Eyeglasses.com Review: Your Prescription Is Legally Yours - Here Is What Else You Need

Two documents matter and only one is guaranteed to you. Your prescription. The FTC Eyeglass Rule requires the prescriber to provide a copy automatically, at no extra charge, immediately after the examination — not on request, not for a fee, not "only if you buy here." If a practice refuses, that is a matter you can raise with the FTC. The Contact Lens Rule does the same for contacts and additionally requires verification of prescriptions to sellers. What is on it, and what it means: OD is your right eye, OS is your left, OU is both. SPH (sphere) is the main correction — minus for short-sighted, plus for long-sighted. CYL and AXIS correct astigmatism. CYL is the amount; AXIS is the orientation in degrees. If one is present, both must be. ADD is the additional reading power in bifocals and progressives. PRISM and BASE appear only if you need prism correction, and prism is a specialist fit — be cautious ordering it online. Prescriptions expire, typically after one to two years depending on your state and the prescriber. An expired prescription cannot be filled, and more importantly the expiry exists because an eye examination is a health check, not just a measurement. Glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and retinal detachment are frequently detected in routine eye exams before any symptom appears. Do not skip the exam to save money on the glasses. Now the missing number: pupillary distance (PD). This is the distance between the centres of your pupils in millimetres, and it is required to centre the lenses correctly. It is a fitting measurement, not part of the prescription — so it is frequently not written on the form. How to get it: Ask at your exam. Say you want your PD recorded. Most practices will provide it; some resist because it enables you to shop elsewhere. Ask for it afterwards in writing. Measure it yourself as a fallback: a millimetre ruler and a mirror, or a phone app. Self-measurement is adequate for single-vision lenses at ordinary prescriptions, and is a poor idea for progressives or strong prescriptions, where being a couple of millimetres out produces genuine discomfort. Some retailers will estimate it from a photo, which is better than guessing and not as good as a measurement. A single-vision PD is one number. Progressives need more — including segment or fitting height, which depends on how the frame sits on your face. That is the reason progressives are the hardest thing to buy online, and the section below deals with it.

Fitting new lenses into frames you already own is unusual and genuinely useful, and it is the strongest reason to look at this retailer specifically. When it makes real sense: You have frames you love and a new prescription. Frames are the expensive, personal part; lenses are the consumable. Replacing only the lenses can halve the cost of new glasses. Your frames are discontinued and you cannot replace them. You bought expensive designer frames and want to keep using them. You want prescription lenses in non-prescription sunglasses you already own. Scratched lenses in perfectly good frames — an extremely common and needlessly expensive situation. What to check before sending frames away: Whether your frame type is accepted. Rimless and semi-rimless frames are harder and riskier to re-lens — drilling and mounting stresses the material. Some retailers decline them; ask first. What happens if the frame is damaged during fitting. This is the crucial question, because you are posting an irreplaceable item. Ask for the policy in writing. Older, brittle plastic frames in particular can crack when heated for lens insertion. Turnaround time, and whether you will be without glasses meanwhile. Have a spare pair before you post your only one. Whether they will assess frame condition and tell you before proceeding if the frames are not suitable. On lens options, briefly, because this is where cost accumulates: Index (thickness). Higher index means thinner lenses for strong prescriptions. For mild prescriptions it is a cosmetic upgrade you probably do not need; for strong ones it is worth it. Anti-reflective coating is the single most worthwhile add-on for most people — better night driving, less glare, better appearance. Photochromic lenses darken in sunlight. Note most do not darken meaningfully behind a car windscreen, which blocks the UV that triggers them. Polarised is genuinely useful for driving and water glare and can make some LCD screens hard to read. Blue light filtering is heavily marketed. The evidence that it reduces eye strain or improves sleep is weak, and a recent systematic review found little support for the claimed benefits. Digital eye strain is mostly about blinking less and not taking breaks — the 20-20-20 habit does more than a coating.

Online glasses are frequently excellent value and there are cases where they are the wrong choice. Being clear about both is more useful than either enthusiasm or caution alone. When online works well: Single-vision prescriptions in ordinary ranges. This is the large majority of glasses and it is well suited to remote fitting. A second or spare pair. Everyone should have a spare, and online is the sensible way to get one cheaply. Prescription sunglasses, where fit tolerance is greater. Replacing lenses in frames you already own, as above. You already know your frame size from a current pair — the numbers are printed on the inside of the temple arm, usually as lens width, bridge width and temple length, like 52▢18-140. Matching those is the single most reliable way to get fit right remotely. When to see an optician in person: Progressives, especially your first pair. Fitting height must be measured with the actual frame on your face, and being a few millimetres out produces the swim and distortion people blame on progressives generally. Some people never adapt to badly fitted progressives and conclude they cannot wear them. Very strong prescriptions, where lens thickness, index choice and frame selection interact and expert advice pays for itself. Prism correction. Children's glasses. Fit matters enormously for developing vision, frames need to be robust and properly adjusted, and amblyopia treatment depends on the correction being right. Anyone with an unusual face fit or a history of glasses never sitting properly. Practical notes for ordering: Use the free return policy as intended. Order, try, and send back what does not work. Free shipping, free returns and no restocking fee — the terms this retailer advertises — make that genuinely low-risk, which is the point of them. Expect an adjustment. Most glasses need bending to sit right, and many local opticians will adjust glasses bought elsewhere for a small fee or free. Ask before assuming. Give new glasses a few days. Some adaptation is normal. But distortion, headache or eye strain persisting beyond about a week means something is wrong — usually the prescription or the centring — and that is a reason to use the guarantee, not to persevere.

How much does Eyeglasses.com cost? Premium frames from $95, with prices on the pages we saw ranging from $96 to $440, plus lens costs. Free shipping, free returns and no restocking fee are advertised. Am I entitled to a copy of my prescription? Yes. Under the FTC's Eyeglass Rule your prescriber must give you a copy immediately after your exam, at no extra cost, whether or not you ask. The Contact Lens Rule covers contact lens prescriptions. What is pupillary distance and why is it not on my prescription? It is the distance between your pupil centres, needed to centre lenses. It is a fitting measurement rather than part of the prescription, so it is often omitted. Ask for it at your exam. Can I measure my own PD? Adequately for single-vision lenses at ordinary prescriptions, using a millimetre ruler and mirror or an app. Not advisable for progressives or strong prescriptions. Can they put new lenses in my old frames? That is one of the retailer's stated services. Ask first whether your frame type is accepted — rimless and semi-rimless are riskier — and what happens if the frame is damaged in fitting. How do I get the frame size right? Read the numbers printed inside the temple arm of a pair that fits — lens width, bridge width and temple length — and match them. Should I buy progressives online? Not your first pair. Fitting height must be measured with the frame on your face, and a few millimetres out causes the distortion people blame on progressives generally. Is blue light filtering worth it? The evidence for reduced eye strain or better sleep is weak. Blinking more and taking breaks does more — try 20-20-20: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Do photochromic lenses work in the car? Mostly not. Car windscreens block the UV that triggers them. How long does an eye prescription last? Typically one to two years depending on your state and prescriber. Do not skip the exam — it detects eye disease before symptoms appear.