Blindly Buying Glasses Online - A Firmoo Experience*

*Press Sample

I've long avoided buying glasses online. While everyone else can score free first pairs and low priced frames, there were many fears for my very high prescription that kept me from trying. 

For someone with a -6.00 and -6.50 prescription, I'm practically blind without glasses. When I misplace them, its not a simple activity to find them again. Its a nose to the ground and senseless groping of the floor type activity where a mild panic can settle into my heart as I contemplate never being able to see a Korea drama on my computer screen again. On top of that, having such a high prescription means that I need the thinnest lenses possible and the awkward symmetry of my head means I always need help adjusting the frames to my face. 

There were many reasons to avoid blindly buying glasses online. 

I was offered a free pair of glasses from Firmoo. I agreed because this was a low risk and good way to get over my fears. Ordering from Firmoo was easy enough. The frames were very reasonably priced and there's free shipping after $55CDN. Each order arrives with the glasses, a hard case, a cleaning cloth and soft glasses sleeve. It took a little over a week to place and receive my order.

When I picked this pair, I compared the size of my current glasses (Oakley's Plank) to find frames that would fit my face. I told Firmoo about my thin lens requirement and they gave me a thinner lens than the regular option. The 1.57 index lenses, aren't the thinnest on the market, but were thin enough on side profile. However, from the front view I still get the double reflection type thing on the bottom of my glasses when you look at me.

Using Plank as a size guide for my Firmoo glasses was a genius move. The pair I chose fit my face but since I had to guess my pupillary distance (trying to self-measure your PD when you're nearly blind makes it nearly impossible to be accurate) the lenses weren't quite perfect and my focus points aren't quite right. This was my fault though since I had never asked my doctor for my PD (but had used a doctor's prescription for the power of the lenses).  Additionally I noticed that the glasses were lopsided and when I placed them on a flat surface, I saw that the frames were not even.

Getting help with sizing the frames to my face is hard without a brick and mortar store to go to. Opticians have special machines to warm frames, making them easier to mold and reshape. Trying to twist cold plastic means that I'm likely to snap my frames so I'm a little nervous to try. I might run them under hot water but I also don't know how quite to bend them to get the shape right.

Would I buy glasses online again? I might. Honestly the frames at Firmoo are quite inexpensive so I am considering buying only frames there and getting my preferred lenses fitted at my regular eye glass store. There I can also get help fitting the frames to my face. It was an overall positive experience though and for those with lower prescriptions this would be quite worthwhile to consider. 

Have you bought glasses online?