Cheap glasses are still cheap quality, I've burned through over $60 in cheapos in 3 years compared to 1 pair of $130 costas. And the costas still have a lot more mileage left of them also maintaining a lifetime warranty that I haven't needed to use yet.I agree with you, clarity isn't much different, but that's where the similarities end. Performance, quality, safety and most imprtantly comfort are what makes expensive glasses worth it.