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Save up to 70% off retail prices

High quality glasses, custom made to your prescription, from $49

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Frequently Asked Questions

Ordering

Q: What do I need to place an order with Glasses Direct?

All you need to order with us is your prescription. Your eye doctor must, by law, provide you with a copy of your prescription. Have your eyes tested, bring us the prescription, and save!

Q: How do I obtain my prescription?

Your local eye doctor is obliged under law to give you a clear, legible copy of your prescription following your eye test. We recommend that you also ask your eye doctor to include your pupillary distance measurement in your prescription. See FAQ below on pupillary distance measurement.

Q: How can you charge such low prices?

Our business passes its cost saving methods to you, the customer. We can charge $49 for a complete pair of glasses because we do not have to finance expensive doctors' offices or mall locations and vision-testing equipment.

Q: Can I download an order form?

You will be able to do this in the near future.

Lenses

Q: What are the lenses made of?

We use lightweight optical plastic lenses for most of our glasses. For our 'thin' lenses, we use 1.6 high-index lenses. We do not offer glass lenses.

Q: Do you sell prescription sunglasses and other tinted lenses?

Yes. We have a variety of colours of tints (with standard 15-20% light transmission); or glasses can be made with the "Sun-reactive" photosensitive feature. This type of lens is clear in normal lighting conditions, but tints itself under sunlight and includes a 100% UV filter. These options can be specified when ordering (on the product customisation page).

Q: What about lens treatments and tints?

We offer a number of different lens teatments and tints:

Sunglasses tint (extra)
Anti-reflective treatments(extra)
UV 400 protective treatments(extra)
Scratch resistant treatments(extra)

Q: What about progressive lenses?

Unfortunately not at this time.

Q: Can I order frames with plano lenses in them (i.e. no prescription)?

Yes! Just specify in the prescription form that you require plano lenses.top

Delivery

Q: How long will my glasses take?

Your order will be given immediate attention and processed on the same day.

Glasses are sent via standard United States Postal Service, and the packages we use fit in most mailboxes. You do not have to be at home to receive your glasses.

Our terms state delivery can be up to 28 days. However it is usually within 14 days, subject to the complexity of the prescription and lens treatments.top

Your prescription

Q: "Near", "intermediate" or "distance" prescription?

If your prescription contains different measurements for near, distance or intermediate categories, please use the following advice:

For single vision lenses, choose the "near" line if your glasses are needed for reading or close up work. Choose the "distance" line if your glasses are required for seeing objects far away. Choose the "intermediate" line if your glasses are required for music or computer screen. If you need advice about which line is the most appropriate, please call us.

Q: Can I use my contact lens prescription for ordering glasses with you?

While your contact lens and eyeglasses prescriptions may seem the same, they usually have differences. You must have your eyes tested and a prescription issued for use with spectacles, which is less than 2 years old, 1 year in some states, before ordering with Glasses Direct. These time limits are necessary because your eyesight may change over time and the limits are by joint committees of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians, the Association of Optometrists and the Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians.

Q: What is my pupilary distance (PD), and how do I obtain it?

In order for a pair of glasses to perform optimally, the frames need to be made to match the distance between the customer’s eyes so that the center of each lens is aligned with the center of the customer’s pupils. To achieve this we need your 'pupillary distance measurement' or 'PD measurement', i.e. the distance between the pupils of your eyes. Unfortunately, many prescriptions given by high street eye doctors do not include a PD measurement.

We suggest that you either ask your optician for your pupillary distance measurement or if you would prefer not to, we can make your glasses using an average pupillary distance measurement based on a survey carried out on 4,000 people.

While using an average pupillary distance measurement works very well for most customers, certain customers who have strong prescriptions and whose pupillary distance diverges significantly from the average, may experience problems with spectacles made using an average PD measurement. The spectacles will not damage or harm the eyes but they can cause discomfort or eye strain.

Q: I don't understand what my prescription says

Fax it to us and we will try to evaluate it. Once we receive it we will call you and discuss your lens options.

Q: How strong a prescription can you manufature

The maximum prescription which we will manufacture for is: ±8.00 SPH (sphere) and ±4.00 CYL (cylinder).top

Support

Q: What if I entered some information incorrectly?

Immediately call or send an email alerting us, because we process orders very rapidly. For this reason we ask you to please double-check your prescription and shipping information prior to submitting your order. Once you've placed your order you are given the option of printing it off, we recommend you do this for future reference.

Q: What if my frames need adjustment after I receive them?

If you need a minor adjustment, most optical stores will do it. If you experience any problems with your spectacles, please call us.

Q: What is your guarantee and refund policy?

We offer you a 30-day, unconditional, money-back guarantee. Should you decide that your new glasses aren't right for you, we'll give you a refund or exchange them for another pair of the same value. Just put them in the post and we'll sort it out for you.

Q: When does the 30 day period start?

We will stamp your invoice with a date when we put it in the mail. The 30 day period will start from this date.

Q: What about refunds for postage and packing?

sorry we can not offer refunds for postage and packing costs.

Q: Can I exchange my glasses for a higher priced pair?

Absolutely. But we will charge you for the difference in cost.top

Payment

Q: What are the postage and packaging costs?

There is a $5.99 postage and packaging charge per pair of glasses ordered. Glasses are sent 1st Class via standard US postal service. Our glasses' packages fit into most mailboxes, and you do not have to be in to receive them when they arrive. Special delivery can be requested at a cost of $12.99.

If you buy one or more pairs of glasses you can benefit from free delivery!

Q: What are the available methods of payment?

We accept all major credit/debit cards

Q: Is the payment page secure?

Our payment system uses HSBC's secure on-line credit card payment service which is secured with 128bit SSL. Our SSL-enabled web server is enhanced with 128-bit encryption from Newnet®. SSL is the leading security protocol on the internet. If you right-click on the payment page, go to properties and look at the web address, you will see that it is an https:// page over a secure server.top

Other

Q: Can I just order frames/lenses with no prescription in them?

Yes! Just specify in the prescription form that you require no lens.

Q: Can you read my prescription off my existing glasses?

No, due to state laws we are unable to do this.

Q: How did you chose the names of your frames?

It's not rocket science, but it was a good idea. Carole, who works in marketing here, sent round an email to all of us asking for the names of things like our favourite holiday places, pets names, where we were born and pulled together a list of many different potential names for our glasses. From that list she chose the names she liked the most and assigned them to the most appropriate frames. If you can think of a good name for a frame, send us an email at customerservice@glassesdirect.com and she'll try and name a pair of glasses in your honor!

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Q: What is The Best Fit Machine?

When you place an order for glasses with us, you are given the option of entering the frame measurements from the frames of your existing pair of glasses. Our website will then identify the frames from the ranges available that most closely match your measurements to ensure that your new glasses fit as well as your existing glasses. Please see below for the FAQ on how to find the measurements on your existing frames. Try out our best fit machine

Q: What do the frame measurements mean?

The easiest way to get the right frame size is to get the dimensions from a comfortable pair of glasses you already have.

On one of the legs you will usually find (with the aid of a magnifying glass) three measurements, the first two separated by a rectangle.

The Lens Diameter is a matter of choice, but the other two determine the fit.

They do not need to be exact, but the closer they are to your existing pair, the more likely your new glasses are to be a comfortable fit.

Q: I have diabetes/glaucoma/ocular hypertension. Can I still order?

Yes, but please note that we strongly recommend annual eye checks for those suffering from any of these conditions.top

How long will my glasses take?