, HOYA 1.74 RX does NOT have any single aspherical lens at all. Their 1.74 RX lenses are all double aspherical design & costs RRP$1k.

it proves i don't know hoya very well and i admit it. My boss prefers zeiss and essilor. Problem?