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Chemi Lenses: Stock or Custom-Ground, A-ONE or A-PLUS
At Chemi, a stock lens at 1.67 index (the U2 tier, 1,186,000-1,304,000 VND) costs less than a custom-ground lens at 1.56 index (the U1 tier, 1,400,000 VND). With Chemi lenses, how the lens is made pushes the price up more than the index does. This page walks through the shop's Chemi price sheet, September 2026.
1. What Chemi lens options are there, and what do they cost?
Chemi at the shop covers three groups: stock single-vision lenses starting at 210,000 VND, custom-ground single-vision lenses starting at 1,400,000 VND, and A-ONE and A-PLUS progressives. Single-vision index runs from 1.56 to 1.74.
U1, U2, U6 are the tier names printed on the Chemi price sheet. A higher number means a higher price. The difference is in the coating — ask staff when choosing.
| Index | Tier | Stock lens | Custom-ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.56 spherical | U1 | 210,000 - 252,000 VND | 1,400,000 VND |
| 1.56 spherical | U2 | 336,000 - 424,000 VND | 1,494,000 VND |
| 1.56 spherical | U6 Perfect UV | 450,000 VND | Not on the price sheet |
| 1.60 spherical | U1 | 385,000 - 434,000 VND | 1,782,000 VND |
| 1.60 spherical | U2 | 630,000 - 692,000 VND | 1,894,000 VND |
| 1.60 spherical | U6 Perfect UV | 872,000 - 976,000 VND | 3,000,000 VND |
| 1.67 aspheric | U1 | 700,000 VND | 3,258,000 VND |
| 1.67 aspheric | U2 | 1,186,000 - 1,304,000 VND | 3,468,000 VND |
| 1.67 aspheric | U6 Perfect UV | 1,360,000 VND | 3,750,000 VND |
| 1.74 aspheric | U2 | 2,520,000 VND | 6,600,000 VND |
| 1.74 aspheric | U6 Perfect UV | 3,500,000 VND | Not on the price sheet |
| 1.56 spherical | TOPEX HMC UV400 | 180,000 - 240,000 VND | Not on the price sheet |
| 1.56 aspheric | Photo Gray (photochromic) | 828,000 VND | 3,000,000 VND (U2 tier) |
September 2026 prices, per pair of lenses, frame not included; final price confirmed after your eye test. Spherical vs aspheric design. Brand country of origin per the shop's price sheet: South Korea.
Prices with a range reflect prescription strength. In the U2 tier, the higher end of each range is the version for astigmatism from 2.25 to 4.00. For which index suits your prescription, see lens index from 1.56 to 1.76.
2. Same 1.67 index, so why is the price gap almost three times?
Both are Chemi 1.67 aspheric U2: the stock lens is 1,186,000 VND, the custom-ground version is 3,468,000 VND. The difference is in how the lens is made, not the raw material.
Stock lenses
The factory mass-produces lenses at common prescription steps and stocks them in the warehouse. Once you're measured, we pull the matching pair off the shelf and fit it — same-day cutting. This only works when your prescription falls within the brand's stocked range.
Custom-ground lenses
These start as a semi-finished blank. Once your prescription is in hand, the lab surfaces one face of the lens to your exact sphere, cylinder and axis. Used when your prescription is high, your astigmatism is significant, or your axis falls outside the stock range. The edge of the lens stays clearer for these larger deviations. It has to wait for the lab: 10-15 days.
Which one you need
If your prescription sits within the common range, a stock lens does exactly the job it's meant to do. Paying three times more for a custom-ground lens in that case pays for something you don't need. After your eye test, we'll tell you which group your prescription falls into.
How much more a custom-ground lens costs, by tier
| Index, tier | Stock lens | Custom-ground | Custom-ground costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.56 U1 | 210,000 - 252,000 VND | 1,400,000 VND | 5.56 to 6.67x more |
| 1.56 U2 | 336,000 - 424,000 VND | 1,494,000 VND | 3.52 to 4.45x more |
| 1.60 U1 | 385,000 - 434,000 VND | 1,782,000 VND | 4.11 to 4.63x more |
| 1.60 U2 | 630,000 - 692,000 VND | 1,894,000 VND | 2.74 to 3.01x more |
| 1.60 U6 | 872,000 - 976,000 VND | 3,000,000 VND | 3.07 to 3.44x more |
| 1.67 U1 | 700,000 VND | 3,258,000 VND | 4.65x more |
| 1.67 U2 | 1,186,000 - 1,304,000 VND | 3,468,000 VND | 2.66 to 2.92x more |
| 1.67 U6 | 1,360,000 VND | 3,750,000 VND | 2.76x more |
| 1.74 U2 | 2,520,000 VND | 6,600,000 VND | 2.62x more |
Ratio = custom-ground price ÷ stock price, same index, same tier. Example, 1.67 U2: 3,468,000 ÷ 1,304,000 ≈ 2.66, and 3,468,000 ÷ 1,186,000 ≈ 2.92.
The real range runs from 2.6x to 6.7x. The gap is widest on the lowest-priced tier (1.56 U1) and narrowest at the higher indexes (1.67 U2, 1.74 U2).
3. What prescription range do stock Chemi lenses cover?
The counter price sheet lists a prescription range for five stock lens tiers, all versions that accept astigmatism up to 4.00. If your prescription falls outside these ranges, you'll need a custom-ground lens.
| Stock lens | Price | Myopia up to | Hyperopia up to | Astigmatism |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.56 U2 | 424,000 VND | -6.00 | +1.75 | 2.25 to 4.00 |
| 1.60 U2 | 692,000 VND | -6.00 | +6.00 | 2.25 to 4.00 |
| 1.67 U2 | 1,304,000 VND | -10.00 | +7.00 | 2.25 to 4.00 |
| 1.74 U2 | 2,520,000 VND | -1.00 to -10.00 | Not listed | up to 4.00 |
| 1.74 U6 Perfect UV | 3,500,000 VND | -15.00 | Not listed | up to 4.00, depending on the myopia range |
Source: counter price sheet dated 02/09/2026, tiers whose price matches the price sheet the owner confirmed 08/09/2026. Lower-priced options within the same range (for example 1.67 U2 at 1,186,000 VND) aren't listed with a prescription range on the price sheet.
The range the brand can produce is one thing. Which index suits your prescription is a separate question, and the shop's refractionist will tell you after your eye test.
4. What's the difference between A-ONE and A-PLUS?
Both are Chemi progressives: A-ONE is a conventional progressive design, A-PLUS is a free-form progressive. Free-form means the lens surface is ground point-by-point by a digitally controlled machine, rather than relying on a pre-molded progressive surface on the blank.
The price sheet doesn't state how much wider or smoother A-PLUS is than A-ONE. This page doesn't put a number on it.
| Index | A-ONE stock | A-ONE custom-ground (U1 / U2) | A-PLUS free-form | A-PLUS vs A-ONE U2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.56 | 750,000 VND | 1,512,000 VND / 1,618,000 VND | 2,250,000 VND | +632,000 VND |
| 1.60 | 1,052,000 VND | 1,892,000 VND / 2,024,000 VND | 3,000,000 VND | +976,000 VND |
| 1.67 | Not on the price sheet | 3,450,000 VND / 3,750,000 VND | 4,500,000 VND | +750,000 VND |
| 1.56 Photo Gray (photochromic) | Not on the price sheet | Not on the price sheet | 5,500,000 VND | — |
September 2026 prices, per pair, frame not included. Last column = A-PLUS price minus A-ONE U2 price at the same index.
Across all three indexes, A-PLUS costs under one million dong more than A-ONE U2. If you're wearing progressives for the first time, or you've found older progressives hard to adapt to, ask staff about these two designs after your eye test.
5. Who shouldn't choose Chemi lenses?
Anyone who needs glasses within a few days whose prescription falls outside the stock range. Chemi custom-ground lenses take 10-15 days; if you're about to leave Hanoi, mention your departure date as soon as you arrive so staff only suggest options that can be finished in time.
Anyone who needs a high-index photochromic lens, or 1.70 or 1.76 index. Chemi photochromic lenses on the price sheet are only available at 1.56, and Chemi doesn't offer 1.70 or 1.76. Those two are covered by Tokai lenses. To compare Chemi against the other four brands at the same index, see lens brands compared.
6. How long does a Chemi lens take?
Stock lenses are cut same-day. Chemi custom-ground lenses have to wait for the lab, 10-15 days.
| Type | Turnaround |
|---|---|
| Stock single-vision | Same day |
| Chemi custom-ground (the price sheet groups the custom-ground A-ONE and A-PLUS progressives here too) | 10-15 days |
| Stock A-ONE progressive | Ask at the counter |
The final price is confirmed after your eye test, before cutting. No extra charges after that.
Common questions
- How much more does a custom-ground Chemi lens cost than a stock one?
- At the same index and tier, a custom-ground Chemi lens costs roughly 2.6 to 6.7 times more than a stock one, depending on the tier. For example, at 1.67 U2: stock lenses run 1,186,000-1,304,000 VND, custom-ground is 3,468,000 VND.
- How long does a custom-ground Chemi lens take?
- A Chemi custom-ground lens has to wait for the lab, 10-15 days. Stock lenses are cut the same day.
- If my prescription is within the stock range, should I still get a custom-ground lens?
- Usually not necessary. If your prescription falls within the common range, a stock lens does exactly what it's meant to do; after your eye test, staff will tell you which group your prescription falls into.
- Where are Chemi lenses from?
- Per the shop's price sheet, Chemi is a South Korean brand. That's the brand's stated country of origin on the price sheet, not manufacturing information for each individual pair.
Know your prescription first, then know which lens you need
Stock versus custom-ground depends entirely on your sphere, cylinder and axis. Come in for a free eye test, even if you're not sure you'll buy — staff will tell you right away whether your prescription falls within the stock range, and quote a price before cutting.
Manh Long Optical — 147A Le Duan, Cua Nam, Hanoi
Open daily 8:00 – 21:30
0777 986 999 · WhatsApp · Zalo · mlong.optical@gmail.com · Directions