Last Updated on July 9, 2023
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Dollar Tree is the home of inexpensive party supplies, affordable seasonal décor, cheap children’s toys, and lots of sugary and salty snacks. It’s not the first store you think of when you need health or personal care items (although they do carry a few), and it’s certainly not the first place I think of for buying reading glasses.
However, not long ago, my mom’s reading glasses broke while she was visiting my home. She ran out to a nearby drugstore to pick up a new pair but didn’t like the high prices she found. My mother-in law recommended she try Dollar Tree, of all places, and my mom ended up buying two pairs of reading glasses at Dollar Tree.
Dollar Tree reading glasses cost $1.25, just like everything else in the store. That means you can buy several pairs if you can’t decide which frame you like best, and you can keep spares around in case one pair breaks. You’re not going to find cheaper readers anywhere else. You can buy multi-packs of reading glasses on Amazon starting around $2 to $3 per pair. That’s a good deal, but Dollar Tree still has the lowest price.
Just a few of the reading glasses options at Dollar Tree.
You may be wondering if dollar store reading glasses are safe to use and whether they’re as good as pricier frames. Reading glasses are fairly simple and basically function as magnifiers, making them easier to buy off-the-shelf compared to traditional glasses, although you should still get regular eye exams to rule out other vision problems. The AARP indicates that it’s fine — and safe — to buy over-the-counter reading glasses from drugstores or dollar stores unless you need a special prescription because you have astigmatism or if you need a different strength of prescription for each eye. One blogger indicates that they’ve had no problems with dollar store glasses other than potentially needing to replace them sooner because the frames aren’t quite as durable.
More reading glasses at Dollar Tree.
Once you need readers due to age-related presbyopia, you may need to increase the strength of your reading glasses every few years. (Another reason why dollar store reading glasses can be a good bargain.) If you aren’t sure what strength you need, the AARP recommends picking up a card from the greeting card aisle and trying on a few pairs of glasses until you find a strength that allows you to comfortably read. If you’re having trouble choosing between two powers, opt for the lower power to reduce eye strain.
Dollar Tree reading glasses are distributed by Greenbrier International, Inc., which is the company behind the Dollar Tree private label products.
These reading glasses come in several different frame designs and colors, and they’re available in several different powers or magnification levels.
Eye chart next to the reading glasses at Dollar Tree, to help you select your correct strength if you don’t already know it. (Click to enlarge.)
At our local store, we spotted plastic frames as well as metal frames with soft nose pads. Power levels ranged from +1 to +3.25. The particular pair we looked at for review purposes had a magnification of +2.50. The glasses were made in China.
Fine print on the frame’s interior. It lists pupillary distance as 62 +/- 2 mm, with a magnification of +2.50.
My mom reported these worked as well as any other readers she’s used. They’re lightweight and don’t necessarily feel the sturdiest, but they do the job. We’ve had experience with other inexpensive glasses (purchased through the online glasses retailer Zenni) that felt more fragile than glasses purchased at a traditional optical shop, but they held up surprisingly well, so you never know.
For now, these Dollar Tree reading glasses do exactly what they need to do, and at a fraction of the cost you’d pay at other stores. The only thing that remains to be seen is how well they perform over time. I’ll update this post with any relevant new developments.
The Verdict:
Dollar Tree reading glasses cost only $1.25 (like everything at Dollar Tree) and work as well as more expensive reading glasses. They come in several frame designs and varying powers or magnification levels. If you need reading glasses, don’t rule out Dollar Tree. Their low prices mean it’s easy to buy several pairs so you always have a spare or two.
