Eyesight differs from person to person due to several factors, including aging, genetics, and lifestyle choices. Human-led technology has aimed to remove the hurdles accompanying varying vision impairment levels for decades. From contact lenses to prescription sunglasses to LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) and IOLs (intraocular lens implants), there are many ways to fix poor vision and find prescription glasses online based on budget and severity.
Despite these innovations allowing people to remedy their poor eyesight, some can be expensive. Furthermore, finding a suitable solution for individuals with unique vision issues may occasionally be cumbersome. This predicament brings forth the sudden surge of online shopping for eyewear. In recent years, many consumers have liked searching for and purchasing prescription glasses online rather than in person.
While brick-and-mortar stores may remain, they are losing favor among crowds, prioritizing affordability, convenience, and style variety. Subsequently, this growing trend of online shopping has completely transformed the eyewear industry.
The Benefits of Buying Prescription Glasses Online
Buying prescription glasses or sunglasses in person is a tedious task, but many can fix it by seeking online options. Moreover, the internet is a vast space with countless shops to pick from, each boasting different offerings and items. These web-bound services provide potential customers with several benefits. Among the most helpful advantages are:
Affordability
Eyewear is often more budget-friendly online because internet-based retailers don’t have to take on the responsibility of maintaining a brick-and-mortar store. With substantially lower overhead, online sellers can also omit expenses regarding staff salaries, storage, utilities, and rent. This convenience allows retailers to sell eyewear at lower prices while extending a wider range of price points and running discounts and promotions. Online retailers also purchase lenses and frames in large quantities. All the more, many internet eyewear brands sell products directly to consumers, mitigating middleman costs.
Convenience
The internet allows customers to shop from the comfort of their homes, eliminating in-store visits. Additionally, online eyewear retailers may offer virtual try-on options, letting consumers envision how the glasses would look without needing to try them on. In addition to the supplemental convenience of purchasing the glasses online, customers can consider home delivery options to receive the eyewear without leaving the house. This added accessibility layer is especially beneficial to those with disabilities, making it challenging to shop in person.
Effortless Comparison
Looking for prescription glasses online makes comparing components like style and price easier with a few clicks. Conversely, shopping for eyewear in-store may require several visits to various locations to determine costs. When customers search online, they can sit in one place as they determine the best price for their specific eyewear necessities and preferences.
Reviews
Shopping online also allows consumers to examine customer reviews regarding a pair of glasses they may have had their eye on. Everyone likes to see those four-and-a-half and five-star reviews! When shopping in a physical store, confirming whether a specific set of eyewear is satisfactory may be challenging without customer feedback on display. Reading reviews online from other buyers can help consumers make informed decisions before they finalize their purchase–and many reviewers even model their purchases.
Wider Selection
Online eyewear retailers can purchase products in bulk, widening the range of offerings for customers. As a result, shopping for prescription glasses online gives searchers access to hundreds or even thousands of brands, colors, frames, and lenses to choose from. Buy online because it provides a broader selection, and you can add some funky-looking specs to your collection. You can find great professional choices, blue-light glasses, sunglasses, and the pair you want just for fun! Brick-and-mortar stores can only carry so many items in such a limited physical space.
While these benefits are promising, some key considerations exist when buying prescription glasses online. Occasionally, getting the perfect fit without professional assistance and a physical try-on could be complicated. Customers with a particularly strong or intricate prescription may need to purchase their glasses in person, as some online eyewear retailers don’t offer highly specialized lenses.
Shopping for glasses online could also result in unmet expectations. Some customers may have trouble determining how the glasses look and feel until they arrive, but many online shops have virtual tryons. Occasionally an online financial transactions may not be as secure, so check out a recommended, secure site. When making an online purchase, the checkout section will access the buyer’s sensitive information linked to their selected payment method. Physical stores can take cash or cards, and in-person and some card readers don’t retain the customer’s personal information attached to the card.
The most reputable online retailers will offer warranties and return policies. Buyers should check the website’s displayed return policy to ensure they can get their money back if the glasses don’t meet expectations. Online shoppers should consider these pros and cons before making final purchasing decisions.
Securing a Flawless Fit and Complete Comfort
One of the most critical aspects of selecting the perfect pair of prescription glasses is knowing your pupillary distance (PD). You can follow several steps to measure PD and frame size right at home.
- First, stand about eight inches away from a mirror.
- Then, hold a millimeter against your eyebrow, with the zero mark facing the mirror.
- Next, close your right eye and align the center of your left pupil with the zero mark on the ruler.
- Now, look straight ahead, open your right eye while keeping the ruler in place, and close your left eye.
- Finally, read the measurements on the ruler. The millimeter mark aligning with your right pupil’s center will represent your PD.
To ensure accuracy and consistency, repeat the measuring process several times. Also, be sure to use a ruler with millimeter markings. If measuring at home seems too complicated, consider consulting an optician or optometrist for a precise and professional PD measurement. However, measuring your PD from the comfort of your home saves you money, as professional medical appointments can be increasingly costly.
Alongside PD measurements, customers should consider other buyers’ reviews to help them select the best pair of prescription eyewear. Previous purchasers may additionally provide information regarding the fit and feel of the prescription glasses’ frames they are interested in picking. For example, ergonomic and lightweight frame materials can offer all-day comfort to wearers.
Virtual try-on features can also be helpful but should not be the sole determinant in selecting your perfect pair.
Locating Your Perfect Eyewear Aesthetic
The fit and feel of your glasses frames are vital. Choosing frames that fit while complementing your skin tone and face shape is also paramount.
You’ll want to note your undertones for a pair of prescription frames that aesthetically accompany your shade.
Cool Skin Tones
Blue, gray, and silver frames are most complementary if you have cool undertones. Pink frames with a blue tint might favor those with a pale complexion. You could also consider ivory or other pastel vintage hues.
Neutral Skin Tones
If you sport a neutral skin tone, you can look good in nearly any color of sunglasses or prescription glasses frame.
Warm Skin Tones
Earthy hues such as brown and gold are most appealing to warmer skin tones. If you have a warmer skin tone with a pale complexion, try a bourbon brown, mellowed-out olive green, or soft, rosy pink.
In addition to skin tones, face shapes are essential to picking proper frames.
Diamond-Shaped Faces
If you have a slim forehead, high cheekbones, and a pointed chin, rounded frames can balance out your face’s angular lines.
Heart-Shaped Faces
For those with a broader forehead and narrower chin, consider rectangular, cat-eye, and wayfarer styles.
Oval-Shaped Faces
For an evenly proportioned and round face shape, square glasses and rectangular frames may look best.
Round-Shaped Faces
Similarly, those with round faces that resemble a circular shape consider geometric or angular frames to complement your face shape.
Square-Shaped Faces
If your face is rectangular or square, a pair of rounded or curved frames may best suit it.
Alongside skin tone and face shape, customers shopping for glasses online can explore a wide array of classic and trendy designs. Internet-bound eyewear retailers may also offer a wide range of personalization options.
Customization Options
Prescription glasses can be tailored in various manners, including frame style, lens coating, and lens type.
- Frame style – The frame aesthetic includes components like color and shape. Customers can choose aviator, cat-eye, geometric, or round shapes. Color varieties can include matte options and metallic pastels.
- Lens coating – The coating of the lens is a significant aspect of the glasses. Anti-fog lenses function well in humid climate conditions. Anti-reflective coatings can reduce eye strain and glare. Blue light-blocking lenses filter out blue-violet light from natural and artificial sources. Scratch-resistant lens coatings protect lenses from normal levels of wear and tear. Ultraviolet (UV) lenses filter out UV light to shield the eyes from further damage.
- Lens type – Each wearer’s lens will depend on their specific vision requirements. Bifocal lenses correct nearsightedness and farsightedness with a separation line dividing the two prescriptions. Progressive lenses offer multifocal vision correction without any separation lines. Single-vision lenses boast just one prescription that functions appropriately for various endeavors.
While frame style, lens coating, and lens type are the primary customization options, customers can get laser engravings to add their name, a specific logo, or a unique design to their glasses. If you have the budget, transition lenses can adjust their tint based on light conditions. Polarized lenses decrease glare and mitigate squinting during risky activities like driving a car.
Smart Shopping Tips for Maximum Savings on Your Eyewear
When picking your perfect prescription glasses, you must look for coupons, discounts, and seasonal sales across online retailers. Each seller offers varying deals, and with extensive research, one bargain may appeal more to one website than another.
It could also be beneficial to check for insurance coverage or find out if it’s possible to use a flexible spending account (FSA) to make your eyewear purchase. Some online retailers have FSA eligibility offerings for those with standard prescription requirements. You can also use an FSA for eye examinations, eyedrops, eyeglass cases, eyewear repair kits, prescription contact lenses, over-the-counter or prescription reading glasses, prescription sunglasses, and cleaning supplies for contacts or glasses.
Why Shopping for Prescription Glasses Online is a Smart Decision
Buying prescription glasses online empowers purchasers with accessibility, affordability, convenience, and much more. Online retailers can offer a wider selection of frames and lenses in varying styles and colors based on each customer’s prescription needs and aesthetic preferences.
Suppose you’re thinking about buying your next pair of prescription glasses online. In that case, there are countless options to explore that maximize your comfort, appeal to your individualistic style, and allow you to increase your savings. Start shopping to find the perfect pair of glasses at an unbeatable price today.
