I Went to Los Algodones of Mexico to Get Dental Treatmentthat and a Pair of Prescription Sunglasses that Cost Me $180

I Got a Pair of Prescription Sunglasses in Los Algodones Mexico that Cost Me $180

zenni optical glasses

One day, my molar hurts. Usually, I take ibuprofen tablets for several days and it will go away. This time it didn’t go away. I called my dentist. They scheduled my appointment two weeks later. The day I saw my dentist. After a long wait, he did digital X-Rays for me. He said my molar had got infection, and I need to take antibiotic medicine then come back for treatment in next appointment. I went to front desk to get my treatment plan and estimated cost. The receptionist estimated cost on first plan almost $5000. I did not know if they would come up second treatment plan, if so, it would cost total $10,000. That was scary.  Our insurance only covers comprehensive oral evaluation and Intraoral-Complete Series of Radiographic Images. The small portion of the whole cost. My husband used to have a very good dental insurance from his work that cover both of us until he retired. That is a lot of money out of our pocket.

One of my friends told me that he went to Los Algodones of Mexico to get his teeth done, and cost much less than US. I decided to visit Los Algodones to explore dentistry clinic over there. From my home to that Mexico town is about 3 hour and 20 minutes driving non nonstop. We left home at 7:30 and arrived parking lot of US side almost 11:00 am. We paid a $6 for our parking and then walked enter Mexico. There is a border soldier stand behind of a table on one side of entry. He asked each lady with bag to open their bags and inspect them, like a security check at Disneyland. Most men don't carry bags; only women do. If you don't have a bag, you just walk through the entry like my husband did. When you enter Mexico, no one checks your passport.

We walked along the street from border to the end of street only took 10 minutes. Almost all dental clinics, pharmacies and optical shops are concentrated near the border. Every step you walked, there was someone recommend you their dental, pharmacy, or glasses. We were not prepared to go to the dentist. We are just here to visit and inspect. 

When we walked by a optical shop, I decided to go in because someon on YouTube said the glasses in Los Algodones is cheap. The glasses frames displayed in the shop are very fashionable, and I can tell they are all came from China. I picked up a pair of nice big sunglasses and looked in the mirror. I loved it. It fit my face perfectly. I asked the shop owner if he could make sunglasses for myopia. He said no, then pointed to the other side and said those were OK. I looked at the frames for myopia on the other side, and I didn't really like them. I saw on Taobao, a Chinese retail platform, that large sunglasses can be made for nearsighted sunglasses. Therefor, my other purpose in coming to Mexico was to get a prescription for glasses, so I can use the prescription to get the glasses I want in China. Optometry costs $20 in this store of Los Algodones. If you need a pair of glasses, there is no charge for the optometry. I can pay $20 out of pocket for my optometry prescription at an American hospital, but it takes a long time to get an appointment in the United States, and my insurance doesn’t fully cover my glasses. My last prescription sunglasses I bought in Costco was over $500 (from my pocket was $220) has broken. The summer sun was too dazzling on that day. After I check my eyes, I decided buy a myopia sunglasses. For progressive sunglasses, they want $250. It was more expensive than what I pay out of pocket at Costco. If no pogressive is $180, I chose no pogressive.Overall, glasses are not much cheaper in Mexico than in the United States. It’s just that the frames are more stylish  and the selection is wider than those in the United States. Because the glasses frames they import are closer to the styles in China. 

Glasses frames in U.S are so ugly and not fit my Asian face either. All the glasses I got from costco optical or Sam's optical are all easy to get drity by my eyelashes because it alsway fall off, and I have to push closs to my face. The online prescription glasses store like zenni optical is owned by a Chinese in U.S. Their frams are made by factory in China. It's very cheap, unfashionable, and very ugly. I really don't like. The important, once you place your order, it goes straight to the factory where all the frames and lenses are made in China. Why I don't go directly to China's TaoBao to make prescription galsses? 

After I backed home from Los Algodones, I ordered 3 pair of glasses from 2 differnet sellers on TaoBao. Progressive glasses $55.63; myopia sunflasses $26.23 (it's double lens);  pure myopia glasses $74.53. This last one I choose a Chinse brand lens. All have glass boxes and one artificial leather bag for sunglass. Total shiping fee was: $19.52 (Weigh: 0.9kg). Below prescription glasses prices including lens.) 

$26.23: 

$55.63:

$74.53 (Fram and lens are separate to chose)

These two prescription glasses and sunglasses I helped order for my frends, and she lover them so much: This purple frame glasses is from same seller above that need choose fram and lens separately because they have multi brands you can choose. Price from low to high. 

$58.63:

$21.83:

These prescription glasses total cost: $80.63. shipping fee: $10.43 Total: $91.06

All these glasses shipped to California total 3- 4 days delivered. Ship to other states will be 7 days with USPS tracking number. 

I'm a Chinese American. When I visit China, I opened a TaoBao account and alipay account. It allows me order chaep and fasionable items on Chinese market platform like TaoBao or wholesale platfrom 1688 from United States. 

If you want prescription glasses, I can be your purchased agent and order for you from Chinese taobao. You need to provide your vision prescription with PD (pupil distance).

Viste my Upwork page to hire me at $20 per hour: https://www.upwork.com/freelancer