THE WOES OF ORDERING GLASSES ONLINE

As we adapt to this age of social distancing and online shopping, we understand the need to acquire products safely. This need has manifested itself in the way we shop for groceries, clothes, and other everyday essentials. Technology has even enabled us to order glasses from home. While ordering glasses from home may seem convenient and easy, there are a lot of disadvantages and risk as well.

In this blog, we will address the risk ordering glasses online and the benefits of shopping with a trained and qualified optician.

PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE

When it comes to selecting lens material and coating, it’s important to understand that every option is unique and has different properties that may make it more or less suitable to a person’s prescription and lifestyle. While online retailers may provide information about materials and options, the information can be limited and it leaves a lot of the work to the customer. At Focus our team of Opticians are knowledgeable on all lens options and can guide customers and patients through the process and find the lens for their needs and prescriptions.

In addition, our Opticians can guide you through the frame selection process and take the guesswork out of the equation.

MEASUREMENTS

Prescription lenses work in rings. The center of this ring is the place where the prescription is at its most accurate and strongest. Ideally, this is where your pupil should rest.

When shopping online, retailers typically require shoppers to measure their own pupillary distance (PD) as this measurement is used when cutting the lenses. However, most online retailers do not take into account the optical center (OC) of a frame. The optical center measurement allows opticians to know how high or low a customers eyes rest in a frame. Without an OC measurement, online retailers assume that the optical center is at the central height of the lens. While this may work for some customers, not all will experience clear vision as without accurate measurements, customers may experience double vision, headaches, and other symptoms caused by this distortion.

At Focus, all of this is avoided and both pupillary distance and optical center are measured. Our opticians use up to date technology and get all necessary measurements at the time of purchase to assure quality and satisfaction.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

According to The American Optometric Association, glasses ordered online have a 44.8% of error. This means that almost half of the glasses ordered online do not match the customer’s prescription, the measurements are off, or the lenses do not meet the required safety impact rating. At Focus we are dedicated to excellent quality and we double check every pair of glasses for prescription accuracy and overall quality before they are dispensed to you.

EXPERIENCE

There are many more reasons why in person consultation and working with an optician are beneficial to the buying experience. These include the ability to try on frames in person, the ability to demo new products, and the ability to develop a relationship with our opticians and staff.

To respect social distancing and safety protocols, our opticians are taking appointments and can give customers the Focus experience in a safe and clean environment.

Please call us to schedule your optical appointment and we look forward to offering you the highest quality service.