True confessions of an eyeball doctor-Part 4

{Part 4} Dark side #1: No personal fittings. 

You don’t get to try the glasses on, or have someone help you in person. This one is obvious, but huge.  

Every pair of eyeglasses – like, every single pair, ever – needs micro-adjustments that can only be made in-person with a skilled professional. Even when eyewear is designed for the right demographic, no two heads are alike! Eyeglasses are by their nature a custom-made item. So, until we can beam someone Star Trek-style to you, to deliver and adjust your eyeglasses (as you shop online in your underwear at midnight… eek!), this remains impossible to do virtually. 

Sure, I found sites that offered creative ways to “try before you buy,” like uploading a pic on which to superimpose frames like a selfie filter, or shipping multiple pairs back and forth to test at home (which becomes the opposite of convenient if you don’t get a good fit on your first attempt). No online solution came close to replacing a skilled human being helping you choose, taking your measurements, and making the necessary adjustments to perfectly fit your eyewear.  

[Dark side #2]