Should You Buy Prescription Eyeglasses Online?

I've had excellent luck with glassesshop.com, having ordered from them around 4 times. Last time cost me $30 for 2 identical pairs, taking advantage of one of their frequent bargain offers.
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Dear Bob,
Thanks for an interesting email. I have worn eye glasses for 50 years and have always purchased the frames and the lenses at privately-owned optical shops. Expensive? Yes. Problems? Never.

I've bought 2 pairs of eyeglasses online. The first pair (GlassesUSA)was a little more expensive than the second, but that's because the frame is better made (titanium with spring hinges) and I got Transitions brand lenses. Even so, I saved over $100 as compared to just buying new lenses locally to be put into my old frames. The second pair, (EyeBuyDirect) cost a good deal less. However, the frames are very cheaply made (very poor, misleading description online) and I got a generic photochromic lens. Also, instead of providing a case, they sent a cloth pouch. After expressing my disappointment, they offered to exchange them, but I'd have to pay for a better frame. Since I thought I had picked out a good frame originally, I didn't want to take a chance on another one. These glasses became my TV watching glasses. ;)

First a couple of corrections: Online sellers of eyeglasses are opticians, not optometrists. And although ophthalmologists can (and some do) perform refractions (eyeglass exams), they are MDs who specialize in disease of the eye. Optometrists perform the majority of refractions.
My own experience: I have worn eyeglasses for about 69 years. I have been purchasing prescription eyeware online for several years0--from Zenni Optical (my favorite and least expensive), EyeBuyDirect.com, and Firmoo.com. Each has great prices, try-on ability, and guarantees. I would never buy from an optician at the inflated prices that are asked today.

My local Walmart charged me $20--not $10 to use a frame I bought somewhere else---she said it was to create a template for the lenses.

I have purchased seven or eight pairs of progressive bi-focal glasses from Zenni over the past 10-ish years. I've been happy with every single pair. In fact, it's time for a new prescription and a new set of glasses. I'll get my prescription from the optometrist contracted at my local Walmart; I'll shop frames in Walmart's Vision center; I'll take pictures and measurements of whatever pair I like and then buy something similar from Zenni. :-)

Walmart glasses bad.

I took a prescription to local Walmart and ordered trifocal progressives. When I got them they gave me a headache and everything was bleary. Walmart said I had to go back to my optometrist to have them checked.

Lesson learned: if it is too cheap to be true, then it is.

I bought prescription trifocals from glassesUSA because I couldn’t find a frame I liked in stores. They also have the virtual try it on thing. My glasses fit perfectly. The prescription is perfect. Very satisfied. I didn’t realize you could get current frames filled at Costco and Walmart. That’s a good solution for people who are worried about the prescription. However, glassesUSA will replace the prescription if it’s incorrect.

My wife has had glasses from Zenni Optical for about 20 years; new ones every other year. In that time, she's received TWO bad pair of glasses, where the lenses were notably mis-ground. Zenni re-made the glasses at no charge, and the replacements were fine.

I get my glasses at J.C. Penney, because I need a fairly hefty prism correction (following a 2003 stroke) and Zenni can't do the prism correction.

Linda 4 posts up (as I start) appears to have a handle on the situation. Now 84, my experience includes everything from grinding lenses to dispensing and fitting and operating my own dispensary. I am an expert except on one thing. Having used Zenni for something like 6 years or more, it is obvious that very accurate and well finished progressive (no line) bifocals can be produced at a far lower price than is normally charged. My expertise fades here and should be investigated.

Today's process is drastically computerized and the saving has not been passed to the professions and, hence, the customers. Obviously the culprits are Essilor and Zeiss etc. As for frames, designer is simply a marketing ploy and inflates price and often impedes function.

This is getting long winded and I could go on with much advice including how to measure accurately your own interpupiliary distance with a flash camera (my idea), something some optometrists withhold to tie you in. This is a very complicated subject begging to be addressed.

Bob: Just an overall comment about the recent design of you your email newsletter.

- Perhaps I have not dug too deep into the lower sections or did not have a need, however, I really like the new layout and easy functionality!

-Click on the left and more articles on the right! Good idea and very east to navigate and very easy to locate information required for an answer or just to satisfy that persistent wonderment about why something is?

- That's all for now, and I always have enjoyed be a reader of your (and support staff) continued quality work!

Thank you very much and continue to enjoy the remainder of this Summer and wonderful Fall ahead!

Dennis Wm. Small
dwmsmal@aol.com
Burnsville, MN 55306-7996

Please just read and do not post -thank you

I have worn glasses for over 40 years and now need progressive lenses with a moderately strong prescription (around -3.5 to -4.25). I prefer rimless frames and high-index lenses (pricey) and until recently had no vision insurance.

I last shopped full-service stores about two years ago, and received quotes as high as $1,500 for something I liked, ended up purchasing at about $400 at Walmart optician. I then got a pair of prescription sunglasses from Zenni for less than half of that. The frames are super lightweight and just gorgeous, I have really liked these sunglasses.

My prescription recently changed so I went straight to Zenni and now have ordered three separate pairs in May-June 2019, and I could not see clearly out of any of them. I went back to my local optometrist to see if my eyes had changed and learned that they had not, that none of the Zenni lenses matched my prescription properly. Meanwhile Zenni insisted that they checked the lenses in the lab and they are good. I got my money back by disputing the charge with my credit card company, but Zenni's policy is to not give you a 100% refund even if the lenses are made improperly.

As much as I like the prices at Zenni I won't buy lenses from them again. I like the suggestion of buying frames from them and then getting lenses made locally, will try that.

Not purchased online, yet, but next pair will be online. Glasses on the open market are a ripoff. Current pair are from Costco. Ok, but still too costly.

So glad you brought this up. I have a very,very old pair or Ray Ban leather wrapped glasses I haven't been able to wear since the 90s. Now I'm on a mission to get lenses for the no longer available frame. Leather wrapped Ray Bans are all that.

I bought online for the first time two years ago. The glasses fit perfectly and the lens was correct. No issues at all. I would buy online again. Just a word of caution, measure your frames carefully. You have to provide a lot of details about them. I was ordering frames similar to what I had so I took my measurements from the old ones. The savings was worth it.

I tried on-line purchasing of single-vision reading glasses twice recently. I had to wait several weeks each time to discover that I could not wear what I received either time. Took my bifocal and single-vision prescriptions to Costco and was very pleased. All other purchases of glasses and contacts over the past 50 years have been through a local optometrist and without a single problem. After cataract surgery, my eye surgeon gave me a new prescription and mentioned that I should not use online retailers to fill it because they did not have the ability to properly measure the center of vision within the frame and adjust for my astigmatism -- which explains why the glasses I ordered online were so much worse than 99 cent store non-prescription readers.

One think to be aware of is that the major chains who provide eye-wear are almost all owned by only a few companies, who naturally can charge what they like.

Not long ago my wife bought glasses from a UK high street store (Specsavers) after their optometrist did the prescription. They were so wrong that for a time she thought she was losing her sight. Only a visit to another optometrist discovered the error in the first prescription. Moral - all types of opticians can make mistakes, so why not take the budget option?

I have only tried purchasing online glasses 1 time and it didn't go well. I used Goggles4U because my daughter used them and was really happy with what she got. The first pair we got back was a bad prescription and the frames were totally flimsy. I bought the most expensive frame they had.They were good to replace the glasses and try again. The 2nd pair, the prescription was also bad. I went back to my optometrist to have them verify the lenses were in fact what their prescription said it should be. Well -- they had given us the prescription from before cataracts! Their bad! We resent the right prescription and it was right this time. Was very happy with their customer support - they really worked with us and didn't charge us for our mistake but the frames are still VERY cheap. Maybe next time I'll try one of the other ones recommended here.

I've tried several of the online vendors, and have been happy with all. For progressive lenses, the savings is HUGE. The last pair of glasses I bought IRL cost me $600 (AFTER insurance!). My first on-line pair, with upgraded lenses and polarization and all the bells and whistles ended up being about $250. I screwed up entering a prescription the first time I ever ordered, and the called me on the phone to question it. Great customer service. I do have an odd prescription, and others have emailed me to confirm what I have entered. So they're not just banging them out, but have humans double-checking things.