Ordering prescription glasses from China: checks
Before ordering, obtain a current UK spectacle prescription, arrange fitting measurements for the chosen frame and confirm the seller's dispensing route. Find a local optician willing to verify and adjust the finished glasses, and agree remake terms before paying. Factory coordination can be handled by Cambridge China Bridge.
Start with a current UK prescription
Arrange a UK sight test and ask for a signed, dated spectacle prescription. Ask the prescriber whether it remains suitable for the intended order, especially if vision has changed. Explain whether the glasses are for distance, reading, screen work or mixed use. Do not substitute a contact lens prescription or copy lens powers from an old pair.
Send a clear copy rather than retyping unfamiliar notation. Ask the dispenser to confirm the right and left eye details, sphere, cylinder, axis, reading addition and any prism instructions. Resolve unclear handwriting, missing information or conflicting entries with the prescriber before the factory starts.
Arrange measurements for the chosen frame
Ask a dispensing optician to assess the actual frame or an identical sample on the wearer. Agree the measurement service and its cost before buying elsewhere. Ask for the pupil-centre measurements appropriate to the lens design, including separate measurements for each eye where appropriate, and frame-specific fitting heights. Do not assume these are included in the prescription.
For progressive lenses or complex prescriptions, ask which additional measurements the lens design needs, such as the distance between the lens and eye, frame tilt and wrap. Have the frame adjusted before measurements are taken. A photograph, an old frame's measurements or a supplier's default values should not replace an appropriate fitting assessment.
Confirm the dispensing route before paying
UK law generally requires optical appliance sales to be effected by or under the supervision of a registered medical practitioner, registered optometrist or registered dispensing optician, subject to exemptions. Ask the seller to explain which route applies to your transaction and who takes responsibility for dispensing. If an exemption is claimed, have its applicability and conditions checked before ordering.
Distinguish factory manufacture for an optical business from dispensing finished glasses to a wearer. Record who reviews the prescription, approves measurements and lens suitability, and handles aftercare. For children, wearers with sight impairment or complex fitting needs, seek professional advice before choosing a remote route. A later local check should not be treated as approval of the original sale arrangement.
Give the factory a complete order brief
Record the approved prescription and measurements alongside the frame model, lens design, material, coatings and intended use. Ask the dispenser to approve proposed substitutions before production. Require each finished pair to remain identifiable against its wearer and order record, and request optical measurement results for that pair rather than a generic factory certificate. For production scheduling, see our China ordering calendar guide.
Keep the optical brief separate from ordinary supplier checks. Use our factory audit checklist to assess production capability and our inspection guide to brief checks on the actual goods. Specify who can perform the optical checks and what equipment and acceptance criteria they will use; a cosmetic inspection alone cannot establish correct dispensing.
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Book local verification and agree remedies
Before placing the order, find a local optician willing to check externally supplied glasses. Agree the scope, cost and any limits on adjustments. Ask for verification of lens powers, prism, centration and fitting heights against the approved records, followed by an assessment of frame fit and vision through the lenses. Keep the prescription, measurement sheet and factory results available.
Agree how discrepancies will be investigated, what evidence the supplier accepts and who pays for return shipping, replacement lenses and repeat fitting. Allow for local verification and adjustments in the purchasing budget. Follow our balance payment checklist for commercial payment controls. If the glasses cause blurred vision, discomfort or double vision, stop using them and seek advice rather than adjusting them yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Can I order glasses from China using my UK prescription?
Use a current spectacle prescription, but also arrange appropriate fitting measurements and confirm the dispensing route. A prescription alone does not complete the order brief.
Is pupil distance included in my prescription?
Do not assume it is. Ask the dispensing optician which pupil-centre measurements and fitting heights your chosen frame and lens design need, and arrange them before production.
Can a UK optician adjust glasses bought from China?
Ask before ordering. Confirm whether the practice accepts externally supplied glasses, what it can verify or adjust, and what it charges. Do not assume local aftercare is available.
What should I do if the glasses feel wrong?
Stop using them if vision is blurred or uncomfortable, and seek professional advice. Have the lenses and fit checked against the approved records before agreeing a remake with the supplier.