Two Pairs of Glasses in Edmonton: What a Second Pair Costs
Two Pairs of Glasses in Edmonton: What a Second Pair Costs
At Charm Optical in Edmonton, a second pair of single-vision glasses adds CAD $60 — one complete pair is $99, two complete pairs are $159. A second progressive pair adds $150: $350 for one, $500 for two. The second pair earns that money when it does a different job.
That is the whole decision. Two pairs of the same glasses is a spare. Two pairs doing two different jobs is a second tool, and it is the second one people actually keep wearing.
Below: what the step really costs, a board that shows you how many hours a week a second pair would be on your face, and the four questions worth asking about any package price before you say yes.
What does a second pair of glasses cost in Edmonton?
Here are our own package prices, and the number that actually matters: the step from one pair to two. All figures are CAD and current as of August 2026.
| How you buy it | One complete pair | Two complete pairs | The second pair adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single vision | $99 | $159 | $60 |
| Progressive | $350 | $500 | $150 |
| Single vision, bought one at a time | $99 | $198 | $99 |
| Progressive, bought one at a time | $350 | $700 | $350 |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column
The bottom two rows are the same pairs bought one at a time at our own prices, which is the only comparison we can make honestly: $198 rather than $159, $700 rather than $500. What a complete pair costs anywhere else depends entirely on the frame, the lens design and the coatings on it — we walk through those pieces one at a time in our breakdown of what prescription glasses cost, so this post does not repeat them.
What the package covers is a frame from our own selection with the prescription lenses and the scratch-resistant coating included; our deals page lists the brands in it. High-index lenses for a strong prescription and add-on coatings such as anti-reflective, blue-light or photochromic are quoted on top of the package, against your actual prescription.
When is a second pair actually worth it?
Cost is the easy half. The harder question is whether you would wear it. So tick the jobs your week actually contains, and the board draws the hours a second pair would be on your face.
Would you actually wear it?
Tick every job that is true of your week. Each one draws the part of the day a dedicated pair would be doing the work.
Nothing ticked. One pair is doing every job — which is a perfectly good answer, and a less expensive one.
Time in the pair you would buy first
About 40 hours a week
Start with a computer pair set for your screen distance.
At the $60 single-vision step, that is about $0.03 for every hour you wear it over a year.
Hours are typical patterns, not a measurement — move them in your head to fit your own week. The dollar step is real: $159 − $99 on single vision, $500 − $350 on progressives, from our deals page.
A computer pair
This is the one people underrate. The Canadian Association of Optometrists describes digital eye strain as what happens when the focusing muscles hold a close target for hours. A pair set for the distance your monitor actually sits at removes that hold. If you wear progressive lenses, the gain is bigger again: a single-vision pair set for the screen ends the chin-lifting needed to find the intermediate corridor all day.
Prescription sunglasses
The Canadian Association of Optometrists advises choosing sunglasses that block 99 to 100 per cent of UV-A and UV-B, and wearing them year-round — which in Edmonton includes February, when the sun is low and the snow is bright. If you drive at either end of the day, this is the second pair with the most obvious payoff.
A work pair — with one honest caveat
A pair that lives in the toolbox saves the good pair. But a second everyday pair is not safety eyewear. In Canada, occupational eye protection is governed by CSA Z94.3, and certified prescription safety glasses are a different product built to a different standard. If your workplace requires eye protection, that pair has to come from a supplier of certified safety eyewear built to that standard — it is not something to buy as a second dress pair.
The one that is only insurance
A spare pair adds zero hours to your week — that is the point of it. It sits in the glovebox or a desk drawer and does nothing until the day a hinge lets go, and then it is worth every dollar. Just be honest that you are buying insurance, not vision.
Which second pair should you buy?
One table, five jobs, and the thing to say at the counter so the pair comes back right.
| If your week includes | The second pair should be | Tell us this |
|---|---|---|
| Six or more hours at a screen | Single vision, set for screen distance | How far your monitor sits from your eyes |
| Driving, or daylight outdoors | Prescription sunglasses, full UV block | Whether glare off snow or wet road is the problem |
| A shop, site or lab | Certified safety eyewear to CSA Z94.3, from a safety-eyewear supplier | Nothing — this one is not a second dress pair. Ask your employer which standard applies |
| Progressives plus a lot of reading | A single-vision pair at reading distance | Whether the strain is paper, tablet, or both |
| A child who breaks frames | A duplicate, in a sturdier frame | Where the last pair broke — hinge, bridge or temple |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column
The two pairs do not have to match, and usually should not. A frame you would wear to a meeting and a frame you would wear on a ladder are different frames.
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Pair one — every day
Ray-Ban
Acetate, rectangle, unisex fit. The pair that goes everywhere and gets sat on eventually.
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Pair two — the other job
Both are live listings at charmoptical.ca, August 2026, at their frame-only price — what the frame costs on its own, before lenses. The two-pair package works the other way round: $159 covers two frames from our own selection with the lenses and coating included, and our deals page lists the brands in it. Ask before you fall for a frame. Browse the rest of the glasses collection.
Four questions to ask about any package price
A two-pair price is only a good price if it covers the pair you actually want. These four questions get you there in about a minute, here or anywhere else.
Which lens design is in the price?
Single vision and progressives are separate packages with separate numbers — $99 and $159 for one, $350 and $500 for the other. A price quoted for one design tells you nothing about the other. If you want one of each, that is a quote, not a package.
What is added on top?
High-index lenses for a strong prescription, anti-reflective, blue-light filtering and photochromic coatings all price on top of a package. Ask which frames the package itself covers, and ask for the total against your own prescription rather than the headline. Our line-by-line cost breakdown shows what each add-on typically runs.
Where most surprises liveIs the second pair restricted?
Same person? Same prescription? Same frame range? The answers change what the offer is worth. On our two-pair single-vision package you can mix and match frames. For anything else — a different prescription, a different wearer — call and we will confirm your exact combination before you commit.
How does it appear on the receipt?
Benefit plans reimburse against itemised lines and dates, so a package price still has to break out what each pair was. Plans differ on the rest: some cap eyewear by a dollar maximum over a period, some by the number of pairs, and the reset interval varies. Not sure what yours does? Try our benefits quiz or call and we will read yours.
When one good pair beats two
We will say this plainly, because it is often the better answer.
- Your prescription is about to change. If your eyes have moved twice in three years, or a child is in a growth run, two pairs of a prescription that will not last is two pairs to redo.
- One job, done properly. If your day is one distance in one light, spend the second pair's money on the lens instead — thinner, better coated, better fitted.
- You would not carry it. A second pair only works if it lives somewhere: the desk, the truck, the bag. If it will end up in the same case as the first pair, it will not get worn.
The most expensive pair of glasses is the one that ends up in a drawer. A second pair only beats that if it has a job and a place to live.
How two pairs work at Charm Optical
Plainly stated, CAD, current as of August 2026. Confirm the latest on our deals page.
- Single vision, one complete pair: $99. Frame, single-vision prescription lenses, scratch-resistant coating.
- Single vision, two complete pairs: $159 — mix and match the frames.
- Progressive, one complete pair: $350. Premium progressive lenses with coating, fitted in store.
- Progressive, two complete pairs: $500, against a regular $700.
- Everything else quoted on your prescription. High-index, anti-reflective, blue-light and photochromic price on top of the package; the deals page lists which frame brands it covers.
Turnaround depends on the lens, and single vision is the quickest — see what can be done in a day on our same-day glasses page. If budget is the driving constraint, our lower-cost glasses page lists what is running now. Eye exams are by appointment.
Two pairs, one number
We will price the exact combination you want
Tell us what the second pair is for and we will quote both pairs against your prescription, add-ons included, before you commit to anything. We are at 5035 Ellerslie Road SW, Edmonton.
FAQ
How much does a second pair of glasses cost in Edmonton?
At Charm Optical in Edmonton, the second pair adds CAD $60 on single vision — one complete pair is $99 and two complete pairs are $159, as of August 2026. On progressives the second pair adds $150: one complete pair is $350 and two are $500, against a regular price of $700. Complete means the frame, the prescription lenses and a scratch-resistant coating together, with the frame coming from our own package selection. High-index lenses and add-on coatings are quoted on top, so call (780) 490-0090 with your prescription for an exact number.
What do you get for two pairs of glasses at $159?
Two complete single-vision pairs: a frame for each pair, single-vision prescription lenses in both, and a scratch-resistant coating on both. One complete pair on its own is $99, so the second pair adds $60, and you can mix and match the two frames. Progressive lenses are a separate package at $350 for one pair and $500 for two. High-index lenses and add-on coatings such as anti-reflective or blue-light filtering are quoted on top. All prices CAD, current as of August 2026.
Is a second pair of glasses worth it?
It is worth it when the second pair does a job the first pair cannot do well. The clearest cases are a dedicated computer pair set for screen distance, prescription sunglasses for driving and daylight, a work pair that stays at the job, a single-vision reading pair for someone who wears progressives, and a spare that lives in the car for the day the first pair breaks. If the second pair is an identical copy of the first, it is insurance rather than better vision — still useful, but do not expect it to change how you see.
Can the two pairs have different prescriptions or go to two different people?
Ask before you buy, because the answer changes what a package is worth to you. On the two-pair single-vision package at Charm Optical you can mix and match the frames. For anything beyond that — a different prescription in the second pair, or a second wearer — call (780) 490-0090, tell us what the second pair is for, and we will confirm exactly what your combination costs before you commit to it.
Can I mix one single-vision pair and one progressive pair?
The two packages are priced separately: single vision is $99 for one complete pair and $159 for two, and progressives are $350 for one and $500 for two. A mixed order is not one of the listed packages, so it has to be quoted rather than looked up. Call (780) 490-0090 with your prescription and we will price the exact combination you want instead of guessing at it.
Does insurance help pay for a second pair of glasses?
It depends on your plan. Plans differ: some cap eyewear by a dollar maximum over a period, some by the number of pairs, and the reset interval varies — so the only reliable answer is the one written in your own plan booklet. Group plan allowances are set by your employer, not by us. Because plans reimburse against itemised lines, the receipt should break out what each pair was and the date the eyewear was dispensed. Bring your card or call (780) 490-0090 and we will read yours and check what it covers before you choose frames.
What should a second pair for computer work be set up for?
It should be set for the distance your screen actually sits at, which is further away than a book and closer than across the room. The Canadian Association of Optometrists describes digital eye strain as what happens when the focusing muscles hold a close target for hours at a time. For someone who wears progressives, a single-vision pair set for the screen removes the constant chin-lifting needed to find the intermediate corridor of a progressive lens all day. Measure from your eyes to your monitor and tell us that number.
Is a second pair of regular glasses good enough for a job site?
No. Ordinary eyeglasses are not certified protective eyewear. In Canada, occupational eye and face protection is covered by the CSA Z94.3 standard, and prescription safety eyewear built to that standard is a different product with a different frame and lens construction, marked accordingly. A spare everyday pair is a fine backup for the drive home, but if your workplace requires eye protection, that pair has to come from a supplier of certified safety eyewear built to CSA Z94.3, not from a second dress pair.
Get a real number for your two pairs
Priced on your prescription
Call us and we will price your exact prescription.
Tell us what the second pair is for — screens, sun, the truck, a spare — and we will quote both pairs with every add-on included, and check what your plan covers, before you commit to anything.
Prices CAD, current as of August 2026 — confirm the latest on our deals page, or see what is running on lower-cost glasses.