Ever since being diagnosed in the second grade with the eyesight of a brick, I’ve been relying on the aid of eyewear to get me through this life. If you’re anything like me, you refuse to wear contacts and not for the typical reason. I don’t mind the task of having to put them in every morning or the fact that I would have to touch my eyeball. That’s all fine, I just prefer the way my face looks with glasses on it. That said, the time of year that meant it was time to get new glasses was always an exciting one for young me. My family would trek to the eyeglass store, endure the eye exams and try on the options available on the wall of specs. Two long weeks later, I’d be sporting my new accessories. Oh, and I could see better, too. Anyway, I’m not a kid whose mom can drive her to her eye appointment and do all the talking with the optometrist anymore.
After a two year relationship with my current glasses, I decided it was time to update. But, I wasn’t exactly sure how the whole eye-doctor-visit-fill-out-this-form-I’m-an-adult thing worked. Plus, I wanted a wider variety of glasses to choose from and I wanted more than the two pairs that my regular eye company offered. Luckily, I’d heard multiple people mention the website Zenni. Zenni is an online eyeglass industry that features hundreds of eyeglass options suitable for literally anybody. Their eyeglass collection is unmatchable to the in-store optometrists. They sell cute prescription sunglasses. Amazing. They even sell non-prescription glasses for the civilians with perfect vision that just want to look cute. Hey, I get it.
So, how does this online eyewear shop work? First, you’re gonna need to know the specifics of your prescription, most likely leading you to an eye exam. I scheduled an exam at my local Target and walked away with my prescription for $65. This price will range based on the location of the exam and the presence of eye insurance. Once you’ve got your prescription, acquiring your new glasses is a breeze.
Zenni’s website is easy to navigate and even has a feature that allows you to try on each pair of glasses by photographing the front and sides of your face. The many options are easily narrowed down to cater to your tastes, allowing you to shop specifics from face shape, frame style, color and size. The price of frames ranges widely from just under $7 to $45.95. This gives in-store optometry a run for its money if you ask me. After finding a pair (or three, in my case) that you love, just add them to your cart.
At checkout, you will be asked to fill in your prescription. I was worried I would somehow mess this part up, but Zenni inserted explanations and instructions for every step of the manual entry. This eased my non-optometrist nerves. After the prescription is filled out, you will be given many options for lens upgrades, ranging from anti-glare to lens tinting. These do cost extra and I just need the most basic lenses, so I passed, but it’s nice to have the option.
Finally, it’s time to check out. Zenni customers are given three options for shipping speeds: standard 14-21 day shipping for $4.95, priority 10-14 day shipping for $8.45 or express seven-10 day shipping for $18.95. I’m impatient, but I’m not rich, so I splurged on the priority shipping. Now, all that’s left for me to do is wait for my new glasses to arrive.
Adding a new pair of glasses to your wardrobe may be the change you didn’t know you needed. For me, having the ability to complete this whole ordeal online was a huge perk. Zenni answered any and all of my questions about the complicated measurements and numbers of my prescription. They provided an easy-to-navigate shopping experience and a plethora of adorable frames. Overall, I’m geeked out over some glasses. But hey, with a service this great, we all should be.