If you’re running into the same issues (and you will when you visit your local optometrist), here’s how you can go about buying your glasses online:
1. You’ll Need your Eyeglass Prescription
If your old eyeglass prescription is still bring clear vision in your present lenses, then call up your optometrist to get your prescription. Note that you will not be able to use a contact lens prescription (the two are different). If your prescription is outdated, then you will have to go to an optometrist to get a new one. General eye exams are usually covered by your vision insurance, if you have one. Check with your vision insurance provider to be certain.
Here are some terms you’ll need to be aware of when ordering.
- OD (Oculus Dexter) means your right eye
- OS (Oculus Sinister) means your left eye
- The Sph or Spherical correction is how near (-) or far (+) sighted you are. If you have ‘PL’, that means you are at zero.
- Add is for bifocals
- Cylinder and Axis is for astigmatism, meaning that your eyeball is not perfectly spherical.
2. You’ll Need your Pupillary Distance
Pupillary Distance (PD) is the distance between your pupils, usually measured in millimeters. Pupillary distance generally falls between 54 and 68 mm. Optometrists will usually take this measurement during your exam, but if they don’t, then you can measure the distance yourself with a mirror and a ruler.
Most optometrists will not write this number on your prescription, because they know that it gives you the ability to shop online. Ask them to write this number in, if they haven’t.
The image below represents an example of a pupillary distance of 62mm.
3. Be Careful of Add-Ons
Eyeglass retailers online will often suck you in with extremely low advertised prices (i.e. ‘Complete set of glasses for only $9!’, however they have add-ons that really crank up the price – anti-reflective coating, anti-scratch, poly-carbonate lens, etc.
The best thing to do is to figure out exactly what you want, and then find out what 3 or 4 different online retailers would sell for that exact same model, so that you are comparing apples to apples. For instance, if you know you want a memory titanium frame with a slight tint and anti-reflective coating then shop around for that exact same pair elsewhere. Some include the add-ons and others don’t, so go with the final price, not the advertised price that gets you in.
4. Shopping for Glasses Online? You Need to Really Look Around for the Best Deal!
When shopping for glasses, don’t worry about the brand. A pair that I purchased under a generic brand was much better than any of the designer comparables that I saw at the optometrist. There are a few retailers that seem to have extremely competitive prices, that I’d recommend comparing to the others: