Whether it’s an online vision test, a new prescription, or a renewal of your existing one – these services are convenient and useful tools. However, they are not a replacement for regular comprehensive eye exams.
An online eye exam allows wearers of contacts and glasses to renew their prescription from the comfort of their home or office even after their most recent in-person exam prescription has expired.
Convenience
Online eye exams can be a lifesaver for those with busy schedules or limited appointment availability. In addition, they can be helpful for people who live in rural or underserved areas that don’t have local optometrists or ophthalmologists.
However, despite their convenience, online eye exams should only be considered part-fledged comprehensive eye exams. Regular comprehensive eye exams help detect eye diseases early and can even alert doctors to other health conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, that may be developing.
Most online eye exams focus only on the refraction part of the eye exam, which determines your prescription for glasses or contact lenses. They don’t include tests that would help diagnose glaucoma or cataracts, such as fundus photography or optical coherence tomography, which require the dilation of your pupils and provide a more thorough analysis of your retina, optic nerve and cornea. This is why it’s important to book eye exam online and regular in-person eye exams.
Time-Saving
Online eye tests can be quick, convenient and cheap, but they shouldn’t replace in-person eye exams with your optometrist. Those exams check more than how well you see—they can also detect signs of diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol. In addition, they can detect cancerous and pre-cancerous growths in your body, such as melanoma or certain types of eye tumors.
You need an up-to-date vision test to get a new prescription for eyeglasses or contacts. An online eye exam can provide this service in a matter of minutes. Patients can schedule their exams in a few clicks from home or work using an online appointment booking system.
One of the pros of online eye exams is that they can be used to renew a current prescription. But it’s important to note that these online tests do not offer a full eye exam and are only meant to renew a previous prescription.
Save Money
In addition to saving on the cost of an eye exam, booking your eye appointment online allows you to shop for glasses or contacts at low prices. Whether you have a prescription, you can use your vision insurance or FSA money to purchase affordable lenses, frames and accessories.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person comprehensive eye exams conducted by optometrists and ophthalmologists are still recommended to detect serious medical concerns like glaucoma or macular degeneration. While telehealth options are growing, these ocular tests typically cost more than in-person appointments.
Investing in your vision health is worth it—corrective prescriptions can lead to headaches and eye strain, while untreated conditions can progress and pose more serious risks. To help keep your vision healthy, consider scheduling a comprehensive eye exam. You can even save on the cost of your eyecare with an affordable two-pair offer and a one-year Product Protection Plan.
Availability
Online eye exams and vision screenings supplement regular, in-person visits with an optometrist. They’re convenient tools for renewing a prescription or identifying a few potential issues, but they need to evaluate an individual’s health and eyesight fully.
An online eye exam allows customers to verify their prescription for glasses and contact lenses without needing an appointment. The online refraction is designed to mimic an eye chart and can determine if you need to correct farsightedness, nearsightedness, or astigmatism.
Customers can also sort the list of available appointments to find the earliest available time slot. Customers are not obligated to purchase their contacts through Lensabl but can choose from various options. Those who want to keep their prescription on file with Lensabl can even do so for free!
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