It might interest you to know about people's experience with recent orders. Please read the latest posts; many people have not received anything 3-4 weeks since placing orders. Also, Zenni charges your card as soon as you place an order not when it ships or when they send you a tracking number.




Since the green rating on the thread is often more of an initial vote on the deal itself, I'd like to suggest a poll on the quality of the glasses (and customer service) once you've received your order and used them awhile. Simply return here, edit this message and add 1 to the positive or negative row to place your vote.

Based on your experience, would you order from Zenni Optical again?

Yes: 89
No: 10

FTC Trade Regulation Rule (CFR 456)

PART 456%u2014OPHTHALMIC PRACTICE RULES

Sec.
456.1 Definitions.
456.2 Separation of examination and dispensing.
456.3 Federal or State employees.
456.4 Declaration of Commission Intent.
AUTHORITY: 15 U.S.C. 57a; 5 U.S.C. 552.
SOURCE: 57 FR 18822, May 1, 1992, unless otherwise noted.
%uFFFD 456.1 Definitions.
(a) A patient is any person who has had an eye examination.
(b) An eye examination is the process of determining the refractive condition
of a person%u2019s eyes or the presence of any visual anomaly by the use of objective or subjective tests.
(c) Ophthalmic goods are eyeglasses,or any component of eyeglasses, and contact lenses.
(d) Ophthalmic services are the measuring,fitting, and adjusting of ophthalmic goods subsequent to an eye examination.
(e) An ophthalmologist is any Doctor of Medicine or Osteopathy who performs eye examinations.
(f) An optometrist is any Doctor of Optometry.
(g) A prescription is the written specifications for lenses for eyeglasses which are derived from an eye examination, including all of the information specified by state law, if any, necessary to obtain lenses for eyeglasses.
%uFFFD 456.2 Separation of examination and dispensing.
It is an unfair act or practice for an ophthalmologist or optometrist to:
(a) Fail to provide to the patient one copy of the patient%u2019s prescription immediately
after the eye examination is completed. Provided: An ophthalmologist or optometrist may refuse to give the patient a copy of the patient%u2019s prescription until the patient has paid for the eye examination, but only if that ophthalmologist or optometrist would have required immediate payment from that patient had the examination
revealed that no ophthalmic goods were required;
(b) Condition the availability of an eye examination to any person on a requirement that the patient agree to
purchase any ophthalmic goods from the ophthalmologist or optometrist;
(c) Charge the patient any fee in addition to the ophthalmologist%u2019s or optometrist%u2019s examination fee as a condition
to releasing the prescription to the patient. Provided: An ophthalmologist or optometrist may charge an additional
fee for verifying ophthalmic goods dispensed by another seller when the additional fee is imposed at the time the verification is performed; or
(d) Place on the prescription, or require the patient to sign, or deliver to the patient a form or notice waiving or
disclaiming the liability or responsibility of the ophthalmologist or optometrist for the accuracy of the eye examination
or the accuracy of the ophthalmic goods and services dispensed by another seller.
%uFFFD 456.3 Federal or State employees.
This rule does not apply to ophthalmologists or optometrists employed by any Federal, State or local government
entity.
%uFFFD 456.4 Declaration of Commission Intent.
In prohibiting the use of waivers and disclaimers of liability in %uFFFD 456.2(d), it is not the Commission%u2019s intent to impose liability on an ophthalmologist or optometrist for the ophthalmic goods and services dispensed by another seller pursuant to the ophthalmologist%u2019s or optometrist%u2019s prescription.


Understanding Your Eyeglass Prescription

Your eyeglass prescription consists of lens powers needed to give you the best vision possible.

What the Numbers Mean

Your prescription will consist of numbers that represent the lens powers needed to correct the vision in each of your eyes. A typical eyeglass prescription will look something like this:

OD -3.25 -1.25 x 175

OS -4.25 -1.00 x 165

Add 2.25

The first line of an eyeglass prescription is, by convention, for the right eye. It is sometimes noted as O.D. The left eye or O.S. is the second line of your eyeglass prescription. The first column number is the spherical power for each eye. It is indicated by numbers known as diopters usually in .25 steps. Occasionally you may see .12 steps but this is rare. Sphere powers are identified by either a plus or minus sign. This is a very important to know because a minus (-) power corrects the vision problem nearsightedness and a plus ( ) power corrects farsightedness. So if the sphere power of your prescription is a negative number you are nearsighted and if the sphere power is a positive number than you are farsighted. The larger the number the greater the degree of nearsightedness or farsightedness.

The second column of your eyeglass prescription is called the cylinder power. If there is a number in this column that means that you have astigmatism. The same plus and minus number conventions as the sphere power apply to the cylinder of your prescription. There may be no number in this column or there may be a sph. or sphere written in this column. In either case there is no power so you have no astigmatism. It is possible to have astigmatism in one eye and not your other.

The last column of your prescription is the axis. This represents the direction or location of your cylinder power. If there is no cylinder power in your eyeglass prescription. than it cannot and will not have an axis number indicated. If you have a cylinder power then it will have an axis. This is a measurement in degrees from 0 to 180. Only half of the 360 degree circle are used because 90 and 270 would be identical.

So if you know your sphere power cylinder power, and axis for each eye, you know if you are nearsighted, farsighted, or have if you have an astigmatism.

Occasionally a prescription may have a prism power. This is usually for people who suffer from diplopia (double vision). It may be a fraction or a decimal such as 1/2 or .75. If there is a prism power it must also have a direction or a base. This is either up, down, in, or out. Prism is relatively rare in occurrence.

A multi focal prescription such as bifocal, trifocal, or progressive lens will also have an add power. This power is in addition to the sphere, cylinder, and axis and is indicated on the next line of the prescription. It is always a positive number such as 1.25 or 2.25. This is the amount of extra focusing power to enable reading or near vision.

The last number need to complete an eyeglass prescription and fabricate a new pair of eyeglasses is the pupillary distance otherwise know as known as "PD". It is the distance, in millimeters, between the centers of the pupils in your eyes, for example 62. This is further described as distance PD and near PD such as 63/60. Distance PD is when you are looking straight ahead and near PD is when you are looking close. When you look close your eyes turn in, therefore the near PD will always be less than your distance PD. Each eye can also be measured individually. This is called a monocular PD. It would be expressed as 31/30 or 31/31 depending on your symmetry and facial feature. An adult PD varies little with time.

NOTE: A written eyeglass prescription may or may not contain a PD measurement.

Make sure your prescription is current by having your eyes examined regularly to insure you are seeing as clearly as possible. Eyes do change gradually over time and it may be so gradual that you do not notice. Routine eye examinations also screen for the silent stealers of sight such as glaucoma and cataracts.

Did you know that you have a legal right to obtain your eyeglass prescription from your eyecare professional? That's right. Request your prescription at the time of your eye examination or request it later, it's your right.

This is the eyeglass company that Clark Howard always talks about- He loves them!