FAQ: ONline sales of glasses and contact lenses
 

• Will you give me my Prescription if I want to purchase online?

  • Absolutely. It's your right as a consumer to be able to take a copy of your prescription anywhere you choose including online. The one caveat here is that your glasses prescription and your contact lens prescription are NOT the same thing! There is a process to fitting contact lenses that ensures they fit you safely, comfortably and provide good vision. Once a contact lens prescription has been determined you can have a copy of it as well.

• isn't online way cheaper?

  • Surprisingly online is not always cheaper. Our contact lens prices are about the same as online plus we also have manufacturers rebates that can save you as much as $100 off your contact lens supply! As a result buying contact lenses from us is often cheaper than online! For glasses we offer packages for single vision glasses as low as $99. You can get glasses for less online but our next point addresses why that might not be ideal.

• Why is online cheaper for glasses?

  • There are several answers to this question. First of all the frames we are selling you are all current and all come with at least a one year manufacturer's warranty. Many online stores offer discontinued frames, do not have warranties and in some cases even sell counterfeit products! Our lenses are also of an excellent quality even in our package deals. Any lens purchased from us also comes with at least a one year manufacturer's warranty. We also ensure that any lens purchased through us has all the correct measurements and the correct prescription and double check that the lenses are made correctly. Studies done in both the United States and Canada have found that about 50% of glasses purchased from many online retailers do not meet minimum safety standards, have a prescription different from what was ordered or do not have the correct measurements. Our trained professionals will ensure that any glasses purchased online from us will be exactly what you ordered.

• WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORDERING CONTACT LENSES FROM YOU OR FROM ONLINE? AREN'T THEY ALL THE SAME?

  • Contact lenses from us and contact lenses ordered online SHOULD be exactly the same. Unfortunately this isn't always the case. The majority of contact lenses sold online are completely legitimate but occasionally counterfeit lenses bought by online companies from a third party enter the market. These are labelled the same as the contact lens brand you may be wearing but when you try to use them you instantly notice the difference. Contact lenses are also a medical device that must be stored in proper conditions. If they are left in a warehouse that is too hot or too cold the contact lenses can be damaged resulting in an increased risk of infection and decreased comfort and vision with the lens.

• Do things like PD and fitting heights really matter?

  • The short answer is yes. Your PD (pupillary distance, the distance between your eyes) is very important. If measured incorrectly you are likely to experience headaches, eyestrain, blurred vision and possibly even double vision. It won't kill you, but it won't be pleasant and you certainly won't like your glasses. That's why if you haven't gotten your PD measured professionally we want you to come in and get your PD measured instead of just putting in what you think it might be.
    Your fitting height is where the optical centre of the lens sits. With digital single vision lenses, bifocals and progressives fitting height, PD and all of the many other measurements taken need to be done perfectly to provide you with the best possible vision. Most online retailers use an average measurement that works for most people and assume that will work for you as well. That can compromise how well your glasses work for you. Those measurements can also vary depending on how you hold your head, where and how you wear your glasses and what activities you do while wearing glasses. Those are all things that simply cannot be known with an online sale.

• Why should I come in to pick out glasses instead of purchasing online?

  • At Eye Spy Optometry we really don't love online glasses sales. Glasses are just way too personal! Even if the measurements are identical from one frame from to another you can't guarantee that they will fit you exactly the same (much like a size 6 at one store is not the exact same size a size 6 from another store or how one pair of pants may fit completely differently from another even if they're the same size just because of how they're cut). Even if we ignore the issue of not knowing if a frame fits you properly, choosing what lens is best and what coatings are right for you is complicated. Online ordering systems have 'dumbed down' the process significantly but there are literally hundreds of different lens and coating options available. Our job is to help you find the right lens and this is almost impossible to do online.
    Finally the measurements we take really matter. Your PD, fitting height, frame wrap and pantoscopic tilt may not be the most important measurements we take but if they're wrong you're going to notice and you won't be happy. Letting us properly and professionally measure them helps to ensure that your glasses come back to you perfectly.

Online versus in store Pros and cons

Cons

• You get what you pay for. Much of what is sold online is less expensive because it is either outdated product OR the product has been inexpensively made overseas.

• The true cost is often higher than what is advertised. The advertised prices are usually for very basic lenses and frames. Once you've picked a frame you like, chosen and anti-glare coating or thinner lenses the price starts to add up quickly.

• Some lenses are better made than others. Online sells only entry level lenses because new, modern lenses require far more personal and detailed measurements that cannot be done online.

• Your PD measurement is absolutely vital to your vision. If done incorrectly (or made incorrectly) you will have worse vision and be more likely to get chronic headaches.

• Most glasses need to be adjusted to fit you properly. Online can't do those adjustments for you so you end up coming to us to try to fit the frames properly.

Purchased glasses online and you aren't happy? Come in and we'll do our best to help. If they're still not working, trade in your online glasses and we'll give you $50 in store credit towards new, high quality, customized glasses from us! Your old pair will go to someone in need.