buying eye glasses

Buying Eye Glasses: Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

About 75 percent of people wear something to correct their vision. With so many people buying eye glasses, there are several things to consider. You’ll have your glasses for quite a while; therefore, you don’t want to make a mistake.

What kind of color should you get? What about the types of lenses? How big should your glasses be?

When buying eye glasses, here are the common mistakes and how to avoid them.

When Buying Eye Glasses, Get the Best Prescription

Getting your eyes checked by a professional is the first step before buying eye glasses. You want a solid check-up by an optometrist to make sure the prescription is accurate. The last thing you need is an out-of-date prescription when buying eye glasses.

An optometrist can also make sure you don’t have any eye diseases or other issues like cataracts. They will do a full eye exam and monitor if your vision is worse than your last visit.

They can also guide you through the process of buying eye glasses. They can advise you on the cost of glasses and talk with you about lenses and frames. A good optometrist is the first line of defense when buying eyeglasses to help you make the right decision.

If you have insurance, what does it cover? As an eye glasses provider, your optometrist can help you understand your choices.

Frames

Frames come in all kinds of colors and sizes. When buying glasses, it can be confusing. How do you know which frames are the right size?

Your eyeglass frames need to be both functional and stylish! You also want them to be practical and to fit your face properly. You don’t want them too big or too small.

Big and bulky frames may look great, but they can be heavy on your face. You’ll want to consider the size and weight of the types of glasses you want, especially if you plan to wear them daily. Depending on the size of your face, you’ll want them to look great horizontally, so they fit your face properly.

Some people might also think the size of the temples is not important. If they are too short, they won’t fit around the back of your ear properly. They can become painful and cause the back of your ears to become sore when wearing them throughout the day.

When buying eyeglasses, you should ask about nose pads. Will you need them? Depending on how heavy your lenses and frames are, you may want them to help protect the skin on your nose.

Some types of glasses feature a curve on the frame. These can sometimes cause a problem with your vision.

There are plenty of brands on the market. Some are more expensive than others.

Lenses

When buying eyeglasses, you want a high-quality lens that is clear and crisp. After you pick out your lenses, this is the next step in the process. Much like frames, there are several choices you must make.

Depending on your prescription, your lens might be on the thicker side. You will have a choice to go with a thicker or thinner lens. Much will depend on the size of frame you like.

A polycarbonate lens is great for people who play sports or who are active. A Trivex lens is thinner and also has good protection from scratches.

You might also choose a photochromatic lens that changes with the sunlight. These lenses act as sunglasses in the bright sunshine and regular clear lenses when you’re inside. They are beneficial to people who want stylish sunglasses, but yet need eyeglasses to see.

Single vision lenses allow you to see the same prescription regardless of where you look. A bifocal will allow you to see a longer distance when you look straight ahead but allow you to read a book that’s in your lap. Progressive lenses add a third later that sits above the bifocal.

There are also different types of lenses coatings to choose from when buying eyeglasses. You can get an anti-reflective coating to eliminate glare. You can also get an anti-scratch coating and a UV coating to block the sun’s harmful rays.

Your eyeglasses provider can help guide you to make the best choice for glass lenses and frames.

Buying Eye Glasses Online

Shoppers spent nearly $579 billion online, and the trend continues to grow. People love shopping online because it’s easy, and you can do it from the comfort of your living room or office chair. Buying eyeglasses online is no different.

One of the biggest drawbacks of buying glasses online is that you cannot try them on for size. It’s difficult to know how they will fit or how they will look on your face. Are the temples long enough, and are they wide enough for your face?

There are also certain measurements your eyeglasses provider will take once you make a decision. They must measure if the lenses will fit properly, and they’ll make sure they are not too heavy for your face. They also will want to make sure the center of the lens meets your eye.

Is the prescription accurate? Some websites may not be as strict when it comes the prescription. This could leave you with eyeglasses that give you improper vision.

Some websites might also not take your insurance, which will increase the cost of glasses.

Once you complete the process, it might be difficult to return the glasses to your online retailer. Should you buy online, make sure you know the return policy.

Common Mistakes With Buying Eyeglasses

There are some things you need to consider when buying eyeglasses, including getting the right prescription, frames, and lenses. You’ll also want to avoid the pitfalls of buying eyeglasses online.

You want a trained professional to help you buy eyeglasses. Contact us to make sure you get the right frames, lenses, and fit!