Frequently Asked Questions

Because we cut out the middlemen and don’t need to pay for expensive high street stores. We purchase the same branded products and incorporate lenses from the same or similar laboratories as the high street opticians.

If you have returned your glasses to us for a refund, you should expect to see the following actions

• As soon as we receive your glasses you will receive an email confirmation and an indication when payment will be refunded.
• Funds will appear on your card or PayPal statement within 5 working days of us receiving your glasses.

If you have requested a replacement frame colour or frame style, we will place your new order immediately and will contact you via phone or email should we require any further information or if there is any additional payment required.

As long as the products have only been tried on and not used, you can send them back whenever it is convenient to you. If it takes a few weeks because you live abroad or have taken them on a holiday to find they do not fit, please do not worry.

At Eyekit.co.uk we aim to offer you excellent quality, value and service at all times and want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase. If you are not happy with it then you can return, exchange or upgrade your purchase within the guidelines of the returns policy. Please see ‘Returns Policy’ at the bottom of our web page for more details.

If you have a complex prescription such as a very high prescription with a prism adjustment then you should not buy online. Your optician will need to check that they fit correctly. However, if you have a prescription within ±8.00 SPH (sphere) and ±4.00 CYL (cylinder), you will not have a problem buying online. Our frames and the lenses fitted to your prescription are cut, assembled and checked by qualified staff, and undergo the same process in exactly the same way as if you ordered from your optician. At eyekit as with your optician, we undergo additional quality control checks to ensure the quality and accuracy of your prescription.

I am afraid that we do not accept NHS vouchers due to the administration process imposed on us to do so.

Yes, you can place an order and have it shipped abroad to a worldwide destination of your choice.

Once you’ve placed your order, you can check the status by logging into your account via the ‘My Account’ at the bottom of the home page. Once logged in, go to the ‘My Order Status’ section. There you will see a list of any orders you have placed and can view the current status by clicking on each one. In addition, you will receive an email notification at each stage of the order process. Once we have shipped your order you will be given a tracking number which will allow you to track your order online with Royal Mail tracking service.

On some occasions one pair of glasses can take slightly longer than another, this is mainly down to a combination of the lens, prescription complexity and any coatings being added. We like to get your glasses to you as quickly as possible so if one pair is ready earlier we will dispatch these to you immediately and will send any subsequent pairs as soon as they have been completed. In any case, we will email you to let you know what is going on. If you are worried, please call us.

All non-prescription stock orders will be dispatched the next working, out of stock and prescription items may take up to three weeks depending on the complexity of the prescription. Please see ‘Delivery Information’ at the bottom of our web page for more details.

It is secured by the same encryption system the banks use to process debit and credit card transactions. Your banking information is held by a third party merchant banking system owned by a major bank and not held by Eyekit. It is as secure as can be with current technology. We do not store any card details on our system.

We accept all major credit and debit cards, PayPal, Apple and Google Pay. All orders on the website must be paid on online. If you are unsure about to do this or require help, please contact us by email or phone us directly.

 You can email us your requirements and we can raise the order for you and contact you for payment. This is usually done via bank transfer or PayPal, we do not take payments over the phone as we do not store any card details for security reasons. Please contact us by email or phone so that we can assist you with whatever you need.

Yes, it is easy at Eyekit.co.uk as you can just select the frames without purchasing the prescription. If you have ordered glasses, you will receive the frame with a set of non-prescription lenses incorporated into them. Ideal if you want them just for fashion. You can also use these to take to your own optician to have prescription lenses incorporated if they are prepared to do that for you.  

As soon as you can, call us or send an email letting us know. For this reason, please double-check your prescription and shipping information before submitting your order. Once you've placed your order you’re given the option of printing it off - we recommend you do this for future reference. Unfortunately, once frames have been sent off for glazing we will not be able to make amendments and you will need to pay for the lenses.

If you’ve had your eyes checked and don’t need a prescription you can purchase a pair of glasses with either plain or tinted lenses in a frame of your choice. At eyekit.co.uk it is easy to buy your eyewear without the prescription.

Go to your local opticians for an eye test. At the end of the test ask your optician a copy. While you are there, please ask them for your PD measurement.  Note that they are legally obliged to provide you with a written prescription and that you are under no obligation to purchase expensive eyewear from them.

If a pair of sunglasses or sports glasses are too curved or large to be glazed with a prescription, some manufacturers make prescription adaptors for them. The inserts can be glazed with prescription lenses and can then be inserted behind the sunglasses lens.

No, you need a different prescription for glasses.

This is the distance between the centres of your pupils. The measurement helps us to correctly position the lens within the frame. We recommend that you ask your optician to write this measurement on your prescription. If however, you do not have this measurement, we will fill the order using an average Pupillary Distance of 63mm for a man and 60 for a woman. This is an average we have worked out from thousands of customers. It is easy to measure your own PD, just go to the prescription section of the Information Resource on the left of the page and click how-to-measure-your-pupillary-distance. and follow the guide.

• If you need glasses for driving, sports activities or watching TV, choose ‘distance’.
• If you need glasses for computer use or reading music.  Choose ‘intermediate.'
• For glasses needed for reading or close-up work of any kind, choose ‘near/reading’.
• If you require one prescription for both distance vision and reading i.e. needed for both driving and being able to read a map, choose ‘bifocal’.

On the prescription input page of eyekit.co, you will be asked for this information which our optician will use to make any necessary adjustments.

All opticians are legally bound to give you a clear, legible copy of your prescription to take home. If they haven’t, you should go back to them for a clear copy. Alternatively, send us a copy of it. Our optician might be able to read it and if not will call your issuing optician for clarification.

If you are still unsure about entering your prescription having read the help sections on the prescription input page, it is better to send us your prescription. When you order your eyewear, just state in the comments box in the prescription input page that you will be sending it to us. You can send us a copy either by post, email or fax. Please make sure you include your name, telephone number and order number on the prescription that you send to us. We will then load it into your account for you so that it is available for any future purchases.

Our qualified Optician check’s and authorizes every customer order. If there is anything that is out of the ordinary or looks incorrect, you will be contacted either by email or phone and may be asked to confirm some of your prescription details or email/fax a copy of it to us.

Prior to entering your prescription, you can go to the prescriptions section of the Information Resource on the left of the page and click ‘Prescriptions explained’.  Read the sections relevant to your prescription. Alternatively, when inputting your prescription, read the pop-up help sections that are relevant to your prescription. If still unsure, you can contact us or post, email or fax your prescription.

You will need a valid prescription that has been issued within the last two years. If you do not have a current prescription, please go for an eye test and ensure that the optician gives you a copy. While you are there, please ask them for your PD measurement.  Note that they are legally obliged to provide you with a written prescription and that you are under no obligation to purchase expensive eyewear from them.

Eye size is a term we use in the optical industry to measure frames.  If you have a pair of glasses you will be able to see a set on numbers on the inside of the arm. For example, 52 18 130. The first number in the eye size refers to the distance in millimetres across (horizontally) one lens.  The second number in the eye size refers to the distance between the two lenses or bridge size (measured in millimetres).  The third number is the arm length in millimetres. This is referred to as DBL (Diameter of the lens, Bridge, Length of arm). If you are happy with your glasses, then choose a new pair that is similar in size to your current pair.

If you do not have glasses, then this information can help assist you in sizing a frame for your face.  To better understand the frame size, double the first number and add the second.  This will give you the distance across the full front of the frame.  In the example above, an eye size of 52 18 means that the frame measures about 122 mm across (52 x 2 + 18 = 122). This value should be considered a minimum as there will be some inaccuracies due to the width of any frame and the curve of the hinge. At eyekit.co we provide exact measurements for you which appear on each product page.  Armed with this information you can then put the ruler up on your face to see how big the frame will be on you.  If you only have inches on your ruler, 25mm equals 1 inch.  So, in our example, this frame would measure 4.88 inches (122 divided by 25).  You do not need exact measurements; most frames are flexible and comfortable in a range of sizes. You can afford to allow a few mm difference. This will ensure they are neither too tight nor too loose.

Some brands may also give other measurements. The "B" is the height of the lens top to bottom in millimetres.  The "ED" is the distance diagonally across the lens in mm. The TPL is the length of the temple or earpiece.

Your new glasses may need adjusting either on the nose bridge, by pinching the pads together so as to make them sit higher on your nose bridge or expanding slightly to help them sit lower down. You may also want to adjust the ear pieces. These can be bent or straightened and the ear piece is usually best warmed up first before attempting to bend it. This can be done in very warm water or with the use of a hairdryer. Some opticians will adjust them for you for a small fee.

Brown is the base colour of the lens tint and gradient means the shade of brown reduces from top to bottom. This can sometimes mean the lens is a very light shade at the bottom of the lens or it is clear, depending on the particular sunglass. 

If you have plastic lenses in your glasses then dry tissues will scratch them. It is generally better to dampen the tissue, or even use soapy water and a soft cloth. Glasses with anti-glare coatings should be cleaned with a special microfiber cloth and spray.  Check out the accessories section at eyekit.co for options.

If there is glaucoma in the family, you may be more at risk of developing it. Glaucoma can be treated effectively if it is diagnosed in time, so be sure to have a regular eye examination.

Yes. Diabetes can cause severe problems with your sight. It is very important that your eyes are checked every year, preferably with drops to dilate the pupil, so that the retina (back of the eye) can be examined thoroughly.

When you buy your sunglasses, look for a label that tells you how much UV radiation the lenses of the sunglasses reflect. Experts say that your sunglasses should block 99-100% of both UVA and UVB rays. Be wary of buying cheap imitation brands. All eyekit sunglasses are from branded suppliers and will block most if not all UV radiation. As an additional precaution, we check all sunglasses that leave our warehouse for their UV value.

It is a well-known fact that infrared solar radiation is not hazardous. Infrared radiation can cause eye damage only if it is of strong intensity, as when exposed to particular artificial light sources (such as during welding processes or in the proximity of melting metal).

Everyone is at risk for eye problems caused by the sun. Even children are at risk of damaging their eyes. The risk of sun-related eye problems is higher for people who:

• Spend long hours in the sun
• Have had cataract surgery or have certain retinal disorders
• Are on certain medicines, such as tetracycline and birth control pills that increase the eye's sensitivity to light

Sunglasses help you in two ways. They filter light and they protect your eyes from damaging ultra-violet rays (UV). Evidence shows that exposure to UV rays can damage your eyes. Long-term exposure to UV rays can lead to cataracts and other eye diseases. Sunglasses should be worn when you are outdoors. You should choose sunglasses that:
Filter out 99-100% of UV rays

• Reduce glare
• Do not distort colours
• Are comfortable to wear

No. When people start to wear glasses they realise they can see more clearly and comfortably. Before wearing glasses, vision would have been inferior by comparison Most people who do not wear glasses will realise their eyes are deteriorating at about the age of 45. This is part of the natural ageing process. They will continue to deteriorate over time irrespective of how long glasses are worn.

They can be examined at any age. A child’s eyes have finished developing by the time they are about eight years old. Many health authorities screen children in their area at around three years of age, but if you are concerned, or if there are any members of your family with eye problems, then it’s best to have your child’s eyes tested.

No. Sunglasses should be used by everyone. Children are at special risk from the harmful effects of UV, since their eyes do not have the same ability as adults to protect from UV radiation.

There are many kinds of contact lenses available now which will correct astigmatism, both in soft and gas permeable materials.

No. There is a thin, transparent membrane which covers the inside of the eyelids and the outside of the eye. This forms a seal which prevents contact lenses – as well as grit, dust and other ‘foreign’ material – passing round to the back of the eye. It has been known for contact lenses to ‘hide’ beneath eyelids, but this is easily rectified.

It is important that you follow the advice of your practitioner. Not every solution will suit every patient, for the lenses, they are wearing. If you do change your cleaning system for any reason, always inform your practitioner.

No, unless specifically told that you can by your eye care practitioner. Sleeping in your lenses can be hazardous as it can lead to infection or damage to the cornea (front window of the eye).