Guide To Purchasing Glasses Online By Spex4less.COM PREMIUM EYEWEAR 1
Index Introduction 3 Guarantee 3 Obtaining A Copy Of Your Prescription 4 How To Choose A Good Fitting Frame 5 Searching The Website For Your Perfect Pair 6 Choosing Lenses 7 Your Prescription 12 Summary 15 2
Introduction Over the last 10 years thousands of people have been turning to the internet looking for online suppliers of prescription glasses. The prices of prescription eyewear online is at an all time low and savings of up to 75% off the normal retail price is not unheard of. We have made this guide to help you avoid any pitfalls and decide upon a frame and lens that will suit, fit and work, so saving you valuable time and money! Spex4less has successfully been supplying prescription eyewear online for over 10 years and has struck the perfect balance between price, quality, service & guarantee. All four of which, are required to ensure you are totally thrilled with any purchases from Spex4less. This guide has been created to help you understand your vision and to help you make informed decisions about which frame and lens combinations to choose to give you the best possible vision. Guarantee Before we start I'd like to point out that since 2004 Spex4less has offered the same iron-clad guarantee. Although every effort has been made to help you choose the perfect pair first time, we understand that occasionally you may not be 100% happy with your chosen frames or lenses. For this reason alone all Spex4less purchases are covered by our famous 100% satisfaction guarantee. This means that if, for any reason, you are not 100% happy with your vision, frames or lenses we will offer you a free exchange for another pair or full refund, and this includes prescription errors made by your optician! 3
Obtaining A Copy Of Your Prescription When you go for your eye test your optician should automatically give you a copy of your prescription. If for any reason they do not give you a copy, simply ask for one and they should oblige as it is their duty to give every patient a copy of their prescription at the time of the eye exam. Lost Your Prescription? If you have mislaid your prescription you may call or visit your optician and simply ask for a copy. Please note if calling by phone they may send you the prescription by post or ask you to visit the store. Once you have a copy of your prescription you're ready to start choosing your frames and lenses. As you make your 1st purchase from Spex4less we will automatically create you an account and save your prescription on file for future use. However, if you prefer, you may create an account and save your prescription for future purchases or to simply keep your prescription details safe. You can log in to view and print your prescriptions at any time. 4
Choosing A Good Fitting Frame Frame sizes are usually in the format 53-18 135 and are usually printed on either the arm of the frame or the back of the bridge. In this example this means that the width of the lens itself is 53mm the bridge distance or distance between the lenses is 18mm and the arm length is 135mm. HOWEVER, comparing these measurements is not the BEST way to obtain a good fitting frame online. On the Spex4less web site we have included further measurements that are FAR easier to understand and ensure a much better result. To find a good fitting frame measure the total width of your existing glasses including the parts that protrude from lenses and compare to the total width of the glasses on our website. With this measurement you can give or take a couple of millimetres. On the website if you filter our glasses based on width we will also display glasses within 2mm of the width measurement that you enter. You can use the other measurements such as depth, diameter, bridge and arm length as a general guide. However, it is unlikely that you will match all of them exactly to your existing glasses. 5
Searching The Website For Your Perfect Pair At the top of each page on the website we have organised our glasses in to categories such as Men's Glasses, Ladies Glasses, Designer Glasses and many more. Simply click on the category link that most appeals to you. Once you've arrived at the category page you'll see that we have many frames to choose from which are all displayed along with the available colour options, photograph and size details. On the right hand side of each category page you'll see "Filter Options". Simply select your requirements and non matching frames will instantly be filtered out of the category. Each time you switch categories the filter will reset. As you browse glasses you may find a few pairs that you like. When you find a frame that you like click the "Add To Shortlist" link. This will add frames to your shortlist page where you can view the frames you like side by side. Once you've decided on a pair simply click the "more details" or "order" link from your shortlist. 6
Choosing Lenses Lenses come in many flavours and again, at first, things can become a little confusing. But don t worry. We will explain them all in detail so that you can understand how to choose the best lens option for you. Firstly each lens has what we call a "Refractive Index" The way in which the refractive index is calculated is not important at this time. What is important is what it means to the thickness of the lens. Most people think that when we say a 1.6 lens that this means it is going to be 1.6mm thick, THIS IS WRONG. Basically the higher the number the thinner the lens will be. This is because materials that bend light more than others have a higher Refractive index and hence a shorter or longer focal length. This means that the same correction and focal length can be achieved from less lens (material) making them thinner. Here is a key to choosing the best Refractive Index. Standard Plastic CR39 (1.5) Website Option: 1.5 Standard Ideal for most prescriptions (prescriptions with powers stronger than +3.00 and -3.00 will start to look thick, powers between the two will look fine). Plastic (1.6) Website Option: 1.6 Thin An ideal option for prescriptions up to +4.00 and down to -4.00. 1.6 lenses are aprox 23% thinner than standard plastic. Prescription outside this range will start to look thick. Plastic (1.67) Website Option: 1.67 Very Thin 7
Probably the most popular of the thinner lens options. Aprox 15% thinner than the 1.6 and 25% flatter. Ideal for prescriptions up to +6.00 and down to -6.00 prescription outside this range will look thick. Plastic (1.74) Website Option: 1.74 Thinnest The thinnest plastic lens available on the market. Aprox 50% thinner than the 1.5 standard plastic and 30% lighter than the glass equivalent. Great for mid to high prescriptions. Lens Types (Use) There are also many different styles of lenses. Lenses for single vision correction e.g. Distance or Reading, to Bifocals and Varifocals for the correction of both distance and reading within one pair of glasses. Distance Single vision lenses for distance use are usually prescribed for all round day to day use such as driving, watching the TV and generally seeing in the distance. You may be able to read wearing your distance glasses. If you require separate Reading glasses, Bifocals or Varifocals there will be other information on your prescription such as a "Reading Addition" or "Near/Add" value Reading Single vision lenses for reading use only and are prescribed for reading. You will not be able to see in the distance wearing reading glasses. Intermediate 8
Single vision lenses for computer (intermediate) use. In some cases you may require "Intermediate" glasses for use at a computer. In this case you will need your "Inter Add" or "Intermediate Addition" value from your optician. Bifocals Bifocals are distance glasses with a visible "D" shaped reading segment on the lens. These allow you to see in the distance through the top of the lens and read through the bottom (Not all of our glasses are suitable for bifocal lenses. If this is the case the Bifocal option will not be available). Varifocals Varifocals look just like single vision lenses. However, they blend gradually from your distance vision in the top through your intermediate prescription and into your reading prescription at the bottom. Varifocals allow you to focus at all distances between distance and near (Not all of our glasses are suitable for bifocal lenses. If this is the case the Bifocal option will not be available). NOTE: Varifocals require accurate fitting measurements for them work correctly. When you order a frame with Varifocal lenses from Spex4less we will first send you the frame with dummy lenses fitted along with a pre paid return envelope and an instructional letter. We require an eye level photograph of you wearing your new glasses (instructions on how to do this are included in the pack). Simply have the photograph taken and return the photo along with the frame using the enclosed pre paid envelope. 9
Once we receive the returned pack we can accurately scale the photo, take the required measurements and start to produce your Varifocal lenses. We require approximately 7 days to turn around your order once we receive your returned pack. Tints All of our lenses come with a scratch resistant coating as standard. Clear Standard clear scratch resistant lenses Sunglasses Grey / Brown When you select this option we will tint your lenses as sunglasses in the selected colour. When you order a Sunglasses tint we also UV protect the lens before it is tinted. Transitions Grey / Brown Transition lenses are clear indoors but darken in the presence of UV. The brighter the sunlight the darker they go. These give you clear lenses indoors and automatically tint outdoors giving you the correct amount of protection for the varying light conditions. Transitions also contain UV protection and activate faster and darker when ordered with an Anti-Reflective lens coating. Please note: Standard Transitions do not react very well behind a car windscreen as modern windscreens filter out the UV required to activate the Transitions lenses. For use behind a car windscreen choose Transitions XTRActive lenses which react moderately behind a car windscreen. Polarized Grey / Brown 10
Polarized lenses are sunglasses lenses just like the Grey / Brown tint options above. However, polarized lenses have a filter inside the lens which filters out any light that has been reflected from a flat surface such as a wet road, car bonnet or water. Polarized filters are not available in a clear lens, they are always made as sunglasses and also contain UV protection as standard. Coatings Anti-Reflective Anti-Reflective is a clear coating. There are many benefits to an Anti- Reflective coating. Firstly they are far more aesthetically pleasing as they reduce the amount of light reflecting off your lenses especially when having your photograph taken. Other benefits include: Helpful for computer users and for night driving, People can see your eyes and not a patch of light, Reduces "Power rings" visible rings inside the lens in high prescriptions which is caused by light constantly bouncing back and forth within the lens due to total internal reflection. UV Coating A UV coating to protect your eyes from UV damage (note these are clear lenses that block UV). there is no need to add a UV coating if purchasing transitions, polarized or sunglasses tints as this will be applied as standard. Use this option if you require clear lenses with UV protection. 11
Your Prescription *Please pay particular attention here* Your prescription may seem a little confusing at first glance but it really is quite simple to understand. Firstly, every prescription follows the same format wherever you are in the world. There may be a few variations and abbreviations, but I will explain them later. Let s describe what it all means first. Each prescription will have a right and left value for the correction of your vision within the following boxes: "SPH" (sphere). The correction for long or short sightedness. "CYL" (cylindrical). The correction for an Astigmatism. "AXIS" The axis that the correction for the Astigmatism needs to be set at. Sometimes an Add or Addition, always "+" value is included for us to decipher your reading prescription, but only if you require glasses for both distance and for reading. In some rarer cases Prism and Base is used for the correction of double vision. On our website you can select your prescription from drop down boxes so that you can simply copy the details you have on your written prescription. *VERY IMPORTANT Do not fall for the most common mistake!* The single most common mistake when entering prescriptions online is selecting a "+"value instead of a "-" value or vice versa. Your prescription may consist of both "+" AND "-" Values. 12
For example:- SPH (Spherical) Will consist of a + or power (unless 0.00) in 0.25 steps. EG, -0.25, - 0.50, -0.75, -1.00, -1.25 and so on. CYL (Cylindrical) May consist of a + or power in 0.25 steps. EG, -0.25, -0.50, -0.75, - 1.00, -1.25 and so on. AXIS Will consist of a numerical value from 0 to 180, BUT, only when you have a CYL value. Note: Usually opticians will write the "-" and "+" signs above the value. ADD / Addition / Reading Addition Will only consist of a + value as is it is what it says on the tin, an "addition". We add this value to your distance prescription if you need reading glasses as well as distance or for bifocals & varifocals. Note: Some opticians will write out your complete reading prescription underneath your complete distance prescription. In this case you can switch our website form to the two row format and simply enter the values from the bottom row in to the form. You can do this by clicking on the link "My Prescription Looks Different" COMMON ABBREVIATIONS Plano, 0.00, Infinity - All mean the same thing - nothing! Or No correction is needed. 13
DS Dioptre Spheres Usually appears under the CYL box indicating that there is no astigmatism (No CYL value). However, this can sometime appear after a reading addition. OD Means your right eye. OS Means your left eye. PD Pupillary Distance is the distance between the centre of one pupil to the centre of the other in millimetres. I would like to take a moment to talk about your PD as this has caused much debate in dispensing glasses online. Opticians generally will not give this to you as they will probably figure that you wish to buy your glasses online and not from them. In most cases, except for those with particularly high prescriptions, we can calculate this usually within a millimetre or two using experience and certain order criteria such as your gender and the size of frame you have chosen etc. HOWEVER, it is very simple to measure your own PD. The best way is to have a friend help you. Look at a point in the distance whilst your friend takes the measurement in millimetres, if you wanted to be super accurate measure the left side of the left pupil to the left side of the right pupil. 14
Summary Don't worry if you've not been able to take all this in at once. Each option on our website has a little help icon or a more information link next to it. When you click this icon a box will open up a box with relevant information from this guide. The internet is reaching further and further in to our daily lives as more and more products become available online. Buying your glasses online is surely going to be an exciting and hassle free experience now that you've taken time to read this guide and you could also save yourself a small fortune. Enjoy Your New Glasses And Wear Them With Pride. 15