Now that we’re deep into the summer season, as a nation we must collectively confront that ever-present threat: the sun. 

And our sun is particularly potent. It’s estimated that two out of three Australians will have to reckon with skin cancer over their lifetime. Those are terrifying numbers, but thankfully we have a plan. A plan punctuated with a punchy five word slogan: Slip, slop, slap, seek and slide.

But recently the “slip, slop, slap” part of this equation has come under scrutiny. After ĚÇĐÄVlog sunscreen testing found that 16 out of 20 sunscreens we tested failed to match their SPF claims, over 20 mineral-based sunscreens have been removed from sale. The most common question we’ve heard at ĚÇĐÄVlog this year has been, “Can you trust sunscreens?”

We say yes. Any sunscreen is better than no sunscreen. But there are other ways to protect yourself, and sunscreen shouldn’t be your only line of defence. It should always be used in tandem with other forms of sun protection. Because of this, ĚÇĐÄVlog has undertaken testing that investigates other consumer products designed to protect Australians from the sun.

First we wrote a guide on sun shelters, now we’re investigating the products related to the “slide” part of the slogan: sunglasses. They’re worn by young and old and a single pair can cost up to hundreds of dollars – but are they giving our eyes the protection we think they are?

The testing

We set out to test the UV protection claims of a range of sunglasses from a variety of brands for both adults and children. We looked at glasses from designer brands such as Versace and Prada that cost hundreds of dollars, glasses from familiar surf brands such as Oakley and Ray-Ban, and budget options from Kmart, Big W and online marketplaces.

Using a specialist lab, ĚÇĐÄVlog tested 19 pairs of sunglasses to the Australian/New Zealand standard, which checks, among other things, the construction of the sunglasses, and their ability to filter UVA and UBV radiation. We also measured how much light is filtered out, made sure both lenses were identical and a host of other things.

We tested each pair of sunglasses according to the specific claims made on their packaging. All sunglasses sold in Australia must be tested and labelled according to the Australian/New Zealand standard AS/NZS 1067.1:2016. 

All sunglasses are ranked by the following categories.

• Lens category 0: Fashion spectacles
  These are not sunglasses and have a very low ability to reduce sun glare. They provide limited or no UV protection.
• Lens category 1: Fashion spectacles
  These are still not technically sunglasses, but provide limited sun glare reduction and some UV protection.
• Lens category 2: Sunglasses 
  These sunglasses provide a medium level of sun glare reduction and good UV protection.
• Lens category 3: Sunglasses 
  These sunglasses provide a high level of sun glare reduction and good level of UV protection.
• Lens category 4: Sunglasses
  These are special-purpose sunglasses that provide a very high level of sun glare reduction and good UV protection.

Most of the sunglasses we tested claimed to be in lens category 3, providing a high level of sun glare reduction and a good level of UV protection

The results

Often when we do testing like this, the news is bad. Thankfully, this is one of those occasions when the news is positive. Almost all of the sunglasses we looked at in this round of testing complied with the Australian Standard/New Zealand for their claimed category. A nice surprise after the issues discovered earlier in 2025 during our sunscreen testing. 

The products that didn’t meet their category requirements failed mostly based on labelling issues, not on the quality of the glasses themselves, and definitely not on their level of sun protection. Essentially, these glasses functioned correctly but had little to no labelling.

The sunglasses that failed on labelling issues were:

• Sojos Small Round Classic Polarized for Women Men Vintage Style
• Womens Fashion Red Brown Purple Frames Polarised Lens Wrap Style 
• Quay Australia Good Time Sunglasses 
• One for Men and Women 
• Babiators Original Aviators.

In addition to the labelling failures, the Sojos sunglasses we bought from Amazon also lacked the side shielding that’s mandatory for category 4 lenses. 

Responses from the brands

Amazon, Shein and eBay have since removed the sunglasses that failed our testing from their sites. 

We have yet to receive a response from Quay Australia or Babiators.

Why you should wear sunglasses

Repeated exposure to UV radiation can lead to a number of troubling eye conditions like cataracts, pterygiums (overgrowth of tissue from the white of the eye onto the cornea), solar keratopathy (cloudiness of the cornea), cancer of the conjunctiva, and skin cancer of the eyelids.

Sunglasses for kids are particularly important because of the cumulative nature of sun damage to the eyes. If you can, definitely encourage your kids to wear sunnies in their formative years. Children’s eyes are more susceptible to UV radiation, so the quicker you make this a habit the better.

Tips for buying sunglasses

• You don’t have to spend a fortune to protect your eyes. Our testing shows that even cheap sunglasses can provide good protection. 
• Don’t be fooled by a dark tint. Dark lenses don’t necessarily provide UV protection, although they can block some UV light. Ensure you check the lens category to ensure maximum protection against UV rays and glare. On the packaging or in the marketing material, this might be listed as a UV400 rating or the Australian/New Zealand Standard certification (category 2 or higher).
• Consider polarisation. If you spend a lot of time outdoors in high-glare situations, for example, driving, at the beach, boating or in the snow, polarised lenses might be helpful. They are usually more pricey, but they do help cut down on glare caused by sunlight reflecting off wet roads, snow, or water.
• Other lens coatings. Depending on where you buy your sunglasses, you may be able to add coatings such as scratch-resistant coatings, mirror coatings (to reduce lens reflection) or blue-light coating (to reduce how much blue light enters your eyes). Some retailers will allow you to add multiple coatings based on your specific needs, however these all come at an additional cost. Shop around to ensure you’re getting the best deal. 
• Comfort and fit. For both kids and adults, it’s important to choose a pair that is robust and fits the shape of your face well. Most sunglasses today are made with plastic (polymer) lenses as they are cheap, lightweight and durable. 

Can you get sunglasses on health insurance?

Many major health funds allow customers to claim prescription sunglasses on their health insurance if you have an Extras policy. It’s worth double checking your eligibility, but if your policy has optical benefits, you should be able get some money back on a pair of prescription sunglasses. 

It is worth noting, however, that a prescription is necessary to take advantage of this, meaning if you have perfect vision, you won’t be able to get subsidised  sunglasses through your health insurance.

But if you’re content with your regular prescription glasses and don’t need a new pair this year, using your optical extras benefit to buy prescription sunglasses instead can be a smart way to get more value out of your policy.

The post Are sunglasses meeting their UV protection claims? appeared first on ĚÇĐÄVlog.

Enter blue light blocking glasses, which claim to fix our sleep and alleviate the symptoms of sore, tired eyes for good. But do they work? We take a look at the evidence. 

What is blue light and is it harmful?

Blue light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and most of the exposure we get to it is from sunlight. It’s also artificially emitted from our digital devices and LED light bulbs.

As blue light is close to UV light in the spectrum – and we know the risks that UV light pose to the skin and the eyes – it’s been the focus of many studies, says Dr Nisha Sachdev, ophthalmologist and director at the Australian Society of Ophthalmologists. 

“However, I don’t believe there’s any evidence to suggest that normal environmental exposure to blue light, including that emitted from digital screens, causes any measurable damage to our eyesight,” she says.

Optometrist Luke Arundel from Optometry Australia agrees. “The level of blue light exposure from computer screens and mobile devices is less than that absorbed when you step out into natural sunlight – and is below the international safety limits,” he says. “So at this stage, we don’t need to worry about computers or phones ‘frying’ our eyes.”

Can blue light cause digital eye strain?

It’s a question worth asking, given digital eye strain is thought to affect millions of people globally. 

In the US alone, a 2016 survey found 65% of adult respondents reported symptoms of digital eye strain – which typically includes dry, irritated eyes, blurred vision and headaches resulting from prolonged use of computers or other devices. But experts are sceptical that blue light is to blame.

“We’re a very digital society and this reliance on screens is a relatively new phenomenon in the last 5–10 years,” says Dr Sachdev. “And indeed, this year with everyone working from home, I’ve seen many patients present with symptoms of digital eye strain. 

“However, I think that the ocular issues we’re increasingly seeing are not so much related to blue light but rather to spending hours on digital devices and not blinking as much, which affects lubrication of the eye. Wearing contact lenses for more than the recommended eight hours in one session doesn’t help either.”

Arundel adds that there have been limited smaller studies and anecdotal evidence linking blue light to eye strain. 

“Researchers have shown that high intensities of blue light can damage retinal cells but the majority of this research has been conducted in laboratories or on animal models,” he explains. 

“More evidence is needed as to whether blue light exposure specifically causes eye strain and research is ongoing in this area.”

What about the links between blue light and sleep?

There have been a number of studies on the effects of blue light exposure in the evenings from LED lights or screens, including that it may interfere with melatonin production, which may have an impact on sleep/wake cycles. 

However, it’s not known if this leads to adverse health effects, and it continues to be the subject of research, according to Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA).

“Good sleep is a result of multiple factors and not influenced solely due to blue light from screen use,” says Arundel. 

“But limiting exposure to blue light by reducing screen brightness, using night-time apps such as F.Lux and Apple Nightshift and turning devices off at least an hour before bed are strongly recommended for a good night’s rest.”

What are blue light blocking glasses?

Blue light blocking glasses have special coatings that filter out the blue light that’s emitted from electronic devices such as TVs, computer screens, tablets and smartphones. Some of these devices – such as smartphones and tablets – have blue light filters built in that you can ‘switch on’ which claim to do the same thing.

The glasses or blue-blocking lenses are routinely touted by eyewear companies to help with digital eye strain – and anecdotal evidence is mixed. Some consumers say they don’t help much, but in a ĚÇĐÄVlog report in 2015 on blue light blocking glasses, some trialists said after using the glasses they ‘probably’ or ‘maybe’ slept better.  

Do the glasses actually work? 

If you’re using blue light-blocking glasses to help with digital eye strain, then there’s currently limited high-level evidence they work for that purpose. Current lenses may block 6% to 43% of blue light, but blocking all blue light during the day could have other negative effects.

“Blue light, of which the biggest source is the sun, naturally suppresses the body’s production of melatonin, which tells our body to wake up,” says Arundel. 

“Blue light is beneficial during the day because it boosts attention, reaction times and mood – it’s actually essential for our general health and wellbeing, so blocking all blue light during the day may adversely affect your body clock or circadian rhythms.”

What about night-time wearing? Well, a 2017 University of Houston study found that participants who wore the glasses three hours before bed while using digital devices or watching TV experienced a 58% increase in their nightly melatonin levels. However, this was a small study of 22 people.

Other studies have been done to determine whether blue light blocking glasses have other health benefits, adds Dr Sachdev. 

“These were small studies, and overall there was a lack of evidence to support using blue-blocking lenses in order to improve visual performance, alleviate eye fatigue or conserve macular health. 

“A suggested that wearing blue light blocking glasses for one hour before bed may improve sleep quality and alleviate insomnia symptoms, but that would also be the equivalent to having no digital time for an hour prior to sleep.”

Do blue light glasses help with headaches and migraines? 

If you suffer headaches or migraines after long hours staring at a computer, it makes sense to wonder if blue light is to blame. But is it?

“There’s no evidence that blue light blocking glasses will help ward off headaches or migraines,” says Dr Sachdev. 

“A migraine is more likely to be exacerbated by the brightness of your screen or because you’re not taking regular breaks, than exposure to blue light.”

Arundel agrees that many things can contribute to eye strain or headaches – which need to be ruled out before you invest in blue blocking filters. 

“A comprehensive eye examination with an optometrist will look at your focusing system, whether you need prescription lenses, your eye coordination and whether you have dry eye syndrome.”

Are blue light glasses good for night driving? 

If you’re having issues with night driving, this is a different issue to using blue light blocking glasses to filter out blue light from screens

“At night there’s more contrast in the light so we’re really talking about contrast sensitivity here,” says Dr Sachdev, “and there’s no evidence that blue light glasses will help with night-time driving. 

“Generally, we find there’s often an organic cause for night-time driving difficulties, such as cataracts, that people don’t realise they’ve got. So if you’re having difficulties driving at night you need a full ocular examination to rule out any issues that may be causing it.”

Where to get blue light glasses

Keen to try blue light blocking glasses anyway? You can buy blue blocking lenses from optometrists – Oscar Wylee will add a blue light blocking filter to any of its frames for $80, while OPSM’s BlueGuard lenses will set you back $50 on top of your selected lenses.

Just be aware there is currently no specific Australian standard for blue light filtering glasses or screen protectors, according to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO).

Other ways to reduce eye strain

We’d struggle to lift weights at the gym for hours at a time – but we expect our eye muscles to function perfectly under extreme workloads without a break, says Arundel.

“Even for someone with perfect vision, eye muscles will become sore, tired and fatigued with ‘overuse’,” he explains.

“A good habit to adopt to avoid this is the 20/20 rule, where every 20 minutes you should look up and into the distance for 20 seconds, to give your eye muscles a break.”

Dr Sachdev also recommends keeping hydrated, using lubricating eye drops and turning down the brightness of your screen. 

“I’ve done it myself on all my devices as well as the computers throughout my clinic – and it really does help,” she says.

The post Do blue light blocking glasses actually work? appeared first on ĚÇĐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Can laser eye surgery fix my vision problem?
• Techniques and technologies
• Risks and complications
• Expectations
• Intraocular lens implants
• What about presbyopia?
• Choosing a clinic

On the downside, there’s no guarantee you’ll end up completely spectacle-free, and it’ll cost you about $2500-3000 per eye. You can’t claim a Medicare benefit for it, and private health funds generally either don’t cover it, or offer only limited rebates for members with top hospital/extras cover.

We also look at other forms of eye surgery, such as intraocular lens implants. This procedure is more invasive than laser eye surgery, and also more expensive. But it’s worth considering if you’re over 40, or not a good candidate for laser eye surgery. 

What is laser eye surgery?

Laser eye surgery is an irreversible procedure that will permanently alter the curvature of your cornea. There are other procedures, such as lens implants, but laser techniques are the most common. 

An ophthalmologist (eye surgeon) carries out the operation, most commonly in a laser eye clinic, with a computer-controlled excimer laser that uses pulses of ultraviolet light to reshape the corneal surface – flattening it in short-sighted people, sculpting a steeper curve if you’re far-sighted, and evening out the curve to correct astigmatism.

Ophthalmologists are registered medical doctors who assess eyes, diagnose diseases, prescribe corrective devices, and carry out medical and surgical procedures. But they need no formal training specific to laser eye surgery.

Dr Diana Conrad, director of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, says, “Laser refractive surgery has evolved over the past 20 years to become an accepted part of mainstream eye care. The results are very good, and there is now data to show long-term stability.”

Can laser eye surgery fix my vision problem?

It depends what your vision problem is. But first it’s important to have a basic understanding of how the eye works.

In the normal eye, light rays pass through the cornea at the front of the eye and the lens behind it focuses them as a sharp image onto the retina at the back. But when the cornea or eye is misshapen, we see a distorted or blurred image (called a refractive error). 

The most common errors are:

Myopia (short-sightedness)

Light rays are focused in front of the retina, leading to blurred distant vision.

Hyperopia (long-sightedness)

Light rays aren’t yet in focus when they reach the retina, leading to blurred close-up vision.

´ˇ˛őłŮľ±˛µłľ˛ąłŮľ±˛őłľĚý

This is a very common condition where the eye isn’t completely round, meaning light is focused at different points, leading to blurred or distorted vision at all distances. People can have myopia or hyperopia as well as astigmatism. 

Laser eye surgery can correct varying degrees of myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism, either in one or both eyes.

Presbyopia

As we get older, the eye lens becomes stiffer, affecting our ability to focus on close objects. It usually starts in our 40s, making us need reading glasses.

Presbyopia can’t be corrected with traditional laser surgery. But there are other options – see What about presbyopia? ˛ú±đ±ô´Ç·É.Ěý

Techniques and technologies

Risks and complications

Laser eye surgery for vision correction can change your life for the better. But you need to be comfortable with taking a certain amount of risk, as no medical procedure is totally risk-free and the results are irreversible.

Laser eye surgery has been done for more than 30 years now and, over that time, the complication rate has proven to be generally low. About one in 20 (five percent) patients report problems afterwards.

The most common problems occur during the first few weeks after surgery and include:

• Over- or under-correction, or residual blurry vision, which requires another ‘fine-tuning’ enhancement after three months.
• Dry eyes or an inability to produce enough tears to keep the eyes comfortable, especially after LASIK.
• Visual symptoms (especially after PRK) affecting night-driving ability, such as corneal haze, glare and/or haloes, starbursts around lights, blurry double vision or light sensitivity.
• Eye sensitivity after PRK or other surface laser treatments.

Other, less common problems include myopic regression (where eyesight changes back to its pre-surgery state), lower contrast sensitivity and less crisp vision, even with glasses or contact lenses.

Chance of infection

Complications that threaten your vision are very rare. But as with any other surgery, there’s always a slight chance of infection, especially within the first two days after surgery. It’s rare, and more common with PRK than with LASIK, but infections can lead to scarring and, in extreme cases, blindness.

The long-term effect of removing corneal tissue is unknown, but so far no studies have suggested that there’ll be complications in the long term. Most problems discovered so far occur in the first year after surgery.

Expectations

Most people will see better after laser eye surgery, but there’s no guarantee you’ll no longer need glasses or contact lenses. In fact, you’re very likely to need reading glasses anyway as you get older, as laser eye surgery won’t prevent the onset of age-related vision problems. (It won’t speed them up either, although they might become more noticeable after surgery.)

If you’re aware of the surgery’s limitations, as well as its potential complications and risks, and you’re still convinced it’ll improve your lifestyle, laser vision correction might well be worth the expense.

Best chance of success: light to moderate myopia

More than nine in 10 people who are lightly to moderately short-sighted achieve 6/12 vision and many 6/6 vision or better. A person with 6/12 vision – the legal requirement for driving in many Australian states – can see at six metres what a person with normal vision can see at 12. (The old term for normal vision was 20/20, which referred to feet instead of metres.)

People who are more than moderately short or long sighted can still benefit from surgery, but they might have to temper their expectations. And although astigmatism can also be treated, its type and severity will affect results.

How much does laser eye surgery cost?

The cost varies, depending on the type of procedure and the technology used. Costs range from $1300 to $3700, but are typically about $3000, per eye. SMILE is more expensive than LASIK and surface laser treatments – more than $3000 per eye.

Health fund contributions

Laser eye surgery is considered cosmetic, so don’t expect much, if anything, in the way of rebates from your private health insurer. Although many funds do cover laser eye surgery, the cover may only apply for their top hospital or extras policies, and will usually cover only a small portion of the total cost. Check with your health insurance provider first.

Medicare benefits

Medicare pays no benefit for most laser eye surgery either – only if it’s required to treat certain eye diseases. Otherwise, it’s categorised as cosmetic, as people generally have it so that they can stop wearing glasses. 

Intraocular lens implants

An alternative to laser eye surgery is intraocular lens implants, where a lens is inserted into your eye, either instead of, or as well as, your natural lens. This type of surgery may be a good option for people aged over 40, as it can help correct presbyopia (the need for reading glasses). It’s also suitable for people with cataracts, whose natural, cloudy lens is replaced with an artificial lens.

The three main types of implant are:

1. Intraocular contact lens (IOL) or phakic implant

The intraocular contact lens is inserted behind your cornea and in front of your pupil, with your natural lens left in place.

2. Refractive lens exchange (RLE)

Your natural lens is replaced with a customised artificial intraocular lens, which is similar to what happens in cataract surgery. The replacement lens can be monovision or multifocal, which may reduce the need for reading glasses.

3. Corneal inlay

A tiny ring is implanted within the cornea through a hole made directly in the mid-cornea or under a LASIK-type of corneal flap. It works like a pinhole camera, increasing the depth of field so you can see near and far objects clearly. Typically, only one eye is done, so your other eye has normal vision. It’s generally recommended only for people with very good long-distance vision.

Who should consider implants?

These procedures are more invasive than laser eye surgery, and are best suited to people who are not candidates for laser procedures. Your surgeon will do one eye at a time, and allow time for it to recover before treating the second eye. There are risks, although, as with laser eye surgery, they are mostly short-lived and can be fixed with medication or further surgery.

Implants are also more expensive, and can cost about twice as much as laser eye surgery. However, if the procedure is part of cataract surgery, you’ll get a rebate from Medicare and/or private insurance.

What about presbyopia?

If reading glasses aren’t for you, there are some surgical options that can help with presbyopia.

Monovision

With monovision, you treat one eye to see near objects, and leave the other, usually your dominant eye, for distance vision. Your eyes work independently. This condition can occur naturally, or can be created with contact lenses or laser treatment. But not all people can tolerate it, so you may want to trial monovision first with contact lenses before you decide on surgery.

Conductive keratoplasty (CK)

This is a radiofrequency heat treatment to the peripheral cornea that’s less invasive than laser surgery. It can correct small degrees of long-sightedness or improve reading vision in one eye.

PresbyLASIK

A laser contours the cornea to create a multifocal effect, so it has different power zones for vision at varying distances, allowing distant and near vision. Although most (but not all) people who have it are satisfied, there are four main drawbacks: the lack of long-term follow-up studies to see how it fares over time; a relatively high rate of repeat surgery needed; the loss of vision quality; and the potential to affect lens implant options in the future.

Intraocular surgery

Intraocular surgery is the final option, although it’s both expensive and invasive, and you wouldn’t get it to correct for presbyopia alone. See Intraocular lens  implants (above) for more information.

Choosing a clinic

So you’ve made the decision to explore laser eye surgery. How do you make sure you get an experienced surgeon and a good clinic?

Your GP, optometrist or ophthalmologist may be able to recommend a good clinic or a particular ophthalmic surgeon experienced in laser surgery. But you should check out more than one clinic, both to get a second opinion and to compare the services offered. Be wary of clinics that guarantee you perfect vision – it’s not something that can be guaranteed.

Checklist for choosing a laser eye surgery clinic

• If the surgeon holds a current academic position, this indicates that he or she is active in research or teaching, and is exposed to peer review.
• What’s the surgeon’s experience in correcting the type and degree of your refractive error? This question is particularly important because a surgeon needs no extra postgraduate training to do laser eye surgery.
• What’s the degree of the surgeon’s involvement both before and after the procedure? They shouldn’t see you just for the operation and leave the assessments and check-ups to assistants.
• Ask for data on their surgery outcomes. How do they track them? How do the results compare with national benchmarks?
• The clinic should tell you comprehensively about what’s going to happen on the day of the surgery and afterwards. Ask questions and read all the material you’re given.
• If you wear contact lenses, ask for how long you should avoid wearing them before the assessment.
• Does the price include check-ups and, if necessary, enhancement procedures? (These are further operations that may be necessary if the first procedure leaves the eye over- or under-corrected.)
• Accreditation to a quality standard such as ISO 9000 is an indicator that the clinic has written quality assurance procedures in place. Look for such accreditation.
• Don’t go by cost alone. Remember that the decision you make will affect you for the rest of your life.

The post A guide to laser eye surgery appeared first on ĚÇĐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Do try this at home
• Shadow shop
• Stores tested
• After-sales service
• How to buy glasses
• How to read your eyewear prescription
• ĚÇĐÄVlog verdict

The risks are worse with multifocal (progressive) glasses, since the online script you fill out may not include all the measurements needed to correctly make and fit the glasses. Three out of four pairs of multifocal glasses we ordered online had major problems.

Experts told us this is less of an issue with single-vision glasses, since they’re easier to manufacture and all measurements are usually on your script. This is also what we heard from our members while researching this story. Additionally, our UK sister organisation, , recently tested single-vision glasses and found eight out of nine ordered from online stores passed their tests.

It’s also good to know that Australia’s largest health funds, and , don’t currently pay benefits for glasses bought through many online stores, so any savings made by shopping online could be smaller than you first thought.

Do try this at home

A number of online retailers allow you to try their frames at home before committing to an order. Two in particular, and , send you up to five pairs for free, including shipping.

Shadow shop

We ordered multifocal glasses from four online retailers. Our expert optometrist, Professor Stephen Dain from the University of NSW, checked the fit on our shadow shopper.

Fitting test

To fit multifocal lenses correctly, a number of measurements are needed that likely won’t be included in the online prescription form, and which also vary depending on factors such as the frame you choose and how you hold your head. Among other things, these measurements determine where your pupil is in relation to the lens’ centre to make sure there’s no distortion.

Another variable in finding the right lens type is how and where you plan on wearing your glasses. Not surprisingly, two of the spectacles we ordered weren’t correctly fitted for our shadow shopper. (The fitting for both spectacles could be at least partially improved if you found an optometrist who agreed to correct them, though that would reduce the convenience of buying online.)

Our shadow shopper had to drop their head forwards to get the best distance vision from the glasses bought through this online retailer, and the frame impeded their near vision.

The frames of the glasses from Zenni didn’t sit symmetrically on the shadow shopper’s face, so near vision was at an angle.

Lens quality

We had all the lenses of the glasses our shadow shopper bought tested by the University of NSW Optics and Radiometry Laboratory, against the voluntary standard.

These glasses had a fault in the prescription – one axis, correcting astigmatism, was incorrect. (It may be possible to correct this if the fitting were adjusted, but again, you’d have to visit an optometrist.)

These glasses failed the robustness test – both lenses cracked through their entire thickness and broke into multiple pieces. This would be dangerous if you play sport or had an accident that broke your glasses. (Vision Direct told us that as a result of our test they’re undertaking an investigation and have upgraded all orders to higher-quality lenses at no extra cost.)

This company passed both the fitting and quality tests.

Stores tested

California-based online store has its factory outside Shanghai.

US-owned ‘s global warehouse is located in Hong Kong and has a distribution centre in Australia.

is based in Canada and has a distribution centre in Australia. Frames are made in China and eyeglass lenses in Taiwan and South Korea.

is an Australian company based in NSW.

After-sales service

When we contacted the online stores to let them know the glasses weren’t fit for purpose under the , Clearly Contacts and Vision Direct offered a refund but also suggested we take the glasses to an optical store to get them corrected there.

But Finola Carey, CEO of the Optical Distributors and Manufacturers Association (), told us this extra step might not always pay off. “You can get ill-fitting frames adjusted provided the frames are suitable, and most optometrists and dispensers will use that as an opportunity to show their professionalism. But the frame may be unsuitable for the prescription, in which case there’d be nothing to do but get another frame and possibly new lenses as well.”

How to buy glasses

Follow these steps:

• Go for an eye exam and ask for your prescription; make sure the PD measurements are included for each eye (see ‘ How to read your prescription‘ below).
• Check which type of frame suits you, but also ask your optometrist if a particular type of frame suits your eye problems more than others. This is particularly important for multifocal lenses, higher power lenses, or more complicated prescriptions.
• Get a quote , and talk to your health fund to find out if they give a benefit for glasses bought through this online store.
• Make sure all quotes include lenses with anti-scratch and UV protection, and an anti-reflective coating.
• You can also read our shadow shop of budget optical stores.

More about multifocal lenses

There are different qualities and price ranges for multifocal glasses. Compared with cheaper, older-style multifocal lenses, ‘free-form’ or ‘tailor made’ progressive lenses – which are the most expensive – ensure more natural vision from distance to near, with greater accuracy and sharpness in all areas of your visual field.

With a wider field of vision in all areas of the lens, it’s likely that your eyes will adapt faster to these free-form lenses.

“You get what you pay for,” says Richard Grills, Chairman of the Optical Distributors and Manufacturers Association (). “A person who is wearing a modern lens design would absolutely hate older-style lenses because they do not provide the visual freedom of the modern designs.”

How to read your eyewear prescription

SPH – Strength of lens required to correct your focus. If there is a – (minus) symbol, it means you are short-sighted; a + (plus), or neither a plus nor a minus sign, means you are long-sighted.

CYL/Axis – Compensate for astigmatism. The front surface of your eye is shaped like a rugby ball (toric), not a perfect sphere like a soccer ball.

ADD – For reading glasses or progressive lenses. Normally the same for both eyes; only one number may appear.

Prism – Eye alignment problems such as double vision.

Distance/Intermediate/Near – What are your glasses designed for. Distance = activities such as driving and watching TV. Intermediate = activities at arms length, such as computer use. Near = activities such as reading.

PD – Distance in millimetres between the centres of your pupils. 64 is for distance vision, used for single vision glasses and progressive lenses. 60 is for reading glasses. If you’re given 33/31, it’s a more accurate measurement for right side and left side for the distance vision PD.

ĚÇĐÄVlog verdict

Online retailers can be a good option for most single-vision glasses, but they pose substantial risks if you have a complex prescription – especially one for multifocal lenses. Should you decide to give an online optometrist a go, check the store’s refund policy and keep in mind that is can be very difficult to enforce the with overseas retailers.

The post Online optical stores – Optical and hearing appeared first on ĚÇĐÄVlog.