I get it. Prescription glasses are expensive. When you look online, you see massive deals. It is tempting to click the cheapest price and hope for the best.
I made these mistakes buying where to purchase prescription glasses so you don't have to. I ended up with flimsy frames, dizzy lenses, and terrible customer service. Learn from my errors.
If you follow these steps, you will:
I needed new glasses. My friends told me I could save hundreds online. I started looking for where to purchase prescription glasses and only filtered by "Lowest Price." Big mistake.
I tried to save $30. I got glasses that felt like they came out of a vending machine. They were brittle. The hinges squeaked. The lenses felt fuzzy, even though the prescription matched.
When you choose the lowest price, companies must cut costs somewhere. They use poor quality plastic. They skip checks on lens grinding. Your eye health is too important to risk it for the lowest possible tag.
Think about the overall value, not just the starting price. A $40 frame that breaks in two weeks is more expensive than an $80 frame that lasts two years.
Verdict: Set a budget. But choose the highest quality you can afford within that range. Never choose the absolute cheapest option.
I saw these specific frames—the Cat Eye Glasses Frames Women Clear Lens Glasses Prescription Spectacle Frames Unisex Ladies Eyewear 6 / China. They looked cute in the photos. They looked trendy.
I ignored the description that vaguely called the material "plastic." High-quality frames use materials like strong acetate or titanium alloys. Cheap frames use weak, brittle plastics.
Don't make my error. When the frames arrived, they were light—too light. They felt flimsy in my hand. One of the arms wiggled right out of the box.
The low-rated reviews for these fast-fashion import frames often say things like, "The coating peeled off the frame instantly," or "They snapped when I tightened the screw slightly." That shows poor production quality.
Look for specific material names. If the seller doesn't proudly list the material, it is probably poor quality.