For the past two decades or so, it's been possible to buy almost anything on the internet. Jeans, sweaters, kayaks, bagpipes, etc. However, there were a handful of items that had a hard time making the jump on to the World Wide Web. Glasses remained one of those things where you still had to jump in the car and head on down to Lenscrafters. Luckily for those who enjoy shopping in their Underoos, buying your spectacles online has become easy thanks to companies such as Warby Parker.
What makes Warby Parker (and its competitors Bon Look and Lookmatic) successful is the ability to try frames on at home for free. With all three brands, you can select up to five different frames and have them sent to you. Try them on, ask for opinions, take funny pictures, they're yours for the week. If you don't like anything, you can always just send them back and try some more frames.
I probably went through at least 15 different pairs of frames before settling on the Bensen model (in Olivewood) from Warby Parker:
For $95, I was able to get the frames, lenses with my prescription, and an anti-glare coating. The cost for something similar from my optometrist's office was going to be a few hundred dollars with insurance. I placed my order on a Friday and had them within a week.
Warby Parker also sells sunglasses with and without prescription lenses for $150.
I am mostly happy with my glasses. There are a few points that I'm not satisfied with:
- My glasses smudge almost instantaneously due to the anti-glare coating. Also due to the coating I can't wash them if they get dirty. You have to use a special microfiber cloth to rub the smudges out which it seems like I have to do once an hour if not more.
- If you do wash your glasses or use a lens cleaning wipe the anti-glare coating develops an iridescent pink tint which is almost impossible to get rid of with the microfiber cloth.
- If you need wide frames, you may be out of luck. There are some frames with the spring temples, but if you're looking for a traditional tortoiseshell frames the Bensen is the widest size offered. Bon Look and Lookmatic don't offer anything near as wide as the oft-mentioned Bensen.
I highly suggest giving Warby Parker, Bon Look, and Lookmatic a look-see if you wear glasses.
