Sure, It May Be Easier – But Do Frames Bought Online Hold Up?
We buy just about everything online now, and the temptation to buy glasses online for many people is significant. Frames from budget online retailers are often much cheaper than some glasses you might buy directly from a professional optician, and they come with the ease of having them delivered right to your door.
But as with most things that seem too good to be true, there are a number of potential issues associated with buying cheap glasses online that you may not have thought about. Read on to learn why making a trip to your local eye care professional could be your best bet.
You Don’t Know What You’re Getting When Buying Online
The biggest problem with buying cheap glasses online is that you are in danger of getting scammed. A deal that looks too good to be true often is, and just about anyone can put up a website and claim to be able to provide you with prescription eyeglasses at a cut-rate price.
Famed consumer advocate Clark Howard tells the story of Vitaly Borker, a Ukrainian scam artist who sold countless poorly made knock-offs of designer frames to unsuspecting customers online. When these customers discovered the scam, they not only weren’t able to get their money back, but were also subject to threats on their lives! All of that, just to save a few bucks on frames.
The Frames You Buy Online Might Not Fit
You may not have considered that in order to make sure your glasses fit correctly, you have to measure your pupillary distance. This is a measurement that few people have experience with, and there is no guarantee you will do it correctly.
There is also no substitute for actually trying on glasses to have a good sense for how they will look and fit on you, and whether or not you will be happy with them. None of that is possible online. You have to take the measurements as best you can, visualize the look as best you can, and then hope for the best.
They Might Not Be the Right Prescription
According to the American Optometric Association, close to half, or 44.8 percent of eyeglasses purchased online in their study had problems with prescription compliance, impact resistance, or both. This means that you might not be able to see correctly with your new glasses purchased online, and they may break more easily, as well.
Of the 200 pairs of eyeglasses ordered from a range of popular online optical vendors, nearly 50 were never delivered at all. Of the ones that they received, 29 percent had at least one lens that did not fit the prescription and 23 percent failed impact resistance testing (29 percent for children’s lenses).
This is not to say that you cannot successfully buy prescription glasses online. There are many cases where people use legitimate vendors and get the right prescription, fit, and quality. But does it really make sense to risk it? You have to go to the eye doctor to get a prescription anyway, so why not simply order your glasses from a source you can rely on?
Visiting Your Local Portland Eye Care Professional, Beaumont Vision
If you live in the Portland, Oregon area, come pay a visit to Beaumont Vision, where we’ll make the whole process of trying on frames and getting your proper prescription filled easy. We have an intimate, professional atmosphere, highly qualified optometric physicians, and a great range of high fashion eyewear for you to choose from.
At Beaumont Vision, we will be happy to help you find the frames you need and make sure they are the real deal, high-quality, and in your correct prescription. To set up your appointment, call us now at 503-331-3937.