How can I order prescription glasses online?

The process of finding and purchasing the right safety glasses for your specific needs can be difficult – especially if you have prescription safety glasses in mind. However, with the age of the internet comes the age of convenience, as the process of buying safety eyewear online is among the easiest and best ways to go about it.

The real issue comes with the number of options you’ll find on the internet, from various stores and manufacturers, and no real way to determine which is best suited for you without talking to someone who knows. After all, you can’t exactly ‘try on’ a product that you’re viewing online. So, here’s what you’ll need to know about how to order prescription safety glasses online!

Knowing the difference

Do you need prescription safety glasses, or prescription safety goggles? Are you going to be using them for carpentry/metalwork, or for general home use? Will you be working with chemicals, or in environments where there’s a lot of dust in the air? Depending on your answers to these questions, both the types of safety glasses and the online store on which your purchase them may be different.

Part of shopping for safety glasses online involves having an understanding of exactly what you need. Making the purchase itself is easy enough – it’s as simple as finding a product you like, and clicking the ‘buy’ button. Aside from writing in your address and card details, you won’t really even have to lift a finger to do anything else. It is, however, very important that once the product arrives, it ends up being what you were looking for.

Getting the right prescription

The only thing worse than the arrival of safety frames that end up being uncomfortable, is the arrival of safety lenses that end up being the wrong prescription. When ordering prescription safety glasses online, it’s likely that you’ll be asked what kind of prescription you’ll need for the lenses. It ought to go without saying but guessing is a bad idea. 

Trying to work while wearing prescription safety lenses that don’t suit your eyes can cause gradual eye strain, which can in turn lead to such conditions as headaches and subsequent fatigue. It’s simply not worth the trouble, so if confronted with this question, and you haven’t already done so – get an eye test with an optician.

An optician can tell you what your prescription is and can even help by ordering the safety glasses for you, if they provide such a service. Even if you’ve already had an eye test done in the past, it may be worth having another one done, as prescriptions can change over the years. It a far safer option than using past prescriptions, or even making an educated guess, and may save you a lot of hassle in the long run.  Your prescription should be within the last two years if you are ordering prescription safety glasses.

Have a price range

Another interesting thing about shopping online, aside from the variety of options, is the variety of prices. It should go without saying that you shouldn’t spend either too much, or too little on your safety specs and that this should be judged by what you need your glasses to do for you.

A pair of safety glasses that’s too cheap won’t end up lasting you very long. All safety frames are put through rigorous testing before they’re sold, but this is more of a matter of longevity. The average lifespan of most Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) glasses is up to three years but as your prescription only last two years then you should replace your prescription safety glasses at this time too. Cheaper safety glasses aren’t expected to last this long, as all safety glasses will slowly be worn down by such environmental conditions as chemicals, dust, and even scratches to the lenses.

Safety glasses can last for a longer amount of time if they’re properly cared for, but when considering the safety of your eyes, it’s best not to hold back on the money. An average pair of safety glasses could cost between £35-£50, and some of the most expensive ones can go for around £600 and more. 

This too, however, must be a decision for you to make and think on, as only you can tell for how long you’ll need safety glasses/safety goggles, and for what kind of work. It’s a decision that should impact how you order your prescription safety glasses – including from which store and manufacturer.

All you need to worry about are the details, and as long as you have those, then the rest of the process –from looking for the right store, to finding a pair you like and simply hitting the ‘buy’ button– will be a walk in the park. If you prefer a more personal take, then you can always visit your contact us to get an insight into your safety glasses needs and how best to shop for them online. 

And maybe get yourself that eye test booked while you’re at it! If it isn’t useful today, it’ll certainly be useful tomorrow. Especially if you intend to make a habit of doing your eyewear shopping online!