Guide

Guide: Trip Preparation

A one-time pre-departure checklist: prescription validity, scheduling your eyewear purchase around your trip length, and essential Chinese phrases for the entire eye exam and fitting process. We recommend booking your glasses on day one of your trip to leave buffer time for pickup.

Prescription Validity

US prescriptions: valid for 1–2 years (varies by state). UK: typically 2 years. China: no legal expiry, but some shops may ask for a new eye exam if your prescription is over 2 years old. If your prescription has expired, you can get a free eye exam in China — usually only about 15 minutes (confirm it's free before entering the shop).

Communication Tool

Bilingual Eyewear Request Card: Show It to the Optometrist

Fill in the information below, screenshot the card, and show it to the optometrist once you're in China. No translation app needed.

配镜需求沟通卡

年龄 Age: ______

职业 Occupation: ______

每天看屏幕时间 Daily screen time: ______ 小时 hours

是否开车 Do you drive: □ 是 Yes □ 否 No

现有处方（如有）Current prescription (if any):

右眼 OD: SPH ______ CYL ______ AXIS ______
左眼 OS: SPH ______ CYL ______ AXIS ______
瞳距 PD: ______ mm

特殊需求 Special requests:

□ 防蓝光 Blue-light blocking

□ 变色片 Photochromic

□ 渐进片 Progressive

□ 偏光太阳镜 Polarized sunglasses

□ 纯钛镜架 Pure titanium frames

□ 轻薄镜片（1.67及以上）Thin lenses (1.67 or higher)

预算 Budget: ¥______ ｜ 取镜时间 Pickup time: ______

📸 Screenshot this card, fill in your details, and show it to the optometrist. Works offline.

Time Planning

Time & Itinerary: Fitting Eyewear Shopping into Your Trip

Plan your eyewear shopping based on how many days you'll be in China.

📅 1-Day Stay

Best for: Standard single-vision prescriptions
Schedule: Morning (9–11 AM) eye exam + frame selection → Lunch nearby → Afternoon (1–2 PM) pickup → Sightseeing for the rest of the day
Tip: Arrive when the market opens (usually 9 AM, subject to the market's actual hours) to beat the crowds and ensure same-day pickup.

📅 2-Day Stay

Best for: High prescriptions, astigmatism, or premium lenses
Schedule: Day 1 morning: eye exam + frame selection + order → Day 1 afternoon: sightseeing → Day 2 morning: pickup + verification → Day 2 afternoon: more sightseeing
Tip: Leaves buffer time in case lenses need to be remade.

📅 3+ Days / Dedicated Trip

Best for: Progressive lenses, brand-name lenses, 2+ pairs, a Danyang trip
Schedule: Day 1: eye exam + place all orders → Day 2: pickup + try-on + adjustments → Day 3: buffer for remakes or additional purchases
Tip: If you're getting 2 or more pairs, consider a day trip to Danyang for the best deals.

Important Reminder

Never schedule your eyewear purchase on your departure day. If processing is delayed, the prescription is wrong, or lenses need to be remade, you'll have no time to fix it. Always schedule it on day 1 or day 2 of your trip to leave a buffer before you leave.

Language Help

Essential Phrases: English → Chinese

Must-know phrases for every stage of the eyewear process. Just show the Chinese to the shop staff.

📱 Communication Prep: Download Translation Apps in Advance

For smooth communication, we recommend downloading translation apps on your phone before departure, along with the offline Chinese language pack. Google services may be inaccessible in parts of China, so it's wise to also have a local Chinese translation app as backup. Here are 4 recommended translation apps:

Google Translate

谷歌翻译

The world's most popular translation app, supporting 100+ languages. Full-featured: text translation, camera translation (photo recognition), conversation translation, and handwriting translation.

⚠️ Note: Google services are inaccessible in China. Please download the offline Chinese pack before leaving your country (Settings → Offline translation → Download Chinese).

Microsoft Translator

微软翻译

Microsoft's translation app works normally in China. Supports offline translation in 70+ languages, camera translation, and multi-person conversation translation (up to 100 people at once).

✓ Recommended: Works normally in China, no VPN needed. Download the offline Chinese pack in advance as backup.

道

Youdao Translate

有道翻译官

A local Chinese translation app by NetEase Youdao, with high accuracy for Chinese–English translation. Supports offline translation, camera translation, conversation translation, and AR translation.

✓ Recommended: Local Chinese app, no VPN needed, great Chinese–English quality. Available on both the App Store and Google Play.

百

Baidu Translate

百度翻译

Baidu's local Chinese translation app, supporting 200+ languages. Features include offline translation, camera translation, conversation translation, and object translation.

✓ Backup choice: Local Chinese app, no VPN needed. Recognizes multiple Chinese dialects — a solid backup translation tool.

💡 Usage Tips

Before departure: Download at least 2 translation apps (we recommend Google Translate + Youdao Translate), and download the offline Chinese language pack over WiFi.
After arrival: Most shops in the eyewear market have staff who speak basic English, but for complex communication (prescriptions, materials, after-sales), use a translation app. The camera translation feature is handy for reading Chinese on lens packaging.
Offline use: If the connection is unstable, translate with your downloaded offline packs — no internet required.