Affordable Eyeglasses in Paterno St., Quiapo, Manila

I have started wearing eyeglasses since I was in high school. It started as astigmatism then I discarded wearing eyeglasses for a while as I was not used to it. The next thing that happened was my grade gradually increases until I become fully dependent on wearing one. Back in the day, I used to go to known optical shops inside the big shopping malls to get my pair of specs until my friend told me back in 2013 that there are heaps of optical shops in Paterno St., Quiapo, Manila that sell eyeglasses that are relatively cheaper compared to big shopping malls. From then on, I said to myself, I will come and visit Quiapo whenever there’s a need for me to get a new specks.

Paterno St. is located one block away from Quiapo Church. The streets nearby are Evangelista Street, Plateria Street and Sales Street. The nearest landmark would be the Chowking restaurant, BPI bank and 7-11 convenience store located beside Quiapo Church. For more details about the direction on how to go there, please see the end of this post.

I immediately looked around the optical shops around the area the moment I arrived. I have a style in my mind so I went around and look for the closest design that I would like to get. I have also inquired to each of the optical shops I went to and checked if their prices are fit into my budget.

My feet brought me to RSA Optical Supply located in Paterno Street corner P. Gomez Street. The design I want is close to the one they have on display. Shortly, a lady staff went out and assisted me. I inquired about their price of the frame + transition lenses + multi-coated lenses and she said that they have a package where you can get all for P2,800. I went in to the shop to check the other frames available. The lady staff presented all the frames under P2,800 and it took me a while to select one as there were a lot of choices. Finally, after minutes of trying out different frames, I was able to select the one I want. I got the Ray-Ban metallic frame with black and gold lining.

The next thing happened was to have my eyes checked. I have a myopia or nearsightedness plus astigmatism on both of my eyes. My previous eyeglasses was giving me a headache and making me dizzy — probably the eye grade isn’t accurate anymore so I need a glasses with an up-to-date eye grade. I was asked to read the Snellen Eye Chart — first, without my eye glasses and the optometrist tried on different lenses and let me read the whole chart again. He tried to adjust the angles of the lenses to see if I could read the chart better. I have also walked around the optical shop to check if I feel dizzy with the new eye grade. After the check up, the optometrist said that my eye grade didn’t change but the axis of my astigmatism has changed and that was the reason that my old glasses was giving me a headache. Lastly, I was asked to return an hour later to claim my eyeglasses.

One hour has passed and I came back to the optical shop to claim my new prescription glasses. As I have availed the transition one, they have first tried it by exposing the eyeglasses to UV light to simulate the UV rays coming from the sun. My eyeglasses gradually darkened in less than a minute which proves the legitimacy of the transition lenses. I am happy with what I bought and I wore it immediately.

Meanwhile, here are the other two eyeglasses I previously got at Paterno St. between 2014 to 2017. I got the blue one (top) in 2014 at around P2,000 – P3,000. The blue one is a Nike frame with transition lenses and multi-coated lenses just like my Ray-Ban one. On the other hand, I got the white one in 2017. I have bought the frame in Divisoria and I went to Quiapo for the multi-coated lenses. I have spent around P700 – P800 for the latter.

How to get there:

From Lawton/Taft Ave./Ermita:

• Ride a jeepney bound to Cubao Yale or España and alight at Quezon Blvd (across Quiapo Church). Go to the other side via foot bridge and turn left to Paterno St.

From Caloocan area:

• From Monumento Circle/Andres Bonifacio Monument, go towards Monumento station of LRT-1 and ride a train bound to Baclaran. You should alight at Carriedo station in Sta. Cruz, Manila. Before getting to Carriedo station, you would passed by to 7 LRT stations namely 5th Avenue, R. Papa, Jose Abad Santos, Blumentritt, Tayuman, Bambang and Doroteo Jose. From Carriedo station, walk straight along Carriedo street and turn left to Evangelista street and walk from Evangelista st., and turn left in the first street corner.

From Baclaran/Paranaque area:

• Start off from Baclaran station of LRT-1 and ride a train bound to Monumento. You should alight at Carriedo station in Sta. Cruz, Manila. There are 8 stations that you would have to passed by before Carriedo station. The stations are EDSA, Libertad, Gil Puyat, Vito Cruz, Quirino, Pedro Gil, U.N. Avenue and Central Terminal Station, in that order. Alight from Carriedo station and walk straight along Carriedo street. Turn left to Evangelista street and walk from Evangelista st., and turn left in the first street corner.

From Cubao/Sta. Mesa/San Juan:

• Ride the LRT-2 train and start off at Araneta Center Cubao station if you are from Cubao, J. Ruiz if you’re coming from San Juan and V. Mapa/Pureza if you are coming from Sta. Mesa. You should alight at Recto station and the train would pass by to these stations before arriving to Recto: Betty Go-Belmonte, Gilmore, J. Ruiz, V. Mapa, Pureza, Legarda, in order. Once you are in Recto station, walk towards Evangelista street and turn right on Paterno street.
• From Sta. Mesa, ride a bus (G-Liner, RRCG or Green Star) bound to Quiapo and alight at Quezon Blvd (across Quiapo Church). Go to the other side via foot bridge and turn left to Paterno St.
• From Sta. Mesa, ride a jeep with a signboard “Quiapo Echague” and alight at Quezon Blvd. Go to the other side via foot bridge and turn left to Paterno St.

From Cainta/Taytay/Rizal area:

• Ride a bus (G-Liner, RRCG or Green Star) bound to Quiapo and alight at Quezon Blvd (across Quiapo Church). Go to the other side via foot bridge and turn left to Paterno St.