buying glasses in singapore

[anindianinsg]

I tried buying a good pair of my prescription glasses here in SG. A pair of Brand "who knows!" (that too on promo) were costing upwards of $200 (going all the way upto $700 for a known brand).

During my trip to India (Mumbai), I checked and found that for $225, I could buy 4 pairs - 1 Polo Sport frame with Zeiss HI lenses with ARC, 1 Police frame with Seiko HI lenses with ARC, 2 pairs with no known branding - just say Designed in Italy - but with good quality HI lenses with ARC. I ordered and got them delivered in 24 hours (could have been quicker but my right eye prescription has both SPH & CYL). Nett, I am not wearing designer glasses or something that a celeb is wearing. But who cares? What I am wearing is ensuring a brilliant vision and I have a full year's supply! I bought a Zeiss lens cleaning spray with a lint-free cleaning cloth for $18 from Novena and it keeps the lens from getting smudged easily.

[sundaymorningstaple]

It's amazing, the counterfeiting that is done there, isn't it.

[Hidy Ho]

I buy all my specs at MBK in Bangkok. I find they are up to 50% off if you are not looking for designer name brands. 1 hr service and I've been happy with results for years.

If you are looking for a couple of pairs, the savings will pay for the flight and then you can have a great weekend of fun, frolic and frivolity.

I dare say it's a bit more fun than JB...

You see if they sell progressive lenses at MBK? Price?

[the lynx]

Just to update, I recently bought a new pair of glasses in JB in Tebrau City.

Too bad it wasn't the Tag that I wanted (zzm, they didn't have it that time!).

Got myself a Korean brand instead. Bendable frames, nerd-looking, got the frames for MYR300 plus. Plus my lenses (I ordered mine specially because of my astigmatism and also because I wanted the Crylax lenses), the total is probably just under MYR500. And I have happy pair of eyes (and a happy nerdy boyfriend who loves how nerdy I look in them)

Oh and it took only 3 working days to be ready. If it wasn't for my lenses, I could have gotten them ready in one hour plus.

[zzm9980]

Funny, my Korean female friends in the US used to always ask me to bring them back nerdy looking frames from Asia. They just used them with the silly clear plastic insert though

Any idea what those would have cost in Singapore? I got my wife a pair of Prada frames, it was about $650(?) at Parkway. Insurance covered it completely though. If it'll cover the expensive from JB, I might go there and stock up before the end of the year!

[zzm9980]

And uh... Google Maps fail.

Directions from where I live to Tebrau City:

9. Take the Changi, SG - Tanjung Belungkor, MY/Tanjung Belungkor, MY - Changi, SG ferry to Pengerang
Toll road
Entering Malaysia

causeway got massive jam?

[the lynx]

And uh... Google Maps fail.

Directions from where I live to Tebrau City:

...

causeway got massive jam?

Use Lynx Maps then.

1. Take PIE from Marine Parade to BKE.

2. Pass through BKE into Woodlands checkpoint.

3. After Woodlands checkpoint, Causeway bridge and Sultan Iskandar checkpoint in JB, follow sign to Jalan Tebrau via Tebrau Highway.

4. Reach there in 25 minutes after SI checkpoint if you use 90km/h and there is no traffic jam.

If you go on weekends, avoid meal times so your best time with minimal traffic jam is between 9 to 11am and back to Singapore before 7pm or after 10pm.

Tebrau City alone has around 4 optician shops.

[ecureilx]

And uh... Google Maps fail.

Directions from where I live to Tebrau City:

9. Take the Changi, SG - Tanjung Belungkor, MY/Tanjung Belungkor, MY - Changi, SG ferry to Pengerang
Toll road
Entering Malaysia

causeway got massive jam?

You never tried Tokyo to Shanghai meh ?????

[zzm9980]

And uh... Google Maps fail.

Directions from where I live to Tebrau City:

...

causeway got massive jam?

Use Lynx Maps then.

1. Take PIE from Marine Parade to BKE.

2. Pass through BKE into Woodlands checkpoint.

3. After Woodlands checkpoint, Causeway bridge and Sultan Iskandar checkpoint in JB, follow sign to Jalan Tebrau via Tebrau Highway.

4. Reach there in 25 minutes after SI checkpoint if you use 90km/h and there is no traffic jam.

If you go on weekends, avoid meal times so your best time with minimal traffic jam is between 9 to 11am and back to Singapore before 7pm or after 10pm.

Tebrau City alone has around 4 optician shops.

Yeah, sounds like a good place to shop. I can find my way to JB, it was the rest of the way I wasn't too sure of. I'd probably go over Tuas anyway if I wasn't in a hurry.

[the lynx]

Yeah, sounds like a good place to shop. I can find my way to JB, it was the rest of the way I wasn't too sure of. I'd probably go over Tuas anyway if I wasn't in a hurry.

I seriously doubt that. Tebrau is on east of JB. If you're going to go there via Second Link, you may as well take that ferry

[nakatago]

And uh... Google Maps fail.

Directions from where I live to Tebrau City:

9. Take the Changi, SG - Tanjung Belungkor, MY/Tanjung Belungkor, MY - Changi, SG ferry to Pengerang
Toll road
Entering Malaysia

causeway got massive jam?

Google maps rely on info given by transport providers for public transportation from what I saw in Tebrau city, aside from taxis, I didn't see any public transport so there (or Johore didn't/couldn't provide the info).

Driving directions, are fine, though. Don't you have a car?

[zzm9980]

Driving directions, are fine, though.[/url] Don't you have a car?

Yes, those were the directions for a car! It's just got to be a bug in Google maps. The other two suggested routed were logical (through Woodlands), for some reason they just used this ferry route as the most preferred route. I'm guessing they use some kind of scoring system for various roads and links, and one of the ones on the ferry route are currently mis-scored to give too high a priority to the ferry. The new Apple Maps in iOS6 does it too. If you're going anywhere that involves changing from PIE to CTE or vice versa, it avoids that interchange like the plague. It will give three suggested routes that all involve getting onto roads (Braddell, TP L6, etc) just to get back onto the expressway again minutes later.

[meanbean]

There common type that you find in singapore
1) Neighour branches - cheap, personalized service, but selection may be limited
2) Chain outlets found at shopping malls and sometimes neighbourhood - has more selection, more branded stuff, price are sometimes quite competitive.

There's one more type but harder to find. I personnal prefer these as they carry quality brands like Lindberg, mykita, theo, LA eyeworks, etc.
Yes!! im a sucker for spectacles... haha And beacuse of the exchange rate, they acutally can be cheaper in singapore!

[sundaymorningstaple]

tic...toc...tic...toc....

[Segue]

I go regularly to JB to get my one-day contact lenses. Much cheaper than Singapore. 60 day supply in Singapore is S$190 - same exact brand in JB is RM$240 - just about half the price.

I go to the City Square mall - its attached to the JB Central station - basically a 5 min walk after you get out of immigration. Lots of optical shops there but now there is some renovations going on so two shops are closed - the other two still opened did not have my power so I took a RM7 taxi ride to KSL mall.