My Eyeglass Drama!

When it rains it pours! So last month we dealt with plumbing problems (check out my older posts for that FUN story). This month it has been various car repairs. What can I expect from a 12 year old well loved Suburban ( I refuse to buy a new one because they cost more than my first house did, and that seems wrong, somehow!) However, I love my Suburban, lots of room to haul my children (and children's friends), groceries, thrift store and yard sale finds. So, I will suck it up and pay to keep it in driving condition. Did I forget to mention the best part of all, four wheel drive ( a fabulous luxury, if you live in snowy, icy Idaho). I thought we were out of the woods with unexpected expenses. I guess I shouldn't have voiced my relief out loud, because Sunday morning as I was getting ready for church my glasses broke!

At first, I thought the screw had come loose, which is no big deal and easy to fix. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case! The plastic broke right next to the lens; snapped right in half! Let me mention I am a blind as a bat without them; so going without would be dangerous; especially to everyone around me. I thought maybe I could just wear them as is, but they kept falling off, so I had to go to plan B. Out comes the glue gun ( I couldn't find the super glue, of course). Plan B was not such a good idea! It fixed them temporarily (15 minutes), but the glue melted the plastic and the reglue (17 minutes later) did not fit together well. So now, I'm going to church looking spiffy with my obviously repaired eyeglasses; that definitely tested my vanity! Right after I got home from church the broke completely. So, Sunday afternoon I called the optical store where I bought them about 18 months ago. They still had the frames in stock. I could just buy those, and they would put the lens in the new frames. Problem solved, right! Wrong! When the optician put the lens in the frame she somehow got something on the lens that ruined the finished on them. If you look through the lens it's like looking through somebody's oily fingerprints (which is what I thought was the problem), and there are tiny scratches all over them. I did every thing I could think of do make it better, but nothing worked. Now, it was on to Plan C; my five + year old glasses (which my kids lovingly refer to as my Harry Potter glasses. Hmm, note to self, extra chores for the children!) Yesterday, I went back with the broken glasses, and explained the problem. They worked with them, but sorry we can't fix them, and they are discontinued lenses, and your warranty has expired; so we can't help you!
Arrrgh! I returned the frames I had paid for and left slightly enraged. After, I calmed down ( and drank a 32 oz. Diet Coke) I tried to figure out the cheapest options.

That's when I had my AH HA moment. We have a membership at Costco. I buy groceries and the occasional handy gadget there, but I have not taken advantage of there other services. After work I ran out there to check the selection and what services their optical center offered. It was like the heavens parted. They squeezed me in for an exam right then (this is at six o'clock ). The exam only cost $60.00; instead of the $75.00 I was going to have to pay elsewhere. There selection of frames was pretty good. There were a lot to choose from! The prices started at $29.99 and when up to $119.00 (for the fancy, smansey ones). I found a cute pair of wire frames (kind of looks like a thinner version of Sarah Palin's) for 59.99 ( I paid $85.00 for the frames at the other optical shop). The lenses are a polycarbonate (very thin, lightweight, and durable, great for blind people like me; no Coke bottle lenses) and include UV block, scratch resistance, and an anti glare coating (I forgot the name); all for the grand total of $75.00 for both lenses. My last set of lenses cost $75.00 each. My total cost was $142.01 for the glasses and $60.00 for the exam, a total cost of $202.01. Much better than the $310.00 I thought I was going to have to pay somewhere else. I should have them in 5 - 10 business days! I guess I should look on the bright side. Now, I will have new glasses (kind of like a mini makeover), and it cost much less than I had originally anticipated. HOORAY!