In recent months, users of social networks such as TikTok have been repeating something that would have seemed unthinkable a few years ago, purchase online glasses through platforms like AliExpress. These purchases go beyond simple frames, often involving prescription glasses.
Buying prescription glasses is a ritual. In addition to worrying about whether the frame fits us well or is in line with the dictates of fashion, we need to take care of buying quality lenses that meet the specific needs of our eyes. Glasses are not simple accessories, they are tools that help us in everyday life.
Our vision gradually changes over time, sometimes for the better, from a certain age for the worse. That’s why it is Before buying glasses, it is advisable to see an eye doctor. if it’s been a while since our last checkup, or at least to make sure that the optician we go to has the capacity to check our vision before selling us the glasses.
In addition to the prescription itself, the lenses that we take from the optician take into account one more parameter that we often forget: the pupil distance. Something that is not easy to measure without the help of a professional.
It is this special degree of customization that surprises many people to discover Yes, there is a market for prescription glasses online. More and more popular.
How much? Hard to say exactly. According to Forbesin 2017 the volume of sales of glasses online It was eight million pieces, 4.2% of the total. However, the arrival of the pandemic has changed the shopping habits of people around the world. Although the data is out of date, it serves to make it clear that this is not a market that was created yesterday.
According to a report by The Vision Council, between 2017 and 2020, the number of consumers who go online when deciding which glasses to buy increased from 22 to 44%. According to the same report, 14.1% of buyers buy online.
Already in 2023 and according to the data of the consulting company IBIS World, the American online market for glasses and contact lenses reached $1.5 billion, up 10.5% compared to 2018.
The trend shows signs of consolidation. American Eyewear Market online direct sales through the optical companies themselves dominated. This may change if sales through platforms like AliExpress continue to grow.
Price could be one of the most determining factors in driving consumers down these paths, and the difference between a store onlineand the trade can be remarkable. Except, are habits that are hard to change and the high degree of customization that a product like glasses requires are important barriers to the market.
Any online purchase requires a degree of caution to ensure that both sites online that we turn to and the store we buy from are reliable. Buying frames will not be the same as buying complete prescription glasses, it is in the latter that you need to pay the most attention.
The health of our eyes is important and even more so when we spend we spend a large part of our days looking at screenswhether at work or in your free time. Good glasses help us see, but poorly prescribed glasses can not only prevent us from seeing clearly, but can also cause fatigue, dizziness, headaches and red eyes.
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Image | Alexander Borecký