Buy your next pair of glasses from Eyewear Insight and save 25 percent.
Ashley Esqueda/CNET
Not quite a year ago, I did something boneheaded: I bought eyeglasses from a retail store. That’s just always how I’d done it, and I went to this place because it’s affiliated with our healthcare insurance.
Because I now wear progressive lenses (curse you, old eyes!), the grand total was well over $600 — and that was after the (admittedly paltry) insurance assist. Even worse, the lenses somehow got scuffed a couple months ago, and the store wouldn’t do anything about it. ($600 and I don’t get even a year of protection?)
Never again. Like, never. Sure, I’ll always see an eye doctor to get an updated prescription, but when it comes time for ordering frames and lenses, I’m going online. Which I did recently for my replacement pair, and which ended up costing me one-sixth the price — with even more lens bells and whistles.
Want to dip your eyeballs into the waters of online eyeglasses? Here’s a chance to save even more: For a limited time, Cheapskate readers can get an extra 25 percent off at Eyewear Insight with coupon code Cheap25. (The code is good through the end of the year, just in case you need time to get a new prescription.)
At first glance, Eyewear Insight may look similar to other online eyewear stores. Indeed, it offers a wide variety of frames, excellent filtering options to help narrow your choices and some decidedly low prices: Most frames sell for $28, and your lenses include antireflective, antiscratch (thank you) and UV coatings. Elsewhere, these add-ons typically cost extra.
I also admire the company’s origin story and, er, vision. Owner and co-founder Evie Seifu came to the US from Ethiopia, studied fashion and uses that experience to help select the most stylish frames. She hand-writes a thank-you note to each and every customer and promises exceptional customer service: If you need help before or after your purchase, you’ll have it.
Eyewear Insight also offers a school-fundraising program that will donate 10 percent of all sales to your school. I admire the hell out of that.
Whether you’re looking for new glasses, a backup pair, simple readers or blue light-blocking computer glasses, give this shop a try. And save an extra 25 percent when you do.
Read more: The best gifts for 2018
CNET’s Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter!