Turning glasses into shades.

[Lonny]

Hi guys!

I was at lens crafters the other day with a pair of Moscot Lemtosh frames and I wanted to turn them into sunglasses, the optician said that for lenses and replacement it would cost 200 bucks total. But I figure at that point I might as well get another pair off the Moscot site for a little more than 200, is this a normal price as far as lens replacement goes?

Thanks guys.
Lonny.

 

[dwebber18]

I've never needed glasses but buy some sunglasses from there and my wife has gotten her prescription stuff there. Her stuff is always $3-400 so it sounds about right assuming you're not adding prescription lenses, just plain tinted sunglass lenses. They have to custom cut and fit new lenses for you and I guess thats fairly costly. As to purchasing new glasses, it all depends on if these are your favorite frames that you love and wear all the time, also do you think they would look good as sunglasses? If you really like these frames more than something else you could buy then get them switched, if not then buy new.

 

[skbellis]

Even though I hate Wal*Mart, single vision lenses there are $50 US, and $60 if you don't use their frames. You might want to shop around.

---Scott

 

[Quigley Brown]

I had a small local optical shop place shaded lenses into these vintage frames. It cost about $50 each which isn't too bad for one-of-a-kind sunglasses.

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[Edward_Lindey]

I just had a pair relensed for about $45.

Edward

 

[Lonny]

Thanks guys!

I hate WalMart as well but I'll check them out, but first I'll go to an optician down town who is fairly well respected.

Thanks again!

Lonny.

 

[TheModernLife]

I recently was at the eye doctor and was informed that, as long as you aren't getting new lenses themselves, your existing lenses can be coated and turned into sunglasses for fairly cheap. I'm not sure where exactly you would go for this but it shouldn't be too expensive.

 

[tonyb]

This past year I bought a brand spankin' new pair of red-on-black Ray-Ban Wayfarers and immediately had the original lenses replaced with Transitions lenses in my bifocal prescription. I
am almost embarrassed to disclose what that all cost, especially in light of how little use they get, on account of them being 1.) so conspicuous that I still can't help but feel a bit self-conscious in them, and 2.) many times heavier than my regular glasses, which have titanium half frames and relatively small polycarbonate lenses.

A couple of weeks ago at a local Goodwill store I found a pair of cheap Wayfarer(ish) knockoffs, also brand new, for five bucks.

If there's a point to these anecdotes of mine, it's that shades vary widely in price and quality. I've long been fairly extravagant about my spectacles. That's 'cuz I'm vain, but I make no apologies for it. If you wear eyeglasses daily, as I have since I was 15 years old, they become a part of your face, and an expression of your personality. Ever since a cataract surgery a few years back, I see well enough through my left eye that I don't need my glasses to drive legally. But I still wear them, because I see better with them than without, and because I've grown accustomed to having those little windshields in front of my eyes. If I really liked a pair of shades, and they were of decent or better quality, I might well fork over a coupla-three hundred bucks, and try not to let the dewy-eyed bride know how much I spent.

 

[Lonny]

I have also heard of this coating, I have also seen strange little stickers that you just apply over the clean lens, but I don't know how well those would work.

And Tony, that's so weird! I have a pair of red on black ray ban wayfarer's too, but I kept mine as sunglasses!

Lonny.

 

[MisterGrey]

I recently was at the eye doctor and was informed that, as long as you aren't getting new lenses themselves, your existing lenses can be coated and turned into sunglasses for fairly cheap. I'm not sure where exactly you would go for this but it shouldn't be too expensive.

This depends on your existing lenses. If you have an anti-reflective coating on your lenses, for example, I do not believe you can have them sunglass tinted. I also believe that an anti-scratch coating must be applied before a sunglass coating. If you're considering this and find an optician who will do it, be sure to let him/her know about what treatments your existing lenses have to make sure it won't interfere with their function or integrity.

 

[Talbot]

I had a small local optical shop place shaded lenses into these vintage frames. It cost about $50 each which isn't too bad for one-of-a-kind sunglasses.

[/IMG]

I'm liking the heck out of the top pair!

 

[Lonny]

Hey guys,

So I checked out Wal Mart, its 40 bucks for UV lenses and 120 or 130 I can't remember for polarized lenses and 150 for polarized glass lenses.
Anybody have any input on this?
Which is better? I'm leaning towards polarized glass because I like the weight in the frames and they won't scratch up as bad.

 

[Tomasso]

Which is better? I'm leaning towards polarized glass because I like the weight in the frames and they won't scratch up as bad.

That would be my choice as well. I go through polycarbonate lenses (for sports) like toilet tissue while I have several glass lenses holding up just fine after nearly twenty years. And I won't even consider non-polarized lenses.

 

[Lonny]

Okay guys!

I've decided to go with Wal Mart despite it being well...Wal Mart...
That and it seems most optomitrists want 200+ for a lens swap!
It'll be 155 for polarized glass lenses, I'm really excited!

Thanks for the advice guys!

Lonny.

 

[DanielJones]

My Pop did this to these glasses back in the early 60's. They are his prescription pair. I think I'll keep up the trend and have some plain lenses put in in more of a grey instead of a green.

He did the same to this pair, but I think I will revert them back into reading glasses once I get some optical insurance again. Or should I keep them sunglasses? Not sure.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Lonny]

I think they look great as shades, but a bit G-man-ish haha. Like the typical men in black of the 50s look. Haha. But its awesome. Very cool, reminds me of Ray Ban clubmasters.