Hi
I am looking to get my eyes tested and probably will need new glasses as well. I have never done this in the US before, only in India. Do people have recommendations for where to go in/near Hyde Park based on their experience?
Also, is it worth opting for the vision insurance plan available at Dental & Vision | UChicago Student Wellness | The University of Chicago in terms of cost?
I’ll first say, get ready to pay more than you think is reasonable. One of the things that I noticed most about living outside of the US is how much we pay for things like glasses and especially contact lenses here. I was shocked to see that you could just buy contacts in a grocery store aisle in most countries!
Anyways, the vision plan might make sense, especially if you only buy it for 6 months. I think a test would normally cost you 45-60 USD, possibly more depending on where you go. That plus the allowance on frames and discounts on lenses probably makes the insurance pay for itself.
Make sure if you get insurance you go to an in-network provider, I think you can list them here: EyeMed Vision Care Members - Provider Locator. DeltaVision recommends buying glasses and lenses online… sometimes if you walk in for a test the optician will try to pressure you in to buying frames/lenses there. Sometimes they will even withhold your pupil distance information (needed for eyeglasses) if you don’t buy from them. This practice is not actually illegal depending on the state. See here for more: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0116-prescription-glasses-and-contact-lenses. I personally haven’t encountered this. Long story short it is way cheaper to buy the actual frames/contacts online, once you have a prescription.
Based on your situation, I’d recommend buying the insurance and using the heck out of it over the next six months, get new lenses and frames etc. Might want to read the fine print on the insurance to see if there is some limit they put in there though.
If you ultimately decide not to get insurance I highly recommend doing this all via Costco. Even without insurance their tests are cheap, they don’t pressure you in to anything, and have good rates on lenses and frames. It is probably worth the membership in the price difference.
Hope that helps.
Wow, all of this info is super useful! Thanks so much!
I don’t have a Costco membership, neither did I know they provide eye tests, etc. I will see if I can tag along with a friend on a grocery run.
PS: I am leaving the topic open for any other recommendations.
Glad to help - for what it’s worth, I think you can only get the test at Costco if you have your own membership. It is usually something like $60, sometimes they have specials where you can get it for $30.