How It Works: Eye Exam Guide
You can bring a prescription issued within the last 2 months, or get a free eye exam in the store — results usually take 15–30 minutes. This page explains the five steps of a complete eye exam, the parameters a prescription must include, and how to choose a reliable shop.
1. Eye Exam Guide
Most shops in eyewear markets offer free eye exams (confirm before entering). A complete exam takes 15-30 minutes and includes an autorefractor test, manual verification with a phoropter, and pupillary distance measurement.
We strongly recommend buying prescription glasses in person at eyewear markets. Ordering prescription glasses online requires accurate pupillary distance (PD) measurement, frame fitting, and prescription verification — all hard to do remotely. If the prescription is wrong, returning it from abroad is very difficult. Online shopping is better for: non-prescription sunglasses, fashion frames, accessories, and replacement parts.
Faced with hundreds of shops in an eyewear market, we recommend:
- Choose larger shops with a dedicated exam area — better equipped;
- Check whether the optometrist is licensed — certified optometrists are more reliable;
- Prefer shops with brand authorization certificates — genuine products guaranteed;
- Before entering, ask whether the eye exam is free and whether lens processing costs extra — avoid hidden charges;
- Don't follow the touts at the entrance — compare 2–3 shops before deciding.
History & Symptoms
The optometrist will ask about your age, occupation, daily screen time, driving habits, and existing vision problems. Communicate your visual needs clearly — this is the most important factor in getting comfortable glasses.
About 5 minAuto-Refraction (Autorefractor)
You rest your chin on the support and watch a moving landscape image inside the machine. A basic prescription estimate takes about 30 seconds. This is not the final prescription — it must be verified manually.
If a shop sends you straight to frame selection after only an autorefractor test, insist on a manual phoropter exam. A 30-second autorefractor reading is not enough for an accurate prescription.
Manual Verification with a Phoropter
You look through a large device (a phoropter) while the optometrist flips lenses and asks, "Which is clearer, 1 or 2?" This fine-tunes sphere (distance vision), cylinder (astigmatism), and axis. This is the most important step — take your time, don't rush.
About 2-3 minRed-Green & Binocular Balance
The optometrist uses red-green filters to fine-tune the prescription, then balances both eyes to ensure you are not over-corrected. This prevents dizziness and eye strain.
About 3-5 minPupillary Distance (PD) Measurement
This measures the distance between your pupils — it determines where the optical center of each lens sits. For progressive lenses, the fitting height is also measured. Be sure to get both figures in writing.
Before leaving the exam area, be sure to get a written prescription. It should include: sphere (SPH), cylinder (CYL), axis (AXIS), and pupillary distance (PD); for progressives, fitting height as well. Take a photo of it.
Trial Frame Adaptation Test
You wear a trial frame with your new prescription for 5–10 minutes. Walk around, look at distant objects, and read your phone screen. If you feel dizzy, nauseous, or notice distortion, tell the optometrist immediately — they can adjust the prescription. This step is very important; don't rush through it.
About 5–10 minPrescription Format Conversion Table
Convert your home-country prescription into the Chinese format. Chinese optometrists use: sphere (Sphere), cylinder (Cylinder), axis (Axis), and pupillary distance (PD).
| Western Term | Abbreviation | Chinese Term | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere (right eye) | OD / SPH | 右眼 球镜 | yòu yǎn qiú jìng | Nearsighted (-) or farsighted (+) power |
| Sphere (left eye) | OS / SPH | 左眼 球镜 | zuǒ yǎn qiú jìng | Same as above, left eye power |
| Cylinder | CYL | 柱镜 | zhù jìng | Astigmatism correction power |
| Axis | AXIS | 轴位 | zhóu wèi | Direction of astigmatism (0-180°) |
| Addition (for progressives) | ADD | 下加光 | xià jiā guāng | Additional power for near vision |
| Pupillary distance | PD | 瞳距 | tóng jù | Distance between the centers of both pupils (mm) |
| Fitting height | FH | 瞳高 | tóng gāo | Height from the lower edge of the lens to the pupil center (for progressives) |
Confirm Whether the Model Supports Prescription Lenses
Audio glasses and lightweight display models mostly support prescription lenses; flagship AR models with displays mostly require a custom version or a separate adapter frame. Of the 17 models in this list, 14 support official online prescription ordering, StarV AR does not support prescription lenses, and the Xiaomi MIJIA Enjoy Edition requires in-store lens fitting.
Prepare Your Prescription Data
Sphere (SPH), cylinder (CYL), axis (AXIS), and pupillary distance (PD); progressives also need addition (ADD).
Choose a Prescription Route
① Official online ordering: contact the store's customer service, submit your prescription parameters, and the manufacturer processes the lenses and ships them with the glasses (most Chinese brands use this route); ② Have lenses fitted at a local optical shop (requires an adapter frame); ③ Buy a custom prescription version directly.
Notes
High prescriptions and high astigmatism may be restricted; whether lenses block the display area/sensors and whether smart features are affected after fitting — confirm before buying. For details of the process, consult customer service.
| Comparison | Online (Taobao/JD) | Offline (Eyewear Market) |
|---|---|---|
| Prescription accuracy | ⚠️ Risky — you must measure PD yourself, with no verification | ✅ Professional eye exam + lensometer verification |
| Frame fitting | ⚠️ No try-on; may not suit your face shape | ✅ Thousands of styles to try on, with professional adjustment |
| Price | ✅ Usually cheaper (no storefront costs) | ⚠️ Slightly higher but still very affordable |
| Authenticity | ⚠️ Counterfeit risk — be especially careful on Taobao | ✅ Verify anti-counterfeit codes on the spot |
| Pickup time | ⚠️ 2–5 days delivery to your hotel | ✅ 20 minutes–2 hours (most standard prescriptions) |
| Returns/exchanges | ⚠️ Returning from abroad is cumbersome; no-questions-asked returns don't apply to custom lenses | ✅ Immediate adjustments, redone on the spot |
| Best for | Non-prescription sunglasses, fashion frames, accessories | All prescription glasses, progressives, high prescriptions |
1. We strongly recommend buying prescription glasses offline. Online ordering requires you to provide the prescription and PD yourself; errors are hard to return, and returning from abroad is nearly impossible.
2. Non-prescription items are fine to buy online. Sunglasses (plano), fashion frames, glasses cases, lens cleaner, and other accessories suit online shopping and are usually cheaper.
3. Use your hotel as the delivery address. Fill in the hotel's full address and front-desk phone number, and add "hotel guest" after the recipient's name. Confirm with the hotel in advance that they can receive packages.
4. Allow enough delivery time. Domestic express usually takes 2-5 days; order a few days into your trip — don't order the day before you leave China.
5. Ask the hotel front desk to help with returns. If you need to return something, request it in the app and ask the front desk to arrange the courier and fill in the waybill. Return shipping is usually USD 1.49–2.98 （RMB 10–20）.
6. PD alignment. Your pupils should align with the optical center of each lens. PD deviation causes eye strain and headaches. Check in a mirror whether your pupils sit at the center of the lenses.
7. Watch out for authenticity. Branded glasses bought online carry counterfeit risk, especially from individual Taobao sellers. Prefer official brand flagship stores or JD self-operated stores.