For the record, I’m an American Board Certified Optician, consulting for independent practices so consumers receive a better experience when they visit their eyecare practitioner. I grew up in this field; we had a family-run optical shop, and I’ve seen few major changes in this industry, substantively.
There’s great new technology in task specific lens designs, treatments to further improve vision though contrast sensitivity enhancement, and products to extend the life and make cleaning no-glare lenses a snap.
However, the basics remain the same:
correct frame choice for patients’ unique characteristics and intended use, initial bench alignment, proper fit before precise measurements are taken, appropriate lens design and material selection (there are many thousands of combinations), and a critical inspection of the laboratory work before the patient ever sees those glasses. With all this done properly, adjustment should be minimal, if even necessary.
From what I’ve gathered recently, it seems like many people are trying to interpret their eyeglass Rx, attempting to fill online. The best analogy I could ever think of is the optician as pharmacist for the eyes. Ordering complex eyewear off the net is closest akin to sending a patient into a compounding pharmacy to figure out, on their own, which combination of pills, powders, pastes, creams, and injections would be best for lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, heart rate, anxiety, hemorrhoidal flair up, etc., etc. It CAN be equally dangerous! Failure to fuse an image, destructive glare, eye strain, and fatigue can cause major accidents in and around the home and on the roadway, not to mention the cumulative long-term damaged inflicted by solar radiation, UV and short-wavelength, visible blue light. Two major causes of blindness-cataracts and macular degeneration-one can be repaired, the other is permanent.
For anything other than a very basic, sphere power prescription (if it contains any cylinder power, prism, or add power correction) this is not a good idea. Properly fitting these types of prescriptions requires very precise measurements (down to tenths of millimeters), often using special tools (lensometer/focimeter/pupilometer/etc.), to recreate the doctor’s intended effect. If not done properly, you’re asking for a BIG headache, literally! In addition, you’ve just wasted money; once edged into the frame, out of tolerance lenses cannot be fixed. These online eyeglass vendors typically offer NO WARRANTY, NO PEACE OF MIND, something the optical shopping general public has come to expect. Plus, when your doctor and optician realize they’ve lost your eyeglass business, they may be more reluctant to assist with adjustments to compensate for poor fit. If willing to help at all, many eye care practitioners I’ve known and come across have begun to charge steep fees, as time is valuable and they don’t want their name associated with crummy workmanship.
Folks, I’m not trying to offend anyone; these are just some basic facts about fitting eyewear. It’s certainly not rocket science, but does take patience, practice, and proper tools for the job. Working with many hundreds of practices, I’ve seen it all. Some who’ve bought online are satisfied; remember, there are many basic Rxs. Most, however, with prescriptions as described above (cyl., ^, add power, or other special needs), ultimately give up shopping the net to fill their Rx after enduring a nightmare experience to own a pair of worthless glasses.
Remember, your eyes account for approximately 80% of your perception of the world around you. Make it an excellent experience 
Good luck, and buy local!
All the Best~
Brannen
Tags: buying eyeglasses online, online eyecare
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