3DPrinting

I order my lenses from my local optician. They're not cheap - I pay $75 for single vision lenses and $600 for my progressives. But I have strict requirements for the material the lenses are made of (Trivex) and the el-cheapo Chinese suppliers don't really tell you what material they use (usually CR-39) or they simply disregard what you tell them.

Also, I want the lenses edged with a precise kind of bevel and fitting the frame template I supply, and frankly the only company I really trust to do my lenses well is Hoya. They've always done a perfect job of all my lenses. Unfortunately, I can't order direct from Hoya. So I go through my optician and tell them what to tell Hoya essentially.

But the point is this: however much my lenses cost me, when I need new glasses, I can simply print new frames. The lenses are a one-off purchase: if I break my frames, I'm my own man: I print new frames in minutes and it's like the accident never happened. I only replace the lenses when my vision changes, which isn't that often.

Simply not having to have new lenses made each time you have an accident with your glasses makes 3D-printing the frames worthwhile, even if you splurge on the lenses.