These Are the Best Places to Buy Glasses Online and Try Them at Home

What to Look for When Buying Glasses Online

Comfort

If you’ll be wearing your glasses around the clock, they definitely need to be comfortable; but even if you’re only planning to wear them for reading or long distances, you don’t want to be stuck with glasses that pinch, slide around or fall off, sit crookedly on your face, feel too heavy on your nose, or give you a headache. 

“Comfort is critical, especially if you will wear the glasses for several hours per day,” Dr. Albanis says. Check how well your glasses fit you by assessing the way they rest on the bridge of your nose, feel behind your ears, and “sit” on your face to best determine if they will wear well for long periods of time. “There shouldn’t be gaps between the person’s actual bridge of their nose and the bridge of the glasses; It will also often cause the glasses to slip down their face,” says Dr. Maria Armandi, an optometrist and instructor at Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University. “If the temple length is not long enough, then the bend is not going to sit down the ear like it should so again the glasses may slide forward,” she adds. 

If you’re especially concerned about ordering glasses online and getting the right fit, look for retailers that offer deals on any future adjustments, says New York City-based optometrist Jonah Berman, O.D.: “Some online [retailers] know how important adjustments can be, and offer a reimbursement of up to $20 for the actual adjustment.”

Cost

Eyeglasses can be expensive, especially when they are not covered under your vision plan. “When buying glasses, it is important to look at the full spectrum – what is most cost-effective from a financial, time and health perspective,” says Dr. Robert C. Layman, the president of the American Optometric Association (AOA). 

Dr. Albanis says that a higher price tag does not always mean higher quality. The type of material and protective coating on the glasses actually better determines the quality. “Depending on your visual needs, the eye care professional you work with should be able to explain the pros and cons to meet your needs,” Dr. Albanis says.

Also be careful about spending money for added features that you may or may not need, or ones that haven’t been proven to provide much benefit. Blue light blocking lenses, for example, have become extremely popular among eyewear retailers despite the fact that they have not been proven to prevent eye disease, but Dr. Ahmad says the added feature is probably not a good use of your glasses budget.

Frame Shape

Not all frames are created equally, especially depending on the shape of someone’s face. “There are shape rules,” Dr. Armandi says. “For a round face, you shouldn’t get a round frame because it will make your face look too round. If you have a very angular face, you might not want a very square looking frame or angular frame.” There are several reasons why eyeglasses come with rules for how it should rest on the face. For one, it is so the glasses don’t over or underexaggerate any facial features. “Your frame shape should be the opposite of your face shape so you can balance out the features of your face,” Dr. Armandi says. An optician can help guide you on what to look out for when selecting different frames for your prescription glasses. 

There are also rules when it comes to selecting the right lenses that will fit your frame. “It is important to make sure that a particular frame works well with the prescribed lenses, and the doctor (or the optician) can recommend thinner, lighter lenses to improve comfort and the look, especially if someone has a special need for a stronger prescription,” Dr. Layman says.

Warranty or Return Policy

Pay close attention to any retailer’s policy about returning glasses if they don’t work out for you—while some will fully refund you, others will only give you a credit to be used towards another pair of glasses from that same company rather than giving you your money back. “I’ve had people who had difficulty with return policies, even if the glasses were made incorrectly. Understand what the return policies are,” Dr. Armandi recommends. 

You should also make note of any warranty information sent along with your order, in the event that your glasses don’t last as long as you expect them to; there are a lot of factors that go into the lifespan of a pair of glasses, but Dr. Berman says a well-made, durable pair of glasses should come with a customer-favorable warranty.

“The material your frame is made from, the strength and flexibility of the material, the simplicity of the frame and the number of parts that are used, the method of securing the lenses to the frame, how well the frame fits your face, the ease of adjustment, and use of the eyeglass case all play a role in [determining] how long your glasses will last,” he explains, adding that you might want to purchase a second pair of glasses as a backup in case your first pair becomes damaged.

Why Trust Verywell Health

As a seasoned health writer, Danielle Zoellner knows the importance of finding just the right product to fit your medical needs. Throughout her career, Danielle has interviewed a variety of experts in the medical and health fields while reviewing dozens of products. Her experience and knowledge in the field work together to help readers like yourself find the best products for your daily life.

Additional reporting by Sarah Bradley

Sarah Bradley has been writing health content since 2017—everything from product roundups and illness FAQs to nutrition explainers and the dish on diet trends. She knows how important it is to receive trustworthy and expert-approved advice about over-the-counter products that manage everyday health conditions, from GI issues and allergies to chronic headaches and joint pain.