What to Consider When Buying Eyeglasses Online

Are you thinking of buying glasses online for the first time? Skipping the usual trip to the mall to try on spectacles can seem appealing. However, you might be wondering when to buy glasses online with insurance if you usually do in-person shopping at your optometrist’s office or local eyewear store. Take a look at what to consider when buying eyeglasses online.

Table of Contents

Is My Prescription Current?

You’ll still need a prescription to buy prescription eyewear online. You can confidently use your current prescription if your last exam was within the last one to two years. By law, vision-care professionals cannot charge you for a copy of your prescription when you make a request. However, you should consider scheduling an appointment for a new exam if it’s been any longer than that.

What Is the Return Policy Like?

Dig into return policies before committing to your new frames. You should also compare warranty information between online retailers. Will a company remake your new lenses if you determine that something isn’t quite right after they arrive at your door?

Can You Try Before You Buy?

Most online shoppers are pretty used to not being able to try on clothing and accessories before hitting the checkout button. It generally comes with the territory of buying anything online. However, some eyeglass retailers do allow you to try on frames by sending them to your home. Decide if this is important to you before you shop for glasses online because not all retailers offer this service!

How Much Does Shipping Cost?

If you’re used to popping into a local retailer to get new glasses every time your frames are lost or broken, shipping costs may not sit very nicely with you. Take time to review shipping costs to see how much they add to the total cost of each pair of new glasses. If you need replacement glasses often, consider doubling up with two pairs to save yourself future shipping costs!

Did I Enter My Prescription Correctly?

Online eyewear retailers count on you to enter your prescription information accurately when creating a final product. It’s incredibly easy to make a mistake when adding data to an online form. Here’s a rundown of what an online eyewear retailer will need to know to create your custom prescription lenses:

Right and left sphere.
Right and left cylinder.
Right and left axis.
Prism correction.
ADD value.
Pupillary distance (PD).

Consider asking someone to take a glance to confirm that you’ve entered the information exactly as it appears on your prescription before you send your order. This can save you from the hassle of needing to return the glasses. If there’s an error that you don’t catch, you could end up harming your vision by wearing an improper prescription.

Do I Need Blue-Light Coating?

Many online eyewear retailers are now adding blue-light blocking to lenses. This could be something you need if you put in heavy screen time. It’s a feature that’s available for both prescription and prescription-free glasses.

Should You Buy Glasses Online?

Almost everyone has purchased at least one pair of glasses online. Most are very pleased with the results. You may not be in a rush to buy bargain glasses online if you have insurance because you typically buy designer frames right in your optometrist’s office. However, online prescription eyewear can still be an attractive option for you. Consider at least buying an affordable backup pair online to see how smooth and affordable the experience of buying eyewear from home can be!