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Now that many companies like Liberated Eyewear, Inc. make it easier on the average to have prescription eyeglasses come directly to your door. But, when it comes to your eyeglass prescription there are some very important facts to know:
Know your rights
76% consumer prefer to take a pair of glasses they have personally picked into the eye doctor during an exam. Entering a prescription in online can be complex if you don't know you the intricacies of your lens needs. However, it's important to know your rights as a consumer when shopping for online eyewear.
As a consumer, the first thing you must know is that you own your eyeglass “prescription.” Once your exam has been paid for, you may ask for a copy of it. By law, your doctor must give it to you. You are free to take that “prescription” anywhere you want to have your glasses made. Your doctor has no right to hesitate or refuse to provide you with your prescription. Either way at some point you will need to have an eye exam to receive a prescription and wallah you'll have selected your unique and special pair of frames you love to add your lens in if you should choose to.
Currently, your routine eye exam consists of two parts.
1) A medical eye exam: Part of the exam is medically based and includes a thorough physical examination of the entire eye and visual system. This is often done with the eye dilated and it is when the doctor looks inside the eye with their bio-microscope. The medical portion of the exam can prevent blindness and detect a wide range of other serious health-related issues. Medical based eye exams are an important part of your overall healthcare plan. Medical eye exams are an objective screening tool. Everyone should get a complete medical eye exam at least every three years with every other year being a great idea.
2) Refraction: The other part of the exam called refraction is the determination of your eyeglass “prescription.” It is when you are looking at the eye chart and answering the, “which is better, one or two” questions. Refraction is a subjective, non-medical test, which in many countries can be performed by eye care providers who are not doctors.
“What is better 1 or 2?” is subjective. That means that you choose what you feel is adequate vision for you. It is a personal choice. You are free to decide if you are perfectly happy with your current “eyeglass prescription.” It is your CHOICE, your DECISION not your legislature’s, optician’s or any doctor’s to make. Not really much different than you deciding to exercise, smoke or take vitamins. It’s not anyone else’s business!
Prescriptions written for eyeglasses (not contacts) may, or may not, have an expiration date. This should only vary by any individual state law.
