PR Sample
There's something I haven't yet told you about me: my eyesight is about as good as a mole's. I wear contacts or just take off my glasses to take pictures of my makeup looks for the blog, but I can't survive without corrective lenses. I can't see in the distance, and distance for me starts at arm's length. With my elbow bent. A lot.
I love the freedom that contacts give me, but my eyes are sensitive enough that I can't wear them everyday, especially if I'm going to spend hours staring at a computer screen. So most days, I rely on good ol' glasses to make my way around without walking straight into a wall. There are many things I don't like about glasses though: they seem to always get dirty, and more importantly they're expensive. Especially if, like me, you have a high correction, so you are limited in your choice of frames and you need special lenses. Even with a decent insurance I always end having to pay a lot out-of-pocket, and I'm not even picking designer or trendy frames!
This is starting to change, as a new way of buying glasses has developed in the past few years with low-cost websites that offer a prescription glasses for very good prices. Although seduced by the concept, I had my doubts, so I was very glad to be given the opportunity to test one of these websites, Firmoo.
Firmoo is based in China - let's be realistic, that's how they can offer such competitive prices - but they ship your glasses to most countries, and standard shipping is free when your purchase reaches a certain amount ($39 for delivery to the US).
They have a really wide choice of frames for men and women, from the most classic to more fashion-forward styles, that range from $19 to about $35. They have a "try it on" tool that allows you to upload your picture and try the frames on yourself - or you can use one of the model pictures to get an idea of how the glasses would look on different face shapes and skin tones.
That's me virtually trying on a pair of hot pink glasses! |
After you've selected your frame, you can choose the options for your lenses. At this point, you'll need to enter your prescription information. There are two ways to go: you can upload a picture/scan of your prescription that you got from your doctor, or you can enter the numbers directly if you already know them (that's what I did: I didn't have my latest prescription on hand, but I found all the information I needed on my last glasses' invoice). Firmoo needs to know what correction you need of course, but also your pupillary distance, called PD to make your glasses are a good fit. If your PD is not on your prescription, you can always download an app or visit a website that explains how to measure it yourself, although a measurement made by a professional would be more reliable.
Once your prescription is in, you can select the type of lenses you want: you can choose how thin you want them (not very important if you have a small correction, but thinned lenses are a must with my -4.25, otherwise the lenses would be thick as the bottom of a bottle...), you can pick the treatments (anti-scratch, UV, reflection, anti-smudge...), you can also get tinted or polarized lenses if you need sunglasses. The system is very transparent with the charge for every option clearly displayed, and the total price of your glasses updating as soon as you check a box. You can also pick a "package" that includes a bunch of classic options, and that's what I got: thin lenses (not the thinnest) with anti-scratch, UV and anti-glare coatings.
My personal experience with Firmoo has been very positive. I found it easy to navigate their website and select all the options I wanted (I just wish what isn't recommended for my level of correction wouldn't be clickable, it would make things even simpler). I decided to pick a very classic black frame, in a matte finish: I've had a lot of colorful glasses in my life, from purple to red, but never black! I had been wanting to get a pair of simple black glasses for a while, that's why I went with a basic frame.
My glasses were sent to me via Express delivery, and they took only 3 days to show up at my door step. That's pretty good considering they came from China! I didn't have any issues with customs, but keep in mind that depending on your country, you may have to pay taxes to import glasses. My glasses came in a very nice hard box with a map print on it (my hubby wants it, he loves maps), with a large microfiber cleaning cloth and a little key chain that hides two screwdrivers for adjustments.
The adjustments, that's exactly what caused my initial reservations: when you purchase glasses in a store, they'll always fix them here and there, playing with the screws, bending the part that goes behind your ears, to make them fit you perfectly. Of course when you order glasses online, there is no such service! I was worried that the frames would not sit on my face properly, but to my relief, they fit very well, not too tight but not falling of my nose either. I guess this is a risk you take when going the low-cost, online way, but if you really needed adjustments, you could try to go to your regular optometrist for help. They might be mad at you for not making them rich or even charge you something, but you'll still be saving some money in the end: with all the options, my glasses cost about $50, which is about a third of what I paid for my last pair that I already bought at a cheap place, Costco!
In terms of quality, I have no complaints. The lenses are crystal clear, and the entire glasses are feather light. Not light as in "going to break within a week" but light as in "your nose won't hurt by the end of the day". When you have a higher correction like mine, the weight of your glasses can be a real issue, so I really love how light those are. SO MUCH lighter than my previous pair.
The frame is just as expected in terms of shape and finish. I like the matte, discreet black, with a touch of color on the inside. Despite being thin, the lenses don't make my eyes look overly small (another common problem with high correction), and I think the glasses look pretty good on me!
Overall: I can recommend Firmoo for your low-cost glasses needs. I think this kind of website is particularly useful when you need a new pair but can't afford to pay the big bucks: with Firmoo you can still get a good-looking, classic or trendy frame and lenses with all the state-of-the-art options without getting into debt! So whether you broke your brand new, expensive glasses you haven't finished paying for, used up your insurance allowance for your contacts, have multiple people in your household who need new glasses, or are a fashionista who wants a frame to pair with each outfit, this is an option worth considering. I've been thinking of getting prescription sunglasses for years, but because of the prohibitive in-store prices, I did without them (problematic on the days I don't wear my contacts). Now I've been convinced and I won't hesitate to buy them online for under $50!
Do you wear glasses? Have you ever bought glasses online, and what was your experience? If you haven't, would you consider doing it?
The product featured in this review was provided by the brand for consideration. I received no compensation other than a free sample to write this post, which only reflects my personal opinion. This post contains affiliate links.
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