The Pros and Cons of Buying Eyeglasses Online

Certain medical aspects of everyday life have moved to the virtual world as well. Making an appointment to the doctor’s office or buying glasses online are things that have become more common in the last years than they used to be. We decided to take a look at the world of buying glasses from the Internet and give you our pros and cons.

As we all know, the right pair of glasses can make you look amazing, while the wrong one can have a bad impact on the way you present yourself. Glasses however, are also a medical thing (even though some use them just for show, which, by the way, is not wrong if you look better with glasses), and this is why choosing them should be done carefully.

Buying eyeglasses online can really be something that will help your budget, as they are usually a lot cheaper than the glasses you will find in a store. There are several companies that offer such services on the web.

For example, Zenni is a company that offers glasses which can be purchased online. The fact that there is no middle man makes it easier to them to lower the prices. To give their customers a better experience, they allow you to upload your photo (or use one of theirs) and “try on” the glasses. Their glasses are adjustable and in order to get a pair, you will need a prescription, which is always the essence of buying glasses. On their website, they offer a big variety of products and most glasses come in different colors and patterns.

When you are buying glasses online, it is important to check that the company you are buying them from can offer you as much information on the products as possible. If you can’t find details or data on what you will be buying, go to the next site.

The topic of getting eyeglasses online is quite controversial, so we decided to take a look at the pros and cons of buying specs on-line. There are certain aspects that are neither a pro or a con, they are simply aspects that you need to take into consideration. For example, finding a frame that will match you well can be lot of work. The selection process is the same, regardless if you go online or in a store.

The Pros

Purchasing glasses on the Internet can be quite affordable, as sometimes a pair of glasses can go as low as $7. With prices as low as this, you can even go ahead and buy several pairs of glasses. This way, you will be able to match them to different clothes, occasions and hairdo’s . If you find a trustworthy website, you can be sure that you will make a great deal. Cheaper glasses are ideal not only for those who want to save on money, they are also perfect for those who loose or break their glasses a lot or for those undecided whether they want to wear glasses or contacts and don’t wish to spend hundreds of dollars before deciding what to do.

Sometimes, after deciding on a pair in an optical shop you will change your mind on the design of the glasses and sadly, if you wish to get another pair, you are going to need to spend a lot of money again. For those who like to change their glasses a lot, buying them online can be right thing.

The Cons

A big con would be the fact that you can’t be sure the glasses you purchased online follow the prescription and are 100% right for your eyes. Mistakes like this can happen even with glasses you purchase from a doctor, so always make sure that you have your eyeglasses tested by a professional before you start wearing them. You need to be sure they are exactly what you need, otherwise this can result in a lot of damage to your vision. An improperly placed ocular center for example can cause a lot of headache and pain and lead to more damage. Always get tested and have your measurements taken by a doctor! Take in account that for some lenses, such as progressive bifocals, more precise measurements than reading glasses are needed.

Additional tips

Here are some key terms you might need if you are buying glasses online:

• OD: Stands for “oculus dexter,” which means  your right eye.
• OS: Stands for “oculus sinister,” which means your left eye.
• DV: Stands for “distance vision.” This is used when multi-focal lenses are prescribed.
• NV: Stands for “near vision” (sometimes called “add”). This is used when multi-focal lenses are prescribed.

The reasons why you want or don’t want to get your eyeglasses online are yours and you should be the one making the ultimate decision. We do advise you that you should always consult with a doctor when it comes to health issues and make sure that your doctor gives you all the data. If your doctor does not want to discuss certain aspects with you, it’s time to change doctors. Make sure that you always know what you need and why you need it!

Buying the right pair of glasses is going to make you be both healthy and good-looking, so make sure you don’t ignore any of the two aspects!

Fraquoh and Franchomme

P.S. Do you buy glasses online? What tips do you have for those who want to buy a new pair? What kind of glasses do you like to pick? Share your thoughts in the comments below!