Summary:
You can order prescription eyeglasses online for as low as $8 plus shipping. But, according to a 2011 journal article[1], some glasses sold online don't meet government standards for shatter resistance. How can I buy prescription glasses online which are as shatter-resistant as those sold offline?
Full question:
In a 2011 journal article[1], researchers ordered glasses online ranging in price from US$8 to US$417 plus shipping. Almost all of the vendors offered a choice of lens material. The researchers chose a variety of plastics, including hard resin, polycarbonate, and others.
Among their online purchases, "in 22.7% of spectacles, at least 1 lens failed impact testing." This is surprising. In comparison, "internal test results of over 53,000 [traditionally-dispensed] lenses by Walman Optical Company, conducted between 1994 and 2010, find that
0.12).
Karl Citek, the lead investigator, "does not recommend buying eyeglasses online".[2] I still want to shop online, to save money. How can I buy prescription glasses online which are as impact-resistant as those sold offline?
[1] Karl Citek; Daniel L. Torgersen; Jeffrey D. Endres; Robert R. Rosenberg (2011). "Safety and compliance of prescription spectacles ordered by the public via the Internet".
. Optometry 82 (9). Pages 549-555. Free full text.
[2] Julie Deardorff. "A closer look at online shopping for eyeglasses". Chicago Tribune. February 22, 2012.