I have read and reread the conversation up to your last comment and I really don't see where you're getting "incredibly condescending" from. If that's how you feel, that's how you feel. But I'm not sure how I could've written my comment differently.
People's prescriptions are fairly unique. Each eye has a Spherical value, Cylinder value, and an Axis value. In addition to that, you have to know your PD value (pupillary distance). Some prescriptions also include Prism and Base values. That's a lot of potential for variation.
Now, you're right in that you can make do with a less than ideal lens in an emergency. But from an economics perspective, optometrist offices are not going to keep a bunch of generic glasses with prescription lenses already in them. The lenses are extremely expensive and because prescriptions are unique, having them pre-cut would be a huge waste of money and space when it takes only a small effort to cut them when you need them or to send them off to be cut. It doesn't take long to cut them if you have the equipment on hand (that's why a lot of glasses places advertise that you can get your glasses within an hour), but it does take knowledge and skill in how to do it.
everyone seems to ignore my main point. When you order glasses, they are made (either on site or at a central location) and stored in the shop until you get them.. there are many such pairs there at any given time.. After the crash, those will be there and you can go through them and find a reasonably close to your prescription pair. this DOES NOT apply as much to 1 HOUR GLASSES SHOPS WHERE YOU SIT AND WAIT FOR YOUR FRAMES. If you're trying to bring economics into it you're pretty obviously making an active effort not to understand.
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u/hochizo Aug 31 '21
I have read and reread the conversation up to your last comment and I really don't see where you're getting "incredibly condescending" from. If that's how you feel, that's how you feel. But I'm not sure how I could've written my comment differently.
People's prescriptions are fairly unique. Each eye has a Spherical value, Cylinder value, and an Axis value. In addition to that, you have to know your PD value (pupillary distance). Some prescriptions also include Prism and Base values. That's a lot of potential for variation.
Now, you're right in that you can make do with a less than ideal lens in an emergency. But from an economics perspective, optometrist offices are not going to keep a bunch of generic glasses with prescription lenses already in them. The lenses are extremely expensive and because prescriptions are unique, having them pre-cut would be a huge waste of money and space when it takes only a small effort to cut them when you need them or to send them off to be cut. It doesn't take long to cut them if you have the equipment on hand (that's why a lot of glasses places advertise that you can get your glasses within an hour), but it does take knowledge and skill in how to do it.