*We are Canada’s most trusted and best online optical store as ranked by Profit magazine. We have a huge in-stock selection of eye glasses from all the top designers.
How to order eyeglasses online?
How do I read my prescription?
What is my pupillary distance (PD)?
How to buy Designer label eyeglasses for CHEAP!
How to order eyeglasses online?

Ordering eyeglasses online is much easier than you may think. Knowing some basic information will make ordering your eyewear online easy, affordable, fast and convenient. Our goal is to help you make this process as easy and enjoyable as possible. Once you have your required information, our user friendly shopping cart will take you step by step through the four step process making it very easy to order your eyewear online.
- Step one: Obtain your prescription from your local optometrist / optical shop. Check out the “How do I obtain my prescription” FAQ section.
- Step Two: Choose your frame from our extensive line of optical frames. We carry an extensive variety of eyeglass frames in many price ranges, styles and colors. To order a frame only simply choose frames only in the Lens drop down menu.
- Step three: Choose your lenses from our wide range of single vision, bifocal, and progressive lenses. You also have the option of scratch resistant and ultraviolet (UV) coatings. We carry every lens to suite your particular needs.
- Step four: Checkout is easy. You can pay for your eyewear using our secure easy to use shopping cart system. We accept most major credit cards and also utilize Pay Pal.
We ship your new eyewear in it’s own protective case along with a cleaning cloth, guaranteed right to your door within 7-10 business days.
How do I read my prescription?

The information contained in your prescription is the lens power required to correct your vision problems. It consists of sphere power, cylinder power, cylinder axis, bifocal addition, and prism power. Your prescription may or may not contain all of these numbers. However your pupillary distance (PD) measurement is needed to complete your order.
Note: If your prescription is more than one year old, we at 38DollarGlasses recommend that you update your prescription by visiting your local Optometrist.
- Sphere: Correction for long or short sight. This can be a plus ‘+’ or minus ‘-’ value.
- Cylinder: This is a correction for astigmatism if you have one. This can be a plus ‘+’ or minus ‘-’ value. You may or may not have a value of cylinder in your prescription.
- Axis: The axis for which the correction for astigmatism needs to be set at. This will be present only if you have a value in cylinder. This can be a number between 1 and 180.
- Addition: (“Add”) Additional plus power in the lower portion of a multifocal lens, that is required for near vision in progressive, bifocal, or trifocal lenses.
- Prism: This is not normally filled in on your prescription. Occasionally, when the two eyes are not properly aligned and looking at the same thing, prism can be ground into the lenses to re-align them.
- Base: “Base In”, “Base Out”, “Base Up”, and “Base Down” are the four positions for prism in eyeglasses. Orientations between the four positions can be specified by using combinations of horizontal and vertical prisms in the same lens.
- Pupillary distance (PD): Your PD is the distance from the center of the pupil (black spot) in one eye to the center of the pupil in the other eye. Your PD measurement improves the positioning of your lenses within the eyeglass frame. Be sure that you ask for your PD measurement when you have your eyes examined and have it added to your prescription.
- OD: right eye
- OS: left eye
What is my pupillary distance (PD)?
Your PD is the distance from the center of the pupil (black spot) in one eye to the center of the pupil in your other eye. Your PD measurement improves the positioning of your lenses within the eyeglass frame. Be sure you ask for your PD measurement when you have your eyes examined and have it added to your prescription.
Measure Your Own P.D. (Pupil Distance)
How to buy Designer label eyeglasses for CHEAP!
If you have tried to shop for eyeglasses at your local Optical store you will have noticed that the price charged tends to be rather luxurious. Add the fact you want Brand Name Designer labels and the prices simply sky rocket!
Why does this happen?
The answer is simple – Eye Glass designers are no different than clothing designers (in fact tend to be the same ones – Armani, D&G, Guess, DKNY, Ray-Ban, Coach etc.) and these designers charge many, many millions of dollars to ‘license’ their name to the manufacturer, there is no option but to pass this cost on to the consumer.
How do we get around it?
We comparison price shop your Doctor’s and Optician’s office and ALL the major online retailers. We have the Best prices. *condition
We bulk buy Designer labels from all over the world, and as we are licensed vendors for all of the Brands we carry, we have access to buy previous catalogs ‘over-stock’ and discontinued items that can be found no where else but WITH US.
We own a large bricks and mortar chain that has been providing product for over 50 years so the buying power is huge.
All orders are shipped from our location in Vancouver, BC, so there will not be any duty or customs charges like most other online retailers in the USA.
Best Prices
We will meet any bricks & mortar retailer’s current regular advertised-in-print price on exact product match (i.e. identical brand, model and physical characteristics) at time of purchase. The product must be sold by a properly licensed eye care professional located in British Columbia, Canada.
We will meet all the major online retailer’s current regular advertised-in-print price on exact product match (i.e. identical brand, model and physical characteristics) at time of purchase. The product must be available for delivery within British Columbia, Canada.
Our staff must be able to verify the competitor’s price in Canadian dollars and immediate availability of the product. We will not meet prices for advertising errors, restricted offers, free offers, bonus offers, clearance sales, liquidation sales, bankruptcy sales, going-out-of-business sales, or used product. We will not meet prices on shipping charges.
No Refunds or exchanges on Lenses. Frame returns subject to a 20% restocking fee and postage paid for by the purchaser.