Everyone wants to save money, but the experts warn that cutting corners when it comes to your eye care may put your eyesight at risk and cost you a lot more in the future. Some try to cut costs by skipping their yearly eye exam but blinding diseases often don’t have any noticeable symptoms.
Here’s how to save on eye care without putting your eyes at risk.
Don’t Skimp on Your Eyes
Many people equate the health of their eyes with their ability to see, so if they don’t have a vision problem, or they have glasses that correct their eyesight, they may believe that their eyes are fine. However, the top causes of blindness, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, often don’t have any noticeable symptoms until after the damage is done. At that point, nothing can be done to reverse it.
The good news is that, caught early, many eye diseases can be treated before they do permanent damage. If you haven’t had an eye exam in a long time, make an appointment soon and follow your eye doctor’s recommendation for how often you should have your eyes checked, whether that’s every one year or every two years.
Be Cautious About Buying Glasses Online
Online eyeglass retailers may offer low prices but, too often what you get are inaccurate, unsafe glasses. One study showed that, of the 154 pairs of glasses that researchers ordered online, nearly half of the lenses either failed to match the prescription given or didn’t meet impact safety standards.
There were other problems, too. Some online vendors didn’t even bother to verify prescriptions with the prescribing doctor before filling them. There seems to be no governing body overseeing the online eyewear industry.
Get a Proper Fit
Properly fitting glasses are important, too. An experienced eye care professional is the only one who can take certain vital measurements, such as the distance from the center of one pupil to that of the other pupil. It’s not possible to have such measurements taken at an online optical store.
The Internet is a great place for you to educate yourself about what frames are out there and what you might like, but go to a local store where you can try frames on and an expert can fit you properly.
Money-Saving Tips
There are several ways to save money on eye care that won’t put your eyes at risk. These include:
- Keeping your old frames when you update your prescription
- When you need new frames, skip the designer brands
- Ask about close-out or discontinued models, generally available for less
- Check out budget eyewear chains
- Cheap drugstore reading glasses are fine
