Return-Path: Received: from IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU by K.GP.CS.CMU.EDU id aa09530; 10 Nov 93 14:22:42 EST Received: from IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU by IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU id aa15722; 10 Nov 93 14:22:14 EST To: bovik@cs.cmu.edu Subject: glasses Date: Wed, 10 Nov 93 14:22:12 EST Message-ID: <15720.752959332@IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU> From: Jennifer_Kay@IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU ------- Forwarded Messages Return-Path: Received: from MIXO.SOAR.CS.CMU.EDU by IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU id aa09753; 1 Nov 93 17:48:28 EST Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1993 17:41-EST From: Richard.Lewis@MIXO.SOAR.CS.CMU.EDU Reply-To: Richard.Lewis@cs.cmu.edu To: jennifer.kay@cs.cmu.edu Subject: eye glasses Message-Id: <752193661/rick@MIXO.SOAR.CS.CMU.EDU> Jennie-- There's an article in the August 93 issue of Consumer Reports about eye glasses (I have it if you want to borrow it). Basically they found that people were more happy (with service, quality and price) going to private practices rather than the chains. You might try the place on Murray ave across from the Greenfield Giant Eagle. I went there recently for an exam when I thought my eyes were getting worse. He found that the prescription I had was still exactly what I needed, so they're at least honest (he thought the trouble I was having was just fatigue from staring at screens all day.) The number and name of the place is in the Guide to living in Pgh. They offer a 10% discount to CMU folks. - -Rick ------- Message 2 Return-Path: Received: from A.GP.CS.CMU.EDU by IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU id aa10688; 1 Nov 93 21:28:22 EST Received: from A.GP.CS.CMU.EDU by A.GP.CS.CMU.EDU id aa24856; 1 Nov 93 21:27:51 EST To: jennie@cs.cmu.edu Subject: eyeglasses Date: Mon, 01 Nov 93 21:27:45 EST Message-ID: <24853.752207265@A.GP.CS.CMU.EDU> From: Fredric_Solomon@A.GP.CS.CMU.EDU consumer reports just did a big story on buying eyeglasses. they compared the big chains, and when into eyeglass basics. i read it while i was getting a haircut. fred ------- Message 3 Return-Path: Received: from CHAMP.ECE.CMU.EDU by IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU id aa10862; 1 Nov 93 22:16:00 EST Received: by champ.ece.cmu.edu (5.54-ECE2/5.17) id AA23479; Mon, 1 Nov 93 22:15:56 EST Date: Mon, 1 Nov 93 22:15:56 EST From: Anurag Gupta Message-Id: <9311020315.AA23479@champ.ece.cmu.edu> To: jennie+@ius5.ius.cs.cmu.edu (Jennifer Kay) Subject: Re: Cheap, but good, eye glasses?? |>Has anyone been to this "America's Best" store |>that advertises two pairs of glasses for something like $40? Sounds |>too good to be true. Well, I did get con'ed by their ad a couple of years back. It is a neat ploy to get you to come to their place. Basically, the 2 for $40 glasses were really yucky plastic frames -- I didn't like a single one! So I settled for some $60 or $70 version and took it over to the salesperson. Of course, these turned out to be only 1 for $60 -- the 2 for $40 applied only to the $40 frames! She also told me that it didn't have warranty and showed me a similar $100 frame with warranty and spring-loaded hinges. I grudgingly switched to the $100 frame. Then she started selling extra scratch-resistant, uv-protection, etc package for the lenses .... I finally put my foot down and opted for regular lenses. So the final cost for $100 + tax, and I had to wait for a couple of weeks. Well, at least the eye-exam from their optician was included. Regards. - -anurag ------- Message 4 Return-Path: Received: from A.GP.CS.CMU.EDU by IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU id aa13681; 2 Nov 93 10:26:13 EST Date: Tue, 2 Nov 93 10:21:08 EST From: William.Welch@A.GP.CS.CMU.EDU To: jennie@cs.cmu.edu Subject: America's Best I like them. They do herd you through like cattle, but your treatment at each stage of the pipeline (well, except for the bats at the front desk) will be pleasant. I once visited an opthamologist shortly after having gotten lenses from these folks, and he said the prescription checked out fine (the visit was a checkup unrelated to my A.B business) - -- will ------- Message 5 Return-Path: Received: from A.GP.CS.CMU.EDU by IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU id ab13681; 2 Nov 93 10:26:15 EST Date: Tue, 2 Nov 93 10:23:40 EST From: William.Welch@A.GP.CS.CMU.EDU To: jennie@cs.cmu.edu Subject: oops I didn't make it clear: A.B. tested my vision and prescribed my lenses as well as cooking them up. - -- will ------- Message 6 Return-Path: Received: from GS80.SP.CS.CMU.EDU by IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU id aa14121; 2 Nov 93 11:05:13 EST To: Jennifer Kay Subject: Re: Cheap, but good, eye glasses?? Date: Tue, 2 Nov 93 11:04:28 EST From: phoebe@GS80.SP.CS.CMU.EDU Sender: phoebe@GS80.SP.CS.CMU.EDU I bought glasses at America's best for $40. They weren't the most styling ever but they also were not ugly at all and they worked fine and lasted me a long time (three or four years). After they finally gave up the ghost I bought some at SqHill Eyetique for $250, but that's because I'm a slave to fashion. - - Phoebe ------- Message 7 Return-Path: Received: from JAGUAR.BOLTZ.CS.CMU.EDU by IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU id aa14503; 2 Nov 93 11:59:50 EST Received: by JAGUAR.BOLTZ.CS.CMU.EDU (AIX 3.2/UCB 5.64/4.03) id AA14764; Tue, 2 Nov 1993 11:55:56 -0500 Received: from Messages.8.5.N.CUILIB.3.45.SNAP.NOT.LINKED.jaguar.boltz.cs.cmu.edu.rs.aix31 via MS.5.6.jaguar.boltz.cs.cmu.edu.rs_aix31; Tue, 2 Nov 1993 11:55:55 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: Date: Tue, 2 Nov 1993 11:55:55 -0500 (EST) From: Ricky Houghton To: jennie+@IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU (Jennifer Kay) Subject: Re: Cheap, but good, eye glasses?? In-Reply-To: References: My wife is an Optometrist (and a rather good one I might add, even if I am a little biased). If you are the sort of person that wants to ask questions and understand what's going on, you'll like her. America's Best has about the worlds worst reputation, if you listen to none of my other advice, listen to this piece: "Don't go there." Optometrist's in private practice make their money from the sale of glasses (mostly frames) and contacts. Therefore, it is in their best interest to sale you glasses. They will often compete directly with chains for exam fees but charge a much higher price on glasses and contacts. Optometrist's in chains vary a lot. At some chains, optometrists are paid a per diem, some chains pay a per diem plus bonus for glasses/contacts sold. Lastly, some optometrists are paid per exam with no bonus for glasses or contacts. My wife falls in the latter, she works at the Wal-Mart in Cranberry, about a 30 minute drive north of Pittsburgh. While it is a bit of a drive, Wal-Mart has the best prices around. (They maybe higher than America's Best, but they will have better quality frames). My wife is a very capable doctor with a more training that most of the Optometrists in this state. (This is because she is licensed in many other states with have tougher board certification requirements, such as therapeutics.) Richard Voyles (richard.voyles@cs) was a patient of my wife, for an unbiased opinion of price and service, ask him. The number there is 772-4557, you can call for pricing. Ricky ------- Message 8 Return-Path: Received: from GS126.SP.CS.CMU.EDU by IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU id aa15408; 2 Nov 93 13:36:09 EST Received: from BatMail.robin.v2.13.CUILIB.3.45.SNAP.NOT.LINKED.GS126.SP.CS.CMU.EDU.pmax.ul4 via MS.5.6.GS126.SP.CS.CMU.EDU.pmax_ul4; Tue, 2 Nov 1993 13:35:43 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: Date: Tue, 2 Nov 1993 13:35:43 -0500 (EST) From: Alon.Lavie@cs.cmu.edu To: Jennifer Kay Subject: Re: Cheap, but good, eye glasses?? CC: Alon.Lavie@cs.cmu.edu In-Reply-To: References: Hi Jenny, I just had a thorough eye exam at DALMO Optical in SQ. Hill last week. Fortunately enough - I still don't really need glasses (I went because of some afternoon headaches I've been getting lately...) Anyway - they seemed to be very good. My boyfriend Bob has been getting his contacts there for a couple of years (which is actually why I went there in the first place). They have a 20% student discount (remember to ask for it!) so my exam cost me $28 instead of $35. And you probably won't get guilted into getting glasses there - the doctor said that I might consider getting weak reading glasses, but that I would probably be better off getting them for cheap at a drugstore! They are on Forbes, just past PNC and Dollar bank, on the right side after the intersection with Murrey when coming *from* CMU up on Forbes. Hope this helps. - - *Alon* ------- Message 9 Return-Path: Received: from KURT.TIP.CS.CMU.EDU by IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU id aa15672; 2 Nov 93 13:47:54 EST Date: Tue, 2 Nov 93 13:43:17 EST From: Ekkehard.Rohwedder@KURT.TIP.CS.CMU.EDU To: jennie+@cs.cmu.edu Subject: Re: Cheap, but good, eye glasses?? Jennie -- I had good experiences with Dalmo Optical on Forbes Avenue in Squirrel Hill. They give CMU students 20% off. However, I only had an eye exam done there and one glass lense replaced (it was broken). I did not find any frame there that I liked, though. Just one data point... -- Ekkehard ------- Message 10 Return-Path: Received: from IUS4.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU by IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU id aa12512; 2 Nov 93 8:10:40 EST To: Jennifer Kay Subject: Re: Cheap, but good, eye glasses?? Date: Tue, 2 Nov 93 8:10:13 EST From: mbergerm@IUS4.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU Sender: mbergerm@IUS4.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU Jennie, last year, when we arrived at Pitt, I bought 2 pairs of glasses for $85, including the eye exam. I found it very cheap; they are always selling 2 pairs for $50 / $70 / $90; I chose the second class. I can't say they are the most beautiful glasses I ever had, but as you said, they are affordable! One day I will make money out of my engineering education, and then go to Pearl Vision... :-) The place is: Elliot Vision Liberty Ave. aprox. 700 This is in downtown, they are located in the ground level, it is easy to find them. I guess Fabio also bought his glasses there after my advice. Hope you get good ones! - -- Marcel Bergerman mbergerm@cs.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon University ------- Message 11 Return-Path: Received: from F.GP.CS.CMU.EDU by IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU id aa12774; 2 Nov 93 8:57:14 EST Date: Tue, 2 Nov 93 08:55:38 EST From: James.Altucher@F.GP.CS.CMU.EDU To: jennie@cs.cmu.edu Subject: eyeglasses For what it's worth, I just saw a TV ad for LensCrafters saying that they are giving free eye exams and then a big discount on glasses. "Offer ends soon" sort of thing. I think I'm going to check it out myself. Good luck, james ------- End of Forwarded Messages