I have used GlobalEyeglasses.com and had good results with my single vision prescription with astigmatism correction. I messed up entering my prescription and it took a few days of back and forth to get that sorted. Overall it took around one month with delivery to the Cayman Islands. Delivery to the States is faster, they say.
I knew my IP distance from working with microscopes. The gauge on the eyepieces is measuring the IP. You might get the same with a good pair of binoculars.
Then I recently set up my mother with an order from Zenni. Her eye doctor was happy to provide an IP measurement. She has a bifocal prescription with astigmatism correction and was pleased with the results. She also got a single vision pair, a sort of more customized set of reading glasses, that her eye doctor provided the adjustments to the prescription for. Took around two weeks from order to delivery on Christmas Eve.
Not sure if it’s an issue in the US but here in the UK I had a hell of a time finding an optician willing to measure my pupillary distance when I wasn’t buying glasses off them. Eventually I found one store (Vision Express) which charged me £25 for it.
The US actually has federal laws requiring eye doctors to freely provide written prescriptions, even if the customer doesn’t ask for them. (An eye doctor also cannot condition a medical eye exam on buying glasses from him). Since consumers got more informed (and started reporting noncompliance to local Attorneys General) I rarely hear of an eye doctor engaging in the illegal practice of witholding a prescription (vs a counter clerk at a shop). Here in the US, I would ask the doctor who examines your eyes and writes your prescription to also take note of PD. To the extent that PD is a part of your eyeglass prescription, it is illegal to charge for it.
I have used Zenni successfully as well; however, when I went to trifocals, Zenni was no longer an option. They will do progressives, but not lined trifocals.
SO… I ordered from Eyeglass People. They do replacement lenses only, so I bought a pair of funky inexpensive readers and had them put my prescription in those. I sent them a pair of my current frames/lenses so they could get the measurements right. They returned that pair along with the reader lenses from the new frames. I think the whole shebang was $50. I will definitely use them again.
I will also join the chorus of recommendations for Zenni. Note that YMMV when it comes to their frames. Some models are made with a cheaper plastic and/or less-than-robust hinges, and some models are indistinguishable from designer frames.
I have not tried EyeBuyDirect, but just now saw that they have a 2.83/10 rating at ResellerRatings, vs 6.55/10 for Zenni. Also, EyeBuyExpress has no rating and GlobalEyeglasses has 8.0/10.
How much difference does 1-2mm make when talking about interpupillary distance? I will try to get it as precise as I can but I’d like to know how critical it is.
Bought a pair of glasses from Zenni a few years ago.
The frames were incredibly flimsy. Supposed to be medium weight and light weight doesn’t begin to describe them.
And the Rx was poorly done. The transition line was way too high. Have to slide them down my nose to see thru the top well. I compared the position with the online position test and it’s way off. Plus the lower Rx is just plain crap.
I have bought several from ClearlyContacts.ca and they have been awesome - I love that I can have a few pairs to wear with different looks and don’t have to worry if a pair gets chewed or broken on exercise.