Question:
Why would I buy in store when I can buy cheap eyeglasses online?
Answer:
Online purchasing of glasses sometimes can provide the advantage of availability of certain frame styles and/or better price. However, it can be a confusing process and it is certainly not for everyone, especially with a complex prescription including bifocal, progressive, and or high prescription which requires precise lens measurements to ensure proper vision and comfort. These are best measured with the actual glasses physically on a person’s face and should not be estimated. Depending on a prescription, a slight deviation or errors in measurements can cause misalignment of optical center of the lenses and the visual axis, regardless of the accuracy of the prescription, and ultimately lead to visual discomfort and eyestrain.
Choosing a pair of eyeglasses is also best done in person. Some optical websites even provide an option of superimposing images of your selected frame and your uploaded photo to provide you with a visual image. However, this still does not ensure the actual comfort and fitting of the glasses. Frames have different widths and temple lengths. Physically trying the eyeglasses on your face will only ascertain the comfort and the proper fitting rather than ordering a pair merely based on measurements and visual attraction
-Dr. Kim
Grace M. Kim, O.D.
Dr. Grace Kim
Clinical Advisor Panel Chair for America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses.
Dr. Kim received her Doctorate from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Prior to entering optometry school, she worked as a research biologist at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. She was involved in electron microscopy, ultramicrotomy and immunocytochemistry, in which fields she received acknowledgements and co-authored presentations, abstracts, and articles which were published in the Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. Following graduation, Dr. Kim joined National Vision’s America’s Best Contacts and Eyeglasses. Since 2007, Dr. Kim served as Chairperson on Clinical Advisory Panel. She is also a Doctor Mentor in which position she trains newly hired doctors and assist in conducting performance reviews on the Peer Review Committee.