When considering whether to buy your glasses online, at first it may seem more convenient and likely less costly. But the prescription given to you by your optometrist is only one piece of information that will determine how effective your glasses will be in improving your vision. Let’s consider the pros and cons:
Pros of buying online:
- Wider selection of styles and colors
- Many choices between different websites
- Often can save on cost (but more on that later)
Cons of buying online:
- You miss out on having a trained professional aid you in ensuring your glasses are the right fit in
terms of comfort and effectiveness - Quality control of frames may often be sacrificed to maintain that low price you see online
- Specific measurements such as PD, finding the best optical center, and measurements for
progressives will either often be wrong or not available for online retailers - Prescription issues in general occur much more commonly when ordered online as opposed to
in person
What could initially be seen as a way to save time and money in the first place may end up more costly for both in the long run if any of the above issues occur. In addition, common complaints with improperly selected glasses may include: headaches, fatigue, nausea/dizziness, eyestrain, glasses slipping off the nose, and pain/pressure marks on your nose/around the ears. Those with high prescriptions, children, complicated prescriptions, and multifocal prescriptions should especially consider in person options as opposed to online.