How to Order Glasses Online
Buying prescription glasses online the first time feels like a black box — you click buttons, fill in numbers you don't understand, and hope the glasses arrive. It doesn't have to be that way.
Below is exactly what happens when you order from IRISHARP, screen by screen. Nine steps. Every button you click, every option you actually need to think about.
Time required: under 5 minutes if you have your prescription in front of you.
(For the deeper why behind each decision — face shape, lens index, coatings — read our full buying guide first.)
Step 1: Pick your frame and click "Select Lenses"
Product page — pick a color, hit Select Lenses.
You're on the product page. Two things matter here: the frame itself and the color. Use the color swatches on the right to pick the variant you want.
Once you've decided, hit the brown Select Lenses button. That kicks off the prescription flow.
Step 2: Choose your prescription type
Prescription type — six options depending on your needs.
IRISHARP gives you six options:
- Single Vision — one prescription across the lens. Most people under 40.
- Kids Myopia Control — for kids' myopia management.
- 8-Axis Aspheric — high-definition optics, premium clarity.
- Driving-Specific Lenses — anti-glare, blue light, headlight softening, clearer night driving.
- Progressive (No-line lenses) — distance on top, reading on bottom. If your arms have been getting longer.
- Reading — close-up only.
Pick whichever matches what your optometrist prescribed.
Step 3: Choose your lens type
Lens type — all four options are free.
Four options, all free at IRISHARP:
- Clear — standard transparent lenses. The safe default.
- Blue Light Blocking — blocks around 40% of high-energy blue light from screens. Recommended if you're on a computer all day.
- Photochromic — transitions dark in sunlight, returns to clear indoors. Basically transition lenses.
- Polarized Sunglasses — tinted, glare-reducing. For outdoor use.
If you don't have a specific need, Clear is the safe choice.
Step 4: Choose your lens bundle (index)
Lens index — higher number means thinner lens.
The index number is how thin the lens is. Higher index = thinner lens, more expensive.
The system recommends 1.61 because it covers up to ±4.00 — that's roughly 80% of wearers. If your prescription is under ±2.00, 1.56 saves you $10. If it's over ±4.00, you need 1.67 or 1.74 — no choice.
All bundles include scratch-resistant, anti-reflective, and UV protection coatings. The price difference is purely the lens material.
Step 5: Choose your prescription submission method
Three ways to send your prescription to the lab.
Three ways to get your prescription to the lab:
- Manually — type your numbers in yourself. Best if you have your prescription in front of you.
- Upload a file — upload a photo or PDF of your prescription. The lab reads it.
- Email later — order now, send the prescription within 24 hours.
Most people pick Manually. If you don't have your PD handy, pick Upload or Email and send it later — the lab will reach out if anything's missing.
Step 6: Enter your prescription
Prescription input — the part that scares most first-timers.
This is where most people panic. Four fields per eye:
- SPH — sphere, the main prescription number. Negative = nearsighted, positive = farsighted.
- CYL — cylinder, astigmatism correction. If you have it, you have astigmatism. Most people do.
- AXIS — direction of the cylinder. Only fill this if you have CYL.
- PD — pupillary distance, the distance between your pupils in millimeters. This is often NOT on your prescription. Ask your optician, or measure it yourself.
There's also an Add Prism (+$20) toggle if your prescription includes prism correction. Most prescriptions don't.
Hit Next when everything's filled in.
Step 7: Review and add to cart
Final review before adding to cart.
This is your last chance to catch a typo. The summary shows everything: prescription, lens type, lens bundle, total.
If anything looks off, hit the back arrow and fix it. If it looks right, click Add to cart.
Step 8: Cart and checkout
Cart — last stop before checkout.
You can still adjust quantity here, but the prescription is locked once you add to cart. If you want to change the prescription, remove the item and re-add it.
Click PROCEED TO CHECKOUT when ready.
Step 9: Pay and ship
Checkout — PayPal or credit/debit card, then billing address.
Two payment options:
- PayPal (yellow button) — fastest if you have a PayPal account. Express checkout.
- Credit / debit card — Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover. You'll be redirected to PayPal's secure gateway to complete the transaction.
Then fill in your billing address, click the final pay button, and you're done.
Total time from "Select Lenses" to "Place order": under 5 minutes if you have your prescription in front of you.
What happens after you place the order
The lab cuts your lenses, mounts them in your frame, and ships. Most orders arrive in 7–14 days. You'll get a tracking link by email when it ships.
If anything's off when they arrive — wrong prescription, damage in shipping, fit issue — IRISHARP has a 30-day return policy. Don't force a bad fit on your face.
The one number most people don't have
Your PD (pupillary distance). It's not always printed on prescriptions because it's technically a fitting measurement, not a prescription value.
If you don't have it:
- Ask your optician — most will give it to you for free if you call.
- Measure yourself — stand 8 inches from a mirror with a ruler on your nose, mark the center of each pupil, measure the distance.
- Use the lab's recommendation and pick "Email later" — they'll reach out if your PD isn't right.
That's it. Nine steps, five minutes, glasses at your door.