A few months back my prescription eyeglasses met with an untimely end at the paws of my 8-month-old puppy. As you can probably imagine, I was none too happy with the situation, but I also knew that I was overdue for an eye exam – and most likely an update to my prescription – anyway. Before too long, I was wearing a fancy new pair of glasses and even brought home new sunglasses for use in the car too.
All was right with the world again, with one minor exception. In the past, I have always kept a pair of prescription sport sunglasses around for use during my favorite outdoor activities, including running, cycling, mountain biking, hiking, and so on. And while my prescription hadn’t changed all that dramatically, it was enough that my old sport shades simply weren’t going to cut it any longer. I knew I needed a versatile pair of sunglasses for use in the outdoors, but none of my local shops had anything that fit my needs, and I was a little hesitant to purchase a new pair online. That’s when I discovered SportRX.com however, and that hesitation quickly faded away.
The website has literally thousands of different frames to choose from and specializes in custom crafting lenses to fit the very specific needs of their customers. In fact, they can usually help an athlete find the best pair of frames – or goggles – for the activity that they most commonly take part in. The website even allows visitors to search by sport, with options ranging from fishing to running to mountaineering to skiing and more.
In my case, I needed something versatile that I could wear while running, mountain biking, hiking, traveling, and even occasionally peak bagging. I ended up going with the Mercurial 6.0 from Nike, which offer good all-around coverage, a solid level of durability, and have the added benefit of being compatible with my admittedly strong prescription. Due to my eyes requiring thicker lenses, some of the styles were completely off limits.
SportRX makes ordering glasses online as simple as possible by taking customers through a step-by-step process, during which they select the style and color of their frame, the type of lenses required, and so on. A prescription can also be uploaded, emailed, or faxed, with each order being checked over by a staff of opticians before it is finished. Most orders are completed and shipped off within a week or so.
I was so impressed with the entire procedure that I spoke with SportRX Vice President Rob Tavakoli to get a better sense of how the company works. I was surprised to learn that the website has been around since 1996, which in Internet terms might as well be the Jurassic era. The fact that the company’s founders had the foresight to begin selling prescription sunglasses online more than two decades ago is astounding, while the fact that the company is still around is a testament to its customer service.
Tavakoli also told me that more than 50% of SportRX customers actually end up speaking with a representative on the phone, often simply to clarify their orders or to consult on the right frames for their needs. The goal of the company is to make sure that everyone is happy and comfortable with their new sunglasses, but if for some reason someone isn’t fully satisfied, SportsRX will allow them to return the glasses for a different pair or their money back.
As someone with a strong – and a little unusual – prescription, I was pleasantly surprised to find so many options to choose from. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’m never going to be able to use some of the smaller, lighter, sunglasses that are on the market, but it was nice to at least have choices. In the end, I got a great pair of athletic shades at a good price, delivered in a timely manner. Chances are, if you use SportsRX, you’ll get the exact same experience.