4 Reasons to Buy Your Glasses/contacts at an Eye Doctor’s Office

  1. Return any faulty lenses.  Occasionally contact lenses or glasses come with defects or imperfections.  These medical appliances and devices can be returned if the doctor’s office agrees, but only if you purchased through the office.

  2. Exchange contact lenses if there’s a prescription change.  Unopened, undamaged boxes that have not expired are eligible to be returned where you purchased them.  Often times if someone experiences a vision change sooner than a year, they are stuck with online contact lenses.  Not the case if purchased through a doctor’s office.  And if you are debating about online vs. a doctor’s office, why not choose both!  Yes, you can order your contact lenses online directly from our web store: http://4sighticare.com/ecommerce/  The doctor’s office is also where they will confirm a change in prescription by performing a contact lens fitting at an intermediate exam rather than a comprehensive one (because you don’t need a comprehensive exam but once a year for wellness, and this is less costly).  Did you know the laws require that the vendor verify your prescription with the doctor’s office anyway.  The office knows how much contacts are online and should make every effort to make their pricing competitive.  At 4Sight iCare our pricing is often better; so when you shop online compare pricing and research rebates to get the best price, but don’t forget to check your doctor’s site as well.

  3. Quality and accuracy issues.  A recent study of the top online eyeglass vendors showed that the execution of the prescription would not pass inspection on about half of the >200 pairs ordered online.  The reason why glasses don’t pass inspection is one of two things: they are not safe for wear (too easily broken) or they do not match the prescription ordered.  You can’t get custom adjustments from a computer screen, and you can’t possibly expect personalized service regarding the various options available that may interest you when you purchase new eyeglass lenses.  Frame selection is never as good as in person and that is why even when you select a frame from our online database with virtual try-on (http://4sighticare.com/ecommerce/), we order that frame for you to experience it in person prior to adjusting, measuring, and ordering your lenses.

  4. Common Sense.  Whether you believe in shopping local and small or not, you know when something seems fishy when it’s supposed to be a regulated profession.  Don’t buy product that serves as a medical device (contacts) or medical appliance (glasses) if they charge sales tax on it like a commodity.  Don’t hold a dollar bill next to your face or trace a credit card on the screen to give scale so an algorithm can decipher how far apart your eyes are when this is part of the service done in person and more accurately by a human.  Don’t make an educated guess about which frame fits you best, ask an expert who can give you feedback on just what frame would work best for you.  Don’t take your shoes off and count several paces away from a screen to measure your vision when your local optometrist has standard letters calibrated a set distance away from a cozy examination chair.  Don’t order from any entity that doesn’t get approval from a doctor before charging you and beginning the process of executing the prescription.

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