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Reading Glasses
updated: Jan 02, 2013, 5:59 PM

Thinking I finally need reading glasses. Looking for a referral in town please

Places People Are Talking About:

	99 Cent Store	Advanced Eyecare
Dr Burke	Rite-Aid	Urban Optics

What People Are Saying:

COMMENT 359430	2013-01-02 06:08 PM
costco buy them in a 3-pack - but get the ones where the whole frame is molded plastic. The ones with the little nose pad thingies get stuck in your hair if you put them on your head. for more stylish glasses (for women).. Lewis & Clark has some nice ones. (you don't need a doctor's Rx to get reading glasses if that's what you meant by "referral')
PAMSB	2013-01-02 06:09 PM
I love Advanced Eyecare (Dr. Fausset). Also have friends who have good things to say about Costco eye care service.
COMMENT 359433	2013-01-02 06:17 PM
Costco! They are friendly and get you what you need!
COMMENT 359436	2013-01-02 06:23 PM
For your eye exam Dr. Kolarzsyck is great - corner of Islay and State. He's an MD which is an added plus if you should ever have any problems.
D8VANILLA	2013-01-02 06:29 PM
I agree with the Costco eye doctor for a perscription, but you can always get the magnifyer glasses there also. 3 pack for $20?? But, you should have your eyes examined by a Ophthalmologists, which is what the Costco Doctor is. Then, you will have something to compare findings, years down the road.
COMMENT 359441P	2013-01-02 06:30 PM
Dr. Cory Bream at Costco is terrific. You do not need to be a member to make an appointment with her. She is nice, quick and reasonable. She will tell you if you can buy the reading glasses off the rack. Some cannot. Depends on whether the prescription in both eyes is the same.
COMMENT 359443	2013-01-02 06:41 PM
You don't need to go to the eye doctor for readers. Just go to CVS. They have plenty to choose from.
COMMENT 359446	2013-01-02 06:44 PM
You don't need a prescription if all that's wrong is that you're getting older and can't focus on nearer things as you once used to. I get my readers at Ride Aid and started with the weakest ones and it's taken me 10 years to move to the next increment (from 1.25 to 1.50). The quality of the Costco readers is suspect though - by moving your head side to side the distortion across the lenses is really noticeable.
D8VANILLA	2013-01-02 06:50 PM
Is Cory Bream back?? I love her!
COMMENT 359461P	2013-01-02 07:21 PM
I wish it took me 10 years to get stronger glasses! Definitely buy them at a drug store, but an eye checkup is always a good idea. I think I'm ready for prescription glasses (boo hoo) and need to review this edhat referral thread: http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=102202
COMMENT 359463P	2013-01-02 07:27 PM
Often one eye needs stronger correction than the other, making it worth finding a place with the same glasses that go from 1x to 3x so you can combine lenses from two for much sharper results. An eye doctor actually suggested this to me and it saved the cost of prescription readers. You can tell if this would work for you by trying different pairs of glasses until you have the sharpest results for each eye. Of course, if you have astigmatism you'll need prescription for the best results. Eye exams every few years are a good idea anyway, and if you go to a good doctor like Zelco they'll tell you whether the drug store solution will work to save money.
COMMENT 359468P	2013-01-02 07:47 PM
If it's only for reading glasses... Go to CVS and look on the racks near the pharmacy. There are lots on OTC medications right next to them so you can grab one of those, turn it over and find your correction power by reading the tiny print on the back of the medicine box. Just like an eye exam! Also - Ochialli has an eyeglass sale once in a while. I got some really cute readers there. But they aren't really any better than at CVS.
COMMENT 359479	2013-01-02 08:08 PM
I have always bought my readers at Costco.....but probably not much longer. The last three-pack I bought about two weeks ago is very poor quality compared to what they've had in the past. The packaging looks the same....but the glasses themselves are entirely different. The frames are cheap plastic (used to be metal...) and so far two of the three have snapped in half with just normal handling. I'm very surprised at Costco....usually their stuff is better than average; these glasses are junk. They are going back...along with a complaint.
IMABOO	2013-01-02 08:11 PM
Dr. Burke at Milpas Optometric. He has been my optician for 10 years. I highly recommend him. He also has an office on Hollister if you live in Goleta.
COMMENT 359492P	2013-01-02 08:38 PM
my wife and I got eye exams from costco ($30 each). We looked at the glasses there and decided to purchase our "readers" from a drug store. We don't require anything more than 1.50 x so there's a lot to choose from. I would recommend the exam.
COMMENT 359495P	2013-01-02 08:45 PM
Dr Neel at Urban Optics. Great guy, great exams; after 40, good idea to get yearly eye health exams (not just for Rx) if you have any vision problems at all, or if eye disease runs in the family.
AQUAHOLIC	2013-01-02 09:26 PM
Agree with IMABOO....Dr. Burke has been my guy for over 25 years!...but, as everyone has pointed out, you can get readers anywhere without a prescription...but if youre like me, and want stylish, you can get some fun frames from an Optician.
COMMENT 359518P	2013-01-02 09:36 PM
The Dollar Store (or 99¢ Store or whatever it's called). Try on the 125's. If that doesn't work, try the 150's and so on. Trust me on this. Buy plenty of glasses. You will be losing them left and right. Buy $10 worth and never have to waste time looking for your glasses.
COMMENT 359533	2013-01-03 07:02 AM
My first reading glasses cost $400, and I promptly ruined them. Buy drug store glasses, buy lots and treat them gently because the arms break off easily. Buy more...
BARBSTOO	2013-01-03 07:21 AM
The best deal in town: the used book store on the mesa, next to the dry cleaner. Lisa has lots of reading glass for $3.00 a pair- AND great books.
FLICKA	2013-01-03 07:27 AM
I've worn 99cent store readers for 20 years, work great. Drug stores, etc are good too, just more expensive
SPAGNOLA	2013-01-03 07:31 AM
Advanced Eyecare is fantastic. I've been a patient of Dr. Fausset's for almost 25 years. They are now located on State Street just above the Arlington.
COMMENT 359559	2013-01-03 07:43 AM
CVS or Rite-Aid - if you just now think you might need reading glasses, go to the drug store. Lots of styles and different reading strengths, and a mirror to check your look! Save a few bucks till you need the hard stuff.
COMMENT 359564	2013-01-03 08:04 AM
Yes, drugstore readers (or cuter ones from dept stores) are the way to go for someone who knows what the problem with their sight is. But I'm surprised more people didn't recommend an actual eye exam visit first. You can't just assume you know what's up with your eyes and there's no reason you have to get them to make expensive glasses for you. Once you know there's no issues like eye pressure or anything, you can just go get the right ones on the cheap.
HDB	2013-01-03 09:23 AM
Dr. Neel at Urban Optics in La Arcada is great! I would go to a doc to get a baseline prescription and then you can buy the drugstore kind if you want.
COMMENT 359656	2013-01-03 11:01 AM
A big thanks to all who took the time to share their experience, knowledge and advice. Much appreciated!
COMMENT 359724P	2013-01-03 12:55 PM
Anyone who buys reading glasses elsewhere than the 99-Cent Store, is wasting their money, and stupidly overspending for something that should work perfectly well for the average person, with no need for a prescription. The degree of magnification is shown via label/sticker, all the way from 1.00 to 3.50. I find that 2.0 to 2.5 works best for me, and I usually have no problem finding several pair at the 99-Cent Store.
COMMENT 359751	2013-01-03 01:56 PM
Dr Burke on Milpast St.!
COMMENT 359804	2013-01-03 03:29 PM
The 99 cent store for sure. Buy a dozen pair; I assure you that you'll still be searching for the damn things even with that many floating around.
TAZ	2013-01-03 06:11 PM
Agree re drugstore glasses - that's what varied eye docs told me anyway. But when you need something other than magnification, and eye exams are a good idea for other reasons, my husband and I (and my internist) both highly recommend Dr. Steven Zelco. So easy to talk to, knowledgeable, explains things well, a really positive experience. On W. Quinto between Bath & Castillo. 682-2618. I hope he stays around for ever!
CHICA	2013-01-03 07:40 PM
99 cent store for a bargain and you can buy 10 pairs if you want. Yes, you will probably need them all. You need one in every room, car, purse, etc.