If you wear glasses, you must have read about eyebobs. eyebobs is an American company that creates distinctive and high-quality readers to make minor vision problems Instagram-worthy. They are so popular that many people have started a movement about how to hack eyebobs into prescription glasses.
Some of us simply can’t do readers. But the frames are gorgeous, and quite less expensive than the terribly bland options you can find at your optician cheap aisle (especially in Manhattan. Gosh, this city is so expensive!)
So I’m not the first nor the last person hacking a pair of eyebobs, but I wanted to share my experience because with a bit of patience and perseverance I ended up having a pair of prescription glasses and sunglasses for a fraction of what I would have paid with my vision insurance benefits.
Welcome to my first eyebobs hacking experience!
Selecting The Frames: Case Closed
eyebobs has literally every style under the sun when it comes to readers. However, I saw at the International Vision Expo East an idea that literally stopped me in my tracks: A combo of readers and clip-on sunglasses.
If you are thinking of the 80’s version of the dual glasses, you are wrong. These are seriously beautiful and streamlined clip-ons. So much that they don’t even look like them.
These beautiful clip-ons come to match three of the most popular styles at eyebobs: Case Closed, Hung Jury, and Board Stiff. For $35, these beauties turn your readers into reading sunglasses.
My penny-pinching mind (I’m originally a Personal Finance reporter for a reason) thought that it would be a genius idea to get a pair of readers and a clip-on and hack the eyebobs to turn them into a 2-in-1 prescription all-day glasses and sunglasses combo. At $79 that Case Closed retails for, it is cheaper than the cheapest frames offered by my optician.
How To Hack Eyebobs Into Prescription Glasses
I thought that hacking my eyebobs was going to be a breeze. After all, I had my prescription sent to me by my eye doctor, a trustworthy place to get my lenses, and a sheer confidence in the process. Until I met the PD (Pupillary Distance) Challenge.
As it turns out, each person has a different PD. It’s the distance between your two pupills, which determine the way your lenses are going to be crafted. With compounded prescriptions it’s vital to get this number right, as otherwise everything goes blurry. In Europe, eye doctors give you that information with your prescription. In the US, not so much.
So let me put this clear: By law, your eye doctor should disclose your PD number if you ask for it. However, many eye doctors work in optician stores, and keep that measurement under double key because guess what happens if you have it? Well, you might buy your frames and your lenses on an online retailer!
So I asked my eye doctor for that number. He stated he didn’t have it, but I could come in for another eye checkup (paying, of course) to readjust my prescription and get my PD. Nope, thank you.
As I had changed my vision insurance, I was able to visit a great optician in the Upper East Side who gave me a very accurate prescription. However, when I asked for my PD they refused to measure it saying that it was the store who took care of that once I had selected the frames. BS. Back to square one, but this time with an accurate prescription.
I must not be the only one, as Google yields an impressive search about the PD Challenges that many people face when ordering glasses online.
The PD Challenge
I was stuck. I had everything I needed to hack my eyebobs except the PD. So I tried downloading a rule to measure it myself with bad results (the measurement was different each time.) My better half was also as unsuccessful in measuring that distance. As we both thought it was in our best interest not to leave me cross-eyed, I researched other options.
For my lenses, I had chosen ReplaceALens. Located in the USA and with excellent reviews, I trusted they’d take care of my problem. Apparently, if you send them an old pair of glasses they can read your PD from them. But if you only have two pairs (your regular and your spare) and are short-sighted, you don’t want to lose one of them under any circumstance. So back to the optician I went.
I had to cave in and spend my insurance benefits in a new frame (which wasn’t that bad) and the added expense of my lenses, because of course there are always copays, added services, coatings, and whatnot. I ended up spending $70 after benefits for my pair of glasses. But I got my PD on a piece of paper. The trick? Tell them that you want to carry it with you because you are traveling. In my case it is true; I once lost my glasses on a trip and had to make do with readers, so it is important that you carry a copy of your prescription in case you need an emergency replacement.
My compounded prescription and I had finally obtained the information we needed to hack the eyebobs.
Getting My Lenses
With all the information in hand, I went back to ReplaceALens and sent them a copy of my official prescription plus the PD measurement (they should give me a prize or something for my perseverance.)
Using a small flat rate box via USPS, I sent them my eyebobs and prayed they got it right. I really didn’t know what to expect. The good news were that I was getting a super sweet deal, with anti-reflective coating and UV on a polycarbonate lens for just $69. I’d say it was an excellent price!
When they shipped my lenses back, I was surprised to see that I needed no further adjustment. Everything went smoothly!
My Eyebobs Experience
Ever since my hacked eyebobs came back I’m sure that I made the right decision. They fit perfectly, the frame is super comfortable on the nose and behind my ears, they are fashionable, sturdy, and to be honest I can use them in any situation! Going to the beach? Check. Working on my computer? Check. Attending events? Check. All that for way less than what I paid in extra expenses for my last pair of glasses.
So if your vision benefits aren’t that good or you need a back-up plan (because yes, accidents happen), hacking a pair of eyebobs can be the best decision ever. Plus, if you look into their convertible models, you could end up like me: With a pair of glasses and sunglasses on a really tight budget.
Every pair of eyebobs comes with a free case. In my particular experience, I got a case with a cool divider so I could store the sunglasses clip safely and carry them with me everywhere.
The Eyebobs Math: You Can’t Beat The Numbers
The eyebobs Case Closed retail for $79
The Case Closed sunglass clip-on retails for $35
My polycarbonate prescription lenses with anti-glaring coating cost $69 (I took advantage of a special sale.)
Total cost for a pair of prescription glasses + prescription sunglasses: $183
The penny-pinching math never lies! You get two glasses in one for $183, and you could even do cheaper if you went for a less expensive lens option (I personally need the anti-glaring coating, but that depends on the person.)
Have you ever hacked a pair of readers? Which online provider did you use to get your lenses?
Disclosure level 1: eyebobs sent me a pair of readers to test. I paid for the new lenses to be put using an online provider that I researched. The sample didn’t influence the decision to feature the brand, nor the opinions expressed here. The author received NO compensation to write this article. Links are provided only for informational purposes and aren’t part of an affiliated marketing campaign.
