What do you mean astigmatisms specially require contact lenses? The price for frames range as much as the costs for lenses. Frames can be designer so they range greatly in price, and Lenses range do to the cut and material, plus any treatments done to them. It's not just glass in metal these days, there are wide options that will change the course of the cost. Having astigmatism in both eyes I have two separate lenses required for each eye. One is for near sightedness and the other for far sightedness, so I have to pay for two different lens types, the material used, the treatments on those lenses, then the cutting of the lens, plus the man hours required for the whole process. In the end a decent pair of frames and standard lenses will run me around $300 to $400 before my discount. You have to remember, like all things, it's not just a simple process there's a lot too it. Now you can get cheap plastic lenses and basic plastic frames for around $50 to $60 in price, you just have to look around and hit Wal-mart or other generic places. Going to an optometrist is going to cost more because they are more likely to supply only higher grade and designer frames and lenses to boost profits.

Why do glasses cost so much? Let me make a few points about glasses. 1) They can charge that much, we need glasses and contacts, its not exactly something we can go without. 2) A lot of people have insurance coverage for glasses. So when they charge $300 for a frame, they assume that it's your insurance company, not you, that is going to be bearing the brunt of that cost. Any industry that involves insurance typically runs into the same phenomenon, think about prescription drugs, or even Car repair. 3) Don't think that designer frames are actually designed by that brand. The vast majority or frames simply by the right to put the sticker of the logo on the frame. For example, I make frames, contact Nike and say I'll give you a bunch of money if I can put a nike sticker on my glasses. And consumers fall for it. The only way glasses are going to fall in price is by the downward pressure that big box stores like Wal-mart may be able to put on price. Those big box store are good for something eh?

I pay less per year for contacts than I do for eyeglasses. For example, at America's Best Eyeglasses and Contacts you can get two pair of eyeglasses for as low as $69.95. If you need lineless bifocals, the price jumps to $182.00 plus the price of the frames. If you want polycarbonate (or lightweight) lenses, the price goes up yet again. If you opt to have either of those pairs made into Transition sunglasses, add another $75.00 per pair. If you have an astigmatism or some other unusual need, the costs just keep increasing exponentially. At this point, you're well over $500.00. If you are one of the unlucky people whose vision requires correction more often than every two years, you're almost literally paying through the teeth if you don't have insurance to help defer the additional costs. In comparison, the price of contacts for one year and the cost of membership in America's Best' eyecare club runs about $360.00. It doesn't make too much sense for costs to be this high when eyeglass lenses are commonly made with little required human skill on a machine.