Eye glasses prices in BA

[Sockhopper]

I should be going to a BA optician! I'm being quoted 6.25 times more by opticians in France for replacement multi-focal lenses (bifocal lenses without that visible line across them) than jantango's $AR 2300 quote for bifocal lenses in BA. I have to wear multifocals. There not just an option for my eyes.

BA's prices for modestly priced restaurant meals there now cost almost the same or the same as what they cost in France. Same thing goes for shoes. But lenses are obviously still a bargain comparatively!

 

[syngirl]

That's good advice.

I knew that I'd need a new prescription for eyeglasses at my exam this year, so I had time to consider whether or not I wanted to wear bifocals. Once I had a exam at the hospital under Coberatura Portena de Salud, the doctor suggested a visit to the optica in front of the hospital. I went with four pairs of glasses for options. I asked about using an expensive pair of frames from Italy that I've had for 20 years and add bifocal lenses; I was quoted 2,300 pesos. Changing another pair of frames to long distance lenses was 1,700. I wanted to change the lenses in a folding pair of reading glasses, but the woman said it couldn't be done. I wanted to shop around. Did she quote me "foreigner" prices?

I've used two opticas on San Juan near the eye hospital Santa Lucia. I decided to try a new optica and get an estimate. The man answered my questions. He also said that he could replace the lenses in my folding pair of reading glasses for 400 pesos. Bifocals in my Italian lenses would be only 800 pesos if I wanted them. The lenses were changed in one day in my folding pair.

Instituto Optico Rensin
Av. San Juan 2025 (San Cristobal) near Hospital Santa Lucia

What kind of prescription do you use? (keeping in mind that making a -3 or -5 is a much different question than my -10 and -11.5. For mine I had a frame from Canada and got the lenses made at Foucault, an optician that specialises in complex vision issues -- ie for those of us that can`t walk into a LensCrafters type store and expect to be able to find something adequate)

http://www.foucaultacerbi.com.ar/

 

[landrew]

Has anyone had any recent experience with replacement lenses for eyeglass frames that were obtained elsewhere? I had some replaced in Panama for about $60 a couple years ago, but that seems highly unlikely here in 2026 based on these old posts! Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[Silvie]

Lenses only? I just had my bifocal lenses replaced for ARS 56.000 at Galeria del Optico

 

[FlowerPot]

Has anyone purchase contact lenses here? Preferably the Acuvue ones?

 

[FrankPintor]

Lenses only? I just had my bifocal lenses replaced for ARS 56.000 at Galeria del Optico

Would they do the eye test as well?

 

[Silvie]

Would they do the eye test as well?

No, you either bring your own prescription from a local oftalmologist or they might duplicate your present eyeglass lenses

 

[on the brink]

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[on the brink]

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Varilux mutifocal lenses cost exactly the same here as in the States. Around U$S 200, and worth every penny

 

[Silvie]

Varilux mutifocal lenses cost exactly the same here as in the States. Around U$S 200, and worth every penny

About 10 days ago I was given a quotation for Varilux and it was over ARS 600.000, probably more like in the 600.000-800.000 range, but I don’t have the note I made about it with me now