Why You Must Purchase Eyeglasses & Contact Lenses from Branded Stores?

If you need a heart surgeon for your loved one, would you go to a local clinic, or would you get the best doctor out there?

Someone who has been in the industry for years, has a greater success rate, and is renowned for what they do? Someone who has a "brand"?

Then why don't you take the same care for your eyes?

Why purchase local glasses or contact lenses from a local eyeglasses store?

 Why not get the best monthly contact lenses or eyeglasses online?

While you can purchase almost anything from anyone online these days, from any brand, glasses & contact lenses are one of those few things anyone will recommend you to buy from a branded store, for good reasons.

8 Factors that Emphasise on Purchasing Eyeglasses from Branded Stores

Let's dive deeper and understand each of these reasons why you should buy eyeglasses online from branded stores:

1. Quality Assurance

Brands ensure you get the best class of eye lenses and frames, even if you order glasses online. These glasses not only have style and are made of good-quality materials but also block blue light and feel comfortable.

Additionally, good-quality lenses are lightweight, easy to clean and they don't have glare issues. They are also  durable, safe, ensure clarity in vision, and can withstand high impact.

Even if you get your eyewear online, branded stores in Kenya will verify your prescription lenses for accuracy. They will approve the overall quality before asking you to take away your new eyewear.

They will remake the entire eyewear if it doesn't meet their quality standards or if there are any errors while making the eyewear. This commitment to quality ensures that you get the best monthly contact lenses or glasses when choosing a branded eyeglasses store.

2. Expert Advice

Everyone knows that you should never purchase any contact lenses from an expired prescription. In fact, professionals in Kenya recommend getting an eye checkup at least once a year and it is always wise to purchase an eyewear from a brand they prescribe.

Another mistake that people commonly make is to purchase contact lenses from their eyeglasses prescription. Both of them are different. You can't use the eyeglasses prescription to get contact lenses and vice-versa.

Whether you want to consult a doctor for an optical checkup or an expert to guide you through buying the best glasses and contact lenses for yourself or your loved ones, branded stores can help.

Branded stores in Kenya usually partner with the best doctors, eye clinics, and optics to:

• Review your prescription needs

• Recheck your vision with more accuracy, if you are facing any difficulties

• Perform precise measurements of eyes and facial features to get you glasses of the right size - neither too big for you to handle nor too small to not cover your vision area

• Help you select the right frame and lenses to get you the perfect glasses

• Guide you to take better care of your eyewear based on the material of the frame & lenses.

3. Customer Experience & Support

What if you initially wanted to collect your glasses from the store, but now you would like to get them delivered to your home?

What if you wanted eyeglasses initially, but now you want to switch to contact lenses?

What if you want to talk to the brand to fix an issue you're facing with your glasses?

Customer Experience & Support are underrated aspects that most people don't consider when they order glasses online in Kenya. They usually look at the quality & price of glasses, lenses, etc., but they rarely think of the "after purchase" scenario, especially when shopping online.

Branded stores offer you the best and most personalised customer experience & support because:

• They have a vast base of customers. They have great experience in managing the issues faced by customers

• They are extremely aware that any issues with the eyewear can lead to vision problems, so they are more careful while attending to customer queries, and

• Customer satisfaction and brand loyalty matter the most to the eyewear branded stores.

Good customer support from eyewear branded stores looks like - exchange privileges if you don't like the frame and free lifetime adjustments and repairs from expert opticians as per your need and comfort. Some of these branded stores in Kenya also offer free replacements for screws and nose pads if you purchase glasses from their brand.

At Optica, every frame comes with a one-year manufacturing warranty, and you'll get a free case and cleaning cloth. We also maximise your online customer experience by making it more accessible with:

• 3D Virtual try-on so that you can try different glasses from the comfort of your home

• Options to either deliver your glasses to your home or you can pick them up from the nearest Optica store in Kenya.

4. Better Variety of Eyewear Online

Eyewear brands in Kenya have multiple suppliers to cater to all types of demands from all customers. They offer eyeglasses, lenses and frames for almost every face shape, skin tone, and eye colour. They want to ensure they have a variety of options in terms of lenses, coatings, and frames to provide the best glasses for men, women, and kids.

First, you need to select a suitable lens for your eyeglasses. There are four major types of lenses:

• Glass lenses provide the best optics but are easily breakable. Used earlier because of limited options

• Plastic lenses are lightweight, inexpensive, and still provide good optics. There is a sub-category of plastic lenses called the High Index plastic lenses that are even lighter and thinner

• Trivex is a lightweight material with shatter-resistant properties and clear optics

• Polycarbonate lenses are usually used for kids' glasses because they are safe and can withstand high impact. They are not recommended, though.

You can get add-ons to your lenses like - Anti-scratch coating, Anti-reflective coating, UV-blocking treatment, or Photochromic treatment (lenses that automatically darken in the sun's UV or high-energy visible light rays).

Then, you need to pick a frame for your glasses. Optica has a special frame size guide and face size guide to help you even before you decide to purchase eyeglasses.

As far as contact lenses are concerned, they are primarily of two types based on the material - Hard and Soft. Most customers prefer soft lenses and can be divided into Daily-wear lenses, Disposable lenses, Extended-wear lenses, Coloured contact lenses, Toric soft contact lenses, and bifocal or multifocal contact lenses.

Also read: Everything you need to know about contact lenses

Eyewear brand stores in Kenya want you to pay for the glasses & lenses that are best for you. The expert opticians at branded stores will simplify the complex lens products and features for you and help you choose those that suit your requirements best.

5. Best Eyeglasses & Lenses Price in Kenya

If you think branded stores look for an opportunity to charge you for everything, you couldn't be more wrong.

Even though the eyeglasses online from branded stores in Kenya might be a little on the higher end in terms of pricing, all the benefits of purchasing from eyewear branded stores apart from the quality & variety of glasses, like their brand partnership with experts, customer support, etc., make the price worth investing.

Moreover, good eyewear from a branded store will have quality assurance, warranty & durability, which means you have a guarantee that you won't have to make another investment in your eyewear anytime soon. Everyone deserves quality eyewear without breaking their bank account.

Also, don't you think it is better to prefer quality over lenses price in Kenya for something as important as your eyesight?

6. Eye Lenses Suitable for Every Lifestyle & Personality

Your eyeglasses, frames, and contact lenses should suit your face, personality and, more importantly, your lifestyle. For example, it won't matter how pretty your frames are if you can't see clearly in a dusty condition if you need to.

Whether you want to play sports or look at your laptop screen for the longest time, branded stores in Kenya will have a solution for you.

There are primarily two types of lenses when you categorise it by lifestyle:

• If you are someone who spends time indoors and outdoors, and you don't want to go through the hassle of switching between your glasses and sunglasses constantly, we recommend "Transition lenses.
  

• If you are someone who wants to protect their eyes from glare under bright conditions (for example, near water, snow, and many road surfaces), you might want to select "Polarized lenses.

Consult your doctor before choosing any specific type.

Moreover, glasses are one of the most looked accessories for any person. Therefore, your eyeglasses frames should convey what you want people to perceive about you. It should be a reflection of your true personality.

Be careful that you should not compromise on the functionality of the glasses for looks. Your glasses should work perfectly before you look perfect.

7. Vision Insurance Plan Acceptance

Many branded stores in Kenya have started accepting vision insurance plans. They check the benefits and accept payments directly from the insurance plan, even if it is a Corporate or SME Medical Insurance Cover. It saves you from the hassles of various official documentation and makes it easier to use your Vision Insurance Plan and claim its benefits.

Vision Insurance Plans in Kenya usually cover the following benefits:

•  Expert Consultations

• ,p>Frame Prescriptions

   

• Prescribed lenses and replacement

• Optical Prescriptions

In fact, Optica currently accepts and supports Insurance plans from 40+ providers like Tata Chemicals Limited, MSO (Medical Services Organization) South Africa (Pty) Ltd., HENNER International Health Services, etc. The list is constantly updated to include more insurance providers and Vision Insurance plans & schemes.

To check if your Insurance provider and Insurance scheme is accepted on Optica or not, please visit and check this page or call +254709709000.

8. Availability of Payment Alternatives

After your eye checkup, thorough research, and trial of different eyewear alternatives and varieties, you have finally selected your dream eyewear.

Now the only step remaining is making the payment, and the eyewear will be yours. But snap! Your card doesn't work, and they don't have any other options to pay. Can you imagine how frustrating it would be?

Flexibility and alternatives in making payments for eyewear are as crucial as providing different options for the eyewear itself.

Many branded stores provide the option to pay by Debit or Credit card from MasterCard, Visa, or American Express while purchasing eyewear online.

At Optica, you can also make a payment from your mobile phone using M-Pesa or Airtel Money.

Conclusion

Although it is not an easy job to choose eyewear for yourself always (a few lucky people find it in a few minutes), it is not too complicated either. Branded stores ensure to make the process as simple as possible for you. Make sure you check the genuineness of the retailer before purchasing your eyewear.

Vision is much more than a pair of glasses, contact lenses, or prescription. As we always say at Optica, Eyes are the windows to the world, capturing memories and immersing us in moments. Vision is a precious present that we are passionate about improving every day.

Our expertise and passion drive us to provide the highest quality vision care in each store across the country. That's why Optica has been a leader in vision care since 1959. We feature a selection of quality frames from brands worldwide like Cactus, Couture, and Oxygene and craft each pair of lenses in our lab at affordable prices. Our professionals are trained to provide personalised service throughout your experience.

 So, stop waiting!

Book an eye test with Optica or find our stores near you using our Branch Locator and buy eyeglasses online today.