Buying Glasses In Person Vs. Buying Online
As a consumer, you have ever more options for buying prescription eyeglasses. Being able to
buy glasses online opens up many avenues, but it can be daunting for someone who is used to
shopping at a brick and mortar store. Here are some ways that shopping online is similar to (and
different from) an in person retailer.
You Always Start with a Prescription
Whether you're shopping online or in person, you'll need a prescription for eyeglasses in order
to get started. Your optometrist will likely look at the prescription so that they can recommend
you the best frames and accessories for your lenses. Online retailers will often require that you
upload an image of your prescription before you start shopping.
More Options Online
One major benefit of shopping online is that you have many more options to choose from;
you're not limited to what's available at your local optometrist's office. Shopping online, as you
might imagine, will allow you to comparison shop to find good deals. Just make sure that your
insurance company is willing to cover your online glasses purchase at the same percentage rate
as they would an in person shop; otherwise, you might not get as great of a deal as you think.
Ease of Trying Them On
In person shopping has the convenience of letting you try on as many pairs as you want right
away. This is great for when you're not quite sure what types of frames would look best on you.
Many online retailers are beginning to let customers try on glasses as well. You would be able to
pick out a few frames with dummy lenses and have them shipped to you for a set number of
days. The store may cover return shipping so that you simply drop the glasses back in a
mailbox. Then, you would indicate which frames you would like to have in your real prescription
glasses.
You Should Always Get Them Checked
No matter where you buy your lenses, the final stage is to have an eye doctor check to make
sure they fit properly. If they're purchased in person, you'll probably have an optometrist in
house to make sure the glasses meet your prescription needs. If you've bought your glasses
online, stop into your eye doctor's office to have them check for quality and make sure that the
lenses are centered correctly. In short, buying online and buying in person can both be
convenient as long as you are sure to get high quality lenses and frames made.
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