With the convenience of online shopping, it’s no surprise that we can now buy almost everything on the internet, from groceries to clothing. However, an important question that our eye care professionals often get asked is whether it is safe to buy your glasses online.

The answer comes with a caveat: yes, but only if you’ve had a recent eye exam from a trusted provider like our Stacey & Stacey centres across Queensland – and that’s who you’re purchasing from online, too. This means that if you’re wanting to quickly order a second pair or are wanting to try some new frames, then buying glasses online will be extremely convenient.

However, if you haven’t had a comprehensive eye test recently, it’s not a good idea to purchase glasses online. Without knowing your precise prescription requirements and understanding any underlying medical conditions, you may not receive the best lenses with the right prescription, which can negatively impact your eye health. Plus, given that our vision and eye health can change significantly over time which alters your prescription, it’s essential to have regular eye exams, preferably within the past 12 months. Here are six reasons why you should avoid buying glasses online unless you’ve had a recent eye test and are confident in what you need.

1. There May Be New Issues With Your Eyes

Even if you require glasses for vision loss, there could be other underlying medical issues causing additional vision disturbances that may have popped up since your last eye exam. Early signs of eye problems, such as glaucoma or retinopathy, can be subtle, making it crucial to seek the expertise of an eye care professional to ensure your long-term eye health and quality of life. In Australia, it’s recommended to have an in-person comprehensive eye examination with a registered optometrist every two years and every year if you’re over 65, even if you have no concerning symptoms when seeking new glasses.

While many eye diseases have few or no symptoms, optometrists can use their comprehensive knowledge, paired with digital tools, to track subtle changes in your eyes and detect any concerns as soon as possible. This enables you to begin your treatment and management plan as soon as possible, including fitting you with carefully prescribed corrective lenses and glasses to improve your vision.

At Stacey & Stacey, our comprehensive eye exam goes beyond assessing eyesight. Our eye care professionals use a gentle approach combined with innovative medical technology, such as Digital Retinal Photography and Optical Coherence Tomography scans, to detect diseases and conditions as early as possible. During the exam, your optometrist will go through your personal and family health history, perform visual acuity measurements, test your eye health, assess which power of lens you require, conduct eye focusing, teaming, and movement activities, and examine your eye health using a range of technologies.

Once the exam is complete, they’ll discuss your diagnosis and treatment plan options, prescribe and fit you with glasses and lenses to best correct your eyesight and provide you with the freedom to do the things you love while protecting your eye health.

2. Prescription Needs Change Over Time

While having a base lens prescription is important, it doesn’t account for the subtle changes that can occur in your eyes over time. That’s why we highly recommend that clients keep their prescriptions up-to-date each year. It’s worth noting that achieving optimal eye health with glasses goes beyond the prescription alone. Your optometrist needs to measure your pupillary distance and optical centre to ensure your glasses fit perfectly and effectively improve your vision.

Unfortunately, many online stores automatically place the optical centre in the middle of their lenses, which may not be the best fit for your eyes. Depending on your eye measurements and the design of the frames, the optical centre should actually be placed higher or lower than the centre. Incorrect placement can negatively affect your vision and lead to unwanted side effects such as headaches and eye strain.

3. Many Online Glasses Stores Are Unregulated And May Not Comply With Optometry Safety Standards

While some online glasses retailers claim that their products are of the same high quality as those purchased from professional eye care stores, it can be difficult to determine whether they actually meet Australian safety and quality standards, especially if they come from countries with different regulations for product testing. Not all lenses are created equal, and many online stores use their own factories to create lenses rather than specialised optical laboratories that meet safety and optical standards. As a result, there can be significant variations in scratch resistance, optical performance, comfort, and durability, which reduces the value of the lenses drastically – often much less than what you pay at even a discounted eyewear retailer. Wearing glasses with substandard or weaker lenses and frames can increase the risk of breakage, which is something you should avoid when dealing with your eyes. When purchasing online, it’s simply not possible to know exactly what you are getting.

Two recent studies have investigated the quality of lenses and glasses purchased online. One found that almost 1 in 10 lens prescriptions from three online retailers failed to meet national standards for optical quality. Another study of over 200 online orders found that almost 50% of prescription glasses delivered directly by online vendors did not meet either the patient’s visual needs or physical safety requirements. Unless you’re purchasing from a trusted optometrist, save yourself the hassle, money and frustration and buy your new glasses in-store.

4. Virtual Try-On Tools Are Less Reliable Than Advertised

Despite the advancements in artificial technology that allow you to virtually try on glasses using your phone’s selfie camera, it’s not recommended as a reliable alternative to physically trying on glasses in-store, especially for first-time buyers. This is because there are several factors that can affect the fit and feel of glasses, such as the size of the frame and the materials used in the construction.

When trying on glasses in-store, your optometrist can personally adjust the frames to ensure a perfect fit. This is important because even if glasses look good on a screen, they may not sit comfortably on your face or may slide down your nose. Additionally, the weight of your prescription lenses can affect which frame is the most comfortable for you, and your optician can guide you in selecting the right frame for your prescription.

It’s also important to consider the quality of materials used in glasses, as low-grade materials can cause skin irritation and may not be as durable as premium materials used in stores like Stacey & Stacey. Cheaper plastic coatings can bleach or peel after sun exposure, while cheaper metal frames may discolour. By trying on glasses in-store with the guidance of a trusted optometrist, you can ensure that you select glasses that not only look good but feel good too.

5. You May Be Left With Substandard UV Protection

Here in Australia, sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection are an essential part of protecting your eyes from the harmful effects of being exposed to the sun’s powerful UV rays, which can cause damage to your eyes over time.

Some online retailers may claim that their glasses provide effective protection, however, the reality is that these claims are often unregulated, and cannot be relied upon.  Substandard sunglasses can appear very similar to premium quality sunglasses upon first glance, and even if the lenses are dark, this is no indication of their protective abilities.

To ensure you’re protecting your eyes as well as you can, make sure you talk to your eye care professional who can explain which trusted brands of sunglass lenses offer the best protection from harmful rays, while helping you select the best lenses for your outdoor activities and visual needs, including polarised and light-adaptive lenses.

To book your comprehensive eye exam or to purchase a new pair of frames or lenses with our trusted and friendly Stacey & Stacey optometry team across Queensland, contact one of our local clinics here.