Most people never consider buying their prescription eye wear online until the doctor gives them the retail price. Most people go into shock and once they recover they simply go home, go online, start shopping for a better price, and a legitimate company to purchase from… easier said then done.
Here are 7 things a person needs to consider:
Go for an Eye Exam – Before a person starts looking for eye wear, a person should make sure their prescription is up to date. In Florida, a prescription is good for 5 years but everyone should get an eye exam every one to two years.
Look at Eyeglass Frames at a Local Store – To get a sense of which style is suitable, the best way is to go to local retail stores to find a frame. The worse thing to do is go online and pick a frame that may not fit or be a good look for an individual.
Found a Frame – Now that a frame has been selected, look on the inside part of the temple to get the model name, color code, and size off the frame. Just write down everything that’s on the inside part of both temples and go home to start looking online.
Research for a Reputable Online Eyeglass Store – There are many online eyeglass stores but which one is good and which one is bad. Here are some things to consider when investigating a website:
Check the website’s rating at Better Business Bureau at bbb.org/us/. If they’re below a ‘C’ then in all probability the website might not be dependable.
If the website is a BuySafe.com Guaranteed Website then you’re dealing with a reputable website. Buy Safe is a third party company that guarantees a purchase for up to $500. Buy Safe would not offer their guarantee if the website was the legit.
If the website does not look professional then consider another website.
Still have doubts, call and spoke to a representative and questions.
Make sure a 100% money-back guarantee is given for the prescription lenses…very important.
Find the Model Number on the Website – The easiest and fastest way to find a model on a website is to type the number/name in the search bar.
Add Prescription Lenses – A lot of websites offer prescription lenses but a lot of these online websites are ran by doctors but a website offering a money-back guarantee is probably a Wholesale Optical Lab which is the best way to go. If there’s any difficulties knowing what kind of prescription lenses to order here are somethings to consider to help break it down:
Lens Type – Every prescription lens has a lens type. The different lens types are: Single Vision, Progressives, Bifocals, and Trifocals. If a prescription does not have an add power then the lens type would be Single Vision. If there’s an add power but having a line in the lens is not wanted then choose a progressive lens otherwise known as “No-Line Bifocal” or “No-Line Trifocal”. Most patients go with a Single Vision or Progressive lens type.
Lens Material – Depending on the strength of a prescription, particularly the Sphere value determines the material one should chose. Every lens has a lens type and is made is some type of material like: Platic, Polycarbonate, High Index 1.67, or High Index 1.74 (only available in Single Vision). Choosing the correct material is important so the lens are cosmetically thin.
Tinting Options – This feature is totally optional but it include Transitions (clear indoors and dark outside), Tint (could be light tint or dark tint), Polarized Lenses (Ideal for Sunglasses for maximum optics), and Drivewear (combination of Transitions and Polarized Lenses).
Anti-Reflective Coating – This reduces the glare from a computer, TV, florescent lighting, night driving, and it softens a person eyes which gives the lens an invisible look. A-R is a feature but not a necessity. It does reduce the glare so ones eyes do not become fatigued as fast.
Input Prescription – It is best to email or fax your prescription to place all the responsibility on the company to manufacturer the prescription lenses to spec.
Checkout – This is extremely important, make sure the website’s checkout is secure and is VeriSign Trusted.
That’s it! A website should only take about 7 business days to process a prescription order. Also, make sure that if there are any issues with seeing correctly the company will allows a customer to send back the lenses for them to manufacture new lenses.
If someone follows the above steps a person can save up to 50% off retail prices when purchasing prescription eyeglasses or prescription sunglasses. Good Luck and Happy Shopping!