Frequently Asked Questions
Ordering
What do I need to place an order with Focalise?
How do I obtain my prescription?
Lenses
What are the lenses made of?
Do you sell prescription sunglasses and other tinted lenses?
What about lens coatings and tints?
Do you sell bifocal lenses?
What is the segment shape of bifocal lenses?
What about varifocal/progressive/multifocal lenses?
Delivery
How long will my glasses take?
Your prescription
"Near", "intermediate" or "distance" prescription?
Can I use my contact lens prescription for ordering glasses with you?
What is my Pupilary distance (PD), and how do I obtain it?
I don't understand what my prescription says
Support
What if I entered some information incorrectly?
What if my frames need adjustment after I receive them?
What is your guarantee policy?
When does the 90 day period start?
What about refunds for postage and packing?
Can I exchange my glasses for a higher priced pair?
Payment
What are the Postage and Packaging costs?
What are the available methods of payment?
Is the Payment page Secure?
Other
How can you charge such low prices?
Can I just order frames/lenses with no prescription in them?
Can you read my prescription from my existing glasses?
Can you re-glaze my existing frames?
Can I be reimbursed by my Health Fund Provider?
What do the Frame Measurements mean?
I have diabetes/glaucoma/ocular hypertension. Can I still order?
Answers
Ordering
What do I need to place an order with Focalise?
To order your glasses with us you will need your prescription. We will only accept your prescription if it’s less than two years old. If it’s not, visit your optician, get an eye test, get a copy of your prescription and order from us!
How do I obtain my prescription?
Your optician must, by law, provide you with a copy of your prescription, and shouldn't insist or suggest that you need to buy your glasses from him/her. Have your eyes tested, ask for a copy of your prescription, take it with you, and order and save with Focalise!
Lenses
What are the lenses made of?
We use lightweight CR39 1.49 index plastic lenses for most of our glasses. Most lenses sold today are made of plastic as they are much lighter than glass lenses. 1.49 index lenses are perfect for most prescriptions - but if your prescription is more than +3.00 or -3.00, you may want to consider thinner lenses.
What does 1.49 index mean? This refers to how the lens bends light and not how thick the lens is (it doesn't mean 1.49mm). Higher numbers actually mean you need less lens material to make the same prescription adjustment. So higher index numbers = thinner lenses.
For our 'thin' lenses, we generally use 1.61 high index lenses. These are 23% thinner than our standard lenses. If your prescription is more than +5.00 or -5.00, you may want to consider thinner lenses.
Please note that for rimless frames we recommend using polycarbonate lenses. These lenses come in 1.59 high index as standard and are available in all of the coatings that we offer. However, if you really want a higher index in your rimless frames we can do it (e.g. if you want 1.67, we'll put 1.67 in).
For glass lenses, lenses higher than 1.61 index, or any other queries, please contact us about options and pricing.
Do you sell prescription sunglasses and other tinted lenses?
Yes. We have a variety of colours of tints (with standard 20% light transmission); or glasses can be made with the sun-reactive (or photochromic) feature. This type of lens is clear in normal lighting conditions, but tints itself under sunlight and includes a 100% UV filter. These options can be specified when ordering on our website.
What about lens coatings and tints?
All of our lenses come with a free anti-scratch coating. We also offer a number of different lens coatings and tints - here's how they can help you and your eyes:
Sunglasses tint - we have 3 tints for our standard lenses to make them into sunglasses for you ($40 extra)
Anti-reflective coating has a number of benefits - it reduces the amount of light reflecting of your lenses, reduces glare when night driving and people can see your eyes not a patch of light on your lenses ($35 extra)
Sun-reactive coating - also known as photochromic lenses or by brand names such as "Transitions® lenses" (Transitions is a registered trademark of Transitions Optical, Inc.) - they're clear indoors, but react to sunlight outdoors and transform into sunglasses (note that wearing them in your car lessens their affect as your windscreen filters out some UV rays). We currently offer as standard SunSensor lenses, but can supply the more expensive Transitions lenses if requested
UV protective coating - protects your eyes from UV rays! ($35 extra)
Scratch resistant coating - resists scratches! (FREE)
Do you sell bifocal lenses?
Yes we do. Bifocal lenses are an additional $45.
Bifocals are distance glasses with a reading segment at the bottom of the lens. There is no problems selling bifocals online as we can use average measurements with great success.
We only recommend these lens types to those people whose optician has recommended them.
What is the segment shape of bifocal lenses?
As standard we use D28 bifocal lenses. These are 28mm wide "D" shaped segments that are positioned vertically 3mm below the centre of the lens and horizontally are centred on your pupillary distance. If you would like them to be positioned further up or down (higher or lower) then do state on your order or contact us to discuss your needs. We can also make up D35 bifocal lenses which at 35mm are slightly wider, and executive bifocals that stretch across the whole width of the lens. If you would prefer either of these options then contact us for an individual quote.
What about varifocal/multifocal/progressive lenses?
Here's our view on supplying varifocals (multifocal or progressive) glasses online - if you're looking for a reglaze on your existing varifocals then we can definitely assist you - contact us for a reglaze quote.
Because varifocal lenses blend your reading, intermediate and distance prescriptions, taking the correct measurements are vital. A measurement needs to be taken from the centre of your pupil to the bottom of your chosen new frame and we cannot do this without being face-to-face with you.
Although we do not currently offer this service, we will be looking to introduce it in the future.
We could take the moral high ground and say we won't supply varifocals online, but Focalise is all about giving you enough information to help you make your own choices. They say "the customer is always right" and we agree with that view!
So, if you still want to go ahead and order varifocals then you have to accept the risk that your finished varifocal prescription glasses may not be properly aligned. Because we cannot guarantee your complete satisfaction we cannot offer our 90 day no questions asked money back guarantee. Please contact us should you have further questions.
Delivery
How long will my glasses take?
Your order will be given immediate attention and processed on the same day.
Glasses are sent via standard Australia Post or Australia Express Post, and the packages we use fit through most letterboxes.
Delivery can take up to 28 days. However, your glasses should usually arrive within 14 days of ordering, subject to the complexity of the prescription and coatings.
Your prescription
"Near", "intermediate" or "distance" prescription?
If your prescription contains different measurements for near, distance or intermediate categories, here’s our advice:
Enter measurements for all categories if you are ordering bifocal lenses.
For single vision lenses, choose the "near" line if your glasses are needed for reading or close up work. Choose the "distance" line if your glasses are required for seeing objects far away. Choose the "intermediate" line if your glasses are required for reading or computer work. If you need advice about which line is the most appropriate, please ask your optician at the time of your eye test.
Can I use my contact lens prescription for ordering glasses with you?
While your contact lens and eyeglasses prescriptions may seem the same, they usually have differences. You must have your eyes tested and a prescription issued for use with spectacles, which is less than two years old, before ordering with Focalise.
What is my Pupillary Distance (PD), and how do I obtain it?
PD is the distance from the centre of the pupil (black spot) in one eye to the centre of the pupil in the other eye. This measurement improves the positioning of your lenses within the frame you have chosen. It can be provided in minutes by your optician or doctor, and so we recommend that you ask for it when you have your eyes tested. Alternatively, you may also choose to use an average PD, which is provided for you by our dispensing opticians on the order form.
It's also possible to get a friend to measure your PD for you with a ruler - just make sure you give us your PD in millimetres!
I don't understand what my prescription says
You can send in your prescription or download and print out our mail order form or fax it to 1300 793 580 and we will have a look at it for you. We may need to ask you to clarify the details on it with your optician if we cannot read it ourselves. Opticians should give you a clear, legible copy of your prescription to take away.
Support
What if I entered some information incorrectly?
Immediately call or send an email alerting us, because we process orders very rapidly. For this reason we ask you to please double-check your prescription and shipping information prior to submitting your order. Once you've placed your order we'll send you a confirmation email - keep this for future reference.
What if my frames need adjustment after I receive them?
If you need a minor adjustment, most optical stores will do it for a small fee.
What is your guarantee policy?
We offer you a 90 day, unconditional (no questions asked), money-back guarantee.
Why 90 days? Because we understand that buying glasses online for the first time is like anything you do for the first time - a little scary to begin with. You may have a number of questions about the quality of the glasses you will get and perhaps ultimately - can you trust Focalise to deliver what you want? We know that we're using the same suppliers that supply the rest of the optical industry and we'll do everything we can to make buying online a safe, easy and quality experience for you. We hope our 90 day guarantee will go a little way to building some trust and confidence with us.
So, should you decide that your new glasses aren't right for you, we'll give you a refund or exchange them for another pair of the same value. We'll ask no questions, just put them in the post and we'll sort it out for you.
When does the 90 day period start?
We will stamp your invoice with a date when we put it in the post. The 90 day period will start from this date.
What about refunds for postage and packing?
We do not offer refunds for postage and packing costs.
Can I exchange my glasses for a higher priced pair?
Absolutely. But we will charge you for the difference in cost.
Payment
What are the Postage and Packaging costs?
We charge a flat rate of $4.50 per item for postage and packaging to anywhere in Australia. Higher charges apply for overseas shipping. Our glasses' packages should fit through most letterboxes.
What are the available methods of payment?
At the moment we have two options - direct deposit into the Focalise bank account - or credit card payments using the secure and globally trusted PayPal™ payment system. You do not need to be a PayPal™ member to pay using this method. You will, however, require a valid credit card. PayPal™ is currently the only way we can accept credit card payments.
Is the Payment page Secure?
Our payment system uses an on-line credit card payment service which is secured with 128bit SSL from PayPal™. SSL is the leading security protocol on the internet. 128-bit encryption is the strongest possible encryption on the web. Together, this ensures that any and all transactions are secure. If you right-click on the payment page, go to properties and look at the web address, you will see that it is an https:// page over a secure server.
Other
How can you charge such low prices?
Do any of these stories sound familiar?
- You're choosing some frames from your optician's store. You have a budget in mind, but can't find the right frames at the right prices. You choose the cheaper frame option beacuse you know you've still got to pay for the lenses. You know the optician will try to sell you coatings and other options you don't understand. You leave feeling like you didn't get value for money. We've been there
- You'd like to buy spare glasses for driving or computer work, but can't stretch your budget beyond one pair of glasses
- You like to buy brand frames, but love to pay brand outlet prices
- You've wondered how opticians can offer specials of "$100 off" frames, discounts of up to 70% off frames or offers like "buy one, get a second pair for half price" - and still make a profit
- You want convenience, but feel the pressure to buy when you're in an optician's store, or just can't find the time to get there?
If you agreed with any of these stories then you've come to the right place.
How can we charge such low prices for our? Our prices are low because they reflect the true cost of eyewear. And here's the secret:
The average cost of frames in Australia is around $20. The average cost of lenses in Australia is around $10.
Yet the average cost of complete glasses in Australia is over $300.
Do you think that's fair?
Opticians can charge high prices for glasses because they have information about the true cost of glasses that they don't share with you.
Our view is that consumers (many grudgingly) pay on average over $300 for glasses because they believe that the price reflects the quality of the product. Yet glasses are mass produced like many other goods.
We're honest about prices, we keep our overheads low so that you get high quality prescription eyewear at low prices.
Can I just order frames/lenses with no prescription in them?
Yes! Just specify on the order form that you require plano lenses.
Can you read my prescription from my existing glasses?
Yes! You may send in your glasses with a completed mail order form for us to read the prescription from them. There is an additional charge for this service of $10. We will return your glasses to you after taking a reading from them.
When you send in your glasses to us you must certify that:
- You are in possession of a written prescription given by a registered medical practitioner or registered optometrist.
- Your prescription is less than 2 years old if you are under 69 years of age or less than one year old if you are over 70 years of age.
- That the spectacles you are sending in are made to that prescription
Can you re-glaze my existing frames?
Yes we can re-glaze your frames. Contact us for more details and a quote.
Can I be reimbursed by my Health Fund Provider?
Yes you can! You should check with your individual health fund provider first (HBF does not pay for glasses purchased online at the moment), but all the information your health fund requires to remiburse you will be on your receipt.
What do the Frame Measurements mean?
The easiest way to get the right frame size is to get the dimensions from a comfortable pair of glasses you already have.
On one of the armsyou will usually find (you may need a magnifying glass) three measurements, the first two separated by a rectangle.
The Lens Diameter is a matter of choice, but the other two (Bridge Width and Arm Length) determine the fit.
They do not need to be exact, but the closer they are to your existing pair, the more likely your new glasses are to be a comfortable fit.
I have diabetes/glaucoma/ocular hypertension. Can I still order?
Yes, but please note that we strongly recommend annual eye checks for those suffering from any of these conditions.
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