Glasses for less than $50, Glassy Eyes: The Daily Deal for December 4, 2007

Optometrists are (if you want my opinion) one of the Nation's Greatest Rackets. Right up there with dentists. Why should consumers be forced to get a new prescription every two years? Sure, it might be good for your eyes, but chances are you'd be better off using an old prescription than using an assortment of fine duct tape to keep your old pair together, or going broke getting a new one.

In this day of internet commerce, shouldn't things be better? Shouldn't we just be able to plug our numbers (whether we've been to the optometrist recently or no) into the computer and get a good deal and see all at once? In my family, with a clumsy mama (me) and a nearly-blind daddy (my husband), it's kind of mandatory.

Glassy Eyes can get you there. The site has deals with a number of major eyeglasses sites where you can find a pair of prescription frames and lenses for between $25 and $100, including shipping. I picked out a great pair of funky glasses for a total of $40.05 from 39dollarglasses.com. Matt Haughey of 43 Folders recently bought several new pairs for the price of one fashionable set of frames from an optometrist, and wrote up a detailed review of his experience.