(Advice Needed) Why are glasses so fucking expensive?

Hi guys, just a quick question, maybe someone else knows the answer or is in the required field to help me out a bit here.

My glasses (I had for about 2 or 2 1/2 years) broke today my first hour at work. I work at a grocery store, I was cleaning them off in the bathroom and one of the arms just snaps into.

My glasses had been through a lot of wear & tear, From having to put hairbands on the ends of the arms so they'd stay on my face, to being dropped and used consistently around 18 hours a day.

I was really upset because I don't have the money to blow right now on glasses. The glasses at stores that are generic aren't strong enough for me.

Anyway, we went to the eye doctor and of course I had to have another eye exam because my prescription was out of date. The eye exam was like $80?

I get done with it, the doctor was kind of an asshole telling me what I could and couldn't see and getting pissy when I asked him to re-flip something (does this look clear, or this one?)

Anyway, They convinced me to get HD (already had those, to be fair) and anti-glare because my right eye is "nothing but astigmatism", but the prescription or the frames, something was wrong and they didnt have something so I couldn't get that pair for a whole week and I can't not have glasses.

Quick backstory: I thought I had perfect vision my entire life, but suffered immensely from headaches, migraines especially. We never got my eyes checked because the school nurses and eye examiners said they were fine. Now, if I look at anything with a light around it without glasses, I get a headache.

I had to work all day today with no glasses which was hell when you're on a computer all day, so I already had a headache when I was at the eye doctors. We ended up getting a deal of 2 pairs for $69, one pair immediate with no HD or anti-glare, and another pair made especially for me in a week from now so I always have a backup.

TL;DR: I ended up getting out of the store for $337.43, without a discount from me texting some sketchy ass number and the 2 for $69 deal, my bill was originally $689.88.

When the FUCK did glasses get so expensive? Is it because my prescription is severe? Or is this just the state of America now, going broke just to be able to afford a pair of glasses and be able to see correctly?