Like I said before, reuse your frames if you can. That should help.

Claire~your doctor can take your PD and put it on your prescription. It's a VERY simple measurement and he probably does it anyway--just make sure he writes it on the prescription. (PD = pupillary distance--the distance between your pupils, so when the glasses are made the center of each lens is in line with each pupil more or less).

I would love to answer any questions about optics/glasses.

OD or DO: Doctor of Optometry= Optometrist
MD- Ophthalmologist/medical Dr.

Ophthalmologists are great for treatment of advanced eye diseases and surgeries. Many are specialised into parts of the eye ( retinal, corneal etc)

Optometrists do not operate, but they do many of the same things ophthalmologists do in terms of disease treatment.

There's also a hand ful of drugs that OD's cannot prescribe while MD's can.

Optometrists have more training when it comes to refraction. This is the part of the exam where the Dr. is achieving the prescription for glasses. Ophthalmologists do not have as much stress on this in thier training.

I'm an optician, have been for about 10 years.

I won't get into the politics of buying online and American jobs being lost ( totally another thread on another board), but there is the issue of returns and such.

Patients will ask me questions about online vendors ( will they do it right? Can I return it? ) that's not my decision to make, it's up to the vendor.

If you do get glasses online and there is something incorrect, an office can help figure out the error but they won't fix it with out charge in most cases because it wasn't purchased from them. Why spend cost and labor to fix someone else's mistake for free? Buying online is like the fast food of optics. It's ok. It has it's place, but it's not the highest quality workmanship and materials. The difference in price between a physical store and an online one isn't all due to costs of running a physical shop.

Online's ok for simple prescriptions, nothing too challenging. If you have prism or a high rx, or high cyl ( astigmatism), just be aware.

Atleast if you get them from Walmart or wherever you have a place you can go back to if there's issues w/ the rx or fit. It's good to work with one or two specific people, get a name and face that you can go to.

PD= Pupilary Distance. Distance between pupils. Have an optician measure this . The measurement the Dr takes in the examining room is done by the phoroptor. If the pt moves at all it's off, and people aren't all symmetrical as the one number indicates. it should be two seperate numbers, one for each eye. there's also near and far pd. Looking into the mirror and dotting your lenses isn't always accurate. If this measurement is off even by a few millimeters, it can really throw off how your lens works ( induced prism). It's a simple measurement, true, but if it's not done right, it _does_ make a difference.

this isn't part of your script. It can be added, but it's doesn't legally have to be provided.

As far as using your own frame, this usually isn't an issue if the frame's in good shape. If it's corroded, if the plastic is brittle or it's just jacked to high heaven, you should be informed of the risks, that the lab isn't responsible if it breaks blah blah blah.

It's fairly common for people to reuse thier frames. Find out if you have give up your frame. Many offices are able to have lens blanks on hand or ordered, then cut at the office, drastically reducing the amount of time a pt's with out thier frame.

We appreciate it when patient's are honest with us. it allows us to both educate the pt as well as offer any discounts or specials we may have in our office before they go to another. We do understand that people do what they have to do, but also we don't see every patient as a sale.

Also, NOT ALL PROGRESSIVE LENSES ARE EQUAL! Like anything else, there's a lot of varying degrees of quality and technology. There's over 300 types of progressives. Some work better for office work, others for driving. it's a matter of matching the pt up with the lens that will fit thier needs the best. And it's not always the newest thing out. Some old school lenses are popular not because they're less money but because they work great.

Optical, thanks for the great and very thorough response! I am really learning.

Well, my plan today didn't go as I'd hoped. The girls working the desk a former student of mine) immediately started showing me frames before I even went back for my exam. I took that opportunity to say, I may not even be able to buy them until the Dec. paycheck because we are having a tough month. She immediately pulled 2 frames she thought would look good on my and showed me that they were only $49.00 (their lowest sale frame).When I asked about my lenses, she looked them up and did some calculating. The lowest she could quote me was $207.00, and that's just for replacing lenses and keeping the old frames! $200 just for a lense, even progressive seems so expensive to me.

Ok, I gotta go get this phone call ... I will tell you know that I didn't get my pd!

Hello ladies- Thanks again for all of the great advice regarding ordering glasses online.

I have a question for Optical Goddess-- or any of you-- and would love your opinions - I went to Wal-Mart and got my PD- 32 in right, 31 in left. I asked the optician for my near and far, and she said this is all you need. I insisted that I thought I needed near and far, and she said, well this is all I can tell you from this machine (the binocular type thing). She said you'll have to talk to the other guy for more info. They were really busy, so I just left.

I'm just wondering - did I get the near or far? Do I indeed need to get another PD measurement taken, or is just the one sufficient to order glasses?

My prescription is mild (even though I'm not even sure what it all means!):
sphere cylinder axis add
OD -0.25 -0.50 028 +1.50
OS -0.25 -0.50 172 +1.50

So, I have decided to take the plunge and order a pair online and see how they work out. I am a bit concerned because I don't have both pd measurements and also because I wear progressives (they may well not work out). Still, I am very motivated to at least give online a shot, as my husband and I are both working extra jobs right now to pay down a rather large credit card debt -- not for frivolous things, but debt nonetheless -- and I'm just having a hard time coughing up the money my optometrist wants (207.00 just for lenses - that's without new frames). I do realize it's a risk, so I am hoping for the best.

Have any of you who bought online purchased progressive lenses? I would be interested to hear how that worked out.

Anyway, thanks again to ALL for the helpful advice. And if anyone knows the answer to my PD question, I'd love to know before I order.

Oh, I just thought of one more question - what other things should I be doing to take care of my eye health? Again, any tips welcome!

I thought of one more question I meant to ask... for anyone who has purchased prescription sunglasses online, were you able to find polarized? I would prefer those, as I know they offer more protection, but all the sites seem to offer UV - question? Is that the same as polarized??

I won't be buying both glasses and sunglasses this month (again because of my $ issues), but I do hope to in the future so am interested in a good site.

Thanks!

Hello,

I hope I answer all your questions:

- Near and Far PD. Near pd generally 1.5 mm less than far ( per eye ), I say generally because it's a 'rule of thumb' measurement when we aren't able to specifically measure the near pd as well as the far. You probably got far, since that's a default.

The near pd, when it comes to multifocals, comes into play with lined bifocals.It has to do with where the bifocal is, in terms of right to left, it has to be placed where you can use it, and it's not just below the eye.

I will say that I'd recommend leaving progressives to the pros. They are very touchy and your experience with them all comes down to measurements and what type of progressive to use ( out of over 300 different kinds ), they're not the same !

This isn't like buying a shirt or shoes. It's your sight, so make your decisions wisely. I'm saying this because we have had a number of patients come in upset that thier glasses they got online don't work, they can't use thier intermediate area or use the progressive for driving. And unfortunately, for me to order lenses to fix the problem, I'm not doing it for free.

I work hard at what I do, I am always learning and trying my best to improve myself and what I can offer patients. A web site with multiple choice questions and instructions about looking in a mirror to measure your bifocal heights isn't the same. Progressives and lined multifocals are a far cry than single vision.

Many people think that there's a measurement that just works for progressives on any person, which isn't true. Sight is very important, and just like buying anything else, just because it's less or more $ doesn't mean it's better or worse.

If you get progressives online and are successful, then good on you, but be aware that the progressive is an involved lens. It does a lot and if it's jacked up, it messes up all areas of the vision.

A note about frames: Zyl ( plastic ) frames normally don't have nose pads, but rather a saddle bridge, which is like molded nose pads. These cannot be adjusted. If you have a narrow bridge it may rest lower on your face, where the bridge of your nose planes out--the widest part. If you have a wider bridge, it may cause the frame to sit farther forward on your face, farther from your eyes. This can effect how well you see ( You see more out of a window when you're closer to it, than from a farther distance). If it fits great across your nose, it's comfortable, then it can be great.

Metal frames generally have nose pads which can be adjusted for optimum fit and comfort. Yes, nose pads do allow us to move the frame higher or lower, which can tweak your progressive or single vision lens. We can adjust a lot, but not everything can be acheived through adjustment-- alot can, but not all. The measurements on frames that determine the distance between lenses doesn't dictate how it's going to fit. Watch for temple length too, the part that goes over the ear. Make sure it's long enough or it can be annoying and ill fitting.

Polarization is not the same as uv protection. Polarization is used in sunglasses, there's no such thing as clear polarized lenses.

UV protection can be a coating, or part of some types of lens materials. This won't change color or do anything outside, it won't effect how you see light, but it will protect you. Its like sunscreen for your eyes. You can't tell you have it on, but it does protect you.

For sunglasses, it is preffered by most patients to regular tinting. Darker lenses don't do a heck of a lot for glare, that's where polarrized comes in.

Yeah, it's probably obvious I'm not a huge proponent of online eyeglasses, but I will honestly give you the best answers I can, because while I don't agree, I also want you ( or anyone ) to get the best they can.

--also, it keeps me "on top of my game".

Optical - I appreciate very much your taking the time to respond so thoroughly to my MANY questions and also for being so candid. You can tell from all of my questions that I do feel ambivalent ordering online - mainly because of the risk of getting glasses that aren't right for me, but also because I understand it takes business away from local businesses and optometrists/opticians. I do get where you are coming from! It seems though that somehow online ordering will become more and more the future of eyeglasses, and maybe optical stores will modify how they do business (like maybe offering a form of online ordering through their shops and charging a set fee for things like adjustments and giving out PD's, etc.). That's just my thought, since although there are problems with online ordering, the cost difference is so vast, and people are always needing/wanting to save $$.

I will say your perspective is making me rethink my decision somewhat - I will probably sleep on it a few more days now and maybe I will just take in my frames and get the 207.00 lenses. I don't know (I'm such an indecisive person!). However, I must admit, if I had a single vision lens, I would order online in a heartbeat though, just because of the sheer cost savings.

Anyway, THANK YOU again for sharing your expertise and your perspective with me. I'll give you an update once I get something!

I'll try to keep this short and not get myself worked up.

People form thier opinions based on personal experiences, both good and bad. Of course, I am impacted personally by online retailers, but not in the negative fashion some may think.

My issue isn't that my career may go the way of the haberdasher, but even 10 years from now, I can't tell you that your glasses will fit, if the measurements are correct or be able to trouble shoot by looking at a print out order from a faceless patient. To be done accurately, I'd need to see the patient with the frame on. Not everything can be automated.

To use an optical example: flat top bifocals have been around since Ben Franklin. They're still around, even with all the new stuff out there. You know why? They still work.

At my office, patients can order contacts from us on our web site.

Contacts are like bottled beer. No matter where you go, bottled beer is the same.

Glasses are like mixed drinks. What it tastes like depends on the skill of the bartender.

That's all I'm going to say about online ordering, because I'll go off on a tangent that will never end.

Just check out warranties, the fine print, stuff like that. Be educated on what you're spending money on...what if you don't adapt? What time line do they allow? If you need to go with a line, is there a charge? Will you get the difference in cost? Will a line work in all areas that a progressive does? What if the frame breaks? What if it doesn't fit well when you receive it? what about coatings/options?

if you have questions about frames, progressives, lens materials, options-- I love answering questions.

I will say that most brick and mortar optical shops will adjust glasses for free,but any warranty work will have to be handled through the vendor.

Obviously, we're going to do more for the patient whose business we have than someone who just wants us to do what can't be done online.

Ok-- I'm done. I'll keep my replies strictly optical... at least it's a given that if I get so nerdy about posting on a forum, I am equally nerdy with my career.

Being nerdy about your career shows passion. I'm an English teacher, although I realize it doesn't show from most of my rushed posts. I can be equally impassioned when discussing a topic like why texting jargon doesn't belong in an essay. At any rate, I see your "nerdiness" as a reflection of the passion you have for what you do -- it shows.

Again, I am learning, and I do feel like I understand the ins and outs of buying glasses much more than I did 2 weeks ago. I do hope I haven't irked you too much.

I need to get some new glasses and contacts, I just procrastinate so much

But ... I just wanted to say a huge thank you to Optical Goddess. You have gone way above and beyond and really blessed us with your time!

The pleasure's mine.

I love answering questions, be it about optics or those email/myspace./facebook surveys that go around.

I'm very happy that I can help people out!

Wish I could find a cool optician like you!

I get my eyes tested at and buy my glasses from either Walmart or The Real Canadian Superstore - May be called President's Choice in US (but I heard Costco has good deals as well)