# Ever buy glasses online? Any advice? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 19, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-buy-glasses-online-any-advice/589629 "2011-07-19T21:05:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-buy-glasses-online-any-advice/589629/1 "2011-07-19T21:05:41Z")
I wear bifocals, and I don’t know if that can be done with an online store. However, I would also like to order a pair of single-vision readers, which would be a good place to start as they don’t have to be everyday wear. Any experiences to share? Thanks, k ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-buy-glasses-online-any-advice/589629/2 "2011-07-19T21:08:35Z")
> **[Tell me about cheap eyeglasses](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=612314)** > > So far I’ve been using the optometrist attached to my eye doctor’s office, but they’re expensive. I want to get a pair of backup glasses, so quality isn’t a huge deal, but I do wonder about stuff like fitting and getting the focal point correct at... ---
**Author:** ![RyanK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bc79bd/32.png) [@RyanK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyanK)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-buy-glasses-online-any-advice/589629/3 "2011-08-01T00:23:18Z")
The best place I know to buy eyeglasses online is [zennioptical.com](http://zennioptical.com). They have a variety of eyeglasses that start at $6.95. In Zenni Optical, you can upload pictures to try on all the frames. My favorite feature is that you can share the try-on pictures to Facebook and then ask friends for advice. My friends in Facebook helped me select 2 pairs of eyeglasses. I felt very happy when I received them. They were beyond my expectation. Perfect！！！ ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-buy-glasses-online-any-advice/589629/4 "2011-08-01T00:33:18Z")
I am glad you asked this, because I was going to! I’ve heard of zenni optical, rave reviews. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-buy-glasses-online-any-advice/589629/5 "2011-08-01T00:38:00Z")
I got my most recent pairs from Zenni. While the prescription came out fine, the fit is not perfect(might be due to the difficulty of matching measurements of the old pair) and the phototint wore out in just a few months. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-buy-glasses-online-any-advice/589629/6 "2011-08-01T00:46:56Z")
For single vision readers, I would just go to a dollar store or a drugstore and try on a few pair. I buy mine for sometimes $1 a pair so when I lose them (and I will) it’s not so bad. My daughter likes [Warby Parker](http://www.warbyparker.com/?gclid=CJGh0IfvrKoCFRQg2godWXEuVQ). They send you aactual frames to try on. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-buy-glasses-online-any-advice/589629/7 "2011-08-01T01:05:56Z")
> [@Cub\_Mistress](#): > > For single vision readers, I would just go to a dollar store or a drugstore and try on a few pair. I buy mine for sometimes $1 a pair so when I lose them (and I will) it’s not so bad. > > My daughter likes [Warby Parker](http://www.warbyparker.com/?gclid=CJGh0IfvrKoCFRQg2godWXEuVQ). They send you aactual frames to try on. At 53 years old and after about 7 years of using drug-store readers (the OP is already wearing bifocals) I realised that single-vision readers weren’t really doing the job. I had my first-ever eye test and got a prescription on Saturday…the optometrist said that I had some minor vision loss at 4-6 feet, as well as at distance, along with the typical age-related near-vision loss (thus the readers.) Also my eyes aren’t equal any more, so single-vision doesn’t work so well…my left eye is markedly worse than my right. The optometrist pointed out that a scrip or single-vision lenses wouldn’t be any better than dollar or drug store OTC glasses. Thanks for the Warby Parker link, though! I really am not sure how I am going to like progressive bifocals so I ordered a cheapo pair to start out with. ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-buy-glasses-online-any-advice/589629/8 "2011-08-01T23:35:33Z")
I got progressives recently–my first pair of bifocals ever. I was really surprised at how easily I adjusted to them. The only time I felt a little wonky was the first time I went hiking and had to go down a steep hill and watch my feet. That was a little weird. Otherwise, all good!