Nikon Eyeglass Lenses

E

eliev

Member
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Nov 28, 2012
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It's time to get new eyeglasses and my local optician carries Nikon lenses. Are they worth the extra cost? I live in France, where the cost of glasses is one of the highest in Europe, mostly because of the health insurance situation.
 
eliev said:
It's time to get new eyeglasses and my local optician carries Nikon lenses. Are they worth the extra cost? I live in France, where the cost of glasses is one of the highest in Europe, mostly because of the health insurance situation.
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How does that follow? I agree they're very expensive, and I've long wondered why, but what aspect of 'the health insurance situation' causes the high price? Not being funny: just asking because, as I say, I've long wondered.

As for the Nikon lenses, it's hard to see why they should cost more either.

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger Hicks said:
How does that follow? I agree they're very expensive, and I've long wondered why, but what aspect of 'the health insurance situation' causes the high price? Not being funny: just asking because, as I say, I've long wondered.

As for the Nikon lenses, it's hard to see why they should cost more either.

Cheers,

R.
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Typically, public and private health insurance will cover the cost of glasses, so opticians take advantage of this and charge a fortune for frames and lenses. Often an optician will ask a client how much their private health care will reimburse, and adjust the price accordingly. I have student health care so I have to pay practically full price.

For example, a pair of Wayfarer sunglasses costs about 120 euros. When sold as prescription eyeglass frames, they can cost up to 200 euros. Many customers do not care how much they pay because they will be reimbursed anyway. Opticians charge as much as possible to make a higher profit. Everyone just takes advantage of the system. Of course, not all opticians are dishonest.
 
eliev said:
Typically, public and private health insurance will cover the cost of glasses, so opticians take advantage of this and charge a fortune for frames and lenses.
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Sure? In Germany, glasses are not covered by the health insurance (any more). Nonetheless the prices hereabouts are so high that people close to the French border go to buy there glasses there. Arguably eyeglass prices are lower in every bordering country (except perhaps for Switzerland and Lichtenstein) and France is among the higher priced German neighbours, but the pattern does not seem related to the presence and effect of public health insurance. I suspect the local systems of trade privileges to be a far more relevant factor - laws and regulations in both France and Germany grant traditional middle-class trades (like opticians or pharmacists) an unusual (by EU standards - the Swiss share the French/German customs and are correspondingly expensive) degree of protection against being undercut by competition.
 
sevo said:
Sure? In Germany, glasses are not covered by the health insurance (any more). Nonetheless the prices hereabouts are so high that people close to the French border go to buy there glasses there. Arguably eyeglass prices are lower in every bordering country (except perhaps for Switzerland and Lichtenstein) and France is among the higher priced German neighbours, but the pattern does not seem related to the presence and effect of public health insurance. I suspect the local systems of trade privileges to be a far more relevant factor - laws and regulations in both France and Germany grant traditional middle-class trades (like opticians or pharmacists) an unusual (by EU standards - the Swiss share the French/German customs and are correspondingly expensive) degree of protection against being undercut by competition.
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It's true that there are now a number of inexpensive eyeglass chains here in France because people have become aware of the enormous profit margins opticians make.

To clarify, I am speaking of private health insurance, not public. Public health insurances pays about 2 euros per lens in my case.
 
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