In the interest of providing the highest standard of customer/patient care, we don't do online sales. You see, to us, it's almost like browsing the internet and buying a pair of shoes without trying it on...and we all know what a mistake that could be! You see a size 7 shoe size really means very little as the ultimate choice has more to do with the actual size and shape of your foot in relation to how it feels inside a particular type of shoe. Footwear varies by style and you may find that with certain styles, a 7.5 is far better or maybe that style is just not comfortable at all! And in reality how often do we even buy shoes online?

Eyewear is  no different. Over the last few years, there has been a proliferation in online sites selling frames and lenses as well as contact lenses to internet consumers. To them it's all about cheap cheap cheap. These companies rely on volume sales in order to make a profit. Eye care, proper fittings, customer service, after sales service...there is none. The online eyewear companies tell us it is as simple as getting your prescription from your optometrist or measuring your own pd. All you need is a mirror and a measuring tape??? Not so. Once you have your prescription, there are so many other aspects that need to be addressed in choosing a lens as well as a frame in order to meet your vision and lifestyle needs and this is where the job of the optician comes in. Opticians  spend up to two years studying the eye and all aspects of fitting the proper lens and frame to it. They keep up to date with the latest advances in technology and are an important part of helping the customer make an informed choice, from frame and lens selection to proper fitting. In addition once the product is ready, after sales care is also extremely important as your eyes adjust to a new lens.  The benefits of shopping in store are that you are able to come in for further adjustments if necessary and we are happy to do repairs for our customers when neccessary.

Eye health is a very important reason to visit an optometrist regularly. Eye sight equipment that is designed to measure your prescription does not fulfill the requirements of assessing your overall eye health.The figures below give some indication of the problems regularly discovered by optometrists during routine eye exams

1 in 7 patients presenting for an eye exam have asymptomatic eye disease
Canadian Journal of Optometry article: Prevalence of Asymptomatic Eye Disease

1 in 10 patients aged 20-64 presenting for an eye exam were diagnosed with an acute condition or one requiring ongoing monitoring in order to prevent vision loss
2008 University of Waterloo School of Optometry (page 3 of this letter)

Visiting an optometrist for an eye exam is no different to visiting the doctor for an annual check up. Eye health can change over time or deteriorate rapidly even before obvious symptoms may present themselves.

Even though BC regulations regarding the dispensing of eyeglasses and contact lenses has changed, this does not necessarily mean that it is a change for the better. It is a change that has greatly benefited online providers but we believe that the benefit stops there. The new legislation certainly allows the customer more choice at lower prices, but at the cost  of putting eye health and comfort at risk.  The BC Health minister passed this legislation last Spring without any consultation  with the Optometrist Association or College of Opticians or any other qualified body with the authority to decide whether such a change would be in the best interests of your eye care. The changes in legislation are unfounded and ultimately detrimental to the eye health of all British Columbians. 

Further resources regarding this issue can be found below

http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/05/20/will-new-rules-put-vision-at-risk/

http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/05/20/will-new-rules-put-vision-at-risk/2/