You probably love your glasses, and why won’t you? They have been with you through thick and thin, helping you see better all day long. But sometimes when you are busy with the hustle and bustle of your everyday life, something terrible could happen. Your precious glasses could hit the ground and the lens ends up cracked.
For some people this is as heartbreaking as any bad news or break up can be. The question of getting a fresh pair or replacing just the lens might crop up. You are not wrong for wondering if you can keep your old frames. They already fit you and offer comfort. Making love stories like this last forever is part of our inspiration on Rx-able. We ensure your wish comes through by providing lens replacement services to make your glasses good as new or give them a makeover.
Since there’s more to getting new lenses for your old frame, we have written this guide to answer the question thoroughly. Read on!
Contents
Can I get new lenses for old frames?
It depends. There isn’t a clear-cut yes or no answer to this question because there is a lot involved. It’s important to first ensure your existing frames are in good shape or can be repaired if damaged to suit the new lenses. Overall, the factors that determine if you can get new lenses on the old frames are;
- Size of the frames
- The shape of the frames
- Prescription requirements
- The curvature of the frames
- Condition of the frames
We help you determine this first before confirming that you can get a replacement lens on the old frames.
Why this is important or beneficial
You can easily get new frames and new lenses, even though this costs more than replacement lenses. But there are several reasons why considering putting a new lens on your old frames is important or beneficial.
The frames are no longer available
It happens more often than you would like. We all know that trends come and go and you might purchase your preferred frames at a time when they were popular or widely available. Give it a few years and they are no longer there. Even within a few months, they could be out of stock. When this happens, it becomes almost impossible to part with your old frames. Putting new lenses in the existing frames becomes your best option.
You are comfortable in your frames
The longer you’ve worn your glasses, the more comfortable you are in them. At some point, they become a part of you. They fulfill your needs easily. If you can recall how tough it was to get these old frames in the first place, then you wouldn’t be so keen to change them. Finding another comfortable and perfect choice can be just as tough as you remember it.
It’s your chance to upgrade your prescription
At Rx-able we recommend getting an eye test or appointment with your optician before fitting with fresh lenses. We recognize that replacement lenses offer the opportunity of knowing the status of your eye health. If your prescription is a few months to years old, you need to know if it’s still serving you or if this is the time for a different lens prescription.
It allows you to switch up
Putting new lenses in old frames doesn’t always have to be about your everyday glasses or the unstylish frames. You can use this as a chance to switch up by picking up those expensive frames just lying around and fitting them with an equally trendy lens. Get a whole new appearance for less than the cost of new glasses.
Take advantage of new lens coatings
Rx-able is your dependable hub for all forms of replacement lenses. In other words, we stock the recent options of lens coatings such as anti-reflective, tinted, and transition lens coatings. You can get a brand new look or quality in a new lens. It’s a better and more comfortable way to enjoy your glasses.
When choosing the new lens, choose wisely
Shopping for new lenses can be easy with the right store. However, with so many options and factors involved, little confusion can lead to mistakes. And we don’t want that. Choosing the right eyeglass lenses is important because it affects your comfort, appearance, safety, and the function of the lenses. To be able to choose wisely, you need to consider important factors such as lens materials, coating, and design.
Replacement lens materials
Plastic lens –The first plastic lightweight eyeglass lens was introduced in 1947. Plastic lenses have always offered the benefits of low cost, comfort, lightweight, and impact resistance. They have remained widely popular today since their introduction. Chances are you’ve used a plastic lens before. It is a flexible lens material that allows any design and is better used when upgraded with coating options like scratch-resistance. With its excellent optics, a plastic lens is often suitable for mild and minimal prescriptions.
High-index plastic lens– Think of this as a standard plastic lens with an unbelievable makeover. The high-index lens is designed to have stronger optics than regular plastics. They are much thinner, sleeker, and lighter. High-index lenses are more expensive than the regular plastic lens and accommodate stronger prescriptions. You can enjoy a clearer vision with this lens material and even outfit them with anti-glare coating for better use. High-index lenses support comfort even during prolonged use.
Polycarbonate lens– If you are wondering about an impact-resistant lens material that can make your glasses shatter-proof, then you would love to hear about polycarbonate lens. Polycarbonate lens is lighter and thinner than plastic but impact-resistant/shatter-proof. They provide UV protection and are often best suited for active adults and kids. This desirable lens material was first introduced in the 1970s for use in safety glasses. Their unique feature makes them durable.
Trivex lens– Consider this as an upgrade to a polycarbonate lens. Trivex lens is lighter than plastics but not as thin as polycarbonates. However, they stand out with higher optics than polycarbonate lenses. This means clearer vision while maintaining a lightweight and impact-resistant quality. Trivex is more rigid than most lens materials and best suited for rimless or drill mount frames. They are also not as widely available as you would like.
Replacement lens treatment and types
Lens coatings or treatment makes a significant difference to your glasses. They all have their benefits and you can choose based on your lifestyle, needs, and preferences. Getting some protection such as UV protection, scratch-resistance, and more is recommended too. If you didn’t have them before, now’s your chance to try them out.
- Anti-glare or anti-reflective coating
- Anti-scratch coating
- UV protection coating
- Photochromic treatment or Transition lenses
- Tinted lenses
- Fog-free lenses
- Polarized lenses
Who can help you put new lenses in your old frames?
We can! A lens replacement store or store for prescription eyewear can help you put new lenses on your old frames. The right store should have experts available to fill your prescription to your frames, have easy access to the right brands, and be able to guarantee durability and quality.
How it’s done
At Rx-able we have a wide variation of lens types, coatings, and more. We can fit your new lenses into old frames easily and smoothly.
It takes a few simple steps outlined below to get your glasses good as new when you let us take care of your lens replacement needs;
- Choose your lenses – From our discussion above, you can get a head start on how to choose your lenses. You can also read our in-depth article on a Consumer’s Guide to Buying Prescription Lenses to get even more information or simply reach out to our licensed optician via phone or chat. This helps you when browsing the store to choose the specific replacement lens for your old frames and order.
- Send it over – As soon as we receive your order for the replacement lens, we will send an e-mail containing a free pre-paid shipping label. You can proceed to send the frames using this label. In the meantime send us your prescription over email.
- We get it done – With your frames in our hands and deemed fit for housing the replacement lens; we get to work. We accurately fill your prescription with your frames. Every frame is also hygienically cleaned and tuned up.
- Get it delivered to your doorstep, free –We ship out your glasses safely, for free!
Rx-able strives to make shopping your prescription lenses easy, convenient, and affordable.
