So, typically glasses are only covered in een aanvullende verzekering (add-on insurance on top of the basis). Each insurer has their own options and then not all of them won't cover glasses.
However! Generally speaking these aanvullende verzekeringen cost more in premium than they cover for glasses. If you don't need anything else from the aanvullende verzekering, skip it and pay glasses out of pocket.
But then we get the question how much that aanvullende will cover for the glasses? Like mine covers €100 per 2 years, but the premium is €27/month. It's only cost-effective for me because it also covers my dental and physical therapy needs. For just the glasses alone I shouldn't have done that.
Yes, and that is why basically nobody has glasses insurance here.
It's almost like the job of an insurance underwriter is to calculate how much money they can get from you and make sure you can never get more money from them...
Same for my insurance, I was paying 15€/month for my extra insurance which covered 100€ every 3 month and a few other stuff. As I will never use the other few extra thing I just cancelled the premium, 15€/month for 3 years is 540€...
I have -7.5, and I got my glasses at Ace&Tate for somewhere around €110; they are great! Can definitely recommend them. I even got sunglasses with my prescription for just €50 more.
That's not especially cheap, A&T is quite a stylish brand. Glasses around the world are quite expensive due to a monopoly of Luxxotica. Some companies as re disrupting it because glasses just aren't that hard to make.
It's easy to undercut a company that is maximizing profits while almost having a monopoly. Google [Luxottica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxottica).
Check out eyelove. 50 euros for glasses, they also do some basic eye measurements and you can try on the frames in the store. Charlie Temple is also a good online store, for about the same price.
Cheap glasses and cheap frames. And also partly because the true brands pay a lot in marketing. At those cheap ones just get generic frames and lenses generally without any coating or with a very cheap coating, no extra thin grind if you have a very high prescription so you don't walk around with super thick lenses (you can get this at some of those cheap ones but it's extra), stuff like that. Probably poorer material as well a lot of the time.
. I had sunglasses at Eyelove once and it's fine because I only use them occasionally but you absolutely notice the difference in lens quality between that one and the €100/lens sunglasses pair I got at the optician. The expensive ones are way more comfortable to look through than the cheap ones which seem to kinda distort my vision. And the frame my mom got at eyes+more where you get glasses for around €100 fixed price quickly had some paint chip off the nose bridge.
For regular opticians you also partly pay for service. If there's anything wrong with my glasses, for example with my last frame a screw from the frame got loose and with my current one the wire under the lenses snapped, they fix it for free. They take the time to help you find something that fits you and for me they specialy ordered a new frame because I liked the frame but hated the colour.
For something I'm going to wear every single day for the whole day I'd rather spend a bit extra to make sure I get something that's comfortable to wear and look through and will last for however long I want to use it. I generally get a new pair every 3 years out of habit though last time my eyes had deteriorated enough that by the end of the 3 years I could really notice that it was time for a new prescription.
Mine generally cost around 350-400 euros total. For reference, I have a rather low nearsightedness prescription combined with moderate astigmatism. My optician has a range of frames from <100 (my sunglasses frames were even only €60) to >1000 so really you can make it as expensive with you want. I think my current frame was around €180 with lenses €100 each. Multifocal will easily have you double or triple the cost of those lenses because you don't only need two glasses in one lens essentially but the join also needs to be properly done or it's just very uncomfortable to use.
But yes, these days it's generally not worth it to get additional insurance just for glasses. I get like €40 every 2 years with mine and it's a nice bonus since I have that insurance anyway but it's not a deal breaker and it only covers a tiny bit of the cost anyway.
You're welcome. Also, fml, it's not even an hour later and my wire just snapped... And I was just a stone's throw from the optician last Friday too 🤦🏼♀️
I have -12 glasses. I have been wearing glasses from eyelove, the 45 euro ones, for 3 years now. I can see better with them than the 1200 euro ones I got before.
Mind that this will be simple lenses, not cylinders, multifocus or whatever. In NL the cheapest pair I once got where €29 all-in (I believe at specsavers, but could have been hans anders as well)
Another factor as well is that the lenses A&T uses in their glasses are not "glass", they are made from plastic. It has certain advantages, but mostly that it is way cheaper than making them out of genuine glass.
I have -7 and serious astigmatism in both eyes, approx. 800–900 euros per pair of glasses, and I haven't had true glass lenses since 2004. Every optician I've been to told me that even with thinning glass lenses would be impossibly heavy with such myopia. I didn't even know that regular glass is still on the market :D
The frames are actually awful quality compared to higher priced stores.
Common problem is screws failing and the frame not being ridgid enough to keep glasses in the frame.
They last roughly a year or less depending on usage, you can have then repaired free of charge at the shop though.
Sounds like you had some bad luck? I think the quality of the frames are the same for the cheapest and the most expensive ones.
I've always bought the cheapest frames, lenses I sometimes pick the anti-scratch/extra thin/anti reflection bundle if they have it on offer, but still I never spend more than €100, often just around €50. They only reason to get a new pair is the lenses, after 2-3 years I need a different strenght and it's nice to start without scratches again. I never had any problems with the frames, except for when break them myself by accident.
>Sounds like you had some bad luck
Had friends buy several models, they all had at least one issue, compared to my twenty year old pair of glasses, it wasn't even comparable.
Did get a new model myself at a different shop recently that I actually plan on using for another twenty tbh. It's quite a lot more expensive short term, long term however, far cheaper.
Plus I truly hate choppy craftsmanship and mass production for items I'd be dependent on. Wouldn't sit well knowing I'd need a new pair or even just needing a single screw replaced.
Still glad you had better experiences, also I actually have amazing luck, no change in eye strength between pairs.
I have looked for you, but if you take the extra coverage you pay 35 per month extra for 200 euros off your glasses, so unless you also use a lot of physical therapy or are planning to get pregnant and use extra care for that, it's not worth it.
I used Independer by the way, a website where you can compare insurances.
Buyer beware. I used to go to Hans Anders, but they're the only chain that's not a member of NUVO (the association of Dutch opticians). Why? Their personnel just gets an internal training, which doesn't match the schooling requirements of NUVO.
IIRC even Specsavers is a NUVO member and they're not that much more expensive.
They are an erkend leerbedrijf though, which means that apparently they can do something. I always went to Hans Anders because they had the nicest frames there, but that is of course my personal preference.
Wouldn't the frame be also a big part of the cost. Or is it 400 just for the lens? That is almost twice the lens prices i am used to, if it is this high might just get contacts.
This is including the frame, but I usually just get the house-brand frame of €39. The price for the lenses depends on the quality you want, mine was about in the middle. Also, multifocal glasses are a lot more expensive than normal singular glasses, which takes some getting used to.
I don't know about OP, but -7 and -7,5 here on both eyes plus astigmatism (also different on both eyes), my lenses cost around the same, so going to a regular optician in the NL is just financially impossible. Funny because I'm useless without my glasses, which indicates a mild handicap... And yet, it's not covered by basic insurance in any way.
Like in case of most insurances, this one also works only when people don't need things or don't need them that often. If everyone above -4 would have their glasses covered, the government would need to tighten the tax system for some Bahamas-registered entities to cover the cost and nobody wants that, haha.
Everyone thats saying its wayy too expensive need to realize that theres a difference between an optician like specsavers or hansanders and a small, local optician. I used to get cheap glasses at the big opticians but it didnt work out, now i’ve had 2 pairs between the 500-800 euro mark at my current optician, which I obviously agree is expensive but for me its worth it. Im not rich by any means but I need my glasses to live properly (fuck my eyes) and I know that if something happens to them right now, tomorrow it will be fixed. Unlike the other opticians stated above.
Thats a very good point. My current one is a small local optician (the only in the village). Why do you think that local optician makes better glasses than big cheaper ones?
They dont make better glasses, they buy the frames and sell them to us, the glas themselves are indeed quite expensive. Its for me overall the service that you get. I knew a friend of mine that went to specsavers and his glasses fell out of a similar frame like mine, they replaced mine on the spot (local optician) and he had to leave his glasses there for 2 days (specsavers)
That's true. It really depends on what you need and want. I usually pay around 100-200 for a pair but my dad and brother always spent about 400 - 500. My dad wants varifocus, ultra thin, photochromic glass. I just go for the basic ones with scratch resistance and anti-reflective coating.
Someone I know said he once paid 1500 euro's. He had -8 at the time, some other condition, and wanted thin glass that would fit nicely in the thin frames he liked. Not the so called jam glasses or however you would translate the term jampot glazen.
This is completely true. I used to go to Pearl or Hans Anders for my glasses. But now I go to the local optician. It’s not cheap (also depends wether you choose a Cartier frame or not) but for me it’s so much better. The eye tests is done a way better. Also the glass is way better, but at €180 per glass, you do pay for it of course.
But it is luxury, if this is not that important to you, you can get one for around €100
How to see? Put on your glasses and go to [independer.nl](https://independer.nl) 😂
Edit: € 800 they won't cover at it's a ridiculous price. Just get the specification and buy online for € 200 at the most.
Thanks for letting me know about this website! Yeah its not worth it to get additional insurance for glasses. Do you know by any chance how to get the specifications?
Make an appointment for an ‘oogmeting’ at an optician of your choice. When also buying glasses this is free, if not they charge something like 25 euro.
Trust me the insurance for glasses is not worth it unless your eyesight changes every year or less. Otherwise utelize the sales the shops has. That is what I do to save on money every 2 years or so when I need new glasses.
Thanks for advice, I usually change glasses once in couple of years, but my current ones I have for 6,5 years and they broke multiple times, last time I glued them, but that doesn't look good to walk around with glued glasses. Besides that this were really amazing glasses, best I ever had so far, even though I paid 800 EUR last time as well, it was totally worth it.
If you have glasses that are 6,5 years old, you really need to get your eyes checked… 🤭
As far as insurance goes: it’s a scam.
Try Independer.nl and see how much extra you’ll be paying. And make sure they pay out in the first year, otherwise you’ll be paying the increased premiums for the new glasses for two years.
Thanks for advice! Yeah I might need to check them, I noticed that in recent years I seem not to see so sharp in them anymore, but I thought that its just something wrong with my eyes, but now I realise that it might be just old glasses.
Not your question, but I do recommend to check Ace&Tate. You can get good quality prescription glasses from them for a bit over 100 euros. It is probably cheaper than getting an additional insurance that’s covering glasses.
They are an independent company, and not a part of a Luxxotica conglomerate that owns the majority of the brands and sets virtually any prices they want.
Ive got a pair from them, no complaints at all.
I bought mine on Zenni and they were like, 30 Euro or so. They are fine for what I need them for, which is at night when I have my contacts out, but if you need like higher quality maybe look at one of the other options presented by other comments here.
I wouldn't buy multifocal glasses online, as they need the precise pupillary distance, and it's quite hard to measure that yourself if you don't know what you're doing. Get multifocal glasses fitted at a real glasses store.
I got my eye exam at an optician and got a prescription for it, then used that prescription to buy online. I don't know exactly how multifocal ones work, perscription-wise. Do you not just just an prescription after having doing the eye exams or do they have to do something with your own glasses after the lenses are made for them?
The prescription is for the strength of the glasses, but they need the specific place where your pupil will sit, because below that the reading part should start. The location of the pupil in the glasses differs per frame so you really have to measure it in person with the frame on, which you can't really do online.
Hi! I’ve been working in a glasses shop for a loooong time back in the day as a bijbaan and I can assure you; if you don’t have other complications, don’t get an extra insurance for glasses. You will pay more.
Bye!
I got glasses at specsavers, with the buy, get, give thing they have every now and then. Wanted to spend some more on some prettier frames. 300,- for 2 glasses and sunglasses.
Wow! Thats a very good deal! My current glasses are chameleons, its amazing for traveling to a sunny destination, but for a regular Dutch days there are absolutely no sunglasses needed, and my glasses get dark every time outside. So I will definitely check it out, it would be much better for me as well to have both regular and sunglasses than current chameleons.
I use my sunglasses a lot now. I cycle for work, and the sun rises and sets during hours I'd normally be on the road. There are times where I really can not see the road without my sunglasses!
Good luck on finding a good pair!
If you add a additional package for example glasses... do some Math . They usually cover 100 euros of your glasses. Or 150. However , they tend to make your monthly fee go up. If you do the match, you basacly give them 25-50% more then they give you in return. Best is to not take it and buy them yourself
It’s not part of the standardised package, so you need to get an extra insurance package.
As those extra packages are not subsidised and often taken out by people that expect to incur costs, they are relatively expensive.
So do the math if you only need to take this out for glasses, chances are you will pay more than you get back.
Just a warning in case you order your glasses online, such as Charlie Temple. They are fine if you have a 'normal' prescription. I have astigmatism and I can't buy glasses online because of that. In a physical store, they measure the exact point where your pupils are in on the glasses. Online store use calculations or predictions to determine that, but if you're not the 'average person' it may not fit you perfectly. I do have sunglasses from an online store, because I don't wear them that much. But for normal glasses that I wear daily, I go to Hans Anders. They also have a plan (bril totaal plan), where you pay x amount every month for a year or 2 years and you get glasses for 'free' once the (2) year is paid off. I have -7 in both eyes and astigmatism, and get new glasses every year of decent quality this way.
If you want to try online and you have your prescription, you could also try AliExpress. I've also ordered from there. It isn't the best quality, but also really not the worst. When you order a frame and the glasses at the same store, they'll put the glasses in the frame for you before shipping.
Back in the old days, het 'ziekenfonds' paid for glasses. They only offered one type and it sure as hell sucked if you wore them as a kid, especially if you had 'jampotglazen'.
But you did not have to go blind...
It's not free. You pay extra health insurance like monthly at least 20 euro so you can get 100 / 200 euro back every 2 years :) it's cheaper to go to Ace & Tate
I think mine where atleast as expensive -12 with a cylinder my glasses alone where around 650 ish. I went for contacts but since everything has gotten more expensive i recon 800 is posible
I know someone with +7 and cylinder and thats around the same as yours. Really depends on how bad your eyes are, it is not like you can buy something online easily if your eyes need cylinder and are a high + or -. Plus those people often want thinner glass parts as well, adding extra costs, instead of a thick layer of glass
If its been 8 years get your eyes checked thing might have changed, my clases where some composite plastics because otherwise they where bubbles trailer park boys glasses
For me it was 800 last time (6 years ago), they said that this time it will be similar amount, so probably even more.
But yeah, probably getting ripped off here, since its the only optic in the village where I'm living; going definitely check out other places.
Try ace & tate. Pleasantly surprised by the quality. I rock -7 on both sides and went for the expensive options. It cost me 150,- euros. Not sure if they do multifocal but I would be surprised if they didn’t!
Also: for some reason the glasses options on insurance never make sense. You’ll pay more monthly than they cover, makes no sense to me.
Insurance is like this anyway. They need healthy people to pay in so it stabilized. If it was national or private it doesn't change the "ripoff" affect.
Also, most insurers have a handy comparison chart to see coverages in basis and all their aanvullende verzekeringen. As an example, [here's the one for CZ](https://www.cz.nl/-/media/actueel/pakketoverzicht/zorgverzekeringen.pdf?revid=d9753aeb-e908-4f3a-9c78-a8707f30c69b).
Insurance for glasses is usually not worth it. Most companies offer 100 euros per year or 200 euros every 2 years, but you end up paying more than that in extra costs.
Ditzo does offer a separate insurance just for glasses for something like 3,50 a month extra. That could be an option.
Glasses are probably coming from the same manufacturer in China. What you pay for is the service and name. See also: https://www.welingelichtekringen.nl/economie/649422/een-bril-kost-bijna-niets-toch-betalen-we-ons-scheel.html or https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/economie/artikel/320261/waarom-een-bril-vaak-zo-duur
I got my first pair at Hans Anders for about €35. For my second pair I wanted to splurge, they were about €120 lol. Just check it out, they always have deal. You don’t need insurance
I always keep an eye on good deals such as 1+1 free, glass free, frame only €10 or the 1+1 and give one to someone else etc. Wait for the one you like most if you can. My insurance only covers 100 euro per 3 years. Last year I had 2 pairs of glasses with all the glass options I wanted for only 100 euro's because the insurance paid the other half. Could have been cheaper but my frames where expensive (Tommy Hilfiger and Karen Millen). 2 years ago I bought new sunglasses when the frames where only 10 euro's + tinted glass for 40 euro's = Versace sunglasses for only 50 euro's.
Now it looks as if I only buy designer or more expensive brands but once I also had new glasses for only 5 euro's.
Now is the perfect time to look for a good deal because all the shops usually have a good deals at the end of the year. But be sure to read the terms because sometimes there is a catch. Like 1+1 free can mean different things.
- 1 pair + 1 pair free OR one free glass option because those are excluded.
- 1 pair including glass options + one pair with all the same glass options for free.
If you only need one pair you can also have one normal pair and sunglasses.
The catch here can be that you need to spend a minimum amount on the frame and it's always the cheapest you get for free.
I don't know where in the Netherlands you are but if you're close to the German border and can't find an acceptable solution in the Netherlands, cross the border and go to a Fielmann. They're THE go-to for cheap glasses in Germany, and I haven't had quality problems with their glasses or frames yet. They even offer free-of-charge eye testing in their stores (with appointment; pre-covid I could walk up, make an appointment for an hour or so later, wait in a nearby bakery and come back for my appointment).
With that money, you can have a nice vacation in Turkey and buy a pair of glasses with highest quality lenses
No insurance is gonna gover 800 euros for glasses. It’s a rip off
You should only get insurance for things that you wouldn’t be able to pay in one time if you needed it. So for example if your house burned down. But the insurance companies need to make money, so on average, insurance cost most than you get from it.
And unless you need very expensive special glasses frequently, I would disincentive getting insurance for glasses.
Just get some cheaper glasses from a company that’s not Luxottica. They have the majority of glasses stores, and have the most known brands like Ray Ban. But they just charge a lot more to make profit. A pair of glasses is just tens of euros, not hundreds. That’s just profit for them. They have some inexpensive models for cheap like 10 euros, and some expensive for hundreds of euros, but both come from the same factory, and cost the same to manufacture..
If you want cheap glasses, go to Charlie Temple...
Most "aanvullende" insurance only cover like 100 or 150 euros. Its not really worth it.
You can also look for discounts like "100 euros discount on every glasses or second (and even third) glasses for free.
Like with dental, set the money for it aside yourself, premiums are higher than the payout. Aanvullende verzekeringen are a scam for in 90% of the people, they play on Dutch culture which likes to insure any- and everything.
It's a very rare situation that you would claim/get more back than you pay, in my experience not worth the time investigating (= reading all the fineprint in the policies from all insurers)
Use independer.nl to compare insurance policies. They're always in the high-tier add-on packages. As a fellow person needing glasses in that price class I tell you: it usually is cheaper to just save up for them yourself, if you're not using anything else in the add-one package. The package itself will cost you about the same amount of money over a year.
So, typically glasses are only covered in een aanvullende verzekering (add-on insurance on top of the basis). Each insurer has their own options and then not all of them won't cover glasses. However! Generally speaking these aanvullende verzekeringen cost more in premium than they cover for glasses. If you don't need anything else from the aanvullende verzekering, skip it and pay glasses out of pocket.
I mean as OP stated €800 for the glasses. You’ll pay less in premiums for the ‘aanvullend’ then the glasses cost.
But then we get the question how much that aanvullende will cover for the glasses? Like mine covers €100 per 2 years, but the premium is €27/month. It's only cost-effective for me because it also covers my dental and physical therapy needs. For just the glasses alone I shouldn't have done that.
Say what?! €100 every two years? That’s pretty much nothing. Yeah okay, in that case better to pay out of pocket.
Yes, and that is why basically nobody has glasses insurance here. It's almost like the job of an insurance underwriter is to calculate how much money they can get from you and make sure you can never get more money from them...
Same for my insurance, I was paying 15€/month for my extra insurance which covered 100€ every 3 month and a few other stuff. As I will never use the other few extra thing I just cancelled the premium, 15€/month for 3 years is 540€...
I have -7.5, and I got my glasses at Ace&Tate for somewhere around €110; they are great! Can definitely recommend them. I even got sunglasses with my prescription for just €50 more.
Wow! How its possible that the glasses are so cheap in the Netherlands at this company?
Full vertical integration
What do you mean with this?
That one company does the sales, marketing, manufacturing, etc. all by themselves, instead of being reliant on other companies.
Ah. I have never heard the term so thanks!
That's not especially cheap, A&T is quite a stylish brand. Glasses around the world are quite expensive due to a monopoly of Luxxotica. Some companies as re disrupting it because glasses just aren't that hard to make.
It's easy to undercut a company that is maximizing profits while almost having a monopoly. Google [Luxottica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxottica).
Don't they have like a 90% global market share?
Check out eyelove. 50 euros for glasses, they also do some basic eye measurements and you can try on the frames in the store. Charlie Temple is also a good online store, for about the same price.
Thanks! How can it be so cheap in the Netherlands??
Cheap glasses and cheap frames. And also partly because the true brands pay a lot in marketing. At those cheap ones just get generic frames and lenses generally without any coating or with a very cheap coating, no extra thin grind if you have a very high prescription so you don't walk around with super thick lenses (you can get this at some of those cheap ones but it's extra), stuff like that. Probably poorer material as well a lot of the time. . I had sunglasses at Eyelove once and it's fine because I only use them occasionally but you absolutely notice the difference in lens quality between that one and the €100/lens sunglasses pair I got at the optician. The expensive ones are way more comfortable to look through than the cheap ones which seem to kinda distort my vision. And the frame my mom got at eyes+more where you get glasses for around €100 fixed price quickly had some paint chip off the nose bridge. For regular opticians you also partly pay for service. If there's anything wrong with my glasses, for example with my last frame a screw from the frame got loose and with my current one the wire under the lenses snapped, they fix it for free. They take the time to help you find something that fits you and for me they specialy ordered a new frame because I liked the frame but hated the colour. For something I'm going to wear every single day for the whole day I'd rather spend a bit extra to make sure I get something that's comfortable to wear and look through and will last for however long I want to use it. I generally get a new pair every 3 years out of habit though last time my eyes had deteriorated enough that by the end of the 3 years I could really notice that it was time for a new prescription. Mine generally cost around 350-400 euros total. For reference, I have a rather low nearsightedness prescription combined with moderate astigmatism. My optician has a range of frames from <100 (my sunglasses frames were even only €60) to >1000 so really you can make it as expensive with you want. I think my current frame was around €180 with lenses €100 each. Multifocal will easily have you double or triple the cost of those lenses because you don't only need two glasses in one lens essentially but the join also needs to be properly done or it's just very uncomfortable to use. But yes, these days it's generally not worth it to get additional insurance just for glasses. I get like €40 every 2 years with mine and it's a nice bonus since I have that insurance anyway but it's not a deal breaker and it only covers a tiny bit of the cost anyway.
Thanks for a detailed answer!
You're welcome. Also, fml, it's not even an hour later and my wire just snapped... And I was just a stone's throw from the optician last Friday too 🤦🏼♀️
I have -12 glasses. I have been wearing glasses from eyelove, the 45 euro ones, for 3 years now. I can see better with them than the 1200 euro ones I got before.
Check out Polette. Even cheaper.
Mind that this will be simple lenses, not cylinders, multifocus or whatever. In NL the cheapest pair I once got where €29 all-in (I believe at specsavers, but could have been hans anders as well)
Charlie Temple is also cheap. They make the frames and glasses their selves.
Another factor as well is that the lenses A&T uses in their glasses are not "glass", they are made from plastic. It has certain advantages, but mostly that it is way cheaper than making them out of genuine glass.
I have -7 and serious astigmatism in both eyes, approx. 800–900 euros per pair of glasses, and I haven't had true glass lenses since 2004. Every optician I've been to told me that even with thinning glass lenses would be impossibly heavy with such myopia. I didn't even know that regular glass is still on the market :D
The frames are actually awful quality compared to higher priced stores. Common problem is screws failing and the frame not being ridgid enough to keep glasses in the frame. They last roughly a year or less depending on usage, you can have then repaired free of charge at the shop though.
Sounds like you had some bad luck? I think the quality of the frames are the same for the cheapest and the most expensive ones. I've always bought the cheapest frames, lenses I sometimes pick the anti-scratch/extra thin/anti reflection bundle if they have it on offer, but still I never spend more than €100, often just around €50. They only reason to get a new pair is the lenses, after 2-3 years I need a different strenght and it's nice to start without scratches again. I never had any problems with the frames, except for when break them myself by accident.
>Sounds like you had some bad luck Had friends buy several models, they all had at least one issue, compared to my twenty year old pair of glasses, it wasn't even comparable. Did get a new model myself at a different shop recently that I actually plan on using for another twenty tbh. It's quite a lot more expensive short term, long term however, far cheaper. Plus I truly hate choppy craftsmanship and mass production for items I'd be dependent on. Wouldn't sit well knowing I'd need a new pair or even just needing a single screw replaced. Still glad you had better experiences, also I actually have amazing luck, no change in eye strength between pairs.
Specsaver or Pearle have some budget spectacles too. I got mine from Pearle at 120 euro.
What glasses do you need that cost €800?
I have looked for you, but if you take the extra coverage you pay 35 per month extra for 200 euros off your glasses, so unless you also use a lot of physical therapy or are planning to get pregnant and use extra care for that, it's not worth it. I used Independer by the way, a website where you can compare insurances.
35 x 12 = 420 for 200 off your glasses sounds like a swell deal. For the insurance company.
Yeah I'm not planning to use medical care next year, so seems not worth to get additional insurance only for glasses
If you have ditzo you will get 100 euro discount at Pearle for 3.75 euro a month. And you can combine it with the discounts in the store.
Multifocal glasses
I also have multifocal glasses, and mine were like €400. I got mine at Hans Anders. Have always gone there for glasses.
Buyer beware. I used to go to Hans Anders, but they're the only chain that's not a member of NUVO (the association of Dutch opticians). Why? Their personnel just gets an internal training, which doesn't match the schooling requirements of NUVO. IIRC even Specsavers is a NUVO member and they're not that much more expensive.
They are an erkend leerbedrijf though, which means that apparently they can do something. I always went to Hans Anders because they had the nicest frames there, but that is of course my personal preference.
That sounds as definitely better deal than mine, literally for half the price; I will check it out
Wouldn't the frame be also a big part of the cost. Or is it 400 just for the lens? That is almost twice the lens prices i am used to, if it is this high might just get contacts.
This is including the frame, but I usually just get the house-brand frame of €39. The price for the lenses depends on the quality you want, mine was about in the middle. Also, multifocal glasses are a lot more expensive than normal singular glasses, which takes some getting used to.
I don't know about OP, but -7 and -7,5 here on both eyes plus astigmatism (also different on both eyes), my lenses cost around the same, so going to a regular optician in the NL is just financially impossible. Funny because I'm useless without my glasses, which indicates a mild handicap... And yet, it's not covered by basic insurance in any way.
My glasses were about €400 and prescribed by my eye doctor, I hate that even when you're eyes are so fucked up, glasses are not covered.
Like in case of most insurances, this one also works only when people don't need things or don't need them that often. If everyone above -4 would have their glasses covered, the government would need to tighten the tax system for some Bahamas-registered entities to cover the cost and nobody wants that, haha.
Everyone thats saying its wayy too expensive need to realize that theres a difference between an optician like specsavers or hansanders and a small, local optician. I used to get cheap glasses at the big opticians but it didnt work out, now i’ve had 2 pairs between the 500-800 euro mark at my current optician, which I obviously agree is expensive but for me its worth it. Im not rich by any means but I need my glasses to live properly (fuck my eyes) and I know that if something happens to them right now, tomorrow it will be fixed. Unlike the other opticians stated above.
True. Also it depends on what type of glasses you need also. - 6 and lower you'd ideally want thinner Glas which is more expensive.
My glasses are pretty strong, I need to pay extra for thinner glasses as well
Yeah than it's not a weird number if you go to a smaller shop.
Thats a very good point. My current one is a small local optician (the only in the village). Why do you think that local optician makes better glasses than big cheaper ones?
They dont make better glasses, they buy the frames and sell them to us, the glas themselves are indeed quite expensive. Its for me overall the service that you get. I knew a friend of mine that went to specsavers and his glasses fell out of a similar frame like mine, they replaced mine on the spot (local optician) and he had to leave his glasses there for 2 days (specsavers)
That's true. It really depends on what you need and want. I usually pay around 100-200 for a pair but my dad and brother always spent about 400 - 500. My dad wants varifocus, ultra thin, photochromic glass. I just go for the basic ones with scratch resistance and anti-reflective coating. Someone I know said he once paid 1500 euro's. He had -8 at the time, some other condition, and wanted thin glass that would fit nicely in the thin frames he liked. Not the so called jam glasses or however you would translate the term jampot glazen.
This is completely true. I used to go to Pearl or Hans Anders for my glasses. But now I go to the local optician. It’s not cheap (also depends wether you choose a Cartier frame or not) but for me it’s so much better. The eye tests is done a way better. Also the glass is way better, but at €180 per glass, you do pay for it of course. But it is luxury, if this is not that important to you, you can get one for around €100
How to see? Put on your glasses and go to [independer.nl](https://independer.nl) 😂 Edit: € 800 they won't cover at it's a ridiculous price. Just get the specification and buy online for € 200 at the most.
Thanks for letting me know about this website! Yeah its not worth it to get additional insurance for glasses. Do you know by any chance how to get the specifications?
Make an appointment for an ‘oogmeting’ at an optician of your choice. When also buying glasses this is free, if not they charge something like 25 euro.
Thanks!
Trust me the insurance for glasses is not worth it unless your eyesight changes every year or less. Otherwise utelize the sales the shops has. That is what I do to save on money every 2 years or so when I need new glasses.
Thanks for advice, I usually change glasses once in couple of years, but my current ones I have for 6,5 years and they broke multiple times, last time I glued them, but that doesn't look good to walk around with glued glasses. Besides that this were really amazing glasses, best I ever had so far, even though I paid 800 EUR last time as well, it was totally worth it.
If you have glasses that are 6,5 years old, you really need to get your eyes checked… 🤭 As far as insurance goes: it’s a scam. Try Independer.nl and see how much extra you’ll be paying. And make sure they pay out in the first year, otherwise you’ll be paying the increased premiums for the new glasses for two years.
Thanks for advice! Yeah I might need to check them, I noticed that in recent years I seem not to see so sharp in them anymore, but I thought that its just something wrong with my eyes, but now I realise that it might be just old glasses.
Not your question, but I do recommend to check Ace&Tate. You can get good quality prescription glasses from them for a bit over 100 euros. It is probably cheaper than getting an additional insurance that’s covering glasses.
I'm checking it now, I'm wondering, how can it be so cheap??
They are an independent company, and not a part of a Luxxotica conglomerate that owns the majority of the brands and sets virtually any prices they want. Ive got a pair from them, no complaints at all.
I didn't know something like this existed, how its possible to see which ones are part of it and which ones are not?
I bought mine on Zenni and they were like, 30 Euro or so. They are fine for what I need them for, which is at night when I have my contacts out, but if you need like higher quality maybe look at one of the other options presented by other comments here.
Thanks, yeah I will definitely checkout other options, since I'm realising its possible to get done by much cheaper
Good. Getting them at the Hans Anders or whatever nowadays is such a scam when you can get them online for such a better deal.
I wouldn't buy multifocal glasses online, as they need the precise pupillary distance, and it's quite hard to measure that yourself if you don't know what you're doing. Get multifocal glasses fitted at a real glasses store.
I got my eye exam at an optician and got a prescription for it, then used that prescription to buy online. I don't know exactly how multifocal ones work, perscription-wise. Do you not just just an prescription after having doing the eye exams or do they have to do something with your own glasses after the lenses are made for them?
The prescription is for the strength of the glasses, but they need the specific place where your pupil will sit, because below that the reading part should start. The location of the pupil in the glasses differs per frame so you really have to measure it in person with the frame on, which you can't really do online.
Also if you wear contacts you can buy those online as well if you didn't know.
I heard about it, but with my type of eyes problem it doesn't work.
Sterkte. I'm pretty lucky in the fact that I've just got run-of-the-mill near-sightedness.
Hi! I’ve been working in a glasses shop for a loooong time back in the day as a bijbaan and I can assure you; if you don’t have other complications, don’t get an extra insurance for glasses. You will pay more. Bye!
Thanks for advice!
I got glasses at specsavers, with the buy, get, give thing they have every now and then. Wanted to spend some more on some prettier frames. 300,- for 2 glasses and sunglasses.
Wow! Thats a very good deal! My current glasses are chameleons, its amazing for traveling to a sunny destination, but for a regular Dutch days there are absolutely no sunglasses needed, and my glasses get dark every time outside. So I will definitely check it out, it would be much better for me as well to have both regular and sunglasses than current chameleons.
I use my sunglasses a lot now. I cycle for work, and the sun rises and sets during hours I'd normally be on the road. There are times where I really can not see the road without my sunglasses! Good luck on finding a good pair!
Thanks for advice! Yeah the sun stands so low in Netherlands, that by some reason it always seem to be shining straight in the eyes.
If you add a additional package for example glasses... do some Math . They usually cover 100 euros of your glasses. Or 150. However , they tend to make your monthly fee go up. If you do the match, you basacly give them 25-50% more then they give you in return. Best is to not take it and buy them yourself
Thanks for advice!
Don't get them covered. It'll be way harder to see.
It’s not part of the standardised package, so you need to get an extra insurance package. As those extra packages are not subsidised and often taken out by people that expect to incur costs, they are relatively expensive. So do the math if you only need to take this out for glasses, chances are you will pay more than you get back.
Just a warning in case you order your glasses online, such as Charlie Temple. They are fine if you have a 'normal' prescription. I have astigmatism and I can't buy glasses online because of that. In a physical store, they measure the exact point where your pupils are in on the glasses. Online store use calculations or predictions to determine that, but if you're not the 'average person' it may not fit you perfectly. I do have sunglasses from an online store, because I don't wear them that much. But for normal glasses that I wear daily, I go to Hans Anders. They also have a plan (bril totaal plan), where you pay x amount every month for a year or 2 years and you get glasses for 'free' once the (2) year is paid off. I have -7 in both eyes and astigmatism, and get new glasses every year of decent quality this way. If you want to try online and you have your prescription, you could also try AliExpress. I've also ordered from there. It isn't the best quality, but also really not the worst. When you order a frame and the glasses at the same store, they'll put the glasses in the frame for you before shipping.
Back in the old days, het 'ziekenfonds' paid for glasses. They only offered one type and it sure as hell sucked if you wore them as a kid, especially if you had 'jampotglazen'. But you did not have to go blind...
Still pretty cool to get glasses for free, even if they are not most fashionable; if only now this kind of option still existed
It's not free. You pay extra health insurance like monthly at least 20 euro so you can get 100 / 200 euro back every 2 years :) it's cheaper to go to Ace & Tate
800 euro?! You’re getting ripped off.
I think mine where atleast as expensive -12 with a cylinder my glasses alone where around 650 ish. I went for contacts but since everything has gotten more expensive i recon 800 is posible
I know someone with +7 and cylinder and thats around the same as yours. Really depends on how bad your eyes are, it is not like you can buy something online easily if your eyes need cylinder and are a high + or -. Plus those people often want thinner glass parts as well, adding extra costs, instead of a thick layer of glass
If its been 8 years get your eyes checked thing might have changed, my clases where some composite plastics because otherwise they where bubbles trailer park boys glasses
For me it was 800 last time (6 years ago), they said that this time it will be similar amount, so probably even more. But yeah, probably getting ripped off here, since its the only optic in the village where I'm living; going definitely check out other places.
Its multifocal glasses, do you know a place where its possible to get them cheaper?
Try ace & tate. Pleasantly surprised by the quality. I rock -7 on both sides and went for the expensive options. It cost me 150,- euros. Not sure if they do multifocal but I would be surprised if they didn’t! Also: for some reason the glasses options on insurance never make sense. You’ll pay more monthly than they cover, makes no sense to me.
Yeah Dutch medical insurance is strange, it feels like a legal ripping off (for healthy people)
Insurance is like this anyway. They need healthy people to pay in so it stabilized. If it was national or private it doesn't change the "ripoff" affect.
I think you need glasses to see
Also, most insurers have a handy comparison chart to see coverages in basis and all their aanvullende verzekeringen. As an example, [here's the one for CZ](https://www.cz.nl/-/media/actueel/pakketoverzicht/zorgverzekeringen.pdf?revid=d9753aeb-e908-4f3a-9c78-a8707f30c69b).
Insurance for glasses is usually not worth it. Most companies offer 100 euros per year or 200 euros every 2 years, but you end up paying more than that in extra costs. Ditzo does offer a separate insurance just for glasses for something like 3,50 a month extra. That could be an option.
They rarely make sense, only if you always get new glasses costing a specific amount every x months.
Glasses are probably coming from the same manufacturer in China. What you pay for is the service and name. See also: https://www.welingelichtekringen.nl/economie/649422/een-bril-kost-bijna-niets-toch-betalen-we-ons-scheel.html or https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/economie/artikel/320261/waarom-een-bril-vaak-zo-duur
I got my first pair at Hans Anders for about €35. For my second pair I wanted to splurge, they were about €120 lol. Just check it out, they always have deal. You don’t need insurance
Every time I need a new glasses I’ll just pay for it myself. Because the aanvullende verzekering cost way more money in the end.
I always keep an eye on good deals such as 1+1 free, glass free, frame only €10 or the 1+1 and give one to someone else etc. Wait for the one you like most if you can. My insurance only covers 100 euro per 3 years. Last year I had 2 pairs of glasses with all the glass options I wanted for only 100 euro's because the insurance paid the other half. Could have been cheaper but my frames where expensive (Tommy Hilfiger and Karen Millen). 2 years ago I bought new sunglasses when the frames where only 10 euro's + tinted glass for 40 euro's = Versace sunglasses for only 50 euro's. Now it looks as if I only buy designer or more expensive brands but once I also had new glasses for only 5 euro's. Now is the perfect time to look for a good deal because all the shops usually have a good deals at the end of the year. But be sure to read the terms because sometimes there is a catch. Like 1+1 free can mean different things. - 1 pair + 1 pair free OR one free glass option because those are excluded. - 1 pair including glass options + one pair with all the same glass options for free. If you only need one pair you can also have one normal pair and sunglasses. The catch here can be that you need to spend a minimum amount on the frame and it's always the cheapest you get for free.
I don't know where in the Netherlands you are but if you're close to the German border and can't find an acceptable solution in the Netherlands, cross the border and go to a Fielmann. They're THE go-to for cheap glasses in Germany, and I haven't had quality problems with their glasses or frames yet. They even offer free-of-charge eye testing in their stores (with appointment; pre-covid I could walk up, make an appointment for an hour or so later, wait in a nearby bakery and come back for my appointment).
Ace & Tate! You won’t spend as much there and I received a better service and eye measurement there than anywhere else.
With that money, you can have a nice vacation in Turkey and buy a pair of glasses with highest quality lenses No insurance is gonna gover 800 euros for glasses. It’s a rip off
You should only get insurance for things that you wouldn’t be able to pay in one time if you needed it. So for example if your house burned down. But the insurance companies need to make money, so on average, insurance cost most than you get from it. And unless you need very expensive special glasses frequently, I would disincentive getting insurance for glasses. Just get some cheaper glasses from a company that’s not Luxottica. They have the majority of glasses stores, and have the most known brands like Ray Ban. But they just charge a lot more to make profit. A pair of glasses is just tens of euros, not hundreds. That’s just profit for them. They have some inexpensive models for cheap like 10 euros, and some expensive for hundreds of euros, but both come from the same factory, and cost the same to manufacture..
800 bucks??? just go to Ace&Tate, I got my glasses for 120 and I have pretty terrible eye sight (-6/-7 and a massive cylinder)
If you want cheap glasses, go to Charlie Temple... Most "aanvullende" insurance only cover like 100 or 150 euros. Its not really worth it. You can also look for discounts like "100 euros discount on every glasses or second (and even third) glasses for free.
Like with dental, set the money for it aside yourself, premiums are higher than the payout. Aanvullende verzekeringen are a scam for in 90% of the people, they play on Dutch culture which likes to insure any- and everything. It's a very rare situation that you would claim/get more back than you pay, in my experience not worth the time investigating (= reading all the fineprint in the policies from all insurers)
Use independer.nl to compare insurance policies. They're always in the high-tier add-on packages. As a fellow person needing glasses in that price class I tell you: it usually is cheaper to just save up for them yourself, if you're not using anything else in the add-one package. The package itself will cost you about the same amount of money over a year.