Bharat SainiLast Updated on May 11, 2014 by Bharat Saini
Each year millions of people buy contact lenses online, as a matter of fact online sales of contact lenses have grown 200% in the past decade. The reason why people buy lenses online is because they are a lot cheaper. Online stores selling contact lenses are cheaper because they have a lot less overhead to deal with as compared to offline store so they end up passing on their savings in the form of aggressive pricing. That said there are numerous online stores that cannot be trusted, there are also scams online that you need to be aware of and at the end of the day you need to know what you want in order to get the right lens.
Below are some recommendation before buying the contact lenses online:
Get your eyes examined by a doctor
Before you even consider wearing contact lenses you need to get your eyes examined by a doctor. This is even for people who have perfect vision but want to wear colored or fancy contact lenses. The doctor will measure the size of your iris, your eyes and also find out if lenses will be right for you. It goes without saying that doctors may advise some people against wearing contact lenses. Then there is also the fact that many online stores will not able to sell you contact lenses without a prescription because they will not know the specifics of your eyes.
Decide between soft versus hard lenses
There are a number of online stores that will ask if you want to buy hard or soft contact lenses. The option you choose will mainly depend on how long you want to wear the lenses for. Soft contact lenses may be fine for the majority of people but some people may find hard contact easier to wear. If you are new to wearing contacts order one of each, then try both on for a period of time, and return the one that does not work for you. Since many online stores have a return policy you can simply return the lens that does not suit your eyes in exchange for one that does.
Do not buy fancy lenses
Even though it’s possible to buy fancy contact lenses online most doctors will advise against it. If you do buy these contact lenses it’s at your own risk even if you’re using a doctor’s prescription to get the right size. Also, many online stores do not have a return policy for the fancy lenses they sell.
Get a custom made lens for vision correction
Many online stores sell what is called a template contact lens. These lenses are designed to fit and work with people who have various vision problems. However, the best alternative and also the more expensive one is to get your contact lenses custom made. Many stores that sell contact lenses online will take the measurements given by your doctor and send over a customized lens within a few days. These lenses do not have a return policy but can be returned if they are defective. You’ll also get to choose if these lenses are hard or soft.
The store should ask for a prescription
There are many online stores that sell contacts without a prescription. These stores are often based abroad in countries where the laws permit the sales of these lenses without a prescription. But for a buyer this will often mean ending up with a lens that is not good, causes blurry vision or irritation because it does not fit correctly. Also since these stores are based abroad they use a different measurement system, often sell lower quality lenses to keep costs down and do not provide a flexible warranty. Lenses Online recommends that people only buy their lenses from stores that ask for a prescription which is no more than three months old. Many stores also have doctors in various cities who they network with and whom will check your eyes for free or the fee may be included in the lenses you buy.
If you are looking to save money when buying contact lenses a good approach may be to buy in bulk. Buy around a dozen or so lenses and you should end up saving around 25% off your purchase. These lenses will also last you a few years.
Mark has been selling contact lenses online for over a decade. His online store in New Zealand is considered one of the best and he also sells lenses to buyers in Australia. In addition his extensive experience as an optician helps him provide valuable advice to buyers seeking the best lenses.
