Buying Eyes Glasses in India

camelgirl · Apr 3rd, 2007, 22:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyberhippie

camelgirl he was offering ultra thin lenses!

sorry, I don't understand, explain please

cyberhippie · Apr 3rd, 2007, 22:38

Well you've got thin lenses (I use them too to avoid geekiness) but the last time I enquired about eye glasses, he also offered me ultra thin lenses which were thinner again, I didn't bother as I'm happy with the lenses I've been buying!

Nick-H · Apr 3rd, 2007, 22:43

CH... I'll take the set top left. But only if you can throw in an embedded diamond in a front tooth!

Matt... That is a very kind and generous offer: but I'm hung up on choosing in the shop, and making sure the look and feel is just right.

I've seen the same things in two shops, and the prices were about the same, so I guess it is right. Imported stuff

Camelgirl, many thanks for the advice/experience there.

I remember the story of the turning-upside-down glasses experiment. After a while of wearing them, people found that their brains were turning the world right-way-up again! And it became upside down if they took them off! The brain, it seems can adjust to anything...

I don't have any reference for that, but it is the kind of story that (I bet) CH or Mach will know exactly!

camelgirl · Apr 3rd, 2007, 22:43

Cyber, Actually, NO, he did not give me thin lenses at all. I showed them to an optician here in the US and he has a chart to hold them against. The ones from Optical Palace are the original very thick plastic lenses. Very geeky. Not thin! I would have been happy with the thin but what I wanted was the ultra thin. I didn't get either. I did ask for them and did pay extra. Oh well.

pan_nv · Apr 4th, 2007, 00:05

if you are ever in mumbai go to Kalbedevi road and there is a block of road where there are optician on both sides of the road. kalbadevi road is about mile from the VT station. I get my glasses from Alankar opticians.

Sama · Apr 4th, 2007, 00:10

I swear...where are y'all finding these cheaper glasses?

because that was my plan the last time I was in Chennai, but I went to two places (ok, only two!), but the prices were the same as what I would pay in the US, about $150, for a crappy selection of frames. I wear bifocals and wanted the transitions lenses (turn dark in sun), and my 'script is not bad, i.e., I am not that near-sighted.

I said forget it -- I can get exactly what I want at a discounter in the US for less money! and I would not have someone throwing 20 different ugly frames in all different colors at me!

so, nick....where's a good optician in Chennai?!?

Aishah · Apr 4th, 2007, 14:19

I paid a total of 700 rupees for frames and transition lenses (glass not plastic) from Optical Palace, karol Bagh. Plastic is more expensive and can range up to around 2000 rupees. I got three ranges - long, computer, reading - plastic lenses and frames for 3000 rupees from an optician in Mussoorie but wasted my money because I feel nauseated wearing them, can't seem to adjust though tried hard and now I have given up. Should have just stuck to the bifocals - these from Jaisalmer local man, glass lenses (only 50rupees per lense!) and total cost with frames 300 rupees. Perfectly o.k. fashionable enough and still using them after5 years! I thought the new graded plastic ones would be better but what a disaster! My first lot of glasses after giving up on contact lenses because of the dust came from Jodhpur - these were 450 rupees and they were for long distance.
He was near Gandhi hospital and is good and not overcharging either.

Prashant.M · Apr 4th, 2007, 14:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyberhippie

Here you go nick to see what you're letting yourself in for!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattlog...7594087765682/

OMG I use the flyover - beneath which this guy sits - very frequently. Few months back I used to use it every day. Now I know where to go for an instant fix if I come flying off the flyover and only chip my teeth

Thanks CH

1066 · Apr 4th, 2007, 15:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by camelgirl

Very geeky. Not thin! I would have been happy with the thin but what I wanted was the ultra thin. I didn't get either. I did ask for them and did pay extra. Oh well.

Sounds like you didn't have a good experience. The guys I've used in the past ask for a small deposit - this way they know I'm serious and I know I've got some come back if they are not what I wanted - fortunately this hasn't been the case (purchased 2 pairs - ultra thin and reactor light). I'd recommend using a deposit and asking to see samples as a more surer way of getting what you want.... Good luck for next time!?

Dr. Gajaprishthakara · Apr 4th, 2007, 21:42

Nick - I checked again today. Near Kochi part titanium part dahl frames are 870 roops. Imported and full titanium frames are 2,800. Keep shopping around - really - 8000 is tooooo much.

Can't you try sending Mrs N? It's what I do when I get desperate and my wife only LOOKS Indian. Works a treat.

Nick-H · Apr 4th, 2007, 21:53

She's been looking at the same frames.

These are two big companies we've been to, one being Lawrence & Mayo.

I'm sure that a couple of passing IMers I took to one of those shops didn't pay as much ---but I'm sold on a particular shade of blue

...

I have a new plan. I'm going to try the varifocals in an old frame, without the extras, just to see how I get on with them. Would always need a backup pair of specs anyway.

michealradwin · Apr 10th, 2007, 18:15

This January when I was in Bombay ( Called Mumbai now.. Man how many times these people change their city names??) had an accident with my high power specs. I was in terrible situation as i only had one other spare specs with its sides tangled too.

Being a tourist i had hardly known any local opticians so liked to search for Opticians in Mumbai online. I was having doubt if any opticians were this advanced in India but to my surprise found one "Adverts not allowed on IndiaMike" www.Adverts not allowed on IndiaMike.com
There site is more of a eye care blog informing about various optical products and eye care related topics. Some information for me there. They claimed on site that they have the lowest price around the town. I noted down their address.

As this was very urgent i asked my taxi driver to take me to this shop. The driver took me of to Santacruz where he took me first to A COMPETITOR HE OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT LIKE.

I experienced the sam stuff as above poster. The shop had some collection but their price was considerable high than what i had seen on the optical site which i had visited earlier. So i asked driver to take me to the optical shop i wanted to go. He said that the shop was closed and blah blah So i called the owner. nad he informed that the shop was open all 7 days and was open that day too.
I asked the driver strictly the reason why he was neglecting this shop when he told me that A COMPETITOR HE OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT LIKE bribed all these taxi men by 20% commission and they never took the tourist to any other places.
Finally i visited the shop Adverts not allowed on IndiaMike. Though the shop was small but i was impressed totally with the Collection they had. Some nice designer frames ( Glad to see those in India, I remember the same frames costed 10 times here in UK.)
The owner Mr. Adverts not allowed on IndiaMike was around 55 yrs old and was having some good knowledge about the feild he was into. ( could see that from his site www.Adverts not allowed on IndiaMike.com itself )
He informed me about various lenses options available . Man Now I hated my home opticians even more, I didnt know that there were so many options available.
I finally decided to go for two pairs one with Ultrathin Hi-Index lenses with 1.9 Index ( My local optician provided me with 1.6-1.7 something which were very thick lenses charging more than 5 times this opticians). He assured that it would be half the current thinkness of my lens. the second one were prescription sunglasses in designer frame again. He offered me Polarized lenses.
Took my email address and regularly sends some eye care information tips to my mail. Good strategy i should say keeping in touch.
Have reffered his shop to 4-5 other colleagues from my office who were to visit there last month.

The Moderator edits will be self-evident

Nick-H · Apr 10th, 2007, 20:31

GOOD GRIEF!

An optician catching on to the travel agent's self-advertising trick. And slagging off the competition in the same post.

Quote:

This January when I was in Bombay ( Called Mumbai now.. Man how many times these people change their city names??)

And where are you now, dear sir?

Nice touch, criticizing your own city's name change.

Dr. Gajaprishthakara · Apr 10th, 2007, 20:45

Nick - absolutely- haha - that was the smelliest bit of hindglish.

Your name? Coming from?

Dr. Gajaprishthakara · Apr 10th, 2007, 20:57

You closed Michael's account?

I am sooooo glad you didn't delete it.

Apr 3rd, 2007, 22:43	#78
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24,220	CH... I'll take the set top left. But only if you can throw in an embedded diamond in a front tooth! Matt... That is a very kind and generous offer: but I'm hung up on choosing in the shop, and making sure the look and feel is just right. I've seen the same things in two shops, and the prices were about the same, so I guess it is right. Imported stuff Camelgirl, many thanks for the advice/experience there. I remember the story of the turning-upside-down glasses experiment. After a while of wearing them, people found that their brains were turning the world right-way-up again! And it became upside down if they took them off! The brain, it seems can adjust to anything... I don't have any reference for that, but it is the kind of story that (I bet) CH or Mach will know exactly! __________________ . IndiaMike Mod Team (The Grumpy One)

Apr 4th, 2007, 00:10	#81
Sama a pain in the asana Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: the India inside my heart Posts: 4,995	I swear...where are y'all finding these cheaper glasses? because that was my plan the last time I was in Chennai, but I went to two places (ok, only two!), but the prices were the same as what I would pay in the US, about $150, for a crappy selection of frames. I wear bifocals and wanted the transitions lenses (turn dark in sun), and my 'script is not bad, i.e., I am not that near-sighted. I said forget it -- I can get exactly what I want at a discounter in the US for less money! and I would not have someone throwing 20 different ugly frames in all different colors at me! so, nick....where's a good optician in Chennai?!? __________________ My India, 2005-2008 "a clear conscience is the sign of a bad memory"

Apr 10th, 2007, 18:15	#87
michealradwin Account Closed Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: UK Posts: 1	Buying Spectacle Frames , Sunglasses In India This January when I was in Bombay ( Called Mumbai now.. Man how many times these people change their city names??) had an accident with my high power specs. I was in terrible situation as i only had one other spare specs with its sides tangled too. Being a tourist i had hardly known any local opticians so liked to search for Opticians in Mumbai online. I was having doubt if any opticians were this advanced in India but to my surprise found one "Adverts not allowed on IndiaMike" www.Adverts not allowed on IndiaMike.com There site is more of a eye care blog informing about various optical products and eye care related topics. Some information for me there. They claimed on site that they have the lowest price around the town. I noted down their address. As this was very urgent i asked my taxi driver to take me to this shop. The driver took me of to Santacruz where he took me first to A COMPETITOR HE OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT LIKE. I experienced the sam stuff as above poster. The shop had some collection but their price was considerable high than what i had seen on the optical site which i had visited earlier. So i asked driver to take me to the optical shop i wanted to go. He said that the shop was closed and blah blah So i called the owner. nad he informed that the shop was open all 7 days and was open that day too. I asked the driver strictly the reason why he was neglecting this shop when he told me that A COMPETITOR HE OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT LIKE bribed all these taxi men by 20% commission and they never took the tourist to any other places. Finally i visited the shop Adverts not allowed on IndiaMike. Though the shop was small but i was impressed totally with the Collection they had. Some nice designer frames ( Glad to see those in India, I remember the same frames costed 10 times here in UK.) The owner Mr. Adverts not allowed on IndiaMike was around 55 yrs old and was having some good knowledge about the feild he was into. ( could see that from his site www.Adverts not allowed on IndiaMike.com itself ) He informed me about various lenses options available . Man Now I hated my home opticians even more, I didnt know that there were so many options available. I finally decided to go for two pairs one with Ultrathin Hi-Index lenses with 1.9 Index ( My local optician provided me with 1.6-1.7 something which were very thick lenses charging more than 5 times this opticians). He assured that it would be half the current thinkness of my lens. the second one were prescription sunglasses in designer frame again. He offered me Polarized lenses. Took my email address and regularly sends some eye care information tips to my mail. Good strategy i should say keeping in touch. Have reffered his shop to 4-5 other colleagues from my office who were to visit there last month. The Moderator edits will be self-evident Last edited by Nick-H : Apr 10th, 2007 at 21:03.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
rab's top tip of the month: glasses	rab	Health and Well Being in India	22	Aug 13th, 2006 15:01
Looking at India ... through Western eyes	fredericknoronha	Humour - It Only Happens in India	44	Apr 20th, 2005 05:13
buying glasses in India	iconoclam	Health and Well Being in India	3	Jul 6th, 2004 05:32
Glasses or Contact Lenses?	guerik	Health and Well Being in India	8	Sep 2nd, 2003 03:49

Apr 3rd, 2007, 22:38	#77
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,014	Well you've got thin lenses (I use them too to avoid geekiness) but the last time I enquired about eye glasses, he also offered me ultra thin lenses which were thinner again, I didn't bother as I'm happy with the lenses I've been buying!

Apr 3rd, 2007, 22:43	#79
camelgirl 10 year Visa okee dokee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Swannanoa NC usa Posts: 925	Cyber, Actually, NO, he did not give me thin lenses at all. I showed them to an optician here in the US and he has a chart to hold them against. The ones from Optical Palace are the original very thick plastic lenses. Very geeky. Not thin! I would have been happy with the thin but what I wanted was the ultra thin. I didn't get either. I did ask for them and did pay extra. Oh well.

Apr 4th, 2007, 00:05	#80
pan_nv Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: sin city Posts: 79	if you are ever in mumbai go to Kalbedevi road and there is a block of road where there are optician on both sides of the road. kalbadevi road is about mile from the VT station. I get my glasses from Alankar opticians.

Apr 4th, 2007, 14:19	#82
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 3,673	I paid a total of 700 rupees for frames and transition lenses (glass not plastic) from Optical Palace, karol Bagh. Plastic is more expensive and can range up to around 2000 rupees. I got three ranges - long, computer, reading - plastic lenses and frames for 3000 rupees from an optician in Mussoorie but wasted my money because I feel nauseated wearing them, can't seem to adjust though tried hard and now I have given up. Should have just stuck to the bifocals - these from Jaisalmer local man, glass lenses (only 50rupees per lense!) and total cost with frames 300 rupees. Perfectly o.k. fashionable enough and still using them after5 years! I thought the new graded plastic ones would be better but what a disaster! My first lot of glasses after giving up on contact lenses because of the dust came from Jodhpur - these were 450 rupees and they were for long distance. He was near Gandhi hospital and is good and not overcharging either.

Apr 4th, 2007, 21:42	#85
Dr. Gajaprishthakara Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sydney, Melbourne, Cairo, South India Posts: 349	Nick - I checked again today. Near Kochi part titanium part dahl frames are 870 roops. Imported and full titanium frames are 2,800. Keep shopping around - really - 8000 is tooooo much. Can't you try sending Mrs N? It's what I do when I get desperate and my wife only LOOKS Indian. Works a treat.

Apr 4th, 2007, 21:53	#86
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24,220	She's been looking at the same frames. These are two big companies we've been to, one being Lawrence & Mayo. I'm sure that a couple of passing IMers I took to one of those shops didn't pay as much ---but I'm sold on a particular shade of blue ... I have a new plan. I'm going to try the varifocals in an old frame, without the extras, just to see how I get on with them. Would always need a backup pair of specs anyway.

Apr 10th, 2007, 20:45	#89
Dr. Gajaprishthakara Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sydney, Melbourne, Cairo, South India Posts: 349	Nick - absolutely- haha - that was the smelliest bit of hindglish. Your name? Coming from?

Apr 10th, 2007, 20:57	#90
Dr. Gajaprishthakara Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sydney, Melbourne, Cairo, South India Posts: 349	You closed Michael's account? I am sooooo glad you didn't delete it.

User Name		Remember Me?
Password