Buying Eyes Glasses in India

camelgirl · Jun 24th, 2005, 03:33

On our last trip, my husband and I brought our prescriptions to India. I had one pair made in Delhi and we each had a pair made in Mumbai. In Mumbai we went to a place called Baliwalla & Homi and they said they made Mahatma Gandhi's specs

The price was half what it would have been in the U.S. for absolutely top quality frames and lenses. We will definitely do this again! Anyone else ever try this?

cyberhippie · Jun 24th, 2005, 03:42

I haven't bought glasses here in Europe for around 12 years! Glasses are a great bargain in India, the latest designs great quality lenses and the newest technologies.
All at an affordable price!!
I've got very bad eyesight and need powerful lenses just get around, I bought Italian frames, vary focus, ultra thin, ultra light, anti glare plastic lenses, for around 7500rps, for me that's a massive saving!
The service is great! When my optician in Delhi broke a lense whilst cutting it he delivered the glasses to my Hotel in Bharatpur some 150 Kms away, free of charge, that's what I call service!!

camelgirl · Jun 24th, 2005, 03:57

I also have a complicated prescription and got the progressive (vari focus) lens and all the other good stuff, plus the "transitions" which go from clear to sunglasses! When I got the first pair in Delhi, they made me really dizzy, so they did a little adjusting and they were just fine. Yes, an overall good experience and a very fair price. Plus, I love to tell everyone my glasses came from Baliwalla & Homi (it's a wonder I have any friends left

)

nhoa · Jun 24th, 2005, 05:09

I bought a pair of contact lenses (Bausch&Lomb) in India and in Pakistan, they were much cheaper and perfectly OK... better price, better service etc.

SitaParityaga · Jun 24th, 2005, 05:23

Sorry, I had a bad experience last year in Mumbai. Wouldn't recommend any of the places in Colaba, but would try other areas of Mumbai.

I was completely and totally ripped off.

GoanCanuck · Jun 24th, 2005, 07:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by edsita

Sorry, I had a bad experience last year in Mumbai. Wouldn't recommend any of the places in Colaba, but would try other areas of Mumbai.

I was completely and totally ripped off.

What exactly happened?

-m2- · Jun 24th, 2005, 07:17

Good experience in Goa. I was overdue for new glasses so had eyes examined in Mapusa (no wait, 100rp), and ordered a pair with coated varifocal lenses from a local shop (3300rp and took a week); as they were fine, went ahead with sunglasses (Raybans) and a spare regular.

I'm happy with the quality, and the three pair cost less than one pair would in Canada.

GoanCanuck · Jun 24th, 2005, 07:22

I would strongly recommend Lawrence & Mayo to anyone looking to buy eyeglasses or contact lenses in India. They are one of the oldest and most reputed opticians in India. You can read more about them here
http://www.lawrenceandmayo.co.in/network.htm

iyou · Jun 24th, 2005, 07:25

I always get glasses in India. It's a no-brainer.

Theon · Jun 24th, 2005, 07:34

One of the best bargains I've seen in my life.

machadinha · Jun 24th, 2005, 08:01

I even sent along my (pretty hefty) prescription with some friends once and they brought me back a perfect pair of glasses. Costs: Dfl 25,-- or thereabouts at the time (mid-90s, could have been fifty maybe. Bottom line: incredibly cheap either way.) I've had glasses made in Jodhpur in the early nineties and they were good & quickly made at about half that price. One thing: it seems/seemed hard if not impossible to get plastic glasses at least up north as they scratch easily with the local weather conditions. Being stomped on the nose back home some years later I was happy not to have the glass splinters in my eyes.

rab · Jun 24th, 2005, 10:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by camelgirl

We will definitely do this again! Anyone else ever try this?

Yes indeed - will dig out an old thread for you: -
Rab's Top Tip of the month: Glasses

Nick-H · Jun 24th, 2005, 11:37

I'm not too pleased with the ones I got yesterday... bbut I largely blame myself: they are great for reading at the distance most people hold a book, and I didn't tell the guy that I spend half my day in front of IndiaMike.com. And, of course, I left it untill th elast minute and there isn't time to go back there now.

Anyway, I know a guy in E.Ham, London, that does lenses cheaper than most, so looks like I'll have a get another prescription and take it to him now.

Yes, I'll buy in India again, but the lesson is to be careful to tell the optician exactly what you use your glasses for ---wherever in the world you buy.

The Transitions lenses I got, by the way, were les than half what I paid a big-chain optical shop in London last time.

Mikki · Jun 24th, 2005, 11:58

I had prescription sunglasses made in Karol Bagh. The optician at home later showed me that the coloring wasn't even ("We would never sell glasses like that in Europe, blah blah blah") but frankly, for the price I paid in India, I couldn't care less! They were a bargain, and the service was great - fast, a free drink and one of the opticians even went shopping for kurtas with me afterwards!

torryquine · Jun 24th, 2005, 15:37

I had a splendid pair of specs made-up in Darjeeling, by PC Banerjee on Nehru Road. Very efficient service, they were ready in 24hrs. Will certainly do the same next time I'm in India.

Jun 24th, 2005, 03:33	#1
camelgirl 10 year Visa okee dokee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Swannanoa NC usa Posts: 837	Buying Eyes Glasses in India On our last trip, my husband and I brought our prescriptions to India. I had one pair made in Delhi and we each had a pair made in Mumbai. In Mumbai we went to a place called Baliwalla & Homi and they said they made Mahatma Gandhi's specs The price was half what it would have been in the U.S. for absolutely top quality frames and lenses. We will definitely do this again! Anyone else ever try this? Last edited by camelgirl : Jun 25th, 2005 at 01:59.

Jun 24th, 2005, 03:57	#3
camelgirl 10 year Visa okee dokee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Swannanoa NC usa Posts: 837	I also have a complicated prescription and got the progressive (vari focus) lens and all the other good stuff, plus the "transitions" which go from clear to sunglasses! When I got the first pair in Delhi, they made me really dizzy, so they did a little adjusting and they were just fine. Yes, an overall good experience and a very fair price. Plus, I love to tell everyone my glasses came from Baliwalla & Homi (it's a wonder I have any friends left ) Last edited by camelgirl : Jun 25th, 2005 at 02:00. Reason: misspelled name

Jun 24th, 2005, 05:09	#4
nhoa Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: spain Posts: 16	I bought a pair of contact lenses (Bausch&Lomb) in India and in Pakistan, they were much cheaper and perfectly OK... better price, better service etc. __________________ shanti, shanti...

Jun 24th, 2005, 07:25	#9
iyou Maha Guru Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon USA Posts: 502	I always get glasses in India. It's a no-brainer. __________________ . . . --May a moody baby doom a yam.

Jun 24th, 2005, 07:34	#10
Theon Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 146	One of the best bargains I've seen in my life. __________________ My First Time to India

Jun 24th, 2005, 03:42	#2
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,014	I haven't bought glasses here in Europe for around 12 years! Glasses are a great bargain in India, the latest designs great quality lenses and the newest technologies. All at an affordable price!! I've got very bad eyesight and need powerful lenses just get around, I bought Italian frames, vary focus, ultra thin, ultra light, anti glare plastic lenses, for around 7500rps, for me that's a massive saving! The service is great! When my optician in Delhi broke a lense whilst cutting it he delivered the glasses to my Hotel in Bharatpur some 150 Kms away, free of charge, that's what I call service!!

Jun 24th, 2005, 05:23	#5
SitaParityaga member in the forest Join Date: May 2003 Location: California Posts: 792	Sorry, I had a bad experience last year in Mumbai. Wouldn't recommend any of the places in Colaba, but would try other areas of Mumbai. I was completely and totally ripped off.

Jun 24th, 2005, 07:17	#7
-m2- . Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: . Posts: 1,578	Good experience in Goa. I was overdue for new glasses so had eyes examined in Mapusa (no wait, 100rp), and ordered a pair with coated varifocal lenses from a local shop (3300rp and took a week); as they were fine, went ahead with sunglasses (Raybans) and a spare regular. I'm happy with the quality, and the three pair cost less than one pair would in Canada.

Jun 24th, 2005, 07:22	#8
GoanCanuck Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Vancouver Posts: 2,715	I would strongly recommend Lawrence & Mayo to anyone looking to buy eyeglasses or contact lenses in India. They are one of the oldest and most reputed opticians in India. You can read more about them here http://www.lawrenceandmayo.co.in/network.htm

Jun 24th, 2005, 08:01	#11
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 8,498	I even sent along my (pretty hefty) prescription with some friends once and they brought me back a perfect pair of glasses. Costs: Dfl 25,-- or thereabouts at the time (mid-90s, could have been fifty maybe. Bottom line: incredibly cheap either way.) I've had glasses made in Jodhpur in the early nineties and they were good & quickly made at about half that price. One thing: it seems/seemed hard if not impossible to get plastic glasses at least up north as they scratch easily with the local weather conditions. Being stomped on the nose back home some years later I was happy not to have the glass splinters in my eyes. __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

Jun 24th, 2005, 11:37	#13
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 22,907	I'm not too pleased with the ones I got yesterday... bbut I largely blame myself: they are great for reading at the distance most people hold a book, and I didn't tell the guy that I spend half my day in front of IndiaMike.com. And, of course, I left it untill th elast minute and there isn't time to go back there now. Anyway, I know a guy in E.Ham, London, that does lenses cheaper than most, so looks like I'll have a get another prescription and take it to him now. Yes, I'll buy in India again, but the lesson is to be careful to tell the optician exactly what you use your glasses for ---wherever in the world you buy. The Transitions lenses I got, by the way, were les than half what I paid a big-chain optical shop in London last time. __________________ . IndiaMike Mod Team (The Grumpy One)

Jun 24th, 2005, 11:58	#14
Mikki Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Germany Posts: 143	I had prescription sunglasses made in Karol Bagh. The optician at home later showed me that the coloring wasn't even ("We would never sell glasses like that in Europe, blah blah blah") but frankly, for the price I paid in India, I couldn't care less! They were a bargain, and the service was great - fast, a free drink and one of the opticians even went shopping for kurtas with me afterwards!

Jun 24th, 2005, 15:37	#15
torryquine Oilfield Trash! Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Aberdeen Posts: 700	I had a splendid pair of specs made-up in Darjeeling, by PC Banerjee on Nehru Road. Very efficient service, they were ready in 24hrs. Will certainly do the same next time I'm in India. __________________ http://werenotafraid.com/ Last edited by torryquine : Jul 15th, 2005 at 03:15. Reason: ..to name the optitian.

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