While it may be tempting to go online to buy your glasses, there are many reasons to reconsider. Though it may seem like you are getting a great deal, the reality is that glasses ordered online can often arrive with the wrong prescription or other errors. As a consumer, you may not notice the difference—however, eye care professionals know that your vision deserves better. Quality frames and lenses are an investment in your eyesight and should never be treated as an insignificant purchase.
At Eyecare Studio, we believe in high-quality eyewear, so we pride ourselves in our carefully curated eyewear collection, which includes handcrafted and independent frame lines. Our team personally hand-selects each frame line and style to offer you the latest quality styles. All of our frames, from the metals to the acetates to the nose pads, are hypoallergenic. Our experienced optometrists and opticians are here to provide expert advice for all your eye health and vision needs.
Cons of Buying Glasses Online:
- You don’t get to try on frames for sizing or have someone help you in person. Digital try-ons can only be so accurate and don’t give you a realistic idea of how the frame fits on your face.
- Measuring your own PD to purchase online can lead to avoidable mistakes and potentially impact your prescription, leading to double vision, blurred vision, eye strain, and headaches.
- Returns and exchanges may be difficult to manage depending on which website you obtained your glasses from in the event of an error.
- We always recommend that a professional measure you in the office. Other measurements are also involved in glasses fittings to help get your prescription aligned correctly.
- If you need progressive lenses or have a complex prescription, other fitting measurements are needed to produce lenses that work their best. These measurements are taken in-office while you are wearing your chosen frame. Each individual frame and how it sits on your face are unique to these measurements.
- Most of the time, online glasses retailers do not take insurance. If you have a vision plan, that means you pay for benefits you aren’t using. The true cost of buying budget frames and lenses online may not be worth the money lost through paying your monthly insurance premiums.
Pros of Buying in Person
When shopping at a brick-and-mortar glasses retailer, you can try on frames and get a genuine idea of which frames fit your features best. A skilled optician can quickly assess this based on 3 specific points called the “fitting triangle”: the bridge of your nose and each side of your head near your ears. Our optician at Eyecare Studio will always help guide you toward the best-fitting frames.
Another advantage of trying frames in person is that you can see exactly what color your frame is without any digital distortion from your screen settings. With the mass-produced frames found online, each individual frame’s quality may vary. Often, the color can vary from frame to frame. If the “Big Tex” frames come in red, they might arrive in red. Or…they could arrive in a muddy “red” that looks nothing like it did online.
Furthermore, the paints used in mass-produced glasses can clog and lock up important screws, preventing hinges from functioning correctly or even revealing potential low-grade metals underneath.
At Eyecare Studio, we stand behind the quality of our frames and lenses. When you purchase eyewear from us, our team will be beside you every step. No matter your style, budget, or vision requirements, we want you to look good and feel good. As a local family-owned business, we proudly support other independent businesses that share our philosophy.
