Jul 2nd 2024

Buying Glasses Online Tips and Tricks

Buying Glasses Online Tips and Tricks

Technology makes life more convenient than ever, especially when it comes to online shopping. Things that not long ago you couldn't dream of buying online are now readily available, making it easier than ever to run errands without leaving your own home's comfort. One of our favorite new trends? The ability to buy glasses online. Instead of spending hours trying on different styles and overpaying at your eye doctor's office, you can now order prescription glasses shipped directly to your door with the click of a button! If you're new to the process, don't worry. Here are our best tips and tricks on how to buy glasses online.

  • Best websites for buying prescription glasses
  • Understanding the different parts of your eyeglasses
  • Best eyeglasses for your face shape
  • What is pupillary distance
  • Shopping for prescription glasses online

Best Websites for Buying Prescription Glasses

Buying eyeglasses online may seem a bit risky, but with the companies that exist today, shopping online for prescription glasses has never been easier. There are a few standout reasons to buy glasses online:

  • You can shop around while taking your time to decide the color and style that you like best
  • Information and styles are at your fingertips without having to drive around
  • You can choose upgrades, colors, and styles that suit your personality without having to visit multiple different stores
  • You can save a pretty penny

Consumer Reports found that if you buy glasses online, you can save as much as 40%. However, it's important to remember that you get what you pay for. The old saying comes in handy in various circumstances and is also true when thinking about the quality of the eyeglasses you're purchasing when shopping online. If you want to buy glasses online, it's smart to research the companies you're thinking about buying from to ensure they are reputable and provide high-quality products.

When you buy glasses online, you should feel good about your purchase, both from a fashion sense and financially. In order to find a company you'll be happy with, search for websites that have customer satisfaction guarantees, affordable prices, a wide variety of style and color choices, and good customer reviews. Ensure that the upgrades you want, such as a blue light blocker, polarization, and different vision choices, are available and priced reasonably.

WebEyeCare offers a variety of coupons, rebates, and discounted prices to keep your eyes and wallet happy. The company works with licensed eye care professionals to ensure your prescription is correct, so you never have to worry about receiving eyeglasses or contacts that won't work for you. The WebEyeCare team can help you find the perfect designer prescription glasses or sunglasses that not only fit your personality but also keep your eyes safe and healthy.

At WebEyeCare, all the hard work is done for you. Once you submit your prescription, the team reaches out and double checks it with your eye care provider to verify its accuracy. The process is lightning fast, and while you wait, you can browse the hundreds of prescription glasses and sunglasses the company offers. You'll save up to 70% off regular shopping prices, and your satisfaction is always guaranteed. Plus, you'll always receive free shipping!

Understanding the Different Parts of Your Eyeglasses

The biggest downside to shopping online is that you can't try on the glasses for yourself. However, understanding the various parts of the glasses, as well as the measurements and how they will fit your face, will go a long way to ensuring you're happy with the look and feel of your new prescription glasses. Here's a bit of a crash course.

Eyeglasses have two main parts: the frame and the temples. The frame of your eyeglasses is the part that holds the lenses in place in front of your eyes. The frame contains two eyepieces, where the lenses go, and the bridge, which fits your nose. Eyepieces come in a variety of styles, including full-frame, half-rimless, and rimless. The eyepieces' rims are the components that encircle the frames and create the look of the glasses. The full-frame is popular for sunglasses, while rimless and half-rimless are often seen in sleek and contemporary styles.

Temples are the pieces of your eyeglasses that connect to the frames and hook behind your ears. Although there are several different temple styles, the most common is called the skull temple. This style extends straight out from the eye frame and then bends at a roughly 45-degree angle to sit behind your ears. The temple portion that sits behind the ear is the temple tip, while the shaft is the straight portion. The two other most common types of temples are library and cable. Library temples have no angle, while cable temples feature curly temple tips that hook fully behind the ears. Cable temples are suitable for people who play active sports or young children because they offer a tighter fit with less chance of the glasses falling off unexpectedly. However, the drawback is that the temple tips can be too snug, causing discomfort if they aren't adjusted properly.

Best Eyeglasses for Your Face Shape

Couple in front of laptop man in glasses

If you've ever fallen in love with the style of prescription glasses your friend is wearing only to find that they don't look as great on you, it may be because the style isn't right for your face shape. There are seven distinct face shapes, and they can help determine the best style glasses for you:

  • Oval: Having an oval face shape can make it easier to find eyeglasses that suit your look because it has equal proportions. If you want to buy glasses online, look for a style that is as wide if not wider than the broadest part of your face. This style will help maintain the balance of your facial features.
  • Heart: If your face is wider at the top and narrows at your chin, you probably have a heart-shaped face. You can achieve a more balanced look by selecting frames that are wider on the bottom. Rimless frames are also a popular choice for those with heart-shaped faces.
  • Oblong: If you have an oblong face shape, your face is longer than it is wide. To create balance, choose frames that have more depth and add width to your eye area. Decorative styles and vibrant colors can be a fun choice for this face shape.
  • Square: People with a square face usually have a strong jaw and a defined forehead, with a roughly proportionate face from top to bottom and side to side. This shape does well with narrow frames that are wider rather than deep to help soften the edges.
  • Diamond: The diamond is the rarest face shape and is identified by a narrow forehead and jawline with high, dramatic cheekbones. Cat eyes are a fantastic choice for this face shape, as are frames with distinct brow lines, rimless eyeglasses, and oval frames.
  • Round: A round face shape features curved lines with few, if any, angles. If you want to make your face appear longer, try eyeglasses with a narrow angular shape or a rectangular style.
  • Base-down triangle: The base-down triangle is the opposite of the heart and features a broader cheek and chin and a thinner forehead. To add width to the face's narrower part, try frames with a bold color or pattern. Cat eyeglasses are also a fun choice for this face shape.

How to Buy Glasses Online

If you're planning for an upcoming visit to your eye doctor but would rather buy glasses online instead of in the office, now is the perfect time to browse the different eyeglasses available online. There are also a few essential tips and tricks to keep in mind to make sure you get the best glasses for your needs.

First, understand your face shape. As we mentioned before, prescription glasses that look great on your best friend may not look the same on you, and that's okay! Understanding how glasses fit your unique face shape and style is the first step to finding the perfect pair of frames for you.

If you have a pair of glasses that you like, the easiest way to start off on the right foot to buy glasses online is to measure your current frames. Start from the temples and measure across the front of the frame and eyepieces to the opposite temple. This will tell you the width of your glasses. Be sure to measure in millimeters as that is what most companies use for sizing. Next, measure the frames from the top of the eyepiece to the bottom. This will tell you the height of your glasses.

Understanding your frames' size can give you a good idea of the dimensions that you should stay within when trying to buy glasses online. Many websites allow you to search by size, which can help narrow down which prescription glasses will look best on your face. For example, WebEyeCare offers four sizing options: small/children, medium, large, and extra-large. The sizes correspond to the width of the glasses. The size small ranges from 40 to 48mm, the medium from 49 to 54mm, the large from 55 to 58mm, and the extra-large is 58mm and above. If you have a pair of prescription glasses that you believe fit your face nicely and correspond to a size small, choosing a size large and expecting a similar result will probably leave you disappointed.

Once you've found the best size for your face shape, you can search by the available glasses' shape, frame type, material, and price. Many frames come in a variety of colors, so be sure to choose your favorite!

You've done it! You've found your favorite new glasses. The next step is to understand the different types of customizations you can add to your chosen frames. First, choose your prescription type: reader, distance, or progressive. Next, choose your upgrades. WebEyeCare offers four different levels of lens treatment customizations ranging from Basic to Platinum:

  • The Basic package includes plastic CR-39 lenses, a perfect choice for low level, single vision prescriptions with a power no higher than +/- 2.00. These lenses are not recommended for stronger prescription glasses or progressive lenses and are not impact-resistant.
  • The Silver package includes 1.60 polycarbonate lenses. These lenses are 30% lighter and thinner than the basic CR-39 style and are impact-resistant. The Silver package also accommodates prescriptions ranging from +/- 2.00 – 4.00.
  • The Gold package is the most popular and includes the same 1.60 polycarbonate lenses as the Silver package but with the basic anti-reflective coating. This upgrade helps improve vision and reduces eye strain.
  • The Platinum package is the best quality option and includes upgrades for both style and eye health. The high index 1.67 lenses are 45% thinner than the basic lens and include the premium anti-reflective coating. These lenses are the most comfortable and are recommended for stronger prescriptions (required for prescriptions with powers above +/- 4.00). The added anti-reflective coating reduces eye strain, improves vision, and nearly eliminates the reflections you can see from the lenses' front and back. Without the reflections, more light can pass through the lenses to improve vision and eliminate distractions, especially at night.

Additional upgrades include tint, blue light protection, sun sensor, and polarization. The tint is available in grey, brown, and green, and turns the prescription eyeglasses into custom sunglasses. Blue light protection is a popular choice that many people consider a must-have, especially for people who work extensively on computers. This coating filters harmful artificial light from computer screens and other electronic devices that can cause your eyes to feel tired, dry, and irritated. Sun sensor provides sun-reactive lenses that appear clear indoors and then darken when exposed to the sunlight. The sun emits UV rays during sunny and cloudy days, causing people to believe that they don't need sunglasses if the sun isn't out. This lens treatment is a fantastic choice for those who tend to forget to wear sunglasses or don't like carrying around sunglasses.

What is Pupillary Distance?

woman getting PD measured at doctor 's office

When you buy glasses online, one of the measurements your prescription will need is your pupillary distance or PD. If you've never shopped for eyeglasses online before, this term may be confusing. What is a pupillary distance, exactly? This measurement is the distance in millimeters from the center of one pupil of your eye to the other and is essential to ensuring your glasses are aligned to fit your exact line of sight. Your pupillary distance helps mark the ideal spot on your glasses, where you naturally look to see objects either near or far away. Your eye doctor typically measures your pupillary distance during your annual eye exam. However, if you don't have your PD, here is how to measure it yourself:

  • Position yourself eight inches away from a mirror.
  • Place a ruler horizontally across your eyebrows.
  • Close your left eye and then align the ruler's end at 0mm with the center of your right pupil.
  • Look straight ahead and then close your right eye and open your left eye.
  • The millimeter measurement that aligns with the center of your left pupil is your pupillary distance.

Some websites may list the pupillary distance as singular, in which case the site will ask for your left pupillary distance and right pupillary distance. If this happens, divide your pupillary distance in half and enter each side. If you measured your pupillary distance and have specific concerns about its accuracy, it's essential to contact an eye doctor to ensure your prescription is accurate.

Shopping For Prescription Glasses Online

It's easier than ever to buy glasses online, and there are so many incredible eyeglass options available. WebEyeCare offers a variety of contacts, prescription glasses, sunglasses, and accessories to choose from. Shop from contacts brands including Acuvue, Dailies, a href="/biotrue-contact-lenses">BioTrue, PureVision, and ProClear with options for daily, bi-weekly, monthly, color, toric, and bi- or multi-focal. The website also features an incredible selection of eyeglasses and sunglasses brands for men, women, and children, including Burberry, Nike, Guess, Oakley, Ray-Ban, Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Tory Burch, Vera Bradley, and more.

When you buy glasses online from WebEyeCare, you can also take advantage of the company's Get Rx offer. The company utilizes unique technology to perform at-home vision tests for eyeglasses and contacts. If your prescription is recently expired, you can utilize WebEyeCare to update your prescription at the click of a button. Once you complete the test, an eye care provider licensed in your state will send you your new prescription within two business days. Once the prescription is issued, your new prescription glasses or contacts will be on your way to you! The process has never been easier.

Why WebEyeCare

For those who want to enjoy the convenience and buy contacts online, WebEyeCare is a fantastic choice. Enjoy free shipping, a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and save up to 70% off! You can also take advantage of the company's rewards club to save even more money. Explore the website to see the incredible brands offered by WebEyeCare!

See Clearly
Nick Zelver
Nick Zelver

Nick Zelver is the Editor at WebEyeCare. With a professional journey beginning at Optimax Eyewear in Tel Aviv, Nick excelled as the Director of Online Sales Channels, where he spearheaded the development of strategic sales channels and branding initiatives, fostering significant growth in online sales. His notable achievements in the field are underpinned by a rigorous academic foundation, having earned an entrance scholarship to Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University).

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