(Toledo News Now) - If you wear eyeglasses, you know that awful feeling if you scratch, snap, or otherwise break them because it can mean spending hundreds of dollars on a new pair.
The average pair of eyeglasses is now more than $200 at the mall. Want designer frames? Just the frame alone can cost $300 or more, but before you toss those old broken frames, we want to show you a cheaper solution, and it doesn't involve tape.
Gary Burton cringes every time he breaks a pair of his glasses.
"I have several pairs, and am always in need of glass repair," says Burton.
Now instead of buying new, he has his broken frames fixed, saving hundreds of dollars.
"Most people will throw them away if they don't know we're here," says Mark Greene from Eyeglass Repair Company.
Greene saves eyeglasses that most people think are trashed beyond repair.
"Well this frame, I'm getting ready to solder the temple piece on. It's broken," says Greene.
Armed with a miniature solder gun and laser welder, he can put snapped metal frames back together, or melt new hinges into plastic frames.
Greene's wife Chris works up front. Her goal is to salvage expensive frames at a fraction of the cost of buying new.
"You are talking at least several hundred dollars in glasses and lenses, so we can repair their frame for $20 to $40. That's a huge savings," says Chris Greene.
Sure, you can now order new eyeglasses online for under $100 but if you have a comfortable pair, or some vintage cats eye glasses you don't want to part with, repair may be a great money saving solution.
If you'd prefer to keep the favorite pair you have, Google for repair shops near you so you don't waste your money.
