Last Tuesday, I was sitting in a busy café, struggling to read a menu just slightly out of reach. A friendly woman leaned over and remarked, “Wow, those frames are stunning! Where did you find them?”
I smiled and adjusted the beautiful, deep brown Cinily Shop frames—the 46890 Retro Round Acetate style. They truly capture the perfect vintage aesthetic: thick, dark acetate, detailed rivets, and a classic 44mm round lens size. They feel sturdy and premium. I shared the name of the online retailer I used, and she eagerly jotted it down.
But as she walked away, I couldn’t help but sigh. If these frames could talk, they’d tell a story not of incredible savings, but of blurry vision, endless returns, and a hard-learned lesson about the gap between affordable frames and quality prescription lenses.
I needed new glasses urgently. My old pair had snapped in a clumsy fall, and the idea of shelling out $500 or $600 at a mall optical store made my wallet cringe. I began searching online for ways to get quick prescription glasses.
The offer seemed too good to pass up. I discovered these incredible frames—the ones everyone admires—for a fraction of the usual price. I uploaded my current prescription, verified the details, and clicked “order.” I thought I’d cracked the code: stylish frames, a low price, and fast delivery.
The excitement was genuine. When they arrived, the frames looked gorgeous and fit perfectly. Then I put them on.
Verdict: High street prices sting, but rushing the process for extremely low-cost glasses often leads to costly mistakes down the line. Never compromise on your vision.
The vision was off. Everything looked fuzzy. I’m no expert, but I know what clear sight should feel like. These lenses seemed weak, almost as if there was no prescription in them at all. This wasn’t a slight adjustment issue; they were completely unusable.
I reached out to customer service. They were apologetic, which was appreciated. They offered, “We can send you a new pair, or we can give you 110% store credit for the inconvenience.” That sounded promising. Extra money to spend! I needed quick prescription glasses, and getting another attempt with a bonus seemed reasonable. I accepted the credit.
This is where the trap closes. Store credit might sound like a perk, but it forfeits your right to a cash refund later. If they make another mistake—and they did—you’re stuck.
Action Step: If your first pair has an incorrect prescription, insist on a cash refund right away. Do not accept store credit, no matter how appealing the offer seems. You need to keep your options open.
A week later, the second pair arrived. I used the 110% credit plus a bit more cash for what was advertised as a lens material “upgrade.” I hoped this would resolve the blurriness.
It didn’t. Still blurry. Still unusable. I called back, frustrated, and explained that two consecutive pairs had the wrong prescription. I asked for my money back.
That’s when they informed me of their policy: “Store credit is non-refundable.” Since I’d used credit for the second pair, I was locked in. I could return it for more store credit or an exchange, but I couldn’t recover my original payment.
I tried one more time. I returned the second pair and ordered a third, feeling desperate. I paid additional money because the price had increased. After another two-week wait, the third pair arrived—and, unsurprisingly, it was also blurry. By then, I was hundreds of dollars in, still without functional glasses, and nearing the end of their return window.