GlassesUSA Review: Pros, Cons, and What You Need to Know

Intro

With a stellar rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, GlassesUSA has solidified itself as a reliable online source for ordering glasses, sunglasses, and contacts. Offering a wide range of eyewear options, this provider has gained the trust of customers in the industry. In this GlassesUSA review, we will give you an in-depth look at the pros, cons, and all the essential information you need to know about GlassesUSA. By the end of this review, you will feel well-equipped to make an informed decision when it comes to purchasing your next pair of glasses. So, let’s jump right in and explore what GlassesUSA has to offer!

Pros and Cons

About GlassesUSA

GlassesUSA.com is a well-established online glasses retailer that has been serving customers since 2008. While their main optical lab is located in Atlanta, GA, they also have operations in Israel and Bangkok, Thailand, to cater to international orders.

The company’s goal is to offer affordable yet stylish eyewear, allowing the entire family to see well and look good without straining their budget.

They stock a variety of brand name designers, ranging from Ray-Ban and Oakley to Tom Ford and Gucci. In addition, they have their own affordable in-house designs. With a selection of over 9,000 frames, GlassesUSA.com provides a plethora of styles, makes, and sizes to cater to both the fashion-conscious and the practical-minded, regardless of age.

Our GlassesUSA Review

In the next section, we will assess the aspects based on criteria commonly used, such as Shopping Experience, Virtual Try-On tool, Prescription Scanner App, Home Try-On, and so on.

Shopping Experience

The process of shopping for a new pair of glasses on GlassesUSA.com is easy and user-friendly. The selection is conveniently organized into different categories like eyeglasses, sunglasses, brands, sale/clearance items, and contact lenses, which can be easily accessed through the top navigation bar.

To narrow down your options, you can utilize various filtering options, such as frame shape, features, frame type, and lens type.

If you have a specific preference in mind, we recommend using these filters to avoid scrolling through numerous pages (unless you enjoy browsing through thousands of eyeglasses).

One of the standout features of GlassesUSA.com is its extensive collection of name-brand designers.

Their brand offerings include renowned names like Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Versace, as well as their own affordable house brands that blend trendy styles with practicality.

Selecting your lenses and any additional add-ons is a straightforward process. For those in need of prescription lenses, you can either complete the online prescription form, upload a file directly on the site, or provide it later if you don’t have it on hand.

Virtual Try-On

Similar to numerous online eyewear sellers, GlassesUSA.com offers a virtual option to try on glasses, enabling users to visualize how a specific frame would appear on their face. This feature permits individuals to upload a snapshot of themselves from their computer or social media account, or alternatively utilize their webcam to capture a photo.

Once you’ve uploaded your picture, you can rotate, crop, and position markers over your eyes to accurately superimpose the glasses on your face. This feature is available on both desktop and mobile platforms.

One convenient aspect of GlassesUSA.com’s virtual mirror is the ability to display how each pair of glasses would look on you within the product listings. This visual representation helps you make informed decisions.

Recently, they have introduced a live try-on feature that utilizes your webcam. Glasses eligible for this feature are indicated with a “Live Try-On” icon when you hover over the product.

By aligning your face with the oval shape and allowing the technology to scan your face, the frame is superimposed on your live image. Using augmented reality (AR), you can turn your head from side to side to view yourself wearing the glasses.

Prescription Scanner App

GlassesUSA.com offers a prescription scanner app that allows you to determine your prescription by scanning your current glasses. However, it’s important to note that this feature only provides information about your existing prescription and is not suitable for obtaining an updated prescription. It is also limited to single-vision correction and cannot be used for bifocals or progressive lenses.

The app utilizes software similar to that used by other online glasses retailers. It guides you through the scanning process with instructions provided by a pleasant voice. To complete the scan, you will need a computer and a credit or debit card (for measurement purposes).

While the app is useful and impressive, it may have slight inaccuracies in prescription and pupillary distance measurements. We observed a discrepancy of -.25 in one lens and approximately 2mm off in pupillary distance measurements in one scan.

The most challenging part of using the app is holding your phone and glasses at the correct distance and angle for scanning. You need to ensure that all the dots on the screen remain within the scan box on your phone, which can be more difficult than it seems. It also requires good eye-hand coordination unless you have someone to assist you.

Nevertheless, the app is a helpful tool if you don’t have your eye doctor’s prescription and can see well with your current correction.

Home Try-On

During our investigation, we found out that GlassesUSA.com is currently in the process of testing a free home try-on option in specific areas of the United States. The company intends to roll out this feature across the entire country soon.

Regrettably, since we are not based in one of the intended markets, we could not personally try out this feature.

GlassesUSA Lens Options and Quality – 4.5/5

In our GlassesUSA review, we discovered that their lenses are of satisfactory quality and have a potential for durability with appropriate maintenance. Nevertheless, certain coatings like those that combat glare or block blue light may gradually diminish over a period of time.

Overall, the prescription accuracy was excellent, and it didn’t take long to adjust to the glasses we ordered. The visual clarity was impressive, and the lenses were resistant to scratches and smudges.

GlassesUSA offers the following lens options:

• Standard 1.5 index lenses: These are the standard CR-39 plastic lenses included with any pair of glasses.
• Polycarbonate 1.59 index lenses: These lenses are highly impact-resistant, 22% thinner than standard lenses, and recommended for children, sports, and safety glasses due to their shatter resistance.
• High-Index Lenses:
  • 1.6 index: Up to 25% thinner than standard lenses, recommended for prescriptions ranging from -4.00 to +3.00.1.67 index: Super-thin lenses, ideal for strong prescriptions ranging from -8.00 to +6.00.
  • 1.74 index: The most ultra-thin lenses, recommended for extremely high prescriptions.

GlassesUSA can accommodate the following prescription types:

• Single Vision, Reading, Bifocals, and Progressives (no-line multifocals)
• Prescription Sunglasses

The cost of the frame covers all prescriptions for single-vision lenses, and they will be provided with the standard 1.5 index lens.

Enhancements, coatings, and additional features

In addition to customized prescription strength, GlassesUSA.com offers four lens packages that cater to the chosen frame and prescription strength.

The standard package comes with the 1.5 index plastic lens without any extra cost. If you decide to enhance your package, you will get added features such as anti-scratch, anti-reflective, and UV-blocking coatings, as well as higher-index, thinner lenses.

If you’re unsure about which lens type is best for your prescription, GlassesUSA.com will provide recommendations to assist you. However, please note that only certain frames are eligible for customization with impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses.

You have the option to add a blue light coating for an additional $29. This coating helps reduce digital eye strain, which is beneficial for those who spend a significant amount of time in front of electronic devices.

There’s also a choice to add a superhydrophobic coating, which repels water and oils, preventing smearing and smudging.

Furthermore, you can turn any pair of glasses into sunglasses. In addition to tint options, you can choose from polarized, mirrored, or photochromic (light-adapting) lenses. GlassesUSA.com offers in-house technology for sunglasses or the option to use Transitions® lenses.

GlassesUSA Frame Quality – 4.5/5

It is difficult to make a general statement about the overall quality of frames available on GlassesUSA.com because they offer a diverse range. However, their in-house brands such as Muse and Revel, as well as high-end designer frames like Gucci, Ray-Ban, and Michael Kors, are renowned for their exceptional quality.

Drawing from our own experience, we have found that the house frames offered by GlassesUSA.com are of excellent quality. These frames come in a variety of materials such as plastic, acetate, stainless steel, and titanium. They offer a robust and durable feel, provide a comfortable fit (provided the correct size is chosen), and require very little upkeep.

As for the designer frames, we were pleasantly surprised by their quality. GlassesUSA.com is a legitimate reseller and doesn’t carry defective products, despite the discounts you may find on them.

GlassesUSA Style & Selection – 5/5

When it comes to style and selection, they design their own frames and also carry most of the top premium brands. In addition to men’s and women’s frames, they have glasses for kids (including toddlers), sunglasses, sport glasses/goggles, and even contact lenses.

At the lower end, you can find single-vision prescription glasses for under $40, which include GlassesUSA.com’s own brand of plastic frames that offer good quality for the price.

At the higher end, they offer a great selection of brand name glasses from top designers such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, Coach, Prada, Versace, and Michael Kors, among others.

Please note that if you customize designer sunglasses with prescription lenses, GlassesUSA.com will produce and replace the original lenses with prescription lenses made in their optical lab. This allows you to save money on designer prescription sunglasses compared to purchasing them with the original lenses at higher prices.

Overall, GlassesUSA.com provides a wide array of choices, whether you’re looking for glasses, contacts, or performance eyewear for active pursuits.

GlassesUSA Customer Service – 4/5

While GlassesUSA.com offers many advantages, their customer service can be inconsistent. Although we didn’t encounter any issues with our order and didn’t need to reach out to customer service, numerous individuals have reported unresolved problems.

One common complaint involves experiencing delays in delivery, even for customers who opt for expedited service. Therefore, it’s important to consider that you might not receive your prescription glasses immediately. However, based on our experience and the majority of cases, it is reasonable to anticipate receiving your glasses within a few weeks.

One advantage is that contacting them is convenient, as they can be reached by phone or Live Chat at any time, any day of the week. They are also accessible on social media platforms and are prompt in addressing inquiries or concerns. Additionally, they have received a rating of 4.4 stars on Trustpilot, based on over 57,000 reviews, suggesting that despite a few negative experiences, there are many satisfied customers.

GlassesUSA Cost – 4.5/5

When it comes to cost, GlassesUSA.com offers significant savings compared to purchasing prescription glasses from a traditional brick-and-mortar store.

This is especially true if you’re in the market for designer eyewear, which tends to have high markups at optical shops. While you can find even more affordable unbranded options, the real value lies in getting a pair of prescription Ray-Bans or Oakleys at a fraction of the regular retail price by applying a discount coupon.

GlassesUSA.com provides a variety of coupons, such as 50% off lenses or 20% off premium frames. The key is to try different codes to find the one that saves you the most money.

Local opticians in different areas may have varying prices for prescription sunglass lenses, ranging from $200 to $400 for single-vision lenses. As an example, if you were to choose Ray-Ban New Wayfarer frames priced at $150, the total cost for prescription Ray-Bans would usually be around $500 at a local optician compared to less than $200 at GlassesUSA.com.

If you are mainly concerned about the cost, on average, a pair of prescription glasses from an optical store will cost you approximately $40-50, which includes lenses with your prescription. However, there are also frames on sale or in clearance that can be as low as $19, although there might not be a wide variety of choices available at that price.

GlassesUSA.com also provides the opportunity to split the payment for your eyeglasses into three equal parts without any additional interest charges, if you use Visa or Mastercard. What is great about this option is that there is no need to involve a separate service provider like Affirm.

There is no additional cost for shipping on all orders, including returns, and there is no minimum purchase necessary.

GlassesUSA Review Conclusion

If you’re looking for affordable prescription glasses and sunglasses, GlassesUSA.com is a fantastic option. They offer a wide variety of well-known brands, as well as their own affordable designs that are equally impressive.

You can easily discover the ideal glasses for yourself with a website that is easy to navigate and a virtual try-on feature that is moderately helpful but not exceptionally impressive.

The act of submitting or uploading your prescription is straightforward, and unless there are any problems with delivery, the entire process of purchasing, starting from placing your order to receiving the product, is smooth and uninterrupted. Also, if you have more questions, check out our GlassesUSA FAQs.

The GlassesUSA review reveals a slight drawback in their return policy. While other retailers such as Warby Parker and SmartBuyGlasses offer more flexible options with 30-day and 100-day returns respectively, GlassesUSA.com’s 14-day return/exchange period seems less generous. It is worth noting that customers may find the shorter duration a limitation compared to the alternatives available in the market.