Buying glasses can be very time consuming. From finding a frame that is affordable, stylish and comfortable, to finding the lenses that are right for your vision, to waiting 2-3 weeks for your glasses to arrive– the whole process altogether can take up to a whole month. But, what if it didn’t have to? What if you didn’t have to leave your house and you could receive your glasses as soon as the next day? Sounds like a miracle, but it’s simply the reality of ordering glasses online.
While ordering glasses online is a lot faster than buying them from a brick and mortar store, there is still a process that goes along with it, which can be confusing if you’re ordering your first pair. Let’s take a look at how to buy glasses online at Overnight Glasses, Warby Parker, Zenni and Eyebuydirect.
Finding the Perfect Frame
The first thing you need to do is find the perfect frame. This is actually the hardest part, so once you get through this step, the rest will be a piece of cake. One of the advantages of shopping for eyeglasses online is that you have a much larger catalog to choose from, then you would at a brick and mortar store (which also makes it harder for you to choose just one). The good thing is that, since the catalog is online, you can browse from the comfort of your own home, and take as long as you need to find the perfect frame for you. While browsing, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself to be able to find your perfect frame:
What is My Color Scheme?
Everyone has their own color scheme, the colors that they gravitate towards, the colors that dominate their wardrobe, the colors that suit their natural colors better. You need to keep in mind that your glasses need to go with your wardrobe, so you should choose a frame color that goes with your color scheme. It would be wiser to choose a neutral color that goes with your natural colors and works well with your wardrobe.
Which Frames Show Off My Style?
Every piece of your outfit should be showing off your style, and glasses are no exception. You need to find a frame that says something about your style, that adds to it in the most elegant way possible. Try to stay away from current riskier trends and focus more on classic styles– remember: trends come and go, but classic is here to stay. If you get frames that are really trendy now, it’s likely that in two years you won’t really like them anymore, and they’ll be considered out of style, so it’s definitely a safer option to go with more classic styles.
Which Frames Go With My Face Shape?
Knowing what your face shape is important– not every frame style goes with every face shape, so knowing yours will help you narrow down your searches and be able to find a more suitable pair of glasses. Every face shape is beautiful and has a pair of glasses that is made to emphasize its beauty, so find the frame that emphasizes the beauty of your face shape.
Prescription and Measurements
After finding your perfect frame, the next step is to put in your prescription and measurements. Your prescription is the order written by your optometrist, that specifies the value of all parameters they have deemed necessary to construct and/or dispense corrective lenses appropriate for you. Basically, it’s the instructions for the lens-makers, so they’ll be able to make the lenses that are right for your eye-sight. It’s really important that you put in an updated prescription, so make sure to pay your optometrist a visit before shopping for a new pair of glasses. If you received your last prescription less than two years ago, then you can use that prescription.
There are four measurements you need to know: pupil distance, lens width, bridge width (the width across your nose), and temple arm length (the length of the arms). You can measure these yourself at home, or if you own a pair of glasses that fit, you can find these measurements printed as three numbers on the inside of one arm of your glasses. These measurements are usually in millimeters.
Choosing Your Lenses
Usually, you’ll have two options for lenses: polycarbonate and high index lenses. Polycarbonate is the standard option for lenses, high index is a thinner lens that is recommended for people with higher prescriptions.
Besides choosing the thickness of your lenses, you can also choose to add special coatings and treatments, depending on your preferences and needs. Lenses can come with anti-reflective coatings, UV protection and anti-scratch treatment. There are also special light-responsive and anti-fatigue lenses.
After following all of these steps, you are officially ready to put in your order. Make sure to check everything when you receive your order, and see if everything is correct. If you have any issues, make sure to contact your retailer as soon as possible to see what your options are. Good luck!
