Online Prescription Glasses Purchases Could Be Simplified by the FTC
In the United States, a significant hurdle in the online purchase of eyeglasses is the absence of the pupillary distance (PD) in prescriptions. This omission, historically a result of regulatory practice and the separation of measurement roles, has left consumers with the task of measuring their PD themselves or requesting it separately from their eye care providers. However, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has the power to change this status quo by updating the Eyeglass Rule.
The Eyeglass Rule, enacted in 1978, governs the release of prescriptions to consumers, requiring eye care providers to give patients their eyeglass prescriptions. Yet, it does not explicitly mandate the inclusion of PD. If the FTC were to amend the rule to require PD measurements to be included automatically with the prescription, consumers would have all necessary information to order glasses online easily.
Such an update would bring about several benefits. For one, it would simplify online purchasing of glasses, ensuring accurate lens alignment from the provided PD. This would lead to greater consumer convenience and competition among eyewear sellers, including online retailers. The potential for fewer fitting errors and increased comfort as PD is critical to proper lens function and reducing eye strain or headaches caused by misalignment is also significant.
Five states have already mandated the inclusion of PD in prescriptions, but federal regulations have yet to catch up. Updating the Eyeglass Rule would standardize practices across the country, ensuring all consumers can comparison shop online for eyeglasses. This would level the playing field, making it easier for consumers to purchase glasses online and take advantage of the reduced costs offered by online retailers, which can be up to 40% lower than those of traditional brick-and-mortar stores.
However, opposition to the inclusion of PD in prescriptions has been voiced by some, such as the Opticians Association of Iowa, who argue that it could potentially increase the risk of error in measurement and the cost of a vision exam. Yet, it's important to note that eye care providers often already measure PD during examinations, and the Eyeglass Rule requires ophthalmologists and optometrists to provide a vision prescription without additional fees or requiring purchases.
In 2020, nearly half of consumers researched glasses online, though only 14% purchased online directly. The lack of updated federal regulation creates an unnecessarily steep barrier to entry to purchase glasses online. By mandating PD inclusion with every eyeglass prescription under updated rules, the FTC can improve online eyewear buying ease, boosting consumer choice and fostering a more competitive market.
1) The absence of the pupillary distance (PD) in prescriptions has been a historically regulatory practice issue, as measurement roles are separated.2) If the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) were to amend the Eyeglass Rule to require PD measurements with prescriptions, it would simplify online purchasing of glasses.3) Updating the Eyeglass Rule would bring about benefits such as greater consumer convenience, competition among eyewear sellers, and potential fewer fitting errors.4)Such a change would standardize practices nationwide, allowing consumers to comparison shop online for eyeglasses and take advantage of lower costs offered by online retailers.5) The potential opposition to including PD in prescriptions, like increased risks of error and costs, has been voiced by some associations, but PD is often already measured during examinations.6) By mandating PD inclusion with every eyeglass prescription, the FTC can boost consumer choice and create a more competitive market in health-and-wellness, personal-finance, technology, data, research, policy, science, fitness-and-exercise, nutrition, finance, and AI sectors.
