You just received your glasses prescription ,so now you’re wondering where to buy your glasses.
Should you buy your glasses at an eyewear store near you or online
Where is the best place to buy glasses? It depends on what matters most to you.
If convenience and cost are your main concerns, buying glasses online might be your best choice. .
If you have an eyeglass prescription with high power or complex requirements and want a qualified optician to guide you in choosing your lenses and frames, a traditional eyewear store might be a better option, although some online suppliers have qualified opticians available to help and advise you.
Let’s walk through the process of buying glasses online and in person:
Choice of frame: Number and variety or personal service
Where and how to choose your eyeglass frames?
Online retailers often offer a much larger selection of frames than eyewear. After all, shelf or wall space for displaying frames in a store is limited.
The large selection of frames offered by online stores can be a good thing if you don’t want to miss out on the perfect style, but shopping for all these options can be both fun and daunting.
You don’t know where to start in your search for a stylish new look. What is your face shape? Certain styles of glasses are better suited to certain face shapes (round, oval, diamond, etc.).
If you shop in a brick-and-mortar store, your optician can guide you to the frames that best suit your face shape. Do these frames look too massive? Too bold? Ask your optician.
If you’re shopping for glasses online from the comfort of your home or office, use an online style finder to narrow down your search. Then use a virtual try-on tool, or free at-home try-on service (if available) to see how your favorite glasses will look on your face.
What is pupillary distance?
Your pupil distance (PD) is an important measurement for positioning the optical center of each spectacle lens in front of the center of each pupil. Improper PD measurement can cause eye fatigue, blurred vision, or even double vision. This is especially true for prescriptions requiring stronger lenses.
In a traditional store, your optician will measure the pupillary distance for you.
Online eyewear stores will have instructions on how to measure your pupillary distance if your optician hasn’t already provided this to you. In some cases, your PD can be measured from a photo of you holding a plastic card the size of a credit card. All of these maps are all standard size, so they are great for scale.
Special PD measurement applications with impressive accuracy are being developed, which will make PD measurement much easier in the future.
How well do these frames suit your face?
How will these new frames look on your face? Start with the pair you’re currently wearing.
At a store, your optician will begin the fitting process by taking measurements of your current frame.
In an online eyewear store, videos and guides will help you find the measurements of your current frames.
Glasses: What are your options?
After your eye exam, your optometrist probably explained your prescription a little. They may have discussed your lens options, such as progressive lenses or bifocals if you are over 40 and need multifocal lenses.
If you order your prescription glasses online, the process is quite simple, especially if you only need single vision lenses.
Once you’ve found the perfect frame, choose your lens type (single vision, progressive, bifocal, reading glasses, or non-prescription) and select your lens material (plastic or lightweight polycarbonate , for example).
Next, choose your sets of lens options and accessories ( anti-reflective coating, for example).
Your eyeglass prescription, which details the lenses you need, is just the starting point. There are a variety of lens coatings that can improve and protect your vision.
Do you want photochromic lenses like Transitions, to help you adapt to the light as you move from indoors to outdoors on a sunny day? Do you want your lenses to filter blue light from your computer screen and digital devices?
By knowing what you want in your next pair of glasses, you can be sure you’re getting the best glasses for your vision needs.
Check reviews and warranties online
Before shopping for your glasses, check the reviews of your optician or eyewear store online.
You will most likely be satisfied if other people like the glasses they purchased.
What if something goes wrong? What should you do if you’re unhappy with the way your glasses look or you’re not seeing as clearly as expected?
Whether you buy your glasses online or in store, they almost always come with a manufacturer’s warranty that covers free repair or replacement of your glasses. Regardless of whether you purchased them in store or online, the majority of progressive lenses come with a “tolerance guarantee” that allows you to return them if you are not satisfied with them.
Buying the Best Glasses for Your Vision Needs
The best lenses to correct your vision and the frames best suited to your face will allow you to see better with greater comfort.
Where is the best place to buy your glasses? It depends on what matters most to you.
For a personalized service, your optician will guide you in choosing your frames and lenses. If you have a simple eyeglass prescription and a DIY mentality, you can save time and money by purchasing your glasses online.
No matter where you choose to purchase your glasses, the first step is to schedule an appointment with an optometrist near you to perform an eye exam and update your eyeglass prescription. Do it today.