I did recently and toddled off to the local Op Shop, no silly, not that one, the Optometrist Shop.

After much haggling, oldies discounts etc, I managed to get the price for replacement of my photocromic bifocals down to $300.00. I also ordered the on-special computer specific glasses.

When I went to pick them up the computer glasses had lens like the bottom of Coke bottles, and weighed about as much. No thank you, I got a refund. The bifocals were OK but I still needed some computer specs.

Went online and found this Zenni Optical mob in China who had an easy to follow website and very cheap prices. Googling them came up with some mixed reviews, mostly non-positive, but then I figure that for every person who has a whinge, and a lot of them were trivial, there are probably hundreds who were happy and don't bother to tell the world.

Anyway, I ordered some specs from them for computer use, $88.86 delivered to my door. The price included Anti-reflective coating (+$30.00 locally), free case and cleaning cloth, free anti scratch coating and free UV protection. WOW !! Good looking glasses too, and they work just fine.

As a matter of fact I was so pleased with them that I decided to get a spare pair of bifocals as a back-up, and to use in the car with Sunshade clip-ons as the photochromic lens only darken in direct sunlight.

I picked a nice looking pair of Titanium frames, super lightweight and hypoallergenic, and placed my order. Now this lot, bought locally, would have cost me between $500.00 and $600.00. The total cost, including Super Hydrophobic (water resistant) easy to clean anti-reflective coating and a Gradient Clip-On Sunshade, plus all the same freebies as the 'puter specs, cost me a grand total of $155.30.

Are they any good ? Well I think they look great, and are so light I hardly know I'm wearing them. In fact they are now my daily use pair, and the $300.00 jobbies , with sunshade attached, now live in the car.

I was very reluctant to trust my eyecare to an unseen Chinese practitioner, but in all truth I can't speak highly enough of their service and product.

Just thought I'd share a positive off-shore buying experience, and I really do try hard to support local businesses, but sheesh, with their pricing they make it very hard.