Buying Prescription Glasses Online VS In Store

Timestamps:
0:00 Buying Prescription Glasses Online Vs In Store
0:51 Cheap Prescription Glasses (Why shop online?)
2:06 Are Online Glasses Accurate?
3:16 Buying Progressive Glasses Online
4:15 Quality of Online Glasses Frames
5:50 Quality of Online Glasses Lenses
6:58 Services Buying Eyeglasses Online vs In Store
10:34 Best of Both Worlds
11:28 Question of the Day
11:58 My Cute Cat

**PRO TIP**
No matter where you buy your glasses it is always best to have them professionally adjusted to improve their fit and comfort. It will help you see better too.

If you are looking to purchase online glasses, it is IMPORTANT to continue seeing your eye doctor yearly for eye health evaluations. Although you may be seeing well, many eye diseases may creep up without affecting your eyesight until it's too late.

This video is NOT sponsored. Links below are affiliate links which means if you buy something we may receive a small commission and no additional cost to you.

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About This Video:
Have you ever tried buying prescription glasses online? Online glasses have been a growing trend and many people have asked me where the best place to buy online glasses would be. To test this out, I have been buying and testing many online glasses brands over the last year. In this video, Dr. Joseph Allen from the doctor eye health show helps you weigh the pros and cons of buying eyeglasses online vs buying from your local in store glasses shop.

#onlineglasses #eyeglasses #doctoreyehealth

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[DoctorEyeHealth]

Have you tried prescription glasses online? What are your honest thoughts?

[mauriciostarosta]

Your arguments in favor of going to a store to buy glasses are very compelling. The only problem is most shops are a ripoff. I paid 1/5 of the price in an online store for good quality frames.

[pamspratt]

My local optometrist/brick & mortar wanted nearly $900 for my glasses, that is AFTER what my optical insurance pays. The Zenni frame & progressive lenses I opted for this time are $750 cheaper and just fine. I worked as an optician so I know the ins and outs of the industry, and I was skeptical about online ordering but my first order from Zenni is 100% satisfactory.

[theonethatwatched]

I think it is also important to acknowledge that the accessibility of buying glasses online can be really essential for those who may be disabled, have busy work schedules, kids, language barrier, or other restrictions that don't make in person shopping a good option for them. Also, some people enjoy in person customer service, while others may feel anxious/overwhelmed or even pressured and would rather shop online, it's different for everyone, and it's great that we have different options and sources available to use in this day and age!

[tacheignaallen]

I’ve been wearing glasses for about 15 years and this is the first time I’ve seen someone review online versus “in-store” glasses. Very informative. Thanks for sharing.

[usernameunknkown]

I've had every pair of Zenni glasses I've ever bought, put on the machine at my opthalmologists office. Every single pair was 100% correct. People must enter their prescription wrong. I have lots of friends that only buy Zenni now.

[elliciabramblett]

I’ve been wearing glasses for the past 15 years and I love the glasses I’ve gotten online. I’ve used Zenni, Firmoo, and Zeelool. I order multiple pairs of glasses because I love having different styles and I also get prescription sunglasses for about $60. I’ve probably spent about $200 and have gotten 6 pairs of glasses 👓

[maureengreen]

Through the years I’ve purchased about 20 glasses from Zenni and from Eye Buy Direct, and I am completely satisfied with them. I get prescriptive with blue light protection and anti-glare lenses. They’re usually less than $100 per pair compared to $600 for a comparable pair of glasses at the optometrist. Though I’ve never had my online glasses tested for accuracy, I’m really happy to hear from the many comments hear that people have tested and learned their Zenni glasses were 100% accurate.

[goodintentions]

66 years of wearing glasses & I'm so very glad I found I can get my glasses online!! A huge savings & I can see perfectly!

[alfulci]

I was on the fence about buying glasses online but this video's comment section tipped me toward buying online. I feel reassured. I have been buying glasses in brick and mortar outlets and have been spending a fortune. Easily $700 on 2 complete pairs with all add ons.
At Zenni it's like $80 per pair with add ons.

[christya]

Okay I did both. My in-store experience, WITH PROGRESSIVE LENSES, was that it cost three times as much, and they got my prescription wrong. My online experience(I used Zenni), WITH PROGRESSIVE LENSES, was that I bought three pair of glasses, top of the line lenses with all the coatings and everything, with custom clip on sunglasses for each pair, the lenses were perfect, and those THREE pair cost less than the ONE pair I bought in store, AND the in store pair had no special coatings and the lenses were thick. However, if they would stop ripping us off in store, and gave us the same quality you can get online for the same price, then yeah I'd buy in store again. EDIT: Also, aren't most "in-store" glasses ACTUALLY SENT OFF TO BE MADE? Basically, you go "in store", you place your order, and then they send your prescription off to be made. Isn't that the same thing that happens when you order online? So really, what's the difference? As long as you have ALL OF YOUR MEASUREMENTS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT when you place your order, what's the difference? The person in store entered my information incorrectly and I got the wrong lenses. I entered my own information correctly, online, and got perfectly made glasses. However, this was just my experience. Everyone needs to make up their own mind.

[chickentenderella]

I can’t tell you enough how appreciative I am of you to make your videos. As a licensed optician I am faced with a lot of questions especially when it comes to patients asking me about online retailers. I refer a lot of them to watch your videos.

[Ravenlight_]

I've been doing the hybrid version of buying frames online and taking them to a local shop. Mostly because of style, I live in a rural area and selection is very limited and costly. I can purchase identical or similar frames at half the cost. My lenses are bifocal and one eye is very strong so I do rely on the expertise in the shop to ensure my lenses line up with my eye. For six years it's been working AO - AoK

[DouglasDavis]

As a Licensed Optician at Costco you gave good information and were honest and unbiased. Good job!

[latischahuller]

I have a really high astigmatism in both eyes and was tired of paying $400- $700 for a new pair of glasses every couple of years. I had seen quite a few people swearing that there hot them way cheaper online. (Zenni in this case) I finally bit the bullet and got a pair and I love them. I felt like I was getting away with something! Lol I did use measurements from my old pair to order and had someone help me with my PD. This helped tremendously!

[vongdong]

I brought my own frames with me when updating my prescription and my optometrist and his assistants were not happy. They were very against bringing my own frames and kept insisting on buying the ones they had available but I stood my ground. I no longer go there. If I can save 50% or more on frames online then I sure as hell am going to. I understand supporting local businesses but when you overcharge and are passive aggressive then no thanks.

[cicelybega]

Great video! I’d like to also add that smaller eye clinics tend to be better quality than the 1-hour chains, from my experience. You also tend to get more experienced employees. Not knocking the chains, but there is something to say for shops that truly care about you and your vision. Not just about meeting a quota each week.

[sandraracicot]

I ordered 2 pairs each from different online stores. Bifocal transitional and both have been excellent. The frames and shapes were en pointe. One cost $30, the other $133. I am definitely sticking with online. The brick and mortar stores wanted $500-$600 for exactly the same thing.

[lindastansbury]

I’m so thankful to have discovered you and this video. I’ve always bought in store and they’re always very expensive so getting them much less expensively online was a major draw for me. I’ve been shopping online for over a year and have had many try-on boxes sent to me during that time. I’ve liked the styles, colors, prices and quality of the frames I’ve tried but the uncertainty attached to getting the quality, accuracy, durability and features in lenses have held me back from ordering every time, especially because I use bifocals. I thought it was an either-or choice; it never occurred to me that I could buy the frames online and go in store for my lenses and fitting. That’s definitely the best if both worlds for me. Thank you so much.

[franksattler]

I have purchased my eyeglasses online. I did that as a backup pair since my insurance only covers one pair every two years. In most cases, the eyeglasses that I ordered online worked well. I have not ordered any eyeglasses online in a long time. Thanks for the video and the information. You are correct about the not being able to try the glasses on for comfort and feel and that was one thing I did find to be an issue a few times.