Top 5 Factors to Consider When Buying Eyeglasses Online

People spent more than $2.1 billion buying prescription eyeglasses from online retailers in 2018.

Shopping for eyeglasses online makes it easy to find popular eyewear brands like Kate Spade, Oakley, Ray-Ban, and more. You can also read reviews to find out if others like the fit and feel.

What are other things you should consider when buying eyewear online? Here are five factors to keep in mind when shopping online for prescription eyewear.

1. Table of Contents

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   Need a Prescription

It seems silly, but people tend to forget that you need a prescription to order prescription glasses online. It’s not like going to an optometrist’s office or a vision center.

When you shop for eyeglasses online, there’s no doctor on call to check your eyes and tell you what strength of glasses you need.

Be sure you visit a doctor to receive your unique prescription before trying to order glasses via the Internet. Every online retailer requires you to input your exact prescription.

2. Frame Shape and Material

Eyeglasses come in a variety of shapes and materials.

You can choose from oval, round, square, rectangular, or cat-eye frames. Most popular eyewear brands come in materials like plastic, metal, wood, or a combination therein.

3. Your Face Shape

Another factor to consider when shopping for eyeglasses online is the shape of your face.

Different types of glasses look better on some face shapes over others. What kind of face shape do you have?

Diamond

People with a diamond face shape have a narrow jaw and high cheekbones. You look best in cat-eye and oval-shaped eyeglasses.

Round

The sides of the face curve slightly outward in people with a round face shape with the cheekbones making the widest point. You should try rectangular-shaped glasses with a narrow frame.

Square

People with square faces have the same width forehead and cheekbones as well as a similar-width jaw that has sharp angles. Square faces look similar to a round face with a wider, more pronounced jawline.

You’ll look great in narrow frames in an oval, rectangular, or cat-eye shape.

Triangular

Triangular-shaped faces are also the widest at the cheekbones, like a diamond face. However, triangular faces have a forehead wider than the jawline.

You look best in rimless frames with a wide base.

Oblong

An oblong face shape is longer than wide with forehead, jawline, and cheeks about the same width. You’ll look spiffy in deep, narrow frames to add balance to your face.

Oval

Oval face shapes resemble an egg with a rounded forehead and jaw and wide cheekbones with no sharp angles. You look great in walnut-shaped frames that accentuate your natural symmetry.

4. Lens Coating

Most eyeglass manufacturers allow you to choose a lens coating to go over your lens. Different coatings have different purposes.

Anti-reflective coating removes reflections on the lens while working at the computer and lights or driving at night. There are also scratch-resistant and hydrophobic coatings that prevent scratches and fogging.

View here for more examples.

5. Insurance Coverage

Don’t pay full price when ordering eyeglasses online!

Many insurances help to cover the cost of eyeglasses for common vision problems no matter where you order them. Check with your insurance company to be sure.

Consider Prescription Sunglasses When Buying Eyeglasses Online Too!

Now you can see why so many people are buying eyeglasses online. It’s easy and convenient.

Did you know you can also buy prescription sunglasses online? Consider the same factors listed above to make the best purchase.