What to Bring When Buying Glasses in China: Traveler Checklist

Bring four things — your old glasses, home English prescription, passport and payment tools — and you can walk into any chain optical shop; 1–2 hours, same-day pickup.

Short answer: four items are enough. Old glasses (most important), original home eye prescription (carrying SPH/CYL/AXIS/PD), passport (large shops register it for invoice and warranty), payment tools (RMB cash plus one usable overseas Visa/Mastercard).

No advance preparation inside China is needed: no photos, no passport copies, no Chinese translation required. Chinese optical shops give free exams and re-test you on the spot in 15–30 minutes. A pair in Shanghai runs RMB 200–500 (about USD 28–70), 70–90% below the US average of USD 234. This checklist has an English counterpart on getting-glasses-in-china.com; tick through it while packing.

1. Old Glasses: the Single Most Important Item

Why most important? The pair you wear now is the fastest reference an optometrist uses to work back to your degree.

Chinese optical exam tables carry a small instrument called a lensometer; place the old glasses on it for 5 seconds and the machine directly reads out:

• Sphere (SPH, myopia/hyperopia)
• Cylinder (CYL, astigmatism)
• Axis (AXIS, astigmatism direction)
• Reference position corresponding to pupil distance (PD)

When these numbers match your home prescription, the optometrist has a solid baseline. The autorefraction plus trial fitting that follows only fine-tunes on that baseline, done in 15 minutes.

What happens if you don’t bring old glasses? The optometrist starts from the autorefractor, takes a rough reading, then repeatedly trials lenses to find the clearest point. Sensitive data such as astigmatism axis carries more error without an old-lens reference. It’s not impossible to fit, but it costs 10–15 extra minutes, and the first pair may need one return visit for adjustment.

If your current glasses were fitted 5 years ago and the degree no longer works: still bring them. Seeing the old degree plus which line of the chart you can read now, the optometrist immediately judges how much your degree rose over those 5 years — ten times more reliable than you saying from memory “I’m about -4.00.”

Old frame as style reference: your face has adapted to the frame shape you’ve worn for years. When choosing a new frame, compare against the old pair and pick a similar shape; the try-on adaptation is shorter. Many travelers get dizzy for a week after switching to a large frame. If the old frame fits comfortably, choose a close size for the new one.

Three numbers are written on the old temple: for example 52□18-140, meaning lens width 52mm, bridge width 18mm, temple length 140mm. Show these to staff and they find matching-size new frames directly, saving you half an hour of trying on.

What if old glasses broke or were lost before departure? Save photos of the old prescription, then get examined directly at a Chinese shop. Without an old-lens reference the exam takes 10 extra minutes, but results are equally accurate. Bring a spare worn reading glasses or a friend’s old frame to tide you over; don’t enter the exam room naked-eyed.

A counter-intuitive note: free exams at Chinese optical shops are not a marketing gimmick but an industry standard. Say “exam only, no fitting” and staff still run the exam without attitude. Walk out with a Chinese prescription and fit lenses elsewhere. Large chains take 15–30 minutes; wholesale markets finish in 10, charging nothing.

2. Home Prescription: All Four Data Points Must Be Present

The prescription must carry the numbers matching these four English abbreviations:

Consequences of missing one:

• Missing SPH: cannot fit; must re-examine.
• Missing CYL: fine if you have no astigmatism (CYL 0); if you do and it’s omitted, must re-examine.
• Missing AXIS: an axis off by 10 degrees causes dizziness; must re-measure.
• Missing PD: no problem; Chinese shops measure PD free in 1 minute with an instrument.

What does a prescription look like? US prescriptions are one sheet listing OD (right eye) and OS (left eye) separately. EU, Australian, Japanese and Singaporean formats are similar. Photograph the sheet into your phone album plus print a copy to carry; double insurance.

🚫 Trap note: some countries’ prescriptions state “PD not included by law” (for example some US states where optometrists may deliberately skip PD). This is no problem in China: say “measure my PD” on entry, staff shine a pupillometer at your eyes, done in 1 minute, free.

What if the prescription has expired? Industry practice treats prescriptions within 1–2 years as reference; beyond 3 years we suggest an in-store re-exam. Chinese exams are free; don’t force an old prescription.

What if the prescription is handwritten and illegible? Some countries’ doctors write prescriptions in a scrawl you can’t read yourself to tell whether SPH is -3.25 or -3.75. In that case let the Chinese shop do the exam directly.

What if the prescription carries pupil height (PH)? PH is the distance from pupil center to frame bottom, required for progressive multifocal lenses. Chinese shops re-measure it against the new frame you choose, because PH differs by frame shape. The PH on your home prescription corresponds only to that year’s frame; measure fresh for the new one.

3. Passport: Why Large Shops Register It

When issuing an invoice, chain optical shops (Bao Dao, Doctor Glasses, LensCrafters cooperation stores) require a buyer name in the system. Local customers fill in an ID number; foreign customers fill in a passport number.

When you must show the passport:

• You want a proper invoice (warranty proof).
• You pay with an overseas Visa/Mastercard; the cashier checks passport name against card name.
• You buy international-brand lenses such as Essilor or Zeiss; the brand registers identity information for after-sales.

When you don’t need it:

• Wholesale market cash transactions with no invoice.
• Small chain shops where you pay by Alipay/WeChat Pay without an invoice.
• Buying only a cheap pair under RMB 200.

⚠️ Still bring it. Keep the passport in the hotel safe; carrying it to the fitting isn’t heavy. If lenses are defective and need exchange, a shop without invoice and identity registration will disown the claim.

Do you need a passport copy? No. Chinese shops photograph the passport first page with a phone, easier than a copy.

Do you need the visa page? No. Invoices register only name and passport number; visa isn’t checked.

4. Payment Tools: Prepare Three Methods

Cash RMB (steadiest):

• Wholesale markets take cash only; no cards, no QR.
• Exchange RMB 1000–2000 (about USD 140–280), enough for 2–3 pairs.
• Airport and hotel exchange rates are worst; city-center Bank of China/ICBC branches or ATMs give the best rate.
• Mainly RMB 100 notes; change comes in smaller denominations.
• City-center ATM single withdrawal cap is RMB 3000.

Overseas Visa/Mastercard:

• Chain optical shop POS machines basically accept them.
• Foreign exchange fee 1–3%, per your card issuer’s rules.
• American Express and JCB aren’t accepted at small chains; don’t carry only those two.
• At checkout the cashier asks for PIN or signature; many overseas cards have no PIN, so signing suffices.
• If declined, don’t panic; some POS machines restrict overseas cards — switch to Alipay or pay cash.
• Before leaving home, call your card issuer to enable “China/Asia” transactions; some banks block overseas payments by default.

Alipay / WeChat Pay international version:

• Since 2024 these support binding overseas Visa/Mastercard and scan payment at large chains.
• But success rate isn’t 100%; some merchants don’t support the overseas-card channel.
• Limits: RMB 3000–5000 per transaction, depending on card and verification level.
• Strongly recommend binding before departure on your home network; binding after landing in China may miss the verification SMS.

🚫 Don’t carry large amounts of US dollar cash. Chinese optical shops don’t accept dollars, and hotel exchange rates are worst. Withdrawing RMB at a city-center ATM with an overseas card is cheapest, at USD 3–5 per transaction.

Deposit vs. full payment:

• After choosing frame and lenses, pay a 30–50% deposit.
• Pay the balance at pickup.
• Same-day on-site grinding can be paid in full at once.
• Don’t pay in full before seeing the actual frame.

What does the receipt look like? Large chains give a thermal-paper slip listing shop name, phone, frame model, lens brand, degree, amount and date. This slip is the warranty proof — don’t throw it away. It carries a QR code; scan it to view the electronic record.

🚫 Refund policy: if lenses are wrong-degree or dizzying, you can return within 7 days for one free rework. But frames that have been worn and scratched generally aren’t refunded. Try on for 10 minutes at pickup; speak up immediately if uncomfortable, don’t take them home.

5. Time Budget: Six Steps in 1–2 Hours

The standard same-day Chinese optical shop flow; travelers should reserve this time:

Total 1–2 hours, same-day pickup. This is the standard speed at large chains in Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen. Danyang and Panjiayuan wholesale markets are faster, done in 40 minutes.

⚠️ Is rush service charged extra? Same-day pickup is a free standard service at large chains with no markup. Say “I need it today” and staff arrange it. But progressive multifocal, high degree (over 800) or special-brand lenses may need 2–3 days of ordering; skip these if your schedule can’t wait.

What to do during the 30–60 minute grinding wait? Large chains sit inside malls; sit at a neighboring café, browse a shop or have lunch. Leave a phone number so staff call you back to try on when ready. Wholesale markets have no waiting area; stand by the stall or go downstairs for a snack.

Which step most often overruns? Frame and lens selection. First-time visitors to a Chinese shop face hundreds of frames and want to try every one, stretching a 20-minute task to an hour. Decide your budget (RMB 200–500 per pair) and frame preference before entering; ask staff directly “which frames are in this price range” rather than starting from the beginning.

6. What Not to Bring: Three Common Misconceptions

Misconception one: bringing large US dollar cash. Shops don’t accept dollars. Switch to RMB cash or card.

Misconception two: visiting at peak hours. Saturday afternoon, all Sunday and the first holiday day mean optometrists at large chains book 2 hours ahead. Tight schedules mean waiting around anyway; weekday 10 a.m. is the golden slot.

🚫 Two more don’ts:

• Don’t wear contact lenses to the exam — stop soft lenses 2+ hours and hard lenses 4 hours beforehand, otherwise the exam is inaccurate. Wear frame glasses or go naked-eyed.
• Don’t get examined right after landing on a long-haul flight with jet lag — tired eyes give readings 25–50 degrees high and over-correction is common. Sleep after landing and fit glasses the next day.

Also don’t bring:

• Large credit cards (USD 5000 limits) — high skimming risk; a large chain’s single purchase is only RMB 500–1000.
• Small items like lens cleaner or screwdriver sets — Chinese shops adjust temples and clean free.
• Leaflets or business cards from your home optical shop; staff won’t recognize your country’s brands.
• Children to the fitting unless fitting for the child — children in the exam room cause disruption that affects your own exam.
• Bring a power bank: the whole exam, frame selection and payment flow need the phone for translation, prescription photos and Alipay QR. Mall shared power banks in China require a domestic number to scan; overseas numbers can’t borrow one.

7. If Only Degree Was Measured and PD Wasn’t

This is the most common issue foreign travelers run into.

In some US states, optometrists by law issue only SPH/CYL/AXIS, charging separately or declining PD measurement. The same occurs in the UK and Canada.

What to do in China?

1. On entry say “need PD” (or show phone translation “measure pupil distance”).
2. Staff shine a pupillometer at your eyes.
3. Read two numbers: distance PD (for looking far, generally 60–66) and near PD (for near work, generally 2–3 less than distance).
4. The whole process takes 1 minute, free.

What does a PD number look like? Usually an integer between 58 and 68, such as 62, 64, 66; most adults fall between 60 and 66. Children with small heads and narrow faces may measure only 54–58. If your home prescription says PD 62 and the Chinese shop reads 63–64, a 1–2mm difference is normal error; follow the Chinese shop’s measurement.

⚠️ Don’t measure against a mirror with a ruler yourself. Self-measured pupil center distance carries 2–3mm error; the optical centers of finished lenses won’t align with pupils and vision strains. The instrument measures corneal reflection points, which is accurate.

If fitting progressive multifocal lenses: PD also splits into monocular PD (distance from right pupil center to nose bridge center), a finer datum that must be measured by in-store instrument. Don’t have the shop make lenses directly from the binocular PD on your home prescription.

During PD measurement the optometrist has you stare at a small light. Don’t blink or turn your head; 10 seconds finishes. They report two numbers; save them on your phone or say “make it according to this.” A 1mm PD error strains vision; this is the most common cause of rework.

8. Sunglasses and Old Glasses as Emergency Backup

Don’t discard old glasses on the day you fit new ones. Enter wearing the old pair; place it on staff’s tray while trying on new frames. At pickup, switch to new glasses and pack the old pair in its case to take away. If the new pair feels dizzying, you still have the old ones to wear back to the hotel.

Bring sunglasses. Chinese summer sun is strong; after the exam your eyes have been lit by machines, so sunglasses ease the first 10 minutes outside. They’re something you’d pack for the trip anyway.

A spare pair. If you own only this one pair and it breaks or is lost during the China trip, the whole trip is ruined. Fit a spare at home before departure and pack it in the suitcase. Even an older degree works for emergency use.

Glasses screwdriver and nose pads. Chinese shops adjust temples and replace nose pads free, so don’t bring your own. But if you wear an international-brand frame (Ray-Ban, Oakley), the shop may lack niche replacement pads; bringing two spares is safer.

⚠️ Contact lens users: on exam day wear frames. You can switch back to contacts right after the exam without affecting next-day travel. Don’t wear contacts into the exam; the degree can’t be measured accurately.

Bring a case and cloth. When trying on new frames, old glasses come off with nowhere to go. Chinese shops give a small plastic bag, but your own case is safer. At pickup the shop supplies a new case and cloth for the new glasses; keep your old case for the old pair.

Wipes. Chinese shops’ domestic cloth leaves streaks when wiping lenses. Bring two alcohol wipes; clean lenses before wearing them at pickup.

Power bank. The whole exam, frame selection and payment need the phone for translation, prescription photos and Alipay QR; a dead phone leaves you stranded. Mall shared power banks need a domestic number; bringing your own is steadiest.

9. Extra Notes by Traveler Type

Presbyopia (over 40): home prescriptions carry an Add value (supplementary degree, generally +1.00 to +3.00). Bring this number to the Chinese shop; progressive multifocal fitting depends on it. The optometrist measures near vision, but the Add value your home doctor set based on your reading habits is a more direct reference.

Children/teenagers: under 18 degrees shift fast; a Chinese shop exam may differ 25–50 degrees from your home doctor. For myopia-control lenses (multi-defocus type), after Laifu Glasses in Xiamen Siming District was filed in October 2026 for selling counterfeit children’s myopia-control lenses, such special lenses must come from large chains or hospital vision centers — not wholesale markets.

High degree (over 600): choose 1.67 or 1.74 index so lenses aren’t thick. A 1.67-index lens plus frame at a Chinese shop runs RMB 400–800 (USD 56–113), half the US price. But high-degree defects are more likely; must try on 15+ minutes.

Large degree difference between eyes (anisometropia): above 200 degrees difference, lens thicknesses diverge greatly and wear feels dizzy. Chinese shops suggest contacts or small frames; don’t go to wholesale markets for this — consult a professional optometrist at a large chain.

Pregnant / breastfeeding: hormone changes slightly alter corneal curvature and exam readings may differ from usual. Suggest getting measured after landing; if the reading differs from your home prescription by 50+ degrees, fit to the new degree in store rather than forcing the old prescription.

Recent LASIK surgery: degree is unstable within 6 months post-op; don’t fit glasses in China. After 1+ year with a stable degree you can, but choose anti-glare lenses since nighttime glare is common after surgery.

Diabetics: blood sugar swings can shift degree 50 degrees in a day. Stabilize blood sugar for a week before fitting, otherwise finished lenses feel dizzy. Retinopathy patients should check the fundus at a hospital first; don’t fit directly at a shop.

Dry-eye users: does long glasses wear worsen dry eye? No, but choose anti-reflective (multi-coating) lenses, otherwise eyes fatigue more easily. Chinese shop lenses include anti-reflective coating by default at no extra charge.

Hearing aid or headphone wearers: remove the hearing aid during the exam; otherwise machine interference occurs. Also remove earphones (AirPods and such); staff will have you store them at the front desk.

FAQ

Q: Must I bring the passport? Is a phone photo enough?
Large chains register identity information when issuing invoices; a phone photo of the passport works, and staff photograph it against the physical one. Wholesale market cash transactions don’t check passports. We still recommend the original, or at least a clear photo in your album.

Q: My prescription is 2 years old — can it still be used?
Prescriptions within 2 years can be referenced, but Chinese shops will re-examine you free in 15–30 minutes. Don’t use a prescription over 3 years old directly; degrees may have changed. Don’t save those 15 minutes — forcing an old prescription leaves you dizzy on the way back.

Q: I didn’t measure PD — do Chinese shops really do it free?
Truly free, 1 minute. A pupillometer is standard equipment at every optical shop; mention it whether you fit glasses or not. Don’t look up “PD measurement price” online — that’s the hospital price; the shop service is included free.

Q: My glasses were lost or broken — can I get a pair in China the same day?
Yes. Large chains do same-day pickup in 1–2 hours. But high degrees, special lenses and progressive multifocal may wait. Emergency plan: first buy a +1.00 reading glasses at a convenience store (RMB 20, about USD 3) to tide over, then fit properly at a proper shop the next day.

Q: Can I pay directly with Alipay? Do I need to bind a card beforehand?
Since 2024 Alipay supports binding overseas Visa/Mastercard for scan payment at large chains, but success rate isn’t 100% and some merchants don’t support the overseas channel. Bind before departure on your home network; binding after landing may miss verification SMS. Wholesale markets take cash only; carry RMB 1000+.