The Cost of Glasses is Too Darn High
As executive director of New Eyes, I’ve been asked why people come to New Eyes for eyeglasses. Can’t they just buy them themselves, they ask, pointing out ads they’ve seen for cheap glasses.
You’ve seen those ads on TV, social media and streaming services – come to XYZ optical shop and you’ll get an eye exam and two pairs of glasses for $79; or buy a pair of glasses “starting at” $39 at ABC store.
Don’t believe it. The devil is in the details. You want the $39 eyeglasses? Okay then, just pick from this very limited number of frames (of questionable quality and limited sizing). You need anti-scratch lenses? That’s extra. Ditto for anti-reflective. You need bifocals or progressive lenses? Add $50 to $300 to your price tag. And if you’re ordering online, add shipping fees.
According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), the average price for a pair of eyeglasses is $231, reflecting a 55% increase since 2002 after adjusting for inflation. And that’s the price if you have eyeglass insurance. My husband recently ordered glasses online with his vision insurance and paid $214 out-of-pocket. I guess we should be happy he paid below the average price.
It’s fair to ask, in this day of globalization, economies of scale and innovative technology, why are eyeglass prices so darn high? That’s a complicated question but maybe we should start by looking at the enormous market share of the powerhouse EssilorLuxottica, the company that owns lens and frame manufacturers; vision insurance companies; and optical shops (including Ray-Ban, Ralph Lauren, Oliver Peoples, Armani, Valentino, Tiffany, etc.; Lenscrafters, Pearl Vision, Target Optical, Sunglass Hut; EyeMed Insurance; Transitions and Crizal lenses; the list goes on and on…). I’m hard-pressed to name another industry with the same amount of horizontal and vertical concentration by one company. Are there other variables at play? Sure, but my guess is this is a big one.
At New Eyes, we pay an average of $23 per pair of glasses - shipping included - thanks to New Eyes’ partnerships with independent optical companies. There certainly is space and appetite for high-end eyewear (heck, New Eyes has introduced its own premium eyewear, Azimuth by New Eyes, with a giving back component to help our free eyeglasses program). But for those without eyewear coverage, whether they are on Medicare or Medicaid or the working poor, the dearth of affordable eyewear impacts education, employment and every aspect of their daily life. Study after study has shown that the inability to afford eyeglasses and to see clearly has consequences that can lead to a myriad of problems from juvenile misbehaviors and senior falling accidents to social isolation and depression. Clearly, clear vision matters.
And that’s why New Eyes is here – and has been for over 90 years – to provide the simple, yet critical, tool of eyeglasses to children and adults facing financial hardship across the United States..
Because clear vision will always matter.