Buying single-vision eyeglasses online can make your life easier. It’s fast, convenient (no need to leave your couch), and affordable since you can filter by price too. Plus, there’s the perk of endless frame options!
However, it can get a little more complex when your prescription includes an “ADD” power.
The good news is that you can still buy progressive lenses online. But there are a few things to know so you don’t get frustrated with the process.
At a Glance
- If you’ve found out you could benefit from progressive lenses, you may be thinking about buying them online.
- These lenses have different viewing zones, so you can see close, intermediate, and distant objects more clearly.
- While you can find progressive lenses online, they need to be super-accurate to work properly.
- At EZContacts, we’re introducing a precision measurement tool, Veero. You can already use it to measure your PD, and seg height measurement is coming soon.
What Are Progressive Lenses?
Progressive lenses are a type of multifocal lens. Instead of separate sections with visible lines, the power changes gradually from the top of the lens to the bottom.
This gives you a smooth transition between distance, intermediate (such as computer use), and near (reading) vision. That way, you don’t need to switch between multiple pairs of glasses.
Is Buying Progressive Lenses Online a Bad Idea?
Some people might say that buying progressive lenses online is a big gamble. The reason is that progressive lenses typically require very precise physical measurements.
But it’s not impossible to get right. It depends on the technology and approach of the company you’re ordering your lenses from. With the right process, you can get perfect progressive glasses delivered to your door.
What Are the Challenges of Buying Progressive Lenses Online?
Estimating the Segment Height (Seg Height)
Single vision lenses typically only require your Pupillary Distance (PD), whereas progressive lenses also need the vertical measurement. This is otherwise known as the segment height (often called seg height). This measurement refers to the distance, in millimeters, from the bottom of the lens to the center of your pupil.
Accuracy matters here. Even a small error can shift your reading zone too high or too low, which could cause eye strain. Generic or automated measurement methods may not account for how your eyes line up with your specific frames.
Using Veero to Measure Seg Height
At EZContacts, we’re implementing Veero, a tool designed to take the guesswork out of measuring for progressive lenses. You can already use Veero to measure your PD on EZContacts. Soon, you’ll be able to use it to measure your seg height as well.
The tool doesn’t rely on generic or automated algorithms. It also doesn’t ask you to hold objects up to your face to gauge your sight.
Instead, Veero acts like a virtual optician. The tool precisely calculates your pupil placement in relation to the frames you choose.
The Benefits of Veero
Veero helps align your custom progressive lenses with how your frames sit on your face. Because every frame fits differently, the position of your pupils within the lenses can vary. Some frames may sit lower on your nose. Others may have larger lenses, such as oversized frames.
Veero is designed to account for these frame-specific differences when determining your measurements.
How Does Frame Size Affect Progressive Lenses?
The thing that makes progressive lenses so beneficial (that they have three viewing zones) also makes accuracy a big deal.
If you pick a frame with a lens height that’s too short, part of these zones could get cut off. This could leave you with lenses that don’t work as intended.
At EZContacts, our frames are cataloged automatically so you won’t mistakenly buy a frame that can’t support your progressive lenses. You can filter by progressive or bifocal lenses and find frames that are a great fit.
Do Progressive Lenses Take Time to Adjust to?
If you’re a first-time progressive lens user, it will usually take your brain some time to adjust (usually a week or two). Why? Because you have to get used to looking through the top of the lens for distance, the middle for computer use, and the bottom for reading.
If your vision seems unusual at first, it’s easy to wonder whether something is wrong with your lenses. In many cases, though, it’s simply a matter of getting used to your new prescription.
Try wearing your glasses consistently for a couple of weeks to give yourself time to adapt. If you’re still having trouble after that, contact your eye doctor or the retailer you purchased your glasses from.
When shopping online, it’s also a good idea to choose a reputable retailer with an experienced optical team. At EZContacts, prescriptions are fulfilled through an authorized optical lab, and our customer service team is available by email or phone if you have any questions or concerns.
See What’s New at EZContacts
At EZContacts, we’re always looking for new ways to improve the shopping experience for our customers. Along with Veero, some of our other new additions include:
- Virtual try-on through the Fittingbox app.
- A lens replacement service that helps refresh the frames you love.
- Our in-house eyewear brand Vesari, which offers affordable premium eyewear.
And we’re not stopping there. Head to EZContacts to see what’s new and check everything out for yourself!
FAQs
Can I buy progressive lenses online?
Yes. Technology such as Veero is making it easier. You can already use it to measure your PD, and we’re adding seg height measurement soon for even greater accuracy.
Is it cheaper to buy progressive lenses online or in store?
Buying progressive glasses online can be more affordable. At EZContacts, we don’t have physical stores, so we don’t have huge markups on the eyewear we sell. This is why you’ll find a lot of frames at more affordable prices than brick-and-mortar stores.
We also have an authorized lab, so we can produce precision progressive lenses for less than many optical shops.
How do I know if I need progressive lenses?
Instead of speculating about whether you need progressive lenses, it’s best to visit an eye doctor. They can confirm if you need vision correction for multiple distances. If so, you will see “ADD” on your prescription.
