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and The Executive Director Ontario Opticians Association. “Some
ECPs are holding on to the notion that Internet sales can be stopped.
To date, we haven’t seen any successes at stopping these sales in
the courts.
The Internet has no borders and it would be impossible to police
these sales that come from hundreds of websites worldwide. Change
can be hard. Or it can be exciting," said Kashin.
ECPs have also been challenged by large online companies are opening store fronts in Canadian cities and designer brands are offering
frames that can be purchased at the store and brought to an ECP. As
a result, independent eyecare providers are facing a great challenge
to provide complete eyecare service beyond exams.
“I think that buying eyewear online
in the past didn’t offer any opportunity for a trained ECP to verify that
the completed eyewear is adequate
for the patient. As useful as the virtual
frame try-on app is, it doesn’t
replace the actual trying on of the
frame and experiencing how it
feels,” said Kashin. “Without some
form of prescription verification
there is no safeguard that ensures
the accuracy of the uploaded
prescription."
With the many options available in
lens designs, materials, and coatings,
I believe it takes the experience and
knowledge of an ECP to help the
patient navigate through all the
choices.
Another concern is whether the
jurisdiction where the eyewear is
being produced has adequate if any,
standards to ensure the safety and
specifications of the eyewear.”
Recently new online eyewear companies have begun partnering with
ECPs so that glasses ordered online
are dispensed through an optician
to ensure accuracy and fit.
30 Optical Prism | July-August 2015