Lola's foodblog

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by Lola Bunny

No, glasses don't cost $575 because sometimes an optometrist decides to be generous to her employees and treat them to a nice restaurant once a year. In this instance, just this once because we don't know if she'll do that again next year being our office just only celebrated its 1 year anniversary. Glasses can cost up that much whether the doctor decides to share the money with his/her employees are not. I'm just lucky I have a very nice employer who treats her employees well. Actually, she's a very nice lady. When I asked her to help Buster who's a vet, she agreed right away without asking any questions. When a patient seems not have much money, she gives him/her discounts. More and more patients are using vision insurance. Contrary to what many of us may think, the insurance companies don't pay the doctors the difference of the what patients don't pay. Patients pay insurances a premium each month, so they only have to pay a small amount of copay when they go to the optometrist. When the office files a claim for this, we are only reimbursed a fraction of what we charge for services. I am not saying optometrists (doctors) are poor. I'm merely saying they aren't highway robbers. Why are Walmart and etc. places charge less for their glasses? Cheaper frames and lesser quality lens.

OK That was a joke.

The thing I really wonder is: Why does this cost $599, it has image stabilization motors, automatic focus, 13 groups of 17 elements (that's individual lenses) all multi-coated to prevent glare and other optical distortions, all made from the highest quality optical glass, it has a motorized zoom, is sealed against dust, and it is amazingly accurate even after years of handling and operation, but two single lenses made of polycarbonate with a non glare coating, and a frame cost at least $375 online and close to twice that at an optometrist. It's not economy of scale, Canon has just recently only made its 50 millionth lens. It's not just labor. Unless there is a 1000% markup the wholesale cost for the lenses must be astronomical.

A camera lens, significantly more complex, is a luxury and the market won't bear an extraordinary cost. Eyeglasses on the other hand are essential to people who need them and, well, tough shit if you need them and don't have them.

The Luxotica cartel is probably behind this, I'm not blaming optometrists, they are essentially the middlemen, but what would the glasses cost if the lenses were only five bucks?

There are non name brand lenses that are nearly as good as Canons and Nikons- most people can't tell the difference. There are name brand frames and knock offs the relative price difference remains.