An investigation into the quality and standard of spectacles ordered from online retailers by consumer advice service Which? has won considerable support from optical organisations and the industry.
Which? posed as three different customers to order one pair of low prescription single-vision spectacles, one in high prescription single-vision and one with varifocals lenses from nine different online retailers. It then worked alongside two optical professionals to measure the accuracy of the products received and assess whether they had been produced according to British Standards.
Seven of the 26 orders received failed to meet the relevant standards, either because the measurements were different from those that had been supplied and did not conform to British Standards, or the lenses were loose so could fall out or be easily rotated. While 19 pairs did satisfy the measured standards, some were criticised for their build quality. Some pairs had poor quality lenses that were scratched, loose, warped or positioned badly, while others were criticised for nose-pad positioning or loose arms.
All single-vision spectacles ordered with a low prescription passed the checks carried out by the experts employed by Which?, but this was not the case for the varifocals. Seven out of the nine pairs of varifocals caused concern because no height measurements were recorded by the online retailers. The testing panel stated that this could be ‘very unsafe’ because badly positioned varifocal lenses could cause wearers to experience vision distortion, possibly endangering themselves and others while driving and increasing the risk of falling.
Commenting on the results of the investigation, Natalie Hitchins, head of home products and services at Which?, said: ‘Ordering online might seem like a convenient and cheaper way to buy glasses, but we’re warning shoppers to be wary.’ Hitchins’ conclusion may sound familiar to those in the profession who have been tirelessly promoting the benefits of buying glasses on the high street through a trained professional, but there is hope that this report will reach a wider audience of potential patients. The story has seen coverage in the national press from The Daily Mail and The Mirror, and the results have been passed to the GOC.
Professional Support
Optical organisations have responded positively to the report, although there was dismay that even with over a quarter of the glasses ordered found to be unsatisfactory, Which? did not categorically recommend against ordering spectacles online.
Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, clinical adviser for the College of Optometrists, told Optician: ‘I hope consumers will take note of the independent report and Which? magazine’s advice that people requiring complex prescriptions and varifocals are most likely to experience problems and should think twice before buying online.
Daniel Hardiman-McCartney
However, with a quarter of the pairs of spectacles they purchased online not being made to the appropriate standard, it is disappointing that they didn’t go further and make a resolute “don’t buy” recommendation to their readers. There is no doubt that the safest place to purchase spectacles is from an optical practice on the high street, where professional advice and fitting ensures clear vision and comfortable wear.’
The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) echoed the College, using the release of the investigation’s results to emphasise the training that dispensing opticians undergo to enable them to provide patients with correctly fitted glasses. ABDO president Clive Marchant said: ‘The remote selection of frames, even for the most simple prescriptions, is not recommended. Dispensing spectacles is a skill which dispensing opticians study for three years, obtaining a degree level qualification. Advice on appropriate eyewear can only be given after lifestyle considerations have been obtained by the dispensing optician who can then make recommendations; frames not only have to look good, but they must fit the face and be suitable for the prescription glazed in them. There are thousands of lens options to consider depending on prescription and lifestyle needs, and many measurements are required to ensure the prescription sits correctly in alignment to your eyes. The pupillary distance is only one of these measurements.’
Marchant also highlighted the potential consequences of wearing poorly fitted glasses, saying: ‘If the fitting is incorrect the effects can range from visual discomfort to blurred vision, making you unsafe in the workplace or when driving. With young people, incorrect fitting can even induce lazy eyes or increase myopic progression.’
Specsavers stressed that although glasses from online retailers could be cheaper, they could be totally unsuitable for a patient’s needs. ‘When buying glasses it is important to be able to discuss a customer’s particular needs and prescription with an optical professional. Visiting a high street optician like Specsavers also means customers have access to on-going aftercare, which includes anything from tightening the hinge on their glasses to discussing concerns about their vision,’ said a spokesperson.
David Hewett from the Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians (FODO) said that the release of the Which? investigation was ‘a timely counterbalance to the Channel 4 Supershoppers puff for internet sellers’ and that the problems identified in the report were well known.
He continued: ‘Unfortunately, none of these exposés ever gets near the real issue of explaining to the public why there are price differences between the high street and online or how important eye health and good eyewear are.’
David Hewett
Channel 4’s consumer advice programme (In Focus 06.09.19) drew industry-wide condemnation for its nine-minute feature which explored how viewers could save ‘hundreds of pounds’ on eyewear by ‘swerving the high street and going online’. Cost savings were given as the primary reason for exploring online alternatives to the high street, and much of the ire directed at the show’s producers criticised the irresponsible decision to not mention either the risks implicit in buying glasses online or the skills of dispensing opticians. Deputy chief executive of ABDO, Barry Duncan, was ‘appalled with the content of the programme’ and has contacted the producers to explain the potential dangers of publicising information that could negatively impact ‘patient safety and awareness of the importance of the dispensing side of eye care.’
Retailer Response
In contrast to the generally supportive responses the investigation has drawn, the online retailers that failed the tests carried out by Which? either declined to comment or disputed the findings. The retailers which failed to meet standards were contacted by Optician with an offer to reply to the findings of the report.
Fashion Eyewear provided the most comprehensive response, stating: ‘Unfortunately, despite asking Which? for the details of the orders, they were unwilling to provide them, making it impossible for us to determine the veracity of their claims, but which we deem to be extremely unlikely. We have an extremely accurate online PD reader and, furthermore, we always either contact a customer or correct an order for them if they have chosen the wrong thickness of lens. We also have all the options describing which lenses are suitable for low/high prescriptions online when you choose your thickness, but often customers do not want to pay the extra despite our recommendations. We have often found that when we do call these customers advising them to upgrade many of them feel as if we are trying to upsell them. We operate a strict quality control process that ensures we meet British standards and allow any customers that are unhappy with their varifocals a full refund.’
SelectSpecs, Goggles4u and Spex4less all also mentioned that Which? was unwilling to provide an order number or details when asked. Goggles4u and Spex4less also each highlighted their quality control processes.
At the time of writing, Which? has not commented on its decision to not supply specific order numbers.