Prescription glasses prices in Yaoundé: what to budget
Short answer: In Yaoundé, at Niss Optique Médical, an eye exam costs 5,000 XAF and frames range from 10,000 to 100,000 XAF. The total price of a pair of prescription glasses then depends on the lenses prescribed. You are told the total before anything is ordered.
Illustrative photo
What makes up the price of a pair of glasses?
The price of prescription glasses adds up over four lines: the eye exam, the frame, the lenses, and any coatings added to the lenses.
- The eye exam: 5,000 XAF at Niss Optique Médical.
- The frame: from 10,000 to 100,000 XAF, depending on the model and the material.
- The lenses: depending on your correction and the lens type, single vision or progressive.
- The coatings: anti-reflective, blue-light or photochromic, as you choose.
That is why two people leaving the same shop on the same day almost never pay the same amount. Asking "how much are glasses?" is a little like asking "how much is a meal?": it depends what is on the plate.
How much does a frame cost?
At Niss Optique Médical, a frame costs from 10,000 to 100,000 XAF. The practice stocks them for women, men and children in Mvog-Ada.
The gap comes from the material (metal, acetate, titanium), the finish and the brand. A 10,000 XAF frame holds lenses just as well as an 80,000 XAF one. The second is simply lighter, finer, or more to your taste. Your nose will mostly care that it fits.
Why does the lens price change from one person to the next?
The price of lenses depends on your correction and the type of lens prescribed. There is no single price: it is worked out after the eye exam.
A single vision lens corrects one distance. A progressive lens corrects near, intermediate and distance vision in the same lens: it is harder to make, so it costs more. Coatings are options. You can take them or leave them, and nobody will look at you sideways.
How do I keep control of my budget?
The safest way is to state your budget at the start and ask for the total price, frame and lenses, before you order.
- Bring your prescription if it is still valid: Niss Optique Médical accepts those from hospitals, ophthalmologists and other clinics.
- Choose the lenses you need first, then the frame with what is left.
- Ask which coatings are useful for your daily life, and which are simply comfort.
- Ask about payment in instalments and payment by Mobile Money.
A few habits help too. None of them requires any talent for haggling.
Where can I get an exact price in Yaoundé?
Niss Optique Médical gives an exact price after the eye exam, at Descente Fanta Citron, Mvog-Ada, opposite the Direction des Mines. The practice is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 17:30, and Saturday, 9:00 to 15:30.
You can also message 699 27 75 97 on WhatsApp with a photo of your prescription. That way you know what is on the plate before you sit down.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an eye exam cost in Yaoundé?
- At Niss Optique Médical in Mvog-Ada, a full eye exam with refraction costs 5,000 XAF.
- What is the price of a glasses frame?
- Frames at Niss Optique Médical range from 10,000 to 100,000 XAF, depending on the model and the material.
- Can I pay for my glasses in instalments?
- Yes. Niss Optique Médical accepts cash, MTN Mobile Money, Orange Money, and payment in instalments.
Written by the Niss Optique Médical team, under the responsibility of its ONOC-registered refracting optician (N° 155/ONOC/2023).
This article gives general information. It does not replace an eye exam. For pain, a red eye or a sudden loss of vision, see an ophthalmologist.
