Eyeglasses in Mexico City!

Last activity 19 January 2016 by Oldladyman

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OldladymanActive member17 January 2016 23:20:39

So I have been using reading glasses for the longest and thought I might be able to get an affordable eye exam and nice pair of real glasses here, but am finding that when I'm in certain busy areas like Bellas Artes that there are tons of people targeting tourists with eye exam and eyeglass handouts and today I went into an eyeglass store on Insurgentes Sur and was quoted $370 for an exam
and, pair of glasses with progressive lenses.

The brand was Metro Max, which they said was the best. but mind you I've never heard of it and after googling it, it doesn't seem to be a company with its own site or anything. So I went into another store called American Optics or something, a big franchise in a working class area in south Mexico City and was quoted about $570 for the same pair, same brand.

I really like wrap around wire eyeglasses, but feel like they're pretty expensive here. Maybe because I keep reading about how cheap glasses are here compared to inthe U.S. Anyone else have the same experience?

OldladymanActive member18 January 2016 00:34:42

The prices I'm referring to in my above post are USD....

alleycat1Serial expat19 January 2016 13:25:27

350

You can get an eye exam and prescription from anyplace and take the prescription to Costco and get brand name frames and lenses for a discount. They have a great selection of frames and it takes about a week to get the glasses. It is about 1/2 to 1/3 the cost of the US. My bifocal progressive glasses cost $2,700 pesos with Nautica frames. [$200.00 US at that time with the exchange rate of $13 to $1 ]

OldladymanActive member19 January 2016 13:37:46

Wow. I'm going to try this because I just don't see the point in buying $400 eyeglasses as much as I like the style of the pair I want:) Yesterday I spent too much time trying to find a better deal but just kept going into the same franchises: American Optica etc. Vision+ has cheaper prices but I didn't like the glasses they sell. They screamed "cheap!"

Thanks again for sharing!

alleycat1Serial expat19 January 2016 13:51:23

350

Costco also does eye exams and prescriptions but I had my wife´s niece do it for free. The selction there is good but if they do not have the frames you like maybe buy them where you found them and ask Costco to do the lenses.

OldladymanActive member19 January 2016 13:53:57

If you go into the franchises, the lenses in the cases are $6000 pesos and up...optical stores are big business here. They're very assertive saleswise also!

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