My son is extremely nearsighted and has a very high prescription strength for his glasses. We are in the Rotterdam area, and have been here one year. After his most recent eye exam, we went to Pearle to see about new glasses. We were hoping to buy two pair so he has a spare in case of breakage. The cheapest price would be about $360 after the euro to dollar exchange, and if we went with the thinnest lenses, it's over $500 for two pair. We're used to paying between $125 and $150 per pair in the US. Are there any optical stores on bases in Germany? We are about a 3 hour drive from Spangdahlem, and about 4 hours from Ramstein. We're thinking that a road trip might be worth it if it would save us substantial money as my daughter, myself, and my husband will also be needing glasses soon.
I want to thank everyone for their responses. We were able to contact a few shops with my son's prescription to compare prices, and it looks like we'll be taking a road trip to Ramstein sometime in August to get glasses for all of us. What a great resource this is!
Hi M.
I highly recommend this website http://zennioptical.com/cart/home.php I have bought several pairs of glasses from this website (the $8.00 ones) and have been impressed by far!! The price includes the frames and the lenses!! Seriously!! My friend also buys her glasses from zenni optical as well. There are childrens frames too.
Good luck!!
yup their is one on Volewgah(probley not spelled right) I don't know the prices. It is above the Power Zone. It is in the find it guide. If you don't have one here is the website finditguide.com you can also get one at the USO.
I would recommend trying the Internet for inexpensive glasses. There is an article about buying glasses online at http://www.43folders.com/2007/11/29/adventures-40-eyeglasses
Best wishes.
My daughter also has a very high prescription but hers is for far sightedness.....Go to the optical shop in Grafenwoehr....I spent $200.00 thats it. The only thing these glasses did not include was transition lenses......Go to Graf! I live in Bamberg and find the drive well worth it. Although I am probably closer.....take your whole families prescriptions there and talk to Wolfgang....very nice guy and well worth the price!
Hello M., My name is N., & we live in Mannheim Germany on the base & all 4 of the people in my family (myself, hubby, son & daughter) wear glasses. I also wear contacts, I just switch when I back to the glasses when my eyes are tired of the contacts.
As a general rule, most of the Army bases do in fact have eye glass centers/Doctors offices on them. It's where we go. They are also reasonably priced. My husband only paid $38 for his glasses. But you would have to take into consideration that his are not that heavy of a script. The eye glass centers on the Army bases here in Germany are all very reasonably priced as they like to stay a bit below the competition.
I hope this information helps you out. Good luck in your search.
N.
don't forget that if you are active duty, you qualify for MAC flights. It might be best to wait until you visit family back home to get glasses for all of you. That is also a good time to have dental checks (if that is not available where you are).
Geilenkirchen (close to Schinnen) used to have tanker flights that were considered mac flights. that was several years ago, but worth investigating
Hi M.,
My name is Kim and I am stationed in Mannheim, Germany with my family. I just wanted to let you know that there is an optical store over here in Mannheim, at Coleman Barracks. Here is the info to it, if you would like to call and check prices or anything... :)
COLEMAN VISION CENTER Coleman Bks, Bldg. 23
Tu-F 1000-1800, Sa 0900-1700
###-###-####
0621-###-###-####
###-###-#### (Optometry)
0621-###-###-#### (Optometry)
We are about 45 min from Ramstein. If you have any other questions about this vision center, let me know and I will see if I can help you out more. My email address is ____@____.com
Kim :)
We have one on Bitburg base...it's a twenty minute drive from spangdahlem. I'm not sure if they are priced in euro or dollars or even how pricey though.
Hi there,
There is a an Optical shop on both Ramstein and Vogelweh. Not sure what there prices would be for what you are looking for. Maybe you can give them a call and ask the the prices. Their numbers are
Ramstein Optical Shop- Mon-Sat 1000-1900/ Sun - Closed - 06371-462724
Vogelweh Optical Shop 0631-###-###-#### Mon-Fri 0900-1800/ Sat 0900-1600/ Sun Closed
Vogelweh Optometry Clinic 0631-98780/
DSN: ###-###-#### Mon-Fri 0830-1730/ Sat & Sun Closed
Sure hope that this helps you and that you find them at a cheaper price.
H. C
Hi, How are you? Good question. I purchased my daughter's eye glasses at Fielmanns - it's sort of an eyeglass chain here in Germany. They are located most everywhere. If you obtain a tax relief form from the VAT offices located at Ramstein, Spangdahlem or Kaiserslautern, then you can also save 19% too. Good luck! Just go to the website www.fielmann.de - they are located everywhere in Germany. There is one in Kaiserslautern and located at Fackelstraße 19-21. They speak English at the shop and have a two for one special going on right now. K-town has great shopping at Vogelweh and Ramstein BXs since it's Air Force and the Japanese Gardens in K-town are a must see. Take care!
I'm not sure how far from Heidelberg you are, but we have a great optical shop here by the PX. I got my daughter's glasses there. We got a nicer pair and they were still affordable and the girl that works there is nice. Plus Heidelberg is a beautiful city to visit and you can probably get a room at the Army lodging on Patrick Henry Village.
No eye glass store on the Illesheim base here.
I have only been to two post so far in the three years here however my daughter and I also were glasses and we got ours in Mianz on that little post. Then we moved to Baumholder and they also have a optical shop on post here. I think that most large post areas have an optical shop in there area that is on post. I would call the post information number to the closest post to you or look in your local phone book they are usualy listed in the back add information spot. I hope this helps you I know how it is my daughter goes through at least two pair a year. Oh also check with the post school about the program that helps you pay for a pair of glasses for your child. It really helps with paying for them. Good luck.
Hello M.,
I don't know about Spangdahlem, but there is a store on Ramstein and a store and doctor's office, on Vogelweh (about 10 minutes from Ramstein).
I hope this helps. :)
C.
Have you checked online I brought my glasses as well as my daughters glasses offline. I let her sit at the computer with me as well as pick them out. it was 39 dollar glasses it worked out good for me. just a thought.
There is an eye glass shop at Mainz-Kastel Station - part of the Wiesbaden community in Germany. They seem to have a good selection of frames. Alot of people travel here from the Netherlands for their glasses. Hope this helps.
I recommend that you go to the post in Vogelweh. Depending on your childs prescription and circumstances, they can have your glasses ready in an hour. I had my daughters glasses done there three weeks ago. I hope this helps.
You can purchase glasses in Stuttgart on Panzer. There is a shop at the BX. My husband bought a nice pair there. I just Googled and that is too far to drive unless you have other business here.
I believe the Ramstein area will have what you need since there are 50,000 Americans in that area. You will just have to figre out where the optical shop is located (Air Force or Army Installation).
