Last weekend, the Ottawa edition Metro had a cover wrap ad that said, "get your free glasses!" at
ClearlyContacts.ca. My initial reaction to shopping for glasses online was wondering how it would even work. Glasses, I would expect, are something that you really need to try before buying. They're like jeans, strawberries, and puppies - something that requires some form of interaction before making a purchase.
But free?
How can you argue with free? I went to the site and chose one of the first frames I saw, not because they were amazing, but because I wasn't too keen on scrolling through pages upon pages of glasses. The ones I chose seemed to be for average male heads, though I could have checked the dimensions against mine. Again, too much work at that particular moment.
I put in the prescription that I got back on January, but hadn't yet filled (my optometrist did give me the option of getting it filled), and clicked "next."
Pupil distance required. Pupil distance? This little number, which wasn't on my prescription, is required to make the lenses. The site has a printable ruler that's supposed to help you measure it. It's not an easy thing to do yourself.
Two days later, A little box arrived at home. That was fast!
I quickly opened the box, where I found a sparkling, new pair of glasses in a hard case, a soft case, and sunglasses that can fit over the glasses (helpful whenever I get to driving). It was a much more robust package than I was expecting!
Importantly, the glasses work! I remember the last pair I got a few years back felt too strong. It took well over a year before I got used to them. These feel almost the same (the prescription wasn't all that different). These glasses fit well and feel great.
The only thing is that when I move my head and look to the very edge of the lens, there's this weird effect that reminds me of moving a camera in a videogame. It's subtle, and only really happens sometimes. I think maybe the pupil distance was a bit off when I measured.
This experience has opened the option of getting glasses online. I might have spend more time looking at frames, but the ones I chose are pretty good! I'm pretty sure I won't have to worry about it for another 2 to 3 years, unless I just want a new pair.
(Thanks to Susma Dhakal for taking my outdoor pictures above!)
(I got the glasses for free by taking advantage of a promotion, though I did pay for shipping. Clearly Contacts did not solicit my opinion)
Here's a few other pictures from Sunday: