Ordering prescription glasses online is simpler than many people expect. Once you have a current prescription, the whole process takes a few minutes: choose a frame, enter your prescription, pick your lenses, and check out. This guide walks you through it step by step, so you know exactly what to do and what to have ready before you start.
In short: have your valid prescription and pupillary distance to hand, choose your frame and lens options, enter your details carefully, and complete your order. Below, each step is explained in full.
What You Need Before You Start
Two things make ordering straightforward. The first is a current prescription from a sight test — in the UK these are typically valid for two years, though your optometrist may set a shorter period. The second is your pupillary distance, or PD, the measurement between the centres of your pupils that positions the lenses correctly. Your optician should provide both; if your PD is missing, you can measure it yourself or use a virtual try-on tool that captures it for you.
How to Order Glasses Online, Step by Step
- Check your prescription is current. Find the date on your prescription and make sure it is still valid. If it has expired, book a sight test before ordering — an out-of-date prescription can cause eye strain and headaches.
- Choose your frame. Shop the range and pick a frame you like. Consider your face shape, the frame size, and whether you want a particular material or colour. A virtual try-on tool lets you see how each frame looks before deciding.
- Select your lens type. Choose single vision for one distance, or bifocal or varifocal if you need more than one. Your prescription will tell you which you need — if you are unsure, check with your optometrist.
- Choose your lens index. The index describes how thin the lens is. The standard 1.50 suits most prescriptions, while higher indexes (1.60, 1.67 and 1.74) make stronger prescriptions thinner and lighter. The higher your prescription, the more a thinner index helps.
- Add any coatings. Decide which lens treatments you want — anti-reflective coating, blue light filtering, a sunglass tint, or photochromic lenses that darken in sunlight. Some coatings are included as standard depending on your lens index.
- Enter your prescription details. Type the values from your prescription into the relevant fields — sphere (SPH), cylinder (CYL), axis, and your reading addition (ADD) if you have one. Alternatively, upload a photo of your prescription and the details can be checked for you.
- Add your pupillary distance (PD). Enter your PD so the optical centre of each lens sits correctly in front of your pupils. If you do not have it, measure it or use the virtual try-on tool to capture it.
- Review and check out. Check every detail of your order — frame, lens type, index, coatings, and prescription values — then complete your purchase. Your prescription is reviewed before glazing begins, so anything unclear can be flagged before your glasses are made.
What Happens After You Order?
Once your order is placed, your prescription is checked and your lenses are glazed to your specification. Every pair from Glasses Store is glazed in-house by qualified technicians and quality-checked before dispatch. Standard single vision orders placed before 3pm can be sent out for next-day delivery, while other lens types take a little longer to make. You will be kept informed as your order progresses.
Is It Safe to Order Glasses Online?
Yes. Buying from a reputable retailer with in-house glazing, prescription checking and a clear returns policy is a safe, more affordable way to buy glasses, and the lenses meet the same optical standards as the high street. If you would like to read more about what to look for, see our guide on whether online glasses are safe to buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I order glasses online without a prescription?
You need a valid prescription to order prescription glasses. If yours has expired, book a sight test first. Non-prescription frames, such as fashion glasses or basic readers, do not require one.
How do I enter my prescription when ordering?
Type the values from your prescription — sphere, cylinder, axis, and reading addition if you have one — into the fields at checkout, or upload a photo of your prescription document so the details can be checked.
What if I don’t know my pupillary distance?
Your optician can provide your PD, or you can measure it yourself with a ruler and a mirror. A virtual try-on tool can also capture it for you as part of choosing your frame.
How long does delivery take?
Standard single vision orders placed before 3pm can be sent out for next-day delivery. Bifocals, varifocals and stronger prescriptions take a little longer, as the lenses require more work to produce.
What if my glasses aren’t right when they arrive?
A clear returns policy protects you. Glasses Store offers 90-day returns, so if the fit or prescription does not feel right after a short adjustment period, you can return or exchange them.
Ready to Order?
Ordering prescription glasses online is quick once you know the steps, and far more affordable than the high street. With your prescription and PD ready, you can shop glasses online from £10, choose your lenses and coatings, and have your glasses glazed in-house and dispatched to your door.
