If you had sticker shock last time you bought new glasses from your eye doctor, you may wonder if it would be better to buy cheap glasses online next time.
You may be able to keep more money in your pocket by ordering glasses online, but you generally can get more personalized service at an optical store or doctor’s office.
Some glasses wearers who have weighed these pluses and minuses take a hybrid approach to get the best of both worlds.
Trying to decide whether you should try to save on glasses or opt for the personal service and often higher prices at your eye doctor’s office?
Here’s a quick look at the benefits and disadvantages of buying cheap glasses:
The benefits of buying cheap eyeglasses
Buying glasses online can save you money, time and trips to the eye doctor or vision center. Here are four reasons to consider buying cheap glasses online:
1. Cheap eyeglasses cost less
A standard pair of glasses may cost more than $400 when you add a few extras such as shatter-resistant lenses with anti-reflective coating.
You often can buy cheap glasses online for less than 25% of that price.
2. Stack your savings with special deals
You can save even more money by taking advantage of online coupon codes and deals on glasses.
Many online retailers may offer seasonal sales that can save you 20% or more on a pair of glasses.
Optical shops and vision centers that sell glasses may also have periodic sales.
Some eye doctors also offer discounts on eye exams and glasses or contact lens purchases.
Tip: Sign up for your eye doctor’s emails and check your eye doctor’s social media feed.
3. Order cheap glasses quickly and conveniently
You can often order cheap eyeglasses from your couch in less than 30 minutes at any time of day or night.
That can be much more convenient than trying to squeeze in a visit to an optical shop during business hours.
You also typically need to go to the optical store twice – once to choose frames and place your order and a second time to pick up your glasses.
When you buy glasses via your smartphone or computer, they can be delivered to your door.
4. Comparison shop for glasses easily
When you buy eyeglasses online, you can quickly browse several websites to decide what and where to buy.
How to find the best place to buy cheap glasses online?
Check the online retailer’s reputation, customer reviews, selection of frames, prices, lens options and return policies. Oh, and don’t forget to note any price-match guarantee.
When you’re looking for glasses at brick-and-mortar optical shops, comparing prices can take hours, and you could burn through the gas in your tank as you zip from place to place.
RELATED READING: How to buy glasses online
The disadvantages of buying cheap glasses
Buying cheap glasses online may mean that you sacrifice personal service, do more legwork and might not get the perfect fit.
Here are four of the disadvantages of buying cheap glasses:
1. No hands-on help choosing frames
When you order online, you’ll have to try on glasses virtually using a photo of your face or an app. You also may have to measure your own pupillary distance.
How will the frames feel on your face? You’ll have to wait and see when they arrive.
At your eye doctor’s office and at brick-and-mortar vision centers, an optician can quickly help you select the right glasses for your face shape.
An optician also can help you sort through your options for lenses (bifocals or progressives?) and lens coatings. Do you need photochromic lenses? Do you want blue light filtering glasses for increased comfort?
2. Complex prescription? Cheap glasses may not be an option
An optician can mark the exact spot where you look through lenses so they can be aligned precisely in the frames. This is your pupillary distance, and it’s important to ensure your glasses provide ideal vision correction.
Glasses bought online may be more likely to be made with the center of vision placed in the geometric center of the lens.
This “one-size-fits-all” design may be more likely to bother you if you have a strong prescription.
It may be recommended to get glasses from your eye doctor if you have a strong prescription or distinctive facial features, such as a low nose bridge, that may make it more challenging to fit you with frames.
3. Paying for cheap glasses with vision insurance may be tougher
Buy glasses online and you may have to pay out of pocket and request reimbursement from your vision insurance company. The claims process may involve jumping through multiple hoops.
Submitting online? You’ll need to snap photos of your receipts. After you file, you’ll usually have to wait about 10 business days to get your money.
4. What if the glasses you bought online don’t fit right?
Say you followed the online face shape guides to find the glasses that should look best on you and carefully measured your pupillary distance, but the specs in the mail just aren’t what you expected.
Call customer service or talk with a chatbot and explain the problem, then send back your glasses. If it’s not an easy fix, the online retailer may offer you another pair instead.
Remember that you didn’t pay hundreds of dollars for your glasses online like you likely would have through your eye doctor.
Worth noting: Even buying glasses through your eye doctor’s office doesn’t guarantee they will fit right when they are ready for pickup.
