New to Online Eyeglasses? Click Here!
Ongoing: Click here for 15%-off EVERY ORDER at EyeBuyDirect This is the best ongoing deal on the internet for EyeBuyDirect!
Goggles4U drops prices, drops additional discount codes. People are concerned, but this is still one of the best places to buy online. Link!

I wrote a quick piece a couple of years ago about what to consider when buying online. The rules haven't really changed during that time, but the process has gotten better. A few of the major players are getting better at dealing with difficulties and prices have stabilized a bit lower than before.

I get thousands of new people visiting the site each week and wanted to highlight the steps to getting a great pair of glasses at prices you never imagined.

Here are those steps again:

  1. Get your eyes checked. This is important from a prescription strength and an eye health perspective. Keep a schedule and get this done annually -- yes, I've changed my tune a bit on this.
  2. Get your full prescription. You paid for it. Make sure you leave with it. If you didn't bring it with you, give them a call. The law says they need to provide you with it.
  3. Get your Pupillary Distance (PD). This isn't a part of your prescription by default. See here for some ideas on getting this measurement. It's important and it's not that difficult to get for a single vision prescription (bi-focal or multi-focals require a bit more expertise).
  4. Get your frame measurements. There are a couple of good ways to do this. I liked my old frame style, so I knew that frames with similar measurements would likely end up being decent looking. If you're looking for something new, find a pair you like at the store and write down the measurements from the frame. In either case, the measurements are typically stamped inside the temple and/or on the bridge.
  5. Find a frame. Hit the websites listed to the left and start browsing. You're looking for sizes as well as style here -- don't forget that! If the site offers a way to drill down to a temple size, for instance, use it! It will save you a ton of time. There is no reason to look at all of the 130mm temple-lengths when you need a 140mm.
  6. Choose your lens options. I was oversold on "featherwates" and hi-index lenses for years. Depending on your prescription strength and the lens size for the frames you're looking at, you may be fine with the standard thickness lenses. I like anti-reflective lenses and I'm amazed at how much I like the photochromic lenses. With the low cost of these glasses, pick up a pair with sunglasses lenses. I don't buy lenses that don't include UV protection -- neither should you.
  7. Order up! Use a credit card (not a debit card) to aid in unlikely event of problematic resolution issues. Pay a couple dollars extra for faster shipping from a number of the retailers.
  8. Wait. This was the hardest part for me -- mostly because I was without a spare pair. It gets easier when you're not in that pinch.
If you follow these steps, you're going to end up (with a MUCH better chance of being) happy. Order from a reputable online retailer and you may just be starting a mutually-beneficial long-term relationship.

Good luck!

One more week!

EyeBuyDirect has added another week to their semi-semi-annual Buy-One-Get-One Free sale

Same rules as last week.

Here's the link!

I'm all for eye health. I get my eyes checked yearly -- as there is no longer a $400 eyeglasses bill attached to the trip. The brick-and-mortar, chain stores are clearly concerned with lower revenues.

All of this talk about taking our prescriptions with us is having an effect.

Want proof? I heard a Pearle Vision radio spot the other day that makes it sound like they're giving you so much to work with at the end of your eye appointment.

Turns out they're not. Here's what you get:
Personalized Eye Health and Wellness Reports

You'd expect this report to contain your prescription. You'd be wrong.

Sounds like a lot of crap to me.

BuyOne - GetOne Free for a Week - 7/20-7/26!There was a period of time a few months back that it was rare when EyeBuyDirect wasn't having a BOGO sale, but those days have changed -- until now. For the next week, EyeBuyDirect fires up it's production facilities to handle what is sure to be a record run of business.

As always there are restrictions with a sale like this so poke around the site a bit to see the details. It's not for everyone, but if you're looking for a couple pairs of basic and stylish frames it's potentially a great deal.


Here's the link!

Join over a thousand loyal readers by registering for the news feed (over to the left) to get all of the updates on the site or follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/glassyeyes for up to the second deals.

So, some of the folks over at Optiboard, aren't exactly showing off their prowess in the ways of the internet. It seems some dude named "Chris" thinks that Lily over at EyeOverheard and I are the same person -- nevermind the 1,200 mile difference (I think she's in Texas or Arizona or something) or the obvious gender inconsistencies.

His "proof" started out being that we both used GoDaddy as our domain registrar when we set up our sites -- that puts us a close-knit group of about 34,000,000. We both use a Domain Proxy Service in Arizona -- the default domain proxy for GoDaddy mind you. I didn't use a Domain Proxy at first, until a psychotic eye doctor from Texas started commenting on my neighborhood and family using the address found in the domain listing.

Anyway, I digress.


I found out about all of this in a direct tweet from @lenschic on Tuesday (have I mentioned how busy I've been this last month). I figured someone would surely set him straight by now and he'd admit he was being an idiot. Nope. Even after someone pointed much of this information out to him, he's decided that the link way down on the bottom of my site, in the blogroll, to EyeOverheard.com is proof enough that she and I are one in the same.

Have a few moments to kill over lunch? Take a look at the thread. Poke around some more in the public areas of the forums to see what you're getting. I don't know -- I like my "doctors", like my Presidents, to be smarter than me. I'd definitely have to look elsewhere in this case.

Full disclosure: I think Lily (LensChic) is great (even thought we don't see eye to eye on some things). I love the content and tone of her site and while I don't comment like I used to, I still think it's the most entertaining and informative look into a *very* interesting industry.

Oh, and "Chris"... there's a bit of rule in posting things on the internet. At least Google the terms and things you don't understand before opening your mouth. You'll look like less of an ass in the long-term.

Waiting with bated breath for the screed to follow!

Ira

I never intended to take the month of February off from the blog, and technically I didn't between the myriad email I answered, the three production issues I stepped in to deal with and at least one deal I posted in Twitter.

The reality of the situation was that I was completely swamped with a couple of projects and a new gig with a great start-up doing some really interesting things in the world of facebook.

March will be different, and I hope will bring some deals worth posting from some of the big players and perhaps a new contender.

Spring is right around the corner. Get on those sunglasses orders!