Buying Prescription Glasses Online

[vnatale]

I last bought a pair of prescription glasses in 1974. I still have them but they are fairly much fallen apart. When not home, I'm a full-time contact lens wearer.

I have zero experience with buying prescription glasses online.

Looking for your recommendations and experiences.

I'm definitely interested in them being progressive and having photo sun lens. It could be the same pair for both or multiple pairs.

Vinny

[shekels]

I last bought a pair of prescription glasses in 1974. I still have them but they are fairly much fallen apart. When not home, I'm a full-time contact lens wearer.

I have zero experience with buying prescription glasses online.

Looking for your recommendations and experiences.

I'm definitely interested in them being progressive and having photo sun lens. It could be the same pair for both or multiple pairs.

Vinny

My Son and Father have used Zenni, with good results for online glasses. You will have to fit yourself by sending them your prescription and Pupillary Distance.

[vnatale]

I last bought a pair of prescription glasses in 1974. I still have them but they are fairly much fallen apart. When not home, I'm a full-time contact lens wearer.

I have zero experience with buying prescription glasses online.

Looking for your recommendations and experiences.

I'm definitely interested in them being progressive and having photo sun lens. It could be the same pair for both or multiple pairs.

Vinny

My Son and Father have used Zenni, with good results for online glasses. You will have to fit yourself by sending them your prescription and Pupillary Distance.

I actually have my annual eye examination tomorrow morning at 10 AM. Should they be able to tell me what my Pupillary Distance is?

And, upon further thinking I really only need prescription glasses for distance as I can both read and use my computer without glasses.

Vinny

[vnatale]

I last bought a pair of prescription glasses in 1974. I still have them but they are fairly much fallen apart. When not home, I'm a full-time contact lens wearer.

I have zero experience with buying prescription glasses online.

Looking for your recommendations and experiences.

I'm definitely interested in them being progressive and having photo sun lens. It could be the same pair for both or multiple pairs.

Vinny

My Son and Father have used Zenni, with good results for online glasses. You will have to fit yourself by sending them your prescription and Pupillary Distance.

I actually have my annual eye examination tomorrow morning at 10 AM. Should they be able to tell me what my Pupillary Distance is?

And, upon further thinking I really only need prescription glasses for distance as I can both read and use my computer without glasses.

Vinny

They can tell you, although they may not want to.

I tried ordering online once. Ended up sending them back. If you don't care what they look like, you'll be fine. I need to actually try them on and look in a mirror before I buy, cuz I DO care.

Why may they not want to?

I've been a dedicated contact lens wearer since 1968, which is why I bought my last pair of prescription glasses in 1974. And, I wear the semi-rigid gas permeable lens, which provide far superior vision compared to other type contact lens and any eyeglasses.

I don't really care what they look like as they will rarely be worn and, mostly, only in emergencies when somehow I am contact lens-less.

Vinny

[vnatale]

Because they want you to buy the glasses from them, which you must do without the measurement (I guess you could do it yourself, but that would be a mistake. In IL they are required to disclose the info if you ask for it).

Even if I only wore them rarely, I would still want them to look good.

I could go months on end, if not years, without leaving my property wearing glasses. That's how rarely it happens for me. When I leave my property I am driving and I do need some form of eye aid to do that. When I was younger one of my eyes was 20/400. As I aged I think it "improved" to 20/200.

Vinny

[Xan]

I'm in a similar situation, Vinny: almost always contacts. Got some glasses from Zenni and I think they're great. Lots of interesting options. I sprang for the oleophopic coating, mostly because young'uns are likely to get their hands on them. But you can also go very cheap. I got a backup pair for almost nothing and they're also fine. I don't think there's anything wrong with how they look or work. It is possible to measure your own pupillary distance, and they'll give you some guidance on how. It's just how far apart your eyes are. Not rocket science.

[Mountaineer]

I'm in a similar situation, Vinny: almost always contacts. Got some glasses from Zenni and I think they're great. Lots of interesting options. I sprang for the oleophopic coating, mostly because young'uns are likely to get their hands on them. But you can also go very cheap. I got a backup pair for almost nothing and they're also fine. I don't think there's anything wrong with how they look or work. It is possible to measure your own pupillary distance, and they'll give you some guidance on how. It's just how far apart your eyes are. Not rocket science.

As for PD, my left and right are slightly different. I am quite nearsighted so it does make a difference to get accurate measurements.

[vnatale]

I'm in a similar situation, Vinny: almost always contacts. Got some glasses from Zenni and I think they're great. Lots of interesting options. I sprang for the oleophopic coating, mostly because young'uns are likely to get their hands on them. But you can also go very cheap. I got a backup pair for almost nothing and they're also fine. I don't think there's anything wrong with how they look or work. It is possible to measure your own pupillary distance, and they'll give you some guidance on how. It's just how far apart your eyes are. Not rocket science.

As for PD, my left and right are slightly different. I am quite nearsighted so it does make a difference to get accurate measurements.

I was so significantly nearsighted that if I had been around during those cavemen days those sabre tooth tigers would have got me since I would not have recognized them until they were right on top of me!

Vinny

[vnatale]

If it is an option, I highly recommend LASIK surgery. Besides my vasectomy, it was the best $3000 I ever spent.

My eye doctor had told me that I was not a good candidate because of the degree of astigmatism that I have. Maybe it's changed since she told me that?

But I'd be quite wary of doing that. 1) The possibility of it making my vision worse 2) Is it permanent? Last the rest of your life? 3) Finally, does it fix all three vision problems - long, mid, and short?

Since I do wear these semi-rigid gas permeable lens I have excellent vision compared to other contact lens wearers or glasses wearers.

I still remember my first words after the eye doctor put those first pair of lens in my eyes in 1968 (and, having been a glasses wearer for the prior 7 years): "Wow! This is the way the rest of the world sees??!!"

Everything was seemingly crystal clear compared to the glasses experience.

Vinny

[vnatale]

If it is an option, I highly recommend LASIK surgery. Besides my vasectomy, it was the best $3000 I ever spent.

My eye doctor had told me that I was not a good candidate because of the degree of astigmatism that I have. Maybe it's changed since she told me that?

But I'd be quite wary of doing that. 1) The possibility of it making my vision worse 2) Is it permanent? Last the rest of your life? 3) Finally, does it fix all three vision problems - long, mid, and short?

Since I do wear these semi-rigid gas permeable lens I have excellent vision compared to other contact lens wearers or glasses wearers.

I still remember my first words after the eye doctor put those first pair of lens in my eyes in 1968 (and, having been a glasses wearer for the prior 7 years): "Wow! This is the way the rest of the world sees??!!"

Everything was seemingly crystal clear compared to the glasses experience.

Vinny

1. I haven't heard of that, but it is prob a risk. Although very small.
2. I had some minor relapse after about 15 years, but not bad enough to need glasses.
3. LASIK is mostly for myopia (nearsightedness), but they can do only one eye and do a different procedure on the other eye for reading.

I was originally told I was not a candidate, but as technology improved, the breadth of cases that were treatable increased.

#3 seems like it was when my eye doctor somewhat simulated bi-focals but giving me mono-vision. One lens was set up for reading while the other eye lens was set up for distance. The brain would use the eye that needed to do which job to be done at the time.

I did that for a few years but was always distracted by this ever present "hole". I told her I wanted both lens optimized for vision and I'd put on reading glasses when I needed to read (as the distance lens no longer allow me to read).

Vinny

Vinny

[Xan]

When it goes wrong, it goes BADLY wrong. I don't see how the risk is worth switching from contacts, which really give excellent vision.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/busin ... 335467002/

https://lasiksuicides.com/

[vnatale]

When it goes wrong, it goes BADLY wrong. I don't see how the risk is worth switching from contacts, which really give excellent vision.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/busin ... 335467002/

https://lasiksuicides.com/

We only get ONE pair of eyes. For me the reward / risk ratio is not high enough. I basically get along fine with my eyes and the corrections to them that I am presently using.

Vinny

[WiseOne]

I'm in a similar situation, Vinny: almost always contacts. Got some glasses from Zenni and I think they're great. Lots of interesting options. I sprang for the oleophopic coating, mostly because young'uns are likely to get their hands on them. But you can also go very cheap. I got a backup pair for almost nothing and they're also fine. I don't think there's anything wrong with how they look or work. It is possible to measure your own pupillary distance, and they'll give you some guidance on how. It's just how far apart your eyes are. Not rocket science.

As for PD, my left and right are slightly different. I am quite nearsighted so it does make a difference to get accurate measurements.

I second this - I've had a lot of trouble with glasses even from optical shops, and would never consider shopping online. That's why I go to one in New Jersey that is a generational business, with experience handed down from father to son. They get it right every time. And it's not just about pupillary distance, there are certain types of glasses that are best for your face shape, eye position and prescription.

Of course, if you have a simple prescription and use glasses only as a backup, that's different. I rely on mine completely, since I'm allergic to contacts (really...I've had the cobblestoning reaction and the whole bit).

[vnatale]

Back from my visit. Good news / bad news.

Good news is that he willingly did the pupillary distance (and said, "I don't care if you buy glasses online"). Took less than a minute. 62.

Bad news is that after spending nearly a hour in the waiting room and finally seeing him, as soon as he looked at my contact lens sitting on my eyes he said that they don't fit and that they are crinkling my cornea, therefore now allowing him to do prescriptions today.

Scheduled me for two weeks later (in 2020). That means I will not have an up-to-date prescription to spend money on glasses by 12/31/19 as allowed by my vision plan.

That is all quite minor. I'm actually quite excited with the news since that promises much better vision with better fitting lens.

Vinny

[Xan]

People die from perforated colons from routine colonoscopies. That doesn't mean you shouldn't get one. You only have one coIon!

Yikes! Are we sure it doesn't mean that?

[Mountaineer]

People die from perforated colons from routine colonoscopies. That doesn't mean you shouldn't get one. You only have one coIon!

Yikes! Are we sure it doesn't mean that?

Is a semi-colon a perforated colon?

[vnatale]

I could not tolerate contacts anymore because as I hit my 40s my eyes were dry all the time, and I hate wearing glasses. There is always risk with any surgical procedure. People die from perforated colons from routine colonoscopies. That doesn't mean you shouldn't get one. You only have one coIon!

I really question whether those people would have committed suicide anyway. Seems a little extreme to try and relate that to LASIK. And everyone gets dry eyes from the procedure. For most people, it improves by the 6 month mark. Use drops in the interim. I had minimal discomfort that was gone in 48 hours. So did my ex-wife and my sister. The night halos were already present with the contacts (not glasses), so that was a wash.

I'm now in my upper 60s, been wearing the old fashioned (now semi-rigid gas permeable) contacts continuously since I was 17 and I don't think I have ever had that dry eye problem.

Vinny

[Mountaineer]

People die from perforated colons from routine colonoscopies. That doesn't mean you shouldn't get one. You only have one coIon!

Yikes! Are we sure it doesn't mean that?

Is a semi-colon a perforated colon?

The true irony there is that the emoji for a wink is a semi-colon plus a close-parenthesis.

That was enough to put me in stitches!