REVIEW: Optically Pty. Ltd - optically.com.au...

Do your wear glasses? Have you ever wondered about those websites that offer glasses online at heavily discounted prices? Well I sure did, so you can imagine my response when the team at optically.com.au approached me and offered to send me some free fashion eyewear made to my prescription - in short I was intrigued. I mean seriously, how on earth can you order a pair of glasses without trying on the frames?...

Well it turns out to be not only possible, but super easy in fact, and the process is fun too. First of all I had a look at their range of women's glasses - with over 700 styles, the hardest part is choosing  You can make it a bit simpler by limiting your search to price (starting from $19 including lenses and free coatings!), style, colour, material etc., and they also have designer glasses from top names like Benetton, Carrera, Marc Jacobs, Christian Dior, Jimmy Choo and Esprit to name a few. Once you've found a style you like, then the fun starts - you click on "Try On", and this will show you a photo of a model wearing the frames. However if you click on "Try on with a close-up pic", you can upload your own photo and see how the frames look on your face ♥...  

I had such a ball trying on all the different colours, shapes and styles, it was actually quite enlightening as some of the ones I thought would look lame actually turned out to be the most chic! Here is a smattering of some of my fun looks...

As you can imagine, there was a price limit on what I could choose for my free pair, so after much deliberation, I went with these practical and solid-state Walden Pristine frames...

Once you've checked the frame measurements and made your final choice, you click on "Buy Now" - this takes you to a page where they ask a series of questions, like what will you be using them for (reading/computer/distance), and this is also where you can choose special options (which cost more) like Kodak Lenses, multifocals, high impact thin lenses etc. You can also request tints or photochromic & transition lenses - honestly, there's everything you could possibly need in the selections...

Next phase is to enter your prescription - you may need to measure your pupillary distance if it's not included on your prescription, but that's no drama. Along the way they'll give you an estimate of how long it will take to make up your specs, and once you've entered in all your contact details and made your payment, you're done - all you have to do then is wait for your expertly packed and protected parcel to arrive...

I've been wearing glasses since I was 11 years old, and my prescription is very strong (-6), but that didn't seem to faze Optically - according to their FAQs, their range goes up to ± 8.00 SPH (sphere). Of course if I was actually purchasing a pair, I would choose a smaller and slimmer designer frame (like the ones pictured below) and the "world's thinnest lenses" which would increase the price significantly, but the calculation still works out heaps cheaper than what I find in my local optometrists. The only drawback I can see is that if you need them adjusted as far as sitting correctly on your face is concerned, you have to go to a store, but I find most places will do adjustments for free even if you didn't buy them from there...

Loving these frames by Emenegildo Zegna, Guess and that last pair is my favourite - Esprit!

My glasses took just under 3 weeks to arrive from Hong Kong - a bit longer than usual because Optically Pty. Ltd. kindly created multifocals for me (thank you ♥) which takes more time. The frames are high quality and sturdy as well as elegant, and they even have some pretty diamante trimmings on the side arms that I hadn't noticed in the online photo...

If you're still unsure, there is also an option whereby you can choose four frames, and have them sent to you for home trial, and you send them back within 15 days via freepost. I'm very happy with the experience of how the online ordering works, and as Optically Pty. Ltd. have a 90 day unconditional return policy, any concerns I had about buying glasses from a website have melted away...

In summary, I reckon this is a win-win situation for anyone in the market for a new pair of glasses, prescription sunglasses, fashion frames for any occasion, or just to have the comfort of a spare pair for emergencies. Thanks so much Optically for the opportunity to try out your services - I'm really quite impressed ♥...

Have you ever bought glasses from a website?

Take care of you,
kats xxx

P.S. Linking to Ingrid's Monday Makeup Madness Link Up Party - there's always a great selection of blog articles to read, and often some videos too ♥...