Where Can I Get Affordable Prescription Safety Glasses? 10 Steps to Find the Answer

Prescription glasses become more important the more you need your vision. That might seem obvious, but it also explains why the question of where you can get affordable prescription glasses matters so much more when it comes to safety equipment. When seeing clearly is the difference in your safety, it’s a question you need to be able to answer.

Of course, affordability and cheapness are far from the same thing. You need to find lenses and frames that fit within your budget, but without needing to fear that they will break or not function adequately anymore shortly after the purchase. Regardless of the safety environment in which you operate, quality in your eyewear is simply non-debatable.

That means you have to be strategic. Instead of simply going into a store and buying the cheapest possible prescription glasses, you need to consider your options and needs, and find one that matches both your expectations and your budget. To accomplish that feat, consider taking these 10 steps to find affordable prescription glasses that still hold up to the use you get out of them.

1) Consider and Prioritize Your Needs

First things first: you need to know exactly what type of glasses you will actually get. As mentioned above, affordability only matters in the context of your needs. Even the cheapest pair of glasses matters little if you cannot use them as safety equipment or to keep your vision clear.

What exactly these goals are may differ based on your use cases. In this space, it generally comes down to comfort, clarity of vision, and safety. But within that, your needs may be very different from others. For instance, do you tend to need your prescription safety glasses outside? If so, the lens you’re looking for may be very different than one needed primarily for indoor work.

2) Estimate Your Minimum and Maximum Budget

Once you know your needs, it’s time to set your budget. Affordability, as mentioned above, only exists in context. Your budget has to at least partially reflect your goals above, which is why this should be your second rather than your first step. Simply put, a $10 budget for safety glasses that offer even basic protection will simply not be enough.

One important note here: depending on the use case for your eyewear, this might not be your own money. Your employer may pay for part or all of your safety equipment, or you might be able to deduct the purchase from your income taxes. Keep that in mind as you select a range of money you are willing to spend on glasses that protect your face and eyes. 

3) Build Your Lens ‘Menu’

Next, look into the types of lenses that you can get to benefit your needs. Safety prescription glasses come in a wide variety of types and styles, but the types of coatings you get with them tends to be similar – and similarly priced. Some preliminary research can help you better understand how much a lens type or coating may add to the money you have to spend.

The options here are numerous, which makes this step so important. Polycarbonate lenses are most popular for safety equipment, but it might not be your only choice. Additional coatings, especially related to scratch resistance and shatter resistance, become especially important in a safety environment. Understand your options, and what costs come with them, before moving forward in the process.

4) Look Into Frame Types

After the lenses come the frames. Typically, this is a style choice. In the context of safety, that is not necessarily the case. Instead, you have to make sure that any glasses you end up choosing actually provide the protection you need in the context in which you will use them.

Again, material matters in this consideration. Plastic tends to be more common than metal because of its light weight and durability. But coverage matters just as much. Simply put, you have to make sure that the area of your face that needs most protection – your eyes – are adequately covered. Dismiss any frames that cannot accomplish this goal or make it difficult.

5) Calculate the Cost of Add-Ons

When it comes to affordability, don’t forget about the items you might need to pay for beyond the lenses and frames. Failure to do so, in fact, could have serious negative effects on your budget. So as you do your research, look into what it might cost to add items that you need to keep and maintain your eyewear.

What exactly that is once again depends on your needs. You likely need a sturdy carrying case, as well as the right cleaning equipment for the lens you choose. Both might be had with a discount as you purchase your eyewear. Finally, does it make sense to purchase a second pair you can use and exchange as needed? Of course, the answer to that question comes with its own cost consideration.

6) Get an Updated Prescription

All of the above can accurately be described as preliminary research. They help you set the stage for the second part of the process: making sure you can actually buy affordable safety prescription glasses from the right place. And that process starts with making sure that your prescription is actually accurate.

It’s difficult to overstate just how important an accurate prescription is in this process. It helps you see clearly, and find the lens that actually works best for you. In a safety environment, both of these component are not just beneficial, but absolutely crucial. Make an eye doctor appointment, and be sure to get all measurements needed to order glasses according to your prescription needs.

7) Consider Your Options Comprehensively

You’ve done the research, and you know your prescription. Now, it’s time to actually examine your options on where you can find the right safety equipment, and glasses in particular. That, in turn, starts with a comprehensive list that helps you better understand where you might be buying from.

The list at this point may include both online and in-person merchants. Pay special attention to the pros and cons of both, which range from price to selection. Again, put your needs first and rank your options accordingly. The key here is not to choose (that comes next), but to make sure you know everything there is to know about all of your options.

8) Choose the Right Merchant

With the comprehensive list compiled in the previous step in front of you, it’s time to choose. This is, in essence, the step that finally answers the question stated in the title: where can I get affordable prescription glasses? Now that you know the full context of that question as well as your options, it’s time to get a final answer.

Beyond looking at the ranking factors from the previous step, take special care to check out customer reviews, warranty information, and the returns policy. All of these can give you vital clues toward the quality of the merchant and the glasses they sell. Price matters, but when it comes to safety, it’s only one part of the equation.

9) Make the Purchase

Finally, the big step: buy the safety prescription glasses that both match your needs and fit your budget, from the best possible merchant. If you’ve taken all of the above steps, you should feel confident knowing that you’re taking the right choice. Making the purchase, in this case, is only a formality.

Of course, you still have to take care in ordering. For instance, when ordering online, you need to make sure that you enter your prescription exactly as described by your eye doctor. Still, this should be a simple step that gets you one large step closer to your final goal of affordable, reliable safety glasses.

10) Test Out Your New Pair

Finally, a step that many people forget. The process is not over when your prescription glasses arrive in the mail. Instead, now is the time to make sure they’re actually what you’re looking for, and take the appropriate steps if they are not.

For safety glasses, that means making sure the prescription is right. Expect an adjustment period for your eyes, but don’t expect it to last too long. The glasses should also be comfortable on your face, and offer the protection promised. When that is not the case, don’t be afraid to take advantage of the returns policy and look for a different pair instead.

Buying prescription glasses online can be complex. At the same time, the wide selection of options along with the affordability that comes with it make the process well worth the effort. If you’re asking where to get affordable prescription glasses, there almost is no other viable option than online.

Of course, you still have to find a merchant that’s right for your needs. That’s where we come in. Rx-Safety offers reliable, affordable, and high-quality safety glasses for a variety of industries. If you’re looking for a pair that both fits within your budgets and your needs, contact us.