The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Buying Eyeglasses Online

Make Sure You Have an Updated Prescription

Before you end up wasting time and money on lenses that don’t represent your prescription, first make sure the prescription you currently have is correct. If you haven’t seen your eye doctor in over a year, it is definitely time to get a routine eye exam before ordering new glasses online. By purchasing lenses with a prescription that is too strong or too weak, you will only end up hurting your eyes and doing long-term damage. So before you start doing your online shopping, make sure you have had your prescription updated in the last year.

Double Check Your Prescription When You Enter The Info Online

Once you find the frame style you love, you will need to enter in your prescription online. And when you are doing this, you want to double, triple, and even quadruple check the numbers. Make sure you are familiar with terms like cylinder, axis, and sphere, and that you put the correct numbers in each box. If you do not know what your prescription is, you can call your eye doctor and ask them to mail it to you.

Pick Frames That Match Your Personal Style

Consider your daily activities, whether it’s an active and athletic routine or long hours at a desk. For those engaged in sports or physical activities without wearing contacts, opt for frames that complement your level of movement. Likewise, if you spend extended hours in front of a computer or immersed in paperwork, select frames tailored to this more stationary lifestyle. Online eyewear shopping offers an extensive range of styles, allowing you to explore various options based on your preferences—whether you lean towards sporty frames, vintage aesthetics, or trendy designs. Evaluate factors such as fit, frame style, color, lens size, lens shape, and any desired details or patterns to find the perfect match for your individual taste and daily routine.

Don’t Forget Your Face

You want to pick eyewear that is flattering on your face, therefore it is important to keep in mind the shape and size of your face. For example, if you have a rounder facial structure, round lenses might not be the best look. However rectangular frames on a round face generally tend to be the better option. If you have an oval-shaped face, look for frame and lens styles with more vibrant colors and a thicker, bolder frame. For people with square-shaped faces, frames that are lighter in color and thinner in size tend to be best.

Know Your Measurements

The most important thing to do when buying your glasses online is to enter the correct lens prescription. However, knowing the measurements for your frame is equally as important. After all, if you end up buying eyewear that is too big or too small for your face, you certainly would not be able to wear those glasses and see clearly as you need to. Most online eyewear retailers will have a guide to help you figure out how to properly measure your head and face for your new glasses. If you still have your old pair of glasses, you definitely want to use that as a reference for entering measurements for your new frame. Most frames will have your exact measurements on the inside of the frames (look at one of the arms). If not, you can use this guide to do it manually. You will need to measure the lens width, arm length, and bridge width. Without proper measurements, the arms of the frame won’t fit around your head correctly, the bridge will either be too big or too small for your nose, and the lenses will sit uncomfortably on your face.

Figure Out Whether You Need Standard Lenses or Thinner Lenses

If you have a stronger prescription, you are going to want to go with thinner lenses. Why? When you have a stronger prescription, the lenses will become thicker and in turn heavier on your face. Fortunately, manufacturers have high index lenses that are thinner and therefore more comfortable to wear. Thinner lenses also tend to be more attractive and flattering on the face. If you have a weak prescription, you won’t have to worry about the thickness or thinness of the lenses and can stick with standard lenses.

Know Your Coating Options And What You Want

Today, glasses are made with a variety of protective coatings and there is a strong chance you are going to want to get certain coatings for your lenses. Some retailers include a specific coating or two with the purchase of the eyewear while others require an extra fee for coatings. Two of the most important coatings would be an anti-scratch coating and an anti-reflective coating. Both are pretty self-explanatory and serve to protect your lenses and shield your eyes from annoying light glares that could distort your vision. Other less common coatings include tints and mirror coatings. Tinted lenses serve to change the color of the lenses or darken them while mirror coating helps fight the glare from harsh sunlight. This is a useful coating for people who spend a lot of time driving on bright, sunny days.

Understand Pupillary Distance

It would not be unusual for you not to know what your pupillary distance is or what to check for which is why most online eyewear retailers will do this for you. The first thing to do if you don’t know what your pupillary distance is or how to check for it is to call your eye doctor to ask for your records. If you can’t contact your eye doctor, but you still have your old eyewear with you, see if you can send in your old glasses to the retailer so that they can check the pupillary distance for you. In general, the pupillary distance for most adults will be anywhere from 60 to 66 millimeters. Finally, if you plan to figure out the pupillary distance on your own, you can follow these instructions or purchase a PD ruler to do the measurements yourself.

Some Final Bells and Whistles

After determining your frame style, size, color, prescription, and frame measurements, you will want to finish up by considering a few final things. Depending on the type or brand of the eyewear you choose, you could get some added features like UV protection, photochromatic lenses, or anti-fog lenses. Whether or not you get any of these features typically depends on the environment you spend most of your time in. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, it would be wise to invest in some photochromic lenses (lenses that transition from clear inside to tinted outside in sunlight) as well as UV protection to protect your eyes from UV rays. 

HOW DO I GET AN ORDER STATUS?

At RX Safety, you can contact customer service via Live Chat on our website or by phone at 888-245-6638  to obtain the status of your order. We will email you a tracking number once your order has been finalized.

After-Purchase Adjustments:

If after purchasing and receiving your glasses you find that they don’t fit correctly, you have a few different options regarding adjustments. Most online retailers will have instructions available to help you adjust your glasses on your own. You may also be able to send them back with the proper measurements to have the retailer adjust them for you. Finally, you could go to your eye doctor or an optician to get your glasses adjusted and fitted properly. Be prepared to pay a fee (usually small) for this service.

If you’ve made a purchase at RX Safety and need to make a return, simply reach out to our dedicated RX-Safety customer service team. They’re here to assist you and will guide you through the available options to ensure you find the perfect pair of glasses tailored to your needs.