The monopoly of the local optician is over! Now you can buy your pair of glasses on the Internet, 30 to 40% cheaper. Before you buy glasses online, you should be vigilant in order to make the right choice: which glasses? what frame? what site?
Cheaper glasses, but at what price?
30 to 40%, or even 50% cheaper, this is the promise of new online opticians. This booming market offers an alternative to traditional optical stores. But beyond the large choice of models of frames or lenses and advantageous prices, ordering your glasses online is not without drawbacks:
– Measurements not very clear: the distance (in millimeters) between the pupils is essential to center the lenses on the frame. This data is normally taken by the optician, but online, it is up to the customer to provide it. If in doubt, ask the ophthalmologist to take the measurement during the consultation.
– Impossible to adjust your frame: glasses rarely “fall” well on the first try. They often need to be adjusted to prevent them from slipping or weighing on the nose, to eliminate any feeling of discomfort or discomfort that can lead to headaches.
How to choose the right optician online?
Before even strolling through the sections in search of the perfect frame, it is better to take the time to look at the merchant site to avoid disappointments:
– Qualified professionals to advise you: type of glasses, pupil spacing, request for some adjustments. And when opticians are available to talk by phone or even via webcam, it’s reassuring.
– Approved by social security and your mutual: the site will provide you with an essential invoice to justify your purchase. In some cases, the process is simplified and speeds up reimbursement.
– The General Conditions of Sale under the microscope: costs and delivery times, reimbursement or exchange, handling of the return, postal address, email contact and especially telephone number must be specified. In the event of a problem, it is better to favor companies registered in the trade register in your country to facilitate appeals.
Choosing your frame: what about the fitting?
At the level of the fitting also it will be necessary to put to the virtual one. Of course, the online choice is greater, but the goal is to find the right frame.
Ready to strike a pose?
Most online shopping sites have tools to try out their model. Using a photo or a webcam, you can get an idea of how the frame looks. You can easily spend hours on it for a result that is often too rough: with manual adjustment, the proportions are not necessarily respected. It is therefore better to read the product sheet carefully: size of the glasses, weight of the frame, brand, materials used, place of manufacture, etc.
Good to know: some sites offer home fitting. Free or paid (refunded in case of purchase), you can quietly test 2 to 5 frames for a week.
Glasses: an essential point
Treated, cut, adjusted on the frame… Beyond the look, the lenses make a real difference in the wallet. Brand or origin can greatly influence the quality of the finished product and especially its resistance over time: it is therefore better to pay attention to these criteria. Ophthalmologists do not recommend purchasing progressive lenses online. These must be of irreproachable quality but above all require extremely precise settings because a bad setting can lead to headaches, cloudy eyesight … Better not to play with your health and your savings on the go – expensive postal returns.
The compromise: order your glasses online at an advantageous price and have them fitted by an optician in store.
Hopefully this guide was helpful.
