Glasses problems: Troubleshooting problems with your new glasses

Whether you choose to buy glasses online or you buy your glasses in person at an optometrist, sometimes problems can occur with your glasses after you purchase them.

Here are a few tips to help you resolve spectacle problems to your satisfaction.

Spectacle replacement and refund policies

The best way to insure your happiness with your glasses is to purchase them from a reputable retailer who fully guarantees your satisfaction with a best-in-class replacement or refund policy.

A good policy will replace the glasses or fully refund your purchase price if the problem is related to a defect in materials or a glasses prescription that wasn't made properly.

Be aware that replacement and refund policies for glasses do NOT cover damage caused by misuse or abuse of the glasses.

If you feel the glasses weren't made correctly, it's a good idea to take the glasses to the optometrist who prescribed them, they will be able to check the lenses to make sure they were made correctly.

If the lenses were made correctly and do not appear to be defective, your optometrist may choose to examine your eyes and recheck your vision to see if things have changed since your last exam.

If your lenses were made incorrectly or your optometrist changes your prescription, most will remake the lenses for you at no charge, with some provisions (for example, many policies will cover only one prescription change within a specified period of time).

Specific spectacle problems and solutions

Here are a few common problems with new spectacles and what you can do about them:

Reflections

If you notice annoying reflections on your lenses, ask your optometrist to replace the lenses with ones that include anti-reflection coating. Though it costs a little more for the anti-reflection(AR) coating, it will eliminate the reflections that cause eye strain, interfere with night vision, impede eye contact and simply make your glasses less attractive.

Trouble using progressive lenses

If your new glasses have progressive lenses and you have trouble with them, your optometrist may be able to exchange them for lenses with a different multifocal design. If you choose to have your progressives lenses replaced with lower-priced lenses, be aware you may not be entitle to a refund of the difference in cost, depending on the practice's policies.

Sensitivity to light

If you have trouble with sensitivity to light outdoors when wearing your new glasses and you don't want to invest in a separate pair of prescription sunglasses, ask your optometrist about upgrading to photochromic lenses that darken automatically in sunlight.

What if you just don't like your new glasses?

Some optical practices and online retailers guarantee your satisfaction with your spectacles — even if you simply don't like them — by offering for example a refund or a credit for the amount you paid for them.

If so, you usually must return the glasses within a specified period of time (for example, within 30 days of purchase).

Good glasses are a investment for the next couple of years, so it's wise to carefully review the replacement and refund policies of the practice or website you choose to shop at before you buy.

Some retailers offer replacements and refunds at no additional charge; others require you to pay a warranty fee to be eligible for these customer satisfaction measures.

Also, some policies may require a small fee, or "co-payment," to replace spectacle frames or lenses particularly if you decide to change the type of lens or add a different treatment.

Page published on Tuesday, 17 March 2020