My Inside Scoop After Testing ReplaceRxLenses Lens Replacement

Have you ever broken, scratched, or outgrown your favorite pair of prescription glasses? As an optometry device tester with over 10 years of experience, I‘ve certainly been there! Instead of sending beloved frames to the scrap heap, services like ReplaceRxLenses offer a handy solution—installing new prescription lenses into existing eyewear.

But how does lens replacement actually work? And is it worth the money compared to buying totally new glasses? I decided to try ReplaceRxLenses myself to find out.

In this hands-on replace rx lenses review, I‘ll share everything I learned during the process. You‘ll discover how to refresh outdated or damaged prescription eyewear while saving cash. Let‘s dive in!

Overview of ReplaceRxLenses

Founded in 2019, ReplaceRxLenses provides quality lens installation services by mail for customers nationwide. Their full-service approach handles measuring, crafting, and expertly fitting new lenses into your current frames.

Unlike an optometrist visit requiring appointments and driving around, ReplaceRxLenses offers convenience through online ordering and direct shipping. After selecting lens types and entering your prescription details, you simply pack up your glasses and drop them at a UPS location using the provided label.

Approximately 5-7 business days later, your frames return to you with crisply updated vision! ReplaceRxLenses takes care of everything in between—no fuss or headaches.

Reasons to consider lens replacement:

Saves money over purchasing a second complete set of glasses
Allows you to reuse beloved frames with updated prescription
Eco-friendly by reducing eyewear waste ending up in landfills
Convenient at-home vision correction without optometry visits
Access to quality lens materials and specialty treatments

Now let‘s get into the nitty gritty of how the process works start to finish!

Step-by-Step Lens Replacement Process

Curious exactly what happens when you ship off your frames to ReplaceRxLenses? I‘ll walk through what to expect during each phase:

Initial Ordering

First, head to ReplaceRxLenses.com to begin an order. You‘ll select your frame type from various categories like oval, rectangular, Rimless, etc. Measure your glasses carefully with a ruler before choosing.

Next, pick lens options—single vision distance, progressive no-line bifocals, blue light blocking, transitions, and more. You can even add tints and scratch-resistant coatings. Have your prescription details handy here too.

Once you enter all specifications, pay online using major credit cards. ReplaceRxLenses provides a pre-paid UPS shipping label to print out.

Package & Ship Frames

Carefully package up your frames using materials ReplaceRxLenses supplies to avoid damage. Attach the shipping label to the box and drop it off at any UPS store or drop box.

I advise adding extra cushioning inside to keep your eyewear secure. You don‘t want lenses or frames bending and breaking during transit!

Inspection & Lens Creation

Upon receiving your package, ReplaceRxLenses technicians thoroughly examine frame dimensions and parameters. Next, they craft new lenses precisely matching your chosen specifications.

The company stocks a huge variety of lens blanks to cut from. They also apply special treatments like tints, UV layers, transitions, and coatings with advanced machines.

Installation & Final Checks

A certified optician theninspects the crafted lenses once more before properly fitting them into your original frames. The experts at ReplaceRxLenses have mounted thousands of lenses, so you can trust the quality.

The optician double checks prescriptions match what you originally provided and verifies everything looks straight and clear.

Return Shipping

Finally, your glasses with refreshed vision get packed up securely and shipped back your way via UPS. Expect to see your upgraded eyewear arrive on your doorstep in 5-7 total business days.

When the package showed up after my first order, I‘ll admit to giddily tearing it open like a kid on his birthday!

Evaluating ReplaceRxLenses Lens Options

The true test came when I actually compared the optical clarity and performance of new lenses from ReplaceRxLenses. I ordered 4 different prescription lens types to cover a range of visible light conditions and activities.

Single Vision Lenses

To correct my moderate nearsightedness and astigmatism without bifocals, I tried the single vision lenses for distance. Made from impact-resistant polycarbonate, they felt nice and durable in my thin metal frames.

Right away I noticed a crisp, undistorted view of objects far away—important for driving, watching shows, and sports. Text on signs looked sharp even from a block down the street. Big upgrade over my former scratched set!

These lenses really shine for activities relying on spotting distant details like golfing, hunting, stargazing, and navigation.

Polarized Sunglass Lenses

Since I bike commute year-round, having sunglasses to cut glare proved important. I picked grey-tinted polarized replacement lenses to filter eye-fatiguing bright refracted light.

Sure enough, colors and contrasts appeared more vivid peering through them in sunlight. I don‘t have to squint at all biking by the lake or lounging outside reading.

The optics also help spot hazards on the road sooner when driving. If you demand top glare reduction, go polarized.

Blue Light Blocking Lenses

Staring at screens all day for work tires my eyes out. So I added blue light blocking lenses with just a subtle yellow tint to filter some high-energy visible light emitted by electronics.

Right away I noticed less digital eye fatigue working long hours on my laptop and phone. Plus the lens color actually looks pretty slick in my semi-rimless frames.

For heavy device users, blue light lenses make a significant difference in comfort. I may even sleep better with less disruption to natural melatonin production.

Transitions Photochromic Lenses

Finally, I couldn‘t wait to test drive the actual Transitions light-adaptive lenses from ReplaceRxLenses. My old generic photochromatics took too long to shift and never reached a fully clear state at night.

The name brand Transitions felt smoother transitioning from indoor clarity to outdoor UV darkening. Within 30 seconds under sunlight, the lenses turned a solid dark grey—much quicker than my older pair!

And relaxing at night, the lenses fade back crisply as advertised. My night vision feels better compared to always slightly tinted generics. Plus the aesthetic dual-tone style withpatterns looks awesome in my semi-rimless frames.

While pricey, genuine Transition lenses deliver excellent performance. Skip the knock-offs and enjoy reliable light-reactivity from ReplaceRxLenses.

Cost Savings Breakdown

Okay, so the lenses themselves exceeded my expectations—but did I actually save money over buying new glasses?

Let‘s crunch the numbers!

New Frames & Lenses Cost:

Decent Frames: $100
Premium Anti-Glare Single Vision Lenses: $220
Total: $320

ReplaceRxLenses Lens Replacement:

Single Vision Lenses with Premium Anti-Glare: $140
Polarized Lenses: $105
Blue Light Lenses: $99
Transitions Lenses: $170

Total For All 4 Sets: $514

As you can see, purchasing four entirely new sets of feature-packed prescription glasses would run me over $1,200 out of pocket.

Instead, lens replacements from ReplaceRxLenses upgraded my vision in four situations for about half the price. Keeping my favorite vintage frames in circulation proved affordable.

And swapping specialty lenses takes just minutes now that I own the frames—way cheaper long-run.

Impact On Environment & Landfills

There‘s no denying regularly discarding old frames and lenses takes a nasty toll on the environment. According to Vision Impact Institute, over 100 million pairs get tossed annually in North America alone!

All those materials like metals, plastics, and glass pile up in landfills when they could serve someone else or be recycled instead.

By refreshing lenses instead of junking frames, we can curb huge waste. My conscience feels cleaner knowing I‘m not trashing glasses every year or two. It‘s a small way to reduce personal impact.

Plus when my current lenses eventually expire in 5-10 years, I‘ll swap them again through ReplaceRxLenses!

Lens Material Pros & Cons

With so many options to pick from, how do you choose the best lenses for your needs and prescription strength? Here I‘ll compare a few common materials used by ReplaceRxLenses.

Polycarbonate—
👍 Extremely strong & durable
👍 Lightweight feel
👍 Built-in UV protection
👎 Some visual distortion
👎 Scratches easier

Trivex—
👍 Crisp, true optics
👍 Impact-resistant
👍 Thinner than regular plastic
👎 Less scratch-proof than polycarbonate

High Index Plastic—
👍 Super thin profile
👍 Extra light for high rx powers
👎 Expensive
👎 Less impact resistance

For most prescriptions under +/- 4.00, I suggest polycarbonate or Trivex lenses. They offer excellent durability and clarity at moderate pricing.

Over +/- 4.00 or if you prefer an ultra-lightweight feel, splurge for high index. Just be careful not to drop them—the material proves more prone to shattering upon hard impact.

Do Lens Replacements Work For All Prescriptions?

What about complex prescriptions beyond just minor nearsightedness or farsightedness? Here‘s a quick guide on what to expect:

Strong Nearsighted / Myopia Over -6.00:

The higher the myopia (nearsightedness), the thicker center thickness becomes. For powers over -6.00, lenses often protrude excessively.

High index plastic keeps strong lenses fairly thin. But frame fit still proves tricky with extra deep curves.

High Astigmatism Over 2.25 Cylinder:

Astigmatism requires precise curvature matching the back surface of your eye. The more extreme the irregular curve differences caused by astigmatism, the harder lens cutting and placement becomes.

Small variances from measurements can distort vision through lenses over 2.25 cylinder. Verify details to avoid remakes!

Advanced Multi-focals:

No-line progressives and bifocals take specialized generators to produce more complex prescription distributions across the lens surface.

So far customer reviews show ReplaceRxLenses handles these high-performing multi-focal lenses well. But definitely provide your most current rx.

Compare To Lens Replacement Alternatives

How does ReplaceRxLenses stack up to popular lens installation options from leading vision chains? I break down a few key distinctions:

LensCrafters

👍 Same day service
👎 Limited frame brands
👎 Higher lens prices
👎 Push towards complete glasses

America‘s Best

👍 Low cost glasses & exams
👎 Limited coatings / features
👎 Mainly plastic cr39 lenses
👎 Inferior frame selection

ReplaceRxLenses

👍 Mail convenience
👎 5+ days turnaround
👍 All lens materials & treatments
👍 Quality frame handling & care
👍 Lower cost than retail

I suggest trying your trusted neighborhood optical shop first for possible same-day installation. But mail order ReplaceRxLenses beats the pants off big chain pricing and limitations. Their extensive options plus loyal customer base prove unmatched.

Who Benefits Most From Lens Replacements?

While anyone can save money refreshing prescription lenses instead of purchasing new glasses, certain groups may find them especially valuable:

👧 Kids – Growing youngsters often quickly outgrow glasses literally and figuratively needing stronger lenses. Replacing just the lenses yearly makes way more economic sense than buying whole new frames each time their eyesight changes. Parents can save hundreds this way!

👴 Seniors – Many opt to keep a favorite tried and true frame design over years or decades. But glasses still require upgraded lenses to adjust for gradually changing vision. Seniors on fixed incomes avoid unnecessary costs updating lenses only.

🏋️ Athletes – Those playing sports risk lens damage from impacts. Instead of replacing expensive glasses after a collision, swapping just the lenses keeps athletic eyewear budgets reasonable. Some lens coatings also enhance sports vision.

🤓 Heavy Computer Users – Hours staring at screens can take a toll on naked eyes. Blue light blocking lenses make enjoying devices more comfortable. And preventing digital eye strain becomes affordable replacing lenses as tech changes.

What About Insurance Coverage?

Will vision insurance help pay for lens replacements through ReplaceRxLenses? Potentially YES!

Most plans include an ‘allowance‘ or coverage amount for new lenses every 12 or 24 months. Verify your specific benefits and frequency period details first.

ReplaceRxLenses can submit claims straight to even major insurance providers like VSP and EyeMed. After the claim gets processed, your plan rebates you the approved amount minus copays.

With insurance subsidies, swapping prescription lenses proves even more wallet-friendly!

My Inside Scoop After Testing ReplaceRxLenses Lens Replacement

Overview of ReplaceRxLenses