Buy Cheap Prescription Glasses Online Canada TOP
If you've never shopped for glasses online before, this is for you! There are a couple things you'll need to have handy before you should even start browsing different frames, including your current and valid prescription. And if you're due for a checkup, make sure you see your eye doctor before you shell out for a new pair.
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After an eye appointment, you should receive your eyeglass prescription. If you also receive a contact lens prescription, don't lose it! However, you'll only need the glasses one for, well, buying glasses.
Your prescription contains information about your eyesight and any correction needs. Honestly, it will contain a LOT of numbers and letters, and it can all seem pretty overwhelming if you don't know exactly what to look for. Many websites that sell glasses have blogs and popups that can help guide you through this whole process, but here are some of the basics when it comes to reading your glasses prescription:
In the end, the "best" place to buy glasses online really depends on what you're looking for. If you're somebody who favours a quick turnaround time, Optically might be your best bet. But if you want frames that are a little more original and designed in Canada, give Bon Look a try. Whatever you're after, here's our list of the eight best places to buy glasses online. If you love any others, let us know in the comments!
Since Clearly sells both prescription glasses and contact lenses, you can find everything you need in one place. And when it comes to eyewear, you can score frames for up to 70% off in their clearance section. They also have a blog with step-by-step guides for how to buy glasses online.
Bon Look might be my favourite retailer on this list. They're based in Montreal and dedicated to crafting unique glasses that are fashionable and affordable. Everything they sell is designed in-house and handmade using high-quality materials. You can also choose to test frames via their Virtual Try On or book an appointment at one of their locations, which is perfect if online shopping makes you just a teeny bit nervous.
Go to your local optician. They are trained to ensure proper fit and which options are best for you. They are also there for you when you need repairs and warranty. Things not to buy online> glasses! Ever!
Also, many online retailers who sell cheap prescription glasses fabricate the lenses in their own optical labs rather than using a wholesale optical laboratory that specializes in providing this service to eye care professionals. And while this might help you get your cheap glasses quicker than eyewear purchased in an optical store, in some cases quality of the finished product may suffer.
Online retailers of cheap glasses point out that optical stores cannot match their vast virtual inventory of frames. This may be true. But how many of those hundreds or thousands of frames are a good fit for your head and face shape? And who will help you choose?
Warranties on eyeglasses and sunglasses are only as good as the reliability of the retailer who provides them. Can you really trust an online start-up or mall kiosk to honor a warranty on their cheap glasses and sunglasses?
For the approximately 64 percent of Americans who wear them, prescription eyeglasses are part medical device and part fashion accessory. They correct your vision and, faster than you can say Jackie O or Harry Potter, help you tell the world how you'd like to be viewed, too.
That's why we surveyed more than 91,000 readers and also shopped for glasses ourselves, online and in walk-in stores, to discover the pros and cons of different vendors. We interviewed eyeglass experts and eye doctors to get their best advice, too. What we learned is that where you get your glasses should depend on whether your priority is convenience, service, selection, or a rock-bottom price.
Doctors' offices and independent eyeglass shops. Nearly 40 percent of survey respondents bought their glasses from one of these sources. They gave these sellers high marks for lens and frame fitting, employee knowledge, and follow-up service. But frames and lenses tended to cost more than elsewhere: Our readers shelled out a median of around $400, two to three times what you might pay online or at a discount store.
As for all-online retailer Zenni Optical, you can try on frames only virtually, by uploading a photo of yourself. And it, too, has a 30-day warranty. Still, Zenni's frames with basic single-vision lenses start at less than $10, and upgrading to progressives begins at just $28. Survey respondents who bought from Zenni spent a median of just $69 for a complete pair of glasses, making them our survey's lowest-cost retailer.
Online retailers. While only about 5 percent of our respondents bought their glasses online, nearly twice as many browsed online before purchasing at a walk-in store. Even if you don't plan to buy from a website, the price information you get might help you negotiate your way to a discount from a walk-in store. For instance, in a web search, we found a Dolce & Gabbana men's frame that was $190 at LensCrafters on sale for $99 at LensesRx Optical and $89 at Amazon.com.
Once you know the pros and cons, your decision may be easy. If you have a simple prescription, you might consider shopping at Warby Parker. If you're covered by insurance, you'll probably want to choose a provider that accepts your plan. If your heart is set on pricey designer frames, online retailers may be a great option.
But Canadian optometrists are raising concerns about a lack of oversight linked to online glasses, and warn that eyewear that is manufactured or fitted improperly could lead to eyestrain, double vision, or headaches.
In less than a decade, the prevalence of buying prescription eyeglasses online has exploded, with the number Americans that have their glasses delivered directly to their door growing at more than 10 per cent per year since 2007.
Canada's largest online glasses retailer, British Columbia-based Clearly Contacts, estimates that prescription glasses that run for $400 in optical stores can be purchased for $38 to $198 on their website.
If you've logged on to Facebook lately, you've likely spotted Clearly Contacts' 'First Pair Free' campaign, which was launched to attract customers that may be wary of purchasing prescription eyewear online.
"Hopefully (the glasses) fit. Hopefully there's an accurate prescription, but those are questions that are not always being answered," Dr. Paul Geneau, president of the Canadian Association of Optometrists, told CTVNews.ca in a telephone interview from Ottawa.
The study noted that the majority of optical failures in the traditional dispensing model are identified during inspections before the glasses they leave the laboratory, so no more than two per cent of the prescriptions are returned after delivery.
Geneau said there are regulations on the dispensing of prescription glasses in every Canadian province except for British Columbia, where some aspects of dispensing eyewear were de-regulated a few years ago.
"Consumers like shopping online, they like to discover new products, they like to browse," he says. "If they ultimately buy from us, or whether they buy in stores, it's a discovery platform to see new glasses."
Some of the cheapest options for buying prescription glasses online include Zenni Optical, Eyebuydirect, Goggles4U, Liingo Eyewear, Diff Eyewear, Vint and York and Warby Parker. GlassesUSA.com is one of the cheapest places to buy designer prescription eyeglasses from brands like Ray-Ban, Oakley, Prada and Persol.
A complete pair of glasses at Liingo Eyewear including designer-quality frames and prescription lenses normally start at $79. Use coupon code MODERNFELLOWS to take 25% off your Liingo Eyewear order, bringing the total cost of a pair of glasses to as little as $59.25.
The company is one of my favorite places to shop online for their combination of attractive glasses, a virtual mirror and a super-affordable price-point. As an added bonus, Eyebuydirect lets you log in with your Amazon account, which means one less password to keep track of.
Founded in 2009 by entrepreneurs Daniel Rothman, Eldad Rothman and Roy Yamner, GlassesUSA sells a range of prescription glasses with prices that start at $39.00, but can be much less than that with sales and coupons.
GlassesUSA is one of the only companies around that offers a home try-on program that sends customers glasses to try at home with their own prescription lenses already included for 14 days. GlassesUSA also has a virtual try on program and inexpensive blue light blocking glasses.
At $5.95, San Francisco-area startup Payne Glasses (PG) clocks in at the absolutely lowest priced complete pair of glasses I could find online. This price includes includes 1.56 standard, single-vision prescription lenses, anti-scratch, anti-reflective / anti-glare coatings, and 100% UV protection.
Last I checked, frames only start at $49.99, and my local Costco charged an additional $65 for single vision lenses. Online brands like Zenni, Eyebuydirect, Liingo Eyewear and Warby Parker deliver better value for prescription eyeglasses.
This chart shows a price comparison for progressive lenses. It reflects the cost of a complete set of eyeglasses including frames and progressive lenses. It does not include shipping costs. (Many online eyeglasses retailers will provide free shipping with a minimum order, and the cost of progressive lenses may help you meet that minimum.)
After a trip to the eye doctor, who told me my prescription had changed and I should try progressive lenses, I went out and ordered several pairs of (relatively) cheap progressives from Eyebuydirect, Zenni Optical and Discountglasses.com.
Issues with your selected glasses not fitting right or not being the exact prescription are potential cons to buying glasses online. There are problems associated with not being able to try glasses on before buying them.
Buying glasses online can be very convenient, as it can save you a trip to the optical store. You can scroll through thousands of styles of eyeglasses in a matter of minutes and shop around with ease. 041b061a72