Why is making a spectacle could be so expensive in Singapore?

[tecnica]

i'm always using Oakleys.

as a very active person.. i need to have strong frames. what i usually do is import the frames, then get the local opticians to cut the lenses.

and i believe in getting the best from the beginning.

other than my sunglasses, my Oakley spectacles have been with me for over 7 years.

full titanium and lightweight. it has taken hits from basketballs, footballs, tennis racquets, punches, kicks, thrown all over the place... and it's still working well in one piece.

i paid a total of $600 for it, but for the years of service, i think it's pretty worth it.

i cannot agree more.

the oakley i am wearing now, has been with me since 2006. it is my daily beater and i already changed 2 sets of lenses but it is still going strong.

every year, i will also replace the rubber socks and nose pads. paid a total of ~$600 too, really well worth the money.

i got 2 other frames in between the years but they never last as long as the oakley.

 

[qystan]

I think once you hit over a certain age, your vision will stabilized.....
......

They say when you hit 40.... your vision will improve slightly... due to long sightedness??? Dunno how true that will be....

Cost of spec or contact lens will be higher, but it is the risk of lasik that is the issue...

Vision improvement after 40, not really. It's more the vision going the other way and it has to pass through zero. Reality is that it only approaches zero and you end up having both problems with perfect vision for a small range of distance. That is where progressive lenses has appeal and that is another major money lens.

 

[Andreq]

I have reservations about LASIK.

Question is what happens after 40 when hyperopia sets in?

The cornea is thinned during LASIK, hyperopia needs a thicker cornea to correct. You can't put back what was taken away. If your eye muscles can't work properly in a thicker regular corner, it's not likely to be able to cope with a thinner cornea. So how?

Never mind, it's a future problem we shouldn't think about now?

You've mixed up the terms. After 40 it's called presbyopia. Commonly called "lao hua" here. Thicker or thinner cornea does not matter for lao hua which is due to loss of elasticity of the lens and muscles. So whether one has perfect vision in the past, or short/long sighted, it will likely affect everyone during aging.

I do agree with you on the shortcomings of LASIK. Personally, I think it's worth it if one has to wear thick glasses or your daily job requires you to be without glasses most of the time, eg athletes/air stewardess/actors. Otherwise, for the common layman, you have to weigh the pros and cons carefully.

 

[Liz Ann]

Avoid Tokyo megane esp the outlet at pasir ris white sands. Esp An old uncle name steven. Their service seems good which is why I purchase the first place, but afterwhich when there's some problem with it or when you need some after service like calling and ask more about it, they just hang up your call and throw words at you. And to them, customer dont have rights to say anything. Shock

 

[kei1309]

Avoid Tokyo megane esp the outlet at pasir ris white sands. Esp An old uncle name steven. Their service seems good which is why I purchase the first place, but afterwhich when there's some problem with it or when you need some after service like calling and ask more about it, they just hang up your call and throw words at you. And to them, customer dont have rights to say anything. Shock

It's hard to believe you since you're a new member and your first post is to sling mud

 

[lobsterkia]

Since the rate of myopia is so high here (kids studying indoors all day, destroying their eyes), the opticians make a killing.

How many pairs of specs does a person make a year ?
Two at max I believe .
How many optician shops are there out there ?

If charge "low" how to get the volume and make a living ....

 

[saskia]

perhaps because of its quality and good service

 

[donut88]

I went to my neighborhood spectacle store wanting to make a normal spectacle for myself as I know that those optical chain in shopping mall could be very expensive. I wanted a spectacle which I could use daily as I need to move around regularly in the day due to the nature of my job as a sales.
To the shock of my life, the shop offered me $500 for a simple Korean non-branded frame and Hoya transition multi-coated lens of -400 degree.
The shop owner told its the Hoya lens that is expensive and he had given me a very good discount already because I live around the area and was a return customer.
I eventually walked away because I felt I was ripped off.

Is there really a good place to make quality spectacle without spending a bomb in Singapore?

Go to JB to make

 

[homerlikephoto]

Thanks for all your comments and advices.
I have actually gone to JB last weekend to make my spectacle and boy I must admit its cheaper than doing it in Singapore.
Best part was, it took only 20mins to get it done, instead the usual 2-3 days in Singapore for a index 1.6, multi-coated lens.
With a pair of Made-In-Korea frame and index 1.6, multi-coated lens, it cost me RM250.

Best of all, it has one of the cheapest camera shop across JB! SO you could also do your BBB activity there...

 

[Halfmoon]

How many pairs of specs does a person make a year ?
Two at max I believe .
How many optician shops are there out there ?

If charge "low" how to get the volume and make a living ....

I think most people spec, if stabilize, need a pair once every 2 years... usually, good to do eye check annually....

Some user get contact lens, and other item... so they earn from these too....

If a good frame can last, it is good, but some people prefer to change frame periodically.... wear and tear and accident also happens.

 

[ricohflex]

Please share whuch shop + shopping centre in JB you went to.

Thanks for all your comments and advices.
I have actually gone to JB last weekend to make my spectacle and boy I must admit its cheaper than doing it in Singapore.
Best part was, it took only 20mins to get it done, instead the usual 2-3 days in Singapore for a index 1.6, multi-coated lens.
With a pair of Made-In-Korea frame and index 1.6, multi-coated lens, it cost me RM250.

Best of all, it has one of the cheapest camera shop across JB! SO you could also do your BBB activity there...

 

[kei1309]

Anyone knows how much nikkor lenses are made for? 1.75 lenses

 

[ricohflex]

Nikon spectacle lenses $250 SGD

 

[hanzohattori]

Spectacles are expensive because the frames and lenses has to go through MCE slowly in a cab, passing numerous gantries :bsmilie:

 

[homerlikephoto]

Please share whuch shop + shopping centre in JB you went to.

I bought my spectacle at Just Optics (L3) in Sutera Mall, JB.
Enjoy!

 

[ricohflex]

Thanks.
Been to this mall many times.
Area a.k.a in Chinese as Wu Fu Chern 五福城

 

[homerlikephoto]

Spectacles are expensive because the frames and lenses has to go through MCE slowly in a cab, passing numerous gantries :bsmilie:

It's a known fact that Optician makes huge margins from us.
Maybe with MCE in operation, its another reason for the optician in those area to raise $$$. LOL

Anyway I bought my spectacle back to the original optician that tried to ripped me off in my original post, I realized that the similar Made-In-Korea frame itself is sold at RP of $150 alone. Knowing that I would get at most 20% discount for both frame and lens, I'm pleased to walk away knowing that I have made the right choice.

 

[kei1309]

Nikon spectacle lenses $250 SGD

Thanks. I should have been more specific: the ones without distortion.

Currently most stores are telling me $1,250 based on my degree. Anywhere to do it cheaper?

 

[homerlikephoto]

Thanks. I should have been more specific: the ones without distortion.

Currently most stores are telling me $1,250 based on my degree. Anywhere to do it cheaper?

Why Nikon Spectacle lens apart from say Hoya, Crizal, etc?
Beside the fact that you are a Nikon fan... =)

 

[ricohflex]

So expensive? And I thought the shop was quoting me a high price for nikon spectacle lens recently.

Pays to shop around. Check out JB sources.

I suspect that local spec shops are doing exactly this for any brand of spectacle lenses and make extraordinary profits.

They tell local customers have to wait few days.

Then they batch send the orders (with prescriptions) to JB production workshop to get it done at much lower cost.

JB sends completed items over within 1 day.

Local spectacle shop then inform local customers to collect the item.