Chaddog, this is a good question and and has many simple answers. The first answer is the obvious one. If your going blind, that qualifies as a best time to make that purchase. Heh Heh. But on a serious note, there are certain, and best times to purchase eyewear, as with anything else. The top one is during "any" major holiday season. Christmas, Labor Day, Valentine's day, etc., all qualify as such. Holidays are always big gift givers and "eyewear specials" are especially available during this time because they make a great gift and many people are in need of them. There is another best time, and in part, it takes a little watching on you. What you do is wait for a new line of a certain eyewear brand that you like, to come out. When this happens, the older line of that same eyewear brand will greatly reduce it's prices just to get it off before it becomes completely obsolete. That's how sales and upgrades work, and that's where you jump in and get that greatly reduced price on superb eyewear of the same quality, but it just not be the newest type. But with eyewear, it's more an issue that they work properly instead of it being the newest, most updated, and most hip, as with say, a computer product. Lastly, of course there online coupons for eyewear. Two good online sites for this are: 1. www.lenscrafters.com and 2. wwwretailmenot.com. Check them both out. They both have great coupons.
Chaddog, this should answer your questions. I wear glasses myself sometimes and as with everything else, I bargained shop. So these were great question and my answers will lead you in the right direction.