How to repair designer sunglasses?

July 2, 2009 5:01 AM

I've cracked the lens on a pair of designer sunglasses. Where and how do I get them fixed?

The sunglasses are made by Mosley Tribes but the manufacturer's website does not provide any repair info. The lenses are not prescription. Will any optician/sunglass store be able to put in a new lens (or maybe, put in two new matching lenses)? If lens replacement is simple and I'm asking for new lenses, is there any particular kind of lens/coating I should be asking for? Thanks

posted by pines to clothing, beauty, & fashion (7 comments total)

You can even order them off the internet in a choice of colors and materials here. What you want are called plano lenses; they provide no visual correction. Also you want to replace both lenses at once to ensure that both lenses are the exact same color; I had some prescription sunglasses once that the crappy cheap eyeglass place made for me and broke one of the original lenses. They tried to match it themselves but couldn't quite duplicate the original color. The effect was like looking through 3-D movie glasses and was quite unnerving.
posted by TedW at 5:23 AM on July 2

I meant to add that most (all?) opticians and eyeglass stores that sell prescription glasses can also do this.
posted by TedW at 5:27 AM on July 2

It might be easiest/cheapest/best to have the manufacturer do this. I'd call or email them.
posted by asuprenant at 6:51 AM on July 2

Global Eyeglasses will relens any frame for about $10. I think the cheap tinted lenses are $11.99.

As TedW says, just leave the prescription set to "plano;" on the next page you can confirm that you want plano lenses and pick tinted lenses.

Use the coupon code "glassyeyes" to save 10%, which should cover shipping.

I am sorry I come into every glasses thread to pimp out Global Eyeglasses but I've done my research on getting frames relensed and I've yet to find anything that even approaches their prices (the other options are generally $39.00-$100).

Note: they're not very good at relensing sunglass frames that have a lot of curvature to them (those big rounded bug-eyes ones, or wrap-arounds) but yours should be fine.
posted by Juliet Banana at 7:14 AM on July 2

You may want to go into an optical shop before you order online and just ask them how much it would cost to replace the lense and get an anti-reflective coating* . If it's way out of your price range you could use the internet as a back up option.



*Anti-reflective coating keeps the glare down when you look through them, which in my opinion is a must have for sun glasses. The cheap online lenses will probably not have that, but YMMV.
posted by Kimberly at 9:35 AM on July 2

*Anti-reflective coating keeps the glare down when you look through them, which in my opinion is a must have for sun glasses.

I'm fairly sure you mean "polarized lenses" keep glare down. Anti-reflective coatings on eyeglasses allow the wearer's eyes to be seen better by other people. This makes a big difference in how easy it is for others to interact with you, eyes being a big part of communication.

And, to add to others, any optical store can help you out.
posted by qwip at 11:01 AM on July 2

Thanks all. As I was travelling when I broke the sunglasses (on holidays, ya know), I didn't get a chance to look at the responses until now, but appreciate the pointers.
posted by pines at 11:49 AM on July 5