GlassesI hate going to the eye doctor more than the dentist. I’m sure it helps that my dentist has a liberal policy with the laughing gas, but eye appointments are never fun. I don’t like the puff of air being shot in my pupil, the pressure of picking which is better (“number three… or number four?”) or the fact that they always try to dilate my pupils with those horrible drops.

I also don’t like paying upwards of $200 – $300 for glasses at the end of the experience. I’m fine with using my contacts 99% of the time, but there’s always things that can go wrong’”like when you accidentally scratch your cornea or get a hideous sty infection. In those cases, contacts are out and it would be nice to distinguish shapes from a distance.

After complaining about it to several people, someone finally suggested I buy online. Online glasses cost less because the lenses are cut outside the US and no brick-and-mortar means less markup on frames. The pair I got was $50 and the only reason they were that expensive was that I needed a special strength on my right eye.

Here’s an overview of some of the ins and outs.

Get an Eye Exam

Your eyes do get worse over time so make sure you’re up to date. Yearly vision plans are your friend in this regard’”they’re usually cheap and pay for themselves after a single visit.

Finally you need not only your glasses prescription, but your pupillary distance, the distance between your pupils. It’s a little tricky but you can measure yourself. My eye place had a special tool for the job and was more than happy to do it for me. Bifocals are a more complicated matter.

Picking Frames

I’ve never understood the concept of face shapes very well’”like what’s the difference between a diamond and oval? Still I’ve had glasses long enough to know big round lenses are out for me and that I have a small enough face that that I need a lighter frame.

Some of the online stores have functionality where you can print out life sized copies of the glasses or import your picture and see an image of the frames superimposed. Just be aware that colors on a monitor may vary from real life.

One thing to pay attention to is measurement. Unlike in the eye place you don’t get to try them on so a great looking pair may not always fit. Measure an existing pair and make purchases around that.

Freedom to Accessorize

The prohibitive cost of glasses usually means most people are stuck with a single new pair each year, if that. But some online optic aficionados have more glasses than shoes. It’s easy to get carried away, but I could see the benefit of having a casual style and a more professional option for work and formal events.

Less expensive glasses give you more freedom to mix and match’¦ or even splurge on a pair of chartreuse cat-eye rhinestone frames. I honestly don’t know why more domestic eye stores don’t adopt this business model rather than pushing a boutique service.

Caveat Emptor

A 19$ pair of discount frames is (sometimes) what you pay for. The brands offered at these sites aren’t Gucci. Compared to my old designer specs, the ones I got are pretty flimsy. I also opted for lower grade lenses than I’d normally get from an eye doctor so they have a slight distortion. Still– I can see fine, had no headaches and they’ve never broke. As a backup pair they’re perfect.

Quality varies depending on the frame, so if you plan on wearing them a lot look for something sturdier.

For More Info…

Check out the most excellent Glassy Eyes website where you can discuss glasses in the forums, read more about buying online and even get discounts from the big five retailers.