See savings with glasses from Web

So there I was at the optician, about to hand over my debit card for a new pair of eyeglasses, when my palms started to sweat.

The total, with tax, had crept above $200. In the past, I had turned down the scratch-resistant and anti-reflective coatings — cynically assuming they were just upsells — and ended up with a gouge in my lens and migraines from glare. So this time I bit the bullet and decided to pay a little extra for both.

It’s not like I went crazy buying designer frames. I didn’t even like the pair I’d picked. I had tried on three cheap pairs, snapped photos, texted them to my friends and let them pick the winner. The frames weren’t dipped in gold or studded in diamonds. Still, my eyes were costing me an arm and a leg.

For my last pair of glasses, I had searched every optical store trying to find the best-looking frame and the best value. (You don’t have to buy your glasses from the same place you get your eye exam, even though the store staff sometimes implies that you do.) It took days, yet I ended up back at the first place I tried, and the pair I got wasn’t exactly a steal.

So this time, just as I was about to hand over my card, I snatched it back in a panic and said I was having second thoughts. I felt like an idiot. But whatever.

I went home and dove into the online eyeglass retailers I had read so much about. I ended up at ZenniOptical.com.

Whoa. Complete sets of eyeglasses there start at $6.95! For what I had been about to pay at the optician, I could buy glasses for everyone on my block.

I picked out a middle-of-the-road pair, with sturdy polycarbonate lenses, anti-reflective and anti-scratch coatings and ultraviolet protection. I even splurged on clip-on sunshades.

The grand total with shipping? $24.95! At that price, it was easy to take the plunge on the trendy, Al Franken-type tortoise shells I wasn’t sure I could pull off. (You can see a photo of me trying to look smart in them).

The doc will usually hand you your prescription after your eye exam, or you can ask for it before you leave. I’ve never had a problem having it faxed, either.

The folks at the optician’s office wouldn’t tell me my pupillary distance (the distance between the centers of the pupils), so I had to measure it myself. The Web site gives instructions.

A few days later I got a bubblewrap envelope in the mailbox with my glasses, eyeglass case and a microfiber cloth. I tried them on and could see perfectly. I love them!

For those of you who aren’t Web savvy, it’s worth finding a trusted friend or family member who can help you order online. There are a bunch of sites to choose from. And even if you just want an extra pair for around the house, you can get a complete set for the price of a fast-food value meal.