In my teen years, I was really jealous of people who “got to” wear cute glasses. I fell into the glasses make you look smarter trap and a part of me was really excited when I went to the eye doctor a few years ago and found out I needed a pair. I bought some semi-fancy frames in the optometrist’s office, paid way too much, and wore them as often as possible to try to make up for how much I spent. I vowed that, once I figured out what frame shapes looked best on me, I’d buy all of my glasses online.

Buying plastic or metal eyeglasses online has saved me a boatload of money. I, um, lost my expensive pair (dear cute cat eye glasses: please come home) but was lucky enough to be contacted by 39DollarGlasses.com within a week of that painful separation with an offer to review their website and a pair of glasses for free.

39DollarGlasses.com offers mid-range and high quality discount glasses for all genders and face shapes. I was surprised at their selection, and it took me a good while to narrow my choices to a favorite pair. I chose the Ernest Hemingway 4608, which retails for $295 – ouch. The 39DollarGlasses price? $59.

Much better.

 

39DollarGlasses is an American company (manufacturing included) owned by a couple of enterprising eye doctors. All their glasses ship super fast, and if you’re active in the military, they ship free – no matter where you’re located. Your peepers could be so patriotic!

If you have a kid with blind little bat eyes (Halloween costume idea?) you can pick up a pair of discounted kids’ glasses from 39DollarGlasses knowing that they use shatter-proof and scratch resistant polycarbonate lenses. (You won’t shoot your eye out, kid.) Need fancy extras, like bifocal, polarized or transition lenses? They offer those options too, for an extra fee.

 

As for the Ernest Hemingway’s: I love ’em. The ordering process is really simple, the shipping was fast and the frames and lenses are light yet durable – no surprises, just good quality. My glasses even came with a cleaning cloth and spray, which fit in my purse and save me from using my shirt (which doesn’t really work anyway).

I only had one uncertain moment, when I first put my new glasses on: there was this weird shine I couldn’t get rid of. I couldn’t figure it out. Was it the lenses? Were they dirty? They looked clean. The shine only happened in certain light. What the hell is going on…

Oh. Clear frames. I see.

I wasn’t used to the way the bottom half of my frames – made of clear plastic – caught the light. At certain angles I see this shine – it doesn’t obscure my vision, but it was a little distracting until I got used to it. My glasses didn’t have any reviews when I bought them, so I had no warning…but I can write a review and let others know.

With all that being said, 39DollarGlasses gets my seal of approval. Check ’em out when you need a new pair of specs!

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