Consumer in W.Mass looking for optician to help w/ mild distance Rx in heavy wrap.

[Steve Machol]

And we in the optical business have done this for years, take the gamble. Take the gamble that we can please the patient. Then when we attempt to and they turn out to be a hypochondriac and we make over lenses several times trying to appease them it eats into our bottom line much less any kind of profit. It cost time to spend with the patient then turn on the power equipment wear and tear on machines pay someone or someone's to attempt to produce something that the consumer may or may not like. We then have several pair of lenses with a Rx made ONLY for that one patient and no one else can use them. And then people wonder why the cost of eyeglasses are so much.
Some patients expect ALL there money back knowing that it has cost us time and money to try to appease them. Some understand only getting back part of it after we have deducted our expenses for trying to help them.
With all the new equipment that has come out to make glasses with the expense of that equipment has been passed on to us in the business who in turn have to pass it on to the consumer. Trust me there is NOT a big mark up in lenses. It is shameful how little is made on the lenses. We have to turn a LOT of lenses to pay for millions of dollars of equipment and inventory.

Well said.

[dingbat]

And we in the optical business have done this for years, take the gamble. Take the gamble that we can please the patient. Then when we attempt to and they turn out to be a hypochondriac and we make over lenses several times trying to appease them it eats into our bottom line much less any kind of profit. It cost time to spend with the patient then turn on the power equipment wear and tear on machines pay someone or someone's to attempt to produce something that the consumer may or may not like. We then have several pair of lenses with a Rx made ONLY for that one patient and no one else can use them. And then people wonder why the cost of eyeglasses are so much.
Some patients expect ALL there money back knowing that it has cost us time and money to try to appease them. Some understand only getting back part of it after we have deducted our expenses for trying to help them.
With all the new equipment that has come out to make glasses with the expense of that equipment has been passed on to us in the business who in turn have to pass it on to the consumer. Trust me there is NOT a big mark up in lenses. It is shameful how little is made on the lenses. We have to turn a LOT of lenses to pay for millions of dollars of equipment and inventory.

I can totally sympathize with you. You know what it's like to build $45,000 worth of cabinetry all faced in continuous grain with flitches from a single, extraordinarily unique tree that can not be replaced and you don't own? I do. (Don't worry, the job came out well)

I've got no problem taking a gamble, but right now, I can't even find someone who can truly tell me what the gamble is from their own experiences as an optician. I'm not looking for the answer to that question here. What I'm looking for is:

"an optician within striking distance of Western Massachusetts to help me get my prescription in something like a Native Dash XP and/or Ray Ban Olympic. Not looking for online help, but to come in and do business with someone who can do heavy wrap properly." Notice the word "like". I'm not married to either of these, just after similar function.

SharonB offered some suggestions, one of whom I contacted today. (Thank you SharonB)