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Thread ID: 125019	2012-06-02 01:59:00	Prescription Glasses	pctek (84)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1279160	2012-06-05 22:42:00	I have a question for you Paul.Cov, how come different types of frames are so expensive? Are the more expensive frame better than the cheaper ones? I really don't want to express my beliefs in a public forum. Suffice to say, there can only be generalisations about price / quality that do not always apply. Companies try to tag their product against 'fashion' labels or 'designer' names in the hope of making them seem more attractive to buyers who put some sort of merit in these things. That increased interest in the product then results in either higher sales or a higher price placed on the product. Personally I think it's all smoke and mirrors stuff. A frame with a Sophia Loren label is not likely to be any better than a frame without such branding. It's all just perception, presentation, bluff and bullsh!t as far as I'm concerned. Personally from years of dealing with these products, my own opinions are that Ray Ban frames are garbage. The lenses are good. Oakley does nice with everything, Sillhouette are just superb for quality, finish and style, and Safilo are best for built in durability (they last for decades, which has backfired somewhat on the manufacturers). Specsavers make their own frames, so they've cut out the middle-men of distributors, importers, wholesalers. Likewise, OPSMs major shareholder is a massive company that makes frames, and has bought out many other manufacturers, like Ray Ban and Oakley. What you're seeing happening in NZ is overseas frame manufacturers buying up large portions of the industry that distributes and retails frames. They cut out all but their own product lines from what the stores carry... so these huge, monstorous companies are buying into NZ and Australia, and the rest of the world only to ensure they can monopolise the sales to only their own products. Sure, in the short term this might result in competition or lower prices. It mostly translates into bigger profits for the parent company making the frames, with bugger all saving (if any) going to the consumer. Ultimately, once they've choked out the independant retailers, and the competing manufacturers it will all backfire horribly. They will be able to do whatever they want with prices, and with quality (or the lack of), and consumers will not have any alternatives, with only 2 players controling the whole global market. Range, quality and price may all ultimately deteriorate once these behemoths have swallowed up the entire industry. Thank yoru MP for deregulating ownership of practices. They have allowed this to happen, and the consequence is that all the profits now leave NZ to fatten up the portfolios of overseas billionaires. To put it under an analogy more familiar to PC users... imagine a world where once again the only nominant manufacturer of PCs and OS's was IBM. A world where Intel and AMD did not exist to compete and innovate, where RAM manufacturers were not interested in faster speeds or higher capacities, because the only market was through IBM, and IBM had no good reason to develop their products at pace, or at a price that favoured the consumer.	Paul.Cov (425)
1279161	2012-06-05 23:22:00	Can you add more Fish? Specifically a "dedicated computer pair?" I have a 2 prescriptions: 1 pair that gives me good focus on the screen at about 420mm, good for reading print as well, and a distance pair that gives me focus at about +1.75 for most things past 420mm. Last week I was out and about driving without either glasses, and I picked up a $10 pair of +1.75 that almost fitted the bill for reading print, but also gave me the ability to focus on my GPS and driving instruments as well as distance - that neither prescription pair would allow. At the moment, I use the $10 for driving. Any comments please? I guess what I'm asking, it is possible to specify the (what I would call) depth of field? In other words, the $10 pair enable me to focus on a greater focal distance than either the prescription reading or distance pair .. can I specify the new prescription lenses for the same versatility?I'd say, you need to have your eyes checked at an optician as it sounds like you need progressives. I had my eyes tested and bought a prescription pair but found that the "hot spot' for using the computer was too small an area and you had to look in exactly the right place - ie - I had to move my head to read the top and bottom of the screen - just moving my eyes wouldn't work. When I talked with zenni, I gave my prescription and asked for a pair just dedicated for a computer screen - an arms length away and they adjusted the prescription to give me exactly what I needed. In fact, they were good enough for reading books - my first pair of prescriptions had a range so wide, they allowed me to work well at 4" - way closer than I needed in 99.9% of life). I ordered another pair with snap-on magnetic polarised sunnie lenses but asked to use the computer distance as my strongest magnification - they are awesome, giving me the range I need from reading a book to infinity. However as my damaged eye has slowly improved since the last op before Christmas and my tolerance with progressives has improved on computers but still never as comfortable for my dedicated glasses when on the computer. At work I use a curved bank of monitors with a work station at one end - my computer -> infinity progressives are awesome for that.	Fishb8 (484)
1279162	2012-06-06 00:51:00	There was a doco on Sky - showed a sunglasses factory - actually not in China either. Anyway they made them all, churning them out an then down the end was where they got the label attached. So...what does that tell you.	pctek (84)
1279163	2012-06-06 02:13:00	I worked in an oil refinery lub oil making and packaging - we were Shell but our oil went into BP, Caltex and Esso containers, too! Dare say Shell bought some product lines from the others too.	Fishb8 (484)
1279164	2012-06-06 02:36:00	A bit like in the video tape days. There were only a couple of places in the world that made video tape. One was a German company called Basef or something like that. It was made on a big drum then it was graded. The best tape went to the highend market and the lesser quaility stuff went to the lower end market etc. :)	Trev (427)
1279165	2012-06-06 02:57:00	A bit like in the video tape days. There were only a couple of places in the world that made video tape. One was a German company called Basef or something like that. It was made on a big drum then it was graded. The best tape went to the highend market and the lesser quaility stuff went to the lower end market etc. :)BASF I think.	Tony (4941)
1279166	2012-06-06 03:37:00	While I don't dispute them doing that at the factories. When I walk into any shop in NZ the cheap frames are that, same with overseas. Overseas is around $150 all up, eye test is free. I find that if you want the really nice looking frames OPSM tend to have more than Specsavers and they tend to be v expensive like $400+ (frames only). Armani's are nice thou :p Full rectangle frames thinnish in that titanium material - not the rounded edge frames but the frames are like a piece of ribbon. Paul, question: Is there such thing as a colour neutral sunglasses? I found that Oakley ski googles are pretty neutral. A pair of cK is green as per the tint colour. I have a overseas prescription sunnies and it has a bit more contast and clearer but it is a bit more redder. One I got in NZ, just plain sunglasses with rimless frames at the Optometrist (non prescription), was more neutral but had less contrast did have a dark or grey feel to it.	Nomad (952)
1279167	2012-06-06 05:54:00	Lens these days are made of plastic. My 2 pair of presciption glasses have plastic lens. You have got to be careful how you clean them as you could scratch them.:) Mine are optical glass! I've only once had plastic (as in the rimless mentioned above) and I won't have plastic again. I always insist on glass, but because optical glass is apparently a little soft, I get a scratchproof coating on them and it works! Cheers Billy 8-{)	Billy T (70)
1279168	2012-06-06 06:05:00	Mine are optical glass! I've only once had plastic (as in the rimless mentioned above) and I won't have plastic again. I always insist on glass, but because optical glass is apparently a little soft, I get a scratchproof coating on them and it works!Same here. I've considered plastic in the past because it is lighter, but I worked with abrasive materials like clay so I've always avoided it because of the scratch potential. I probably ought to revisit the idea now I'm no longer potting, but I'm used to the weight, so it is not a major.	Tony (4941)
1279169	2012-06-06 06:11:00	Same here. I've considered plastic in the past because it is lighter, but I worked with abrasive materials like clay so I've always avoided it because of the scratch potential. I probably ought to revisit the idea now I'm no longer potting, but I'm used to the weight, so it is not a major. Yeah gives you stronger neck muscles. :lol:	Trev (427)
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