Online glasses and contact sales

[oceanblue392]

I found this "how to" over at lifehacker...
http://lifehacker.com/5157425/save-bundles-of-cash-by-buying-eyeglasses-online
basically explaining how to save money on glasses by ordering them online. Places like 39 dollar glasses and zenni optical offer very inexpensive frames and lenses through their websites.

Now, I work at an optometrist office with a rather large frame selection. Needless to say, much of our revenue is dependent on frame sales. 1800 contacts and costco retail already have put a squeeze on contact sales, and I can imagine that online opticals such as those mentioned in the article have the potential to have the same effect on glasses.

It seems like most of the people who would consider purchasing glasses online are those who do not have vision insurance plans which cover the costs. Given that millions of americans dont have insurance, and there is no universal health care system in place, the potential for online sales are incredible.

What do you guys think? These online opticals (and 1800 contacts for that matter) seem to have less than ethical means of accepting your prescription. The article mentions that some of those sites do not even require you to fax or scan your prescription, that you can simply input it yourself online when you order! I have no problem with patients taking their business elsewhere..they have the right to shop around for their glasses, but this seems to almost rival online pharmacies (that is, 5 or so years ago before stronger legislation) in their regulation.

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[eheaps]

I think there is potential, however there is one major roadblock for glasses and not contacts. With contacts, your optometrist will prescribe a brand and then you can be on your own to order it. However, with glasses, people who care about what frame they wear will most likely want to try it on beforehand, which is impossible to do without having it. Now if they go to a store and try it on, then order in online there's potential, but how many people are willing to complicate their shopping like that?

 

[oceanblue392]

I think there is potential, however there is one major roadblock for glasses and not contacts. With contacts, your optometrist will prescribe a brand and then you can be on your own to order it. However, with glasses, people who care about what frame they wear will most likely want to try it on beforehand, which is impossible to do without having it. Now if they go to a store and try it on, then order in online there's potential, but how many people are willing to complicate their shopping like that?

good point. but i think if it saves a buck or two, people will be willing to do anything..especially in this economy. I think the legislation is such that its relaxed enough for people to take advantage of this market.

 

[eheaps]

It's definitely possible, but I feel like it might take a while for the industry of online glasses shopping really begins to grow, if it even can. Here's to hoping it just goes away!

 

[onefinedia]

I work at an optometrist's office in california and just recently heard of the 39 dollar glasses.com website. I checked it out and they actually have decent prices on lenses, I am not quite sure how they can sell progressives for that much. Anyhow, their frames are sure to be crap. They probably buy their frames for 1 or 2 dollars from china or india. more than likely, patients will have to be visiting that site every other month to order new specs, either because the lenses were not cut right or their junk frame snaps. I say that as optometrists and future optometrists, we should charge patients for their pd's. $200 sounds like a good figure.

It is scary though when patients can buy materials for less than what private optometrists can get at wholesale. Patients are 99% clueless though and it is up to us to educate them on what is good and what isn't in the market. If they knew better, they would eat beans to have better visual comfort, clarity, and style.

On a side note, I recently read an article about some physics professor who has designed specs outfitted with a special kind of silicone gel that can be "dripped" into a frame to fit a large percentage of common spheres and cyls. These hideous pieces of plastic are cheap and he wants to order one million of them to ship to the poor in india and africa. That's good and all, but I don't think even the poorest of the poor will be willing to make themselves look like they are at a 1980's costume party.

 

[eyestrain]

That's good and all, but I don't think even the poorest of the poor will be willing to make themselves look like they are at a 1980's costume party.

If they've got a lot of refractive error they will.