Polycarbonate is one of the strongest and safest materials used to make lenses. The packaging was quite good and I have no concerns about any potential for damage during shipping. Loch Eyewear offers in-home try-on of its signature wooden frames, but the cheapest frames plus lenses are over $300, and prescription lenses are nonrefundable. EyeBuyDirect polycarbonate lenses cost only … To test this claim, I bought an $8 pair of foldable reading glasses. Prices are in the mid-range, and the return period is shorter than most, but our testers consistently rated EyeBuyDirect glasses as being better than the competition. The glasses fit perfectly. And indeed, though we did follow each company’s instructions perfectly, all six accepted and processed our returns on time. And Warby’s one-year scratch-free lens warranty is comparable to Liingo’s and EyeBuyDirect’s. I was able to snag 10% off our first Zenni order this way. (Read more about this and other alignment issues in Should I Buy Glasses Online?). Now, you’re not supposed to use hot water when cleaning glasses (warm is okay) because it’s known to cause coatings to crack. Testers 1 and 3 had no idea whether they were trying on, for example, a $19 pair of glasses or a $145 pair. EyeBuyDirect sells thousands of glasses, prescription sunglasses, blue light glasses, and more for men, women and children. A tester who ordered $19 glasses from Zenni was perfectly pleased with them. However, they so affordable they come included with every EyeBuyDirect frame. Frames start at only $6, with average prices … They’ve been in business for a number of years (over a decade now if I’m recalling correctly), and I’d certainly classify them as one of the major retailers at this point in time. Probably. Feb 23 – The glasses arrived in the mail. Basic packaging. Zenni’s warranty coverage is also lackluster compared with that of our other picks. But if your doctor decides to hold this information hostage, you still have options. New for 2020, EyeBuyDirect offers two-day delivery on single-vision prescription glasses in more than 300 frame options, for an additional fee of $29 (though you can usually pay less for this expedited shipping with a coupon code). It’s really quite new-user-friendly, and that’s reflected in the video they have demonstrating how to take your PD which has shockingly high production value. Compared with EyeBuyDirect, Coastal offers more-expensive frame options (including from brand names like Coach and Tory Burch). Likewise, if the temple arms are too long for you, the glasses can slip forward and off your face or dig in behind your ears, an issue that can sometimes be mitigated with an in-person fitting with a professional (for which Liingo, one of our picks, offers a $25 credit). In wire frames, however, the difference between thick and thinner lenses is generally much more visible. Don’t trade away your health data without considering the potential issues first. The lenses fit perfectly in the frames, and looking around the edges, they seemed to be cut precisely – really just as good as any other pair I’ve owned, and I couldn’t find any flaws in this area. Finally, we had an independent eye-care professional evaluate each pair of glasses, to be sure all of the prescriptions were accurate. EyeBuyDirect and Zenni Optical also offer photochromic lenses (we didn’t test this lens type). Lenses … The nosepads looked like they might need adjusting, but they didn’t. Size ... and the lenses … In fact, sometimes pricier, lighter lenses can distort vision more than thicker, basic ones. However, as they said of online and other DIY eye exams, experts we spoke with unanimously advised against trying to determine your PD on your own. We asked each of the retailers we tested what they did with unwanted prescription glasses. Target Optical has shuttered its in-home try-on program and does not have a virtual try-on option. Bonlook does, however, have a 30-day free returns policy, which is easy to activate online. If you have a hard time finding frames that fit your face or your personal style, shopping around for glasses online may broaden your options. Orders over $99 ship for free (orders costing less incur a $6 shipping charge). The company now offers complete pairs of prescription glasses with a limited selection of frames (fewer than 40 options at the time of publication). Warby Parker also has an outstanding virtual-try-on app (iOS only). Why. I’d certainly recommend them to US customers since they won’t have duty/tax issues. Either way, I’d let them know that they’d be receiving a good, solid pair of glasses, providing they’re kept away from hot water. I love the color and how wide the lens are. Lensabl says it can put Rx lenses in any frames for these flat rates. Feb 2 – An order was placed for a set of glasses during the “2-4-1” sale that EyeBuyDirect.com was having, although I only ordered a single pair of glasses. If you want to try frames on for fit and style before buying them, consider Liingo Eyewear. The anti-glare and hydrophobic coatings we ordered differed slightly from pair to pair, depending upon retailer offerings and costs. Individuals who have very strong prescriptions or other complications, such as the need for prism correction or progressive lenses, may feel more comfortable getting glasses from a brick-and-mortar shop to ensure prescription accuracy (though even they can sometimes make mistakes). EyeBuyDirect does force customers with strong prescriptions to upgrade to thinner, lighter lenses, but the fee is nominal ($30 to $50), especially after you apply a coupon (the retailer offers many). We had no problems with the frame-and-lens combination we ordered from Lensabl in 2020: The prescription was correct, and the frames fit well and felt as expected. Like EyeBuyDirect, Zenni does not offer in-home frame trials. The hardest part of ordering glasses online is knowing which frames will fit and look good on you. While the Canada Border Services Agency will probably refund me my $20 once I fill out a few forms and send my actual invoice showing the actual amount paid and showing that they’re prescription glasses, this would have been a non-issue had EyeBuyDirect listed the actual price I paid and/or listed them as prescription glasses. A. EyeBuyDirect’s lenses are made of lightweight CR39 and polycarbonate plastic. Inside the larger shipping box was a smaller one, branded quite nicely. Those with weaker prescriptions should usually be able to find a pleasing pair for well under $50 when they use an on-site or emailed discount code. Some may consider Zenni’s return policy a dealbreaker. Not only does EyeBuyDirect offer affordable prices, but it also offers a wide variety of lens options, including single vision distance and reading glasses, and progressive lenses as well as fashion glasses with non-prescription lenses. In our research, we were quoted anywhere from $200 to $350 for replacing prescription lenses only. have noted that, after they’ve taken the time to find frames they like from our picks, the retailers have refused to fill their prescriptions. Q. And others (including a customer service rep for a LensCrafters in New York) insisted that their companies never shared this information (even with their own customers), and that we should try “a mom and pop shop.” Indeed, independently owned Oscar Oglethorpe Eyewear in Greensboro, North Carolina, was the only shop we called whose rep said its staff would measure anyone’s PD free of charge, whether or not someone purchased glasses from their establishment. Most AR coatings survive without a hitch. The transparent case in the 2nd photo closes/latches magnetically and has a foam strip to keep the glasses secure. I’d recommend them to international customers as well, providing they were aware of the possible duty/tax they may end up paying. We’ve spent over a thousand hours testing more than 100 pieces of gear that encourage ergonomically healthy posture. For the best shot at getting online glasses that work for you, it’s worth having a professional measure your PD—if you can find one who’s willing. We had no problems with our partial refund transactions at Zenni, nor did we have problems using the store credit. EyeBuyDirect is an online-only retailer and designs and custom-makes most its glasses in-house. You can then search for the same dimensions in a new set of frames. Though we didn’t retest Jins in 2019, it has the largest selection of frames for people with low nose bridges of all the companies we considered (211 “alternative fit” styles at the time of publication, compared with Zenni Optical’s 129 and EyeBuyDirect’s 29). All of the retailers we ordered glasses from offer workarounds for determining your PD without a professional’s help. The lenses had a slight bit of fluff/debris on them (possibly from the cloth) which rinsed off easily with water. Every one of them refused to provide this measurement to someone who was not planning on buying glasses directly from their establishment. ), see why our affordable prescription glasses, sunglasses, and Blue Light Blocking Lenses … But Zenni has an incredible selection of more than 2,000 frames (more than twice as many as EyeBuyDirect) and myriad lens options, including the choice of basic lenses even for people with stronger prescriptions. On this pair, hot water does indeed “crack” the coatings, and rather quickly at that. Even though we spent more on comparable frame-and-lens pairings from Liingo versus EyeBuyDirect, our panelists liked their EyeBuyDirect glasses the same. Wondering what happens to returned spectacles? Since 2017, we’ve spent more than 100 hours evaluating the websites of online glasses stores, comparing their policies, ordering and returning dozens of pairs of glasses, playing with fitting tools, and learning how to find glasses that fit—with or without being able to try on frames first. A fashionable frame with great quality and an affordable price. Really. Overall, the included hardshell case and beautiful packaging were the things we found we loved most about the glasses we ordered from Warby Parker. It’s possible to score a great pair of prescription eyeglasses from Zenni. Her debut picture book, Bedtime Bonnet, is the first-ever kids book on Black nighttime hair rituals. What does EyeBuyDirect make their lenses from? Lensabl covers only scratches and coating defects for up to 90 days, with the option to pay $10 for an extended warranty that provides nine additional months of coverage. Liingo glasses come with a one-year warranty against defects and breaking from standard wear and tear. I had actually expected them to take a little longer (since they were ordered during a sale), but to my surprise they made it in exactly 2 weeks which is what I generally expect from most items I order from the US. And judging by customer reviews, as well as our own testing, many people do. You can use an alias and fake email. We called a random sampling of eight “big box” opticians nationwide and asked if we could get our PD measured for a fee. For this guide, we considered only glasses for adults. We also found that the weight difference between these thicker basic lenses and thinner, more expensive ones was negligible, ranging from 0 to 2 grams. With a few phone calls, you may be able to find a local pro who is willing to measure your PD for a nominal or no fee. Of course, there were some slight differences in styles based on the options each retailer offered at the time of our testing. We also consulted Alysa Bernstein, an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. EyeBuyDirect says glasses can take one to two weeks to produce and mail, but all of our test pairs arrived within seven days of ordering, save for the more-complicated progressives, which arrived within the promised two weeks. But considering how common such occurrences are in e-commerce, we view these events as unfortunate but not necessarily disqualifying. A common fitting issue arises if you have a low nose bridge—meaning the shallowest part of your nose is at or below your pupils—or high cheekbones. Eight of the nine retailers we ordered glasses from offered no-questions-asked return policies. Come see to discover your style. We found that unless EyeBuyDirect provided a prepaid shipping label, we were expected to put in a little more work to receive a refund than with other retailers, since the process is not automated. The retailer provides 50% refunds or 100% store credit for returns made within 30 days. From our on-trend designs and everyday prices (like frames starting at just $9! This is understandably frustrating. We also eliminated the following online eyeglasses retailers because they lacked a virtual or in-home frame try-on service: Ambr Eyewear, America’s Best, Coco Leni, Eyeglasses.com, Felix Gray, FramesDirect, GlassesShop, GreatEyeglasses.com, LensCrafters, Polette, Payne Glasses, Visionworks, and Walmart Optical. We first eliminated any retailer that did not offer some form of try-on service, whether virtual or in-home, because ordering glasses online without a modicum of an idea of what they might look like on your face can lead to wasted time and money. One minor concern is the AR/UV coating. EyeBuyDirect … EyeBuyDirect Polarized Lenses For only an extra $30 you can add tinted lenses with a polarized coating to your prescription or non-prescription sunglasses. Browsing through frames and sorting by price, I selected regular metal frames ($17.95) with basic free lenses, and added an AR ($6.95) and UV ($4.95) coating. Despite Zenni’s ultra-low prices, we found that it surpassed our expectations, sometimes impressively so. So it’s no surprise that, according to the Vision Council, eyeglasses are a $43 billion business in the US (PDF). Frames that don’t accommodate such facial features typically sit too low or too close to your eyes for the glasses to be comfortable and effective. Within two weeks of sending the frames and prescription to Lensabl, I had a pair of perfectly prescribed folding eyeglasses for less than $100. If not, and you remember where you bought your last pair of specs, give the shop a call. Another tester preferred the $149 progressive-prescription glasses she received from Zenni to the comparable, $295 ones from a competitor. Warby Parker’s shipping times and return processing were within a few days of those of our picks. Most everyone can find frames they like and lenses that suit their prescription at EyeBuyDirect. Tester 3: Progressive Rx with mild astigmatism; ordered rectangular plastic frames with the noted lenses, all with anti-glare and scratch-resistant coatings, Nancy Kirsch, director of the Essilor Eyewear Center at the University Eye Center and assistant clinical professor at the State University of New York College of Optometry, phone interview, March 23, 2018, Dr. Neil Pence, associate dean for clinical and patient care services at the Indiana University School of Optometry, in-person interview, March 22, 2018, Dr. Camille Cohen, optometrist in private practice, phone interview, March 28, 2018, Dr. Michael Chiang, professor of ophthalmology, medical informatics, and clinical epidemiology at Oregon Health & Science University, email interview, March 30, 2018, Dr. Jeff Pettey, director of education at the John Moran Eye Center and assistant professor at the University of Utah Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, email interview, March 30, 2018, Dr. James Salz, ophthalmologist in private practice, email interview, March 30, 2018, Dr. Abdhish Bhavsar, ophthalmologist in private practice, email interview, March 30, 2018, Dr. Christopher Quinn, president of the American Optometric Association, phone interview, December 6, 2017, Alysa Bernstein, attorney, Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, phone interview, October 17, 2019, Safety, quality of internet-purchased glasses subpar, study says, American Optometric Association, September 28, 2016. 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