Are you thinking of buying reading glasses online but worried about being disappointed or making costly errors?
As an optometrist with 31 years of experience, I’ve seen many paradigm shifts happen in the eyeglass industry. In the past, buying eyeglasses seemed to be a more personal experience for most of my patients. It started with getting an eye exam to get the right eyeglass prescription even when all someone needed was a simple magnifier. I would happily tell them which strength they needed to buy. Then, they would go to the optician and pick out their frames and lenses. Along the way was constant communication with eyeglass professionals with an underlying assurance that this was what they needed to see the best. Now, with today’s technology, you can buy eyeglasses as easily as you can buy toothpaste. But how do you know that what you’re choosing is the best fit for your eyes?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore common mistakes buying reading glasses online and provide actionable tips to help you make informed decisions. Whether you’re searching for the best online reading glasses or need a specific feature like blue light filters or progressive lenses, by the end of this article, you’ll have enough knowledge to shop confidently.
Here are 10 common mistakes when buying reading glasses online. From selecting the wrong strength to ignoring needed lens options, these mistakes can turn a simple purchase into a nightmare. Let’s dive in!
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Choosing the Wrong Strength
One of the most common mistakes when buying reading glasses online is picking out the wrong magnification strength. This is assuming that you just need magnification and don’t have an underlying prescription. Many consumers guess based on age (some places even have a chart to guide which strength is needed based on age). Others just try on different magnification strengths to see which one is the closest to what they need. This often leads to eyestrain, headaches, and blurred vision.
Why it happens: Charts and quizzes tend to oversimplify what’s needed for sharp vision. Without a comprehensive eye exam, you won’t be sure if you need a prescription for eyeglasses or just magnifiers and what strength would be appropriate.
How to avoid it: Start with an eye exam. Ask your eye doctor if you need a prescription or just generic reading glasses to see up close. If there is no underlying nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, your eye doctor should be able to tell you exactly what power you need so you can go online and buy reading glasses. Go to trusted eyeglass websites with virtual try-on tools and good return policies to shop for your perfect reading glasses.
Pro tip: Print out diopter charts from trusted sites to confirm the power that you need. For multifocal needs, consider how to choose progressive reading glasses – they offer smooth transitions between near, intermediate, and far vision.
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Consider Frame Fit and Width
Overlooking frame dimensions, especially width, is a top mistake when you buy reading glasses online. Bad-fitting frames can slip off, pinch, and put pressure on your noses and ears, making them painful to wear.
Why it happens: It’s difficult to gauge the true size of the frame from looking at it on a screen.
How to avoid it: Ask your eye doctor or optician what frame size range is appropriate. Then check frame specs like lens width which should be displayed on the website you are shopping (e.g. 50-55mm for average sized faces). Look for adjustable nose pads or check with your Ask the vendor if they can pre-adjust your eyeglasses for a proper fit or provide instructions for fine-tuning the fit after delivery.
Pro tip: Look for a fit guide chart (eyeglass websites usually have them) and use them to find frames that match your face shape for the best experience. Many eyeglass websites have virtual try-on options that give you a good idea of how they will fit your face.
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Opting for Low-Quality Materials
Everyone wants to save money, but in this case it’s usually a big mistake since you’ll be using your new reading glasses every day. The constant wear and tear will cause low quality materials to break prematurely, forcing you to buy another pair, which will negate any cost savings.
Why it happens: Budget options from unverified sellers often use cheap materials and lure you in with good prices. But that’s why trusted eyeglass websites are key to buying a quality pair of reading glasses that will last for years and provide sharp vision without distortion or warping.
How to avoid it: Do your research and read reviews, check independent forums, look for warranties, and buy from well-established eyeglass websites. It’s well worth it to spend extra on quality acetate frames for flexibility and metal alloys for strength (I like titanium myself).
Pro tip: Consider investing in polycarbonate lenses – they’re impact resistant and lightweight, generally good for everyday use.
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Ignoring Your Specific Needs When Choosing the Appropriate Lens
There are different lenses for different needs and activities. First, be clear on what you need the lenses to do for you. For example, single vision lenses are good for basic reading while multifocal lenses address modern lifestyles much better.
Why it happens: Shoppers are often not aware of their full options, and thus their specific needs are not addressed.
How to avoid it: Talk to your eye doctor, optician, or even customer service where you’ll be purchasing your eyeglasses, about your specific needs. They are qualified to advise you on which options are available for your needs and wants. For example, if you work on screens, computer lenses for intermediate ranges are often less power than full reading strength. For outdoor reading, polarized lenses offer a great option for cutting glare.
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Skipping Blue Light Filters
Even though the results are mixed, my opinion is that blue light filters are often a good option. Overlooking a blue light filter for reading glasses can potentially lead to digital eye strain, sleep issues, and eye fatigue.
Why it happens: Many people don’t make the connection between prolonged screen time and vision problems.
How to avoid it: The best reading glasses with blue light filters contain lenses with coatings that block much of the harmful blue-violet light (400-455nm) spectrum. This is effective for long screen time use on computers, tablets, and phones.
Pro tip: Combine use of blue light blocking coating with the 20-20-20 Rule (every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds) to help decrease eye strain, fatigue, dryness, and blurry vision.
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Forgetting Progressive Lenses as an Option
Most of us look at things at different distances throughout the day and therefore could benefit from multifocal correction to keep up. However, many people are not aware of how this option could benefit them. This is where progressive reading glasses come in. Otherwise there’s a big hassle of switching between different glasses for different purposes.
Why it happens: When I talk to patients about lens options, there is often confusion about how to choose progressive reading glasses, since they’re more complex than just single vision reading glasses.
How to Avoid it: Ask your eye doctor, optician, or customer service from the eyeglass website you are purchasing from, about how progressive reading glasses can benefit your daily vision needs.
Pro tip: Ask your lens expert if they offer customization based on your prescription for smoother adaptation. Also, ask about tips for adjusting to these advanced lenses, as they are great but like any new technology may take a short time to adjust, for your eyes to get used to seeing better at multiple distances.
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Forgetting about Anti-Reflective Coatings
With all the myriads of coatings and lens options, it’s very common to forget anti-reflective (AR) coatings. But without it, glasses can cause annoying reflections especially if you’re in front of a screen.
Why it happens: It’s one of those add-ons often skipped to save money.
How to Avoid it: Find out why AR coatings are important to your lifestyle. They reduce glare, enhance clarity, and make lenses look better. AR coatings are essential for night driving and computer work.
Pro tip: It’s often a good idea when selecting the best online reading glasses to bundle AR with scratch-resistant coatings for improved longevity.
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Ignoring Return Policies and Warranties
Buying glasses without checking if they can be returned if something goes wrong often leads to “stuck-with-it-regrets”.
Why this happens: Buyers are inundated with thinking about lens options, frames, and costs/deals and not the fine print. They often forget about, “What if something goes wrong with the glasses?” Some might not fit right. Some break prematurely, or maybe a person can’t see because the lenses are warped.
How to Avoid it: Realize that purchasing eyeglasses is like buying electronics; there’s always a chance that something might go wrong. Choose sites with 30+ day returns and money-back guarantees. Read the warranty details for possible defects.
Pro tip: As soon as you get your glasses, test them out immediately during the trial period.
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Ignoring Customer Reviews and Ratings
Buying from an unverified site can be risky since it can lead to unwelcome surprises like poor build quality, wrong powers or prescriptions, or worse yet, no refund policy.
Why it happens: Focusing on the picture of the frames or product descriptions regardless of everything else.
How to avoid it: Find out who you are dealing with by looking for verified purchases and feedback on fit, comfort, and durability. Pro tip: Look for sites with four stars or above on average with recent reviews.
Putting It All Together
By being aware of common mistakes when buying reading glasses online, you’ll enjoy a hassle-free buying experience and enjoy the perfect pair of glasses without buyer regrets.
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