Frequently Asked Questions

Questions About Contact Lens Prescriptions
Questions About Sunglasses
Questions About Binoculars
Questions About Payment, Shipping, Returns

Questions About Contact Lens Prescriptions

Do I need a prescription to get contact lenses?      

Absolutely. Contact lenses can only be dispensed with a prescription from a doctor of optometry. We have several licensed optometrists at 20/20 EyeCare, unlike almost all other Internet suppliers/retailers, which you may have seen advertise, and are only warehouses.

What if I want colored contacts or special effects contacts?       

You still must have a current contact lens prescription from an eye doctor to receive these specialty contacts. We have several kinds of specialty contact available.

Can I get contact lenses if I only have an eyeglasses prescription?       

No. There is information in the contact lens prescription that is not contained in an eyeglass prescription; such a prescription would be incomplete for contact lenses.

Can I try different contact lenses than I have now?      

20/20 EyeCare will only dispense contact lenses for which you have a current and valid prescription. This means that you cannot order contacts other than the ones currently prescribed, unless you have more than one valid prescription for different brands.

How recent should my prescription be?       

Depending on the state you live in, your prescription could be up to two years old and considered current. In some states, and depending on your doctor's philosophy, a prescription may need to be no more than one year old to be valid. We recommend annual examinations and contact lens fittings by your doctor.

What if I do not know my prescription?      

If you do not know your prescription, just give us your doctor or eye care provider's telephone number, and we will verify your prescription.

How can you compete with the giant online contact lens retailers at similar and lower prices?       

Almost all of the contact lens retailers you see on the Internet or hear on television and radio are not eye care professionals: we are! They are giant warehouses with millions of contacts in stock, and they them through call center sales people. Because of our professional training, customer service and commitment to quality care concerning your optical needs, we will always be competitive and we'll be here for you.


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Questions About Sunglasses:

What is ultraviolet light?       

Ultraviolet light has a shorter wavelength than visible light and therefore has more energy. UV can be divided into three groups according to wavelength, UV, UVB, and UVC. UVA has been shown to penetrate the lower layers of skin, and is associated with aging. UVB can cause keratitis, and is associated with cataracts. UVC is the shortest wavelength and is almost entirely blocked by the upper atmosphere. Sunglasses, which protect against these three types of UV light are essential equipment.

What is polarization in sunglasses?       

When a lens is polarized, it blocks scattered wavelengths of light, reducing and absorbing multiple reflections from other surfaces by canceling light that vibrates in one plane. Polarized lenses are very useful for activities on the water such as boating and fishing.

If polarization is so great, why aren't all sunglasses polarized?       

Because polarized lenses may make it impossible to see sheets of water or ice, they are not the ideal choice for driving under wet or icy conditions, or some skiing activities.

What is infrared light?       

Infrared light from the sun is experienced on the earth in the form of heat. Quality sunglasses protect your eyes from the fatiguing and drying effects of infrared radiation.

Why does blue light affect vision?       

Blue light is the shortest visible wavelength, and because of this, it is easily scattered and reflected. By wearing quality sunglasses, which absorb and block blue light before it reaches the retina, blue light is never allowed to cause distortion.

What are lens coatings?       

Chemical coatings on lenses can do a number of things: anti-reflective coatings increase the transmission of light through the lens; scratch-resistant coatings prevent scratches; mirror coatings reflect intense glare away from the eyes. All coatings increase the value and versatility of your sunglasses.

Why are lens coatings important?       

Lens coatings are particularly important in sunglasses because of the protection they provide for your eyes and lenses. Quality lens coatings greatly improve the performance and protection of your lenses.

Why are quality sunglasses important?       

Poor quality sunglasses that simply reduce the amount of glare reaching the eye without, blocking any harmful rays are enormously harmful to eye health. Because poor quality sunglasses allow the pupil to dilate and actually increase the amount of dangerous radiation and fatiguing glare that can enter and injure the eye. This damage is cumulative, and can accrue over the course of years.

Are prescription sunglasses available?  

Yes, although most local optical laboratories do not make them. Crafting and fitting prescription sunglass lenses into sunglass frames, especially wrap style frames, are difficult and require a high degree of skill. The laboratory at 20/20 EyeCare has had many years of experience grinding, polishing and fitting such lenses into many kinds of frames.

Is it possible to put a prescription in any frame?       

No. It depends on both an individual's prescription and the desired frame. Some combinations of prescription and frame are not possible.


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Questions About Binoculars:

Binoculars - What do the numbers on a pair of binoculars mean, like 10 X 50?       

When buying a pair of binoculars, these descriptive numbers indicate first, the magnification of the binoculars, second the diameter in millimeters of the objective lens. The magnification of binoculars means that with a magnification factor of 10, objects will appear 10 times closer. The larger the objective lens, the more light the binoculars collect, making twilight or astronomical viewing possible. Both of these factors are relevant to the manner in which you use your binoculars. A general rule of thumb with binoculars is that bigger isn't always better.

What is exit pupil?       

The exit pupil is the round image one sees when looking through the eyepiece of the binocular, and is the image that actually reaches your eyes after being magnified and inverted. The exit pupil is a direct mathematical function derived from the size of the objective lens divided by the magnification. Therefore, a 10 X 50 pair of binoculars would have an exit pupil of 5mm. The larger the exit pupil, the more looking through your binoculars will mimic your natural vision. However, exit pupils of more than 7mm will serve little purpose, because the human eye can only dilate to an approximate maximum of 7mm.

What is eye relief?       

Eye relief is the distance between the eyepiece and the cornea (surface of the eye) when binoculars are held in viewing position and the full image, the cone of light exiting the eyepieces, can be seen. Eye relief is important because the proper distance can make viewing a pleasure, while improper distance will make using the binoculars a frustrating experience.

Can I use my binoculars while wearing my glasses?       

With all of our binoculars, you may wear glasses while using the binoculars. Poor quality binoculars often do not provide enough eye relief long enough to position the binoculars in front of your eyeglass lenses as you wear them. All of the binoculars we carry at 20/20 have twist-in or fold-down eyecups to make wearing your glasses and using your binoculars a snap.

Why are the binoculars filled with nitrogen?       

A nitrogen atmosphere inside binoculars prevents internal fogging. Without any air inside the binocular, there is no humidity, and thus no condensation, even during a temperature change. And because the binoculars are airtight, they are also watertight and may be submerged.

What difference do various kinds of prisms make?       

The prism in binoculars inverts the image so that the viewer sees everything upright, instead of upside down. Roof and porro prisms perform the same function, but the roof design usually cements the prisms together, while the porro design often has the two prisms placed separately. Because of this, the porro design can re-create truer 3-D images, while the roof design allows for slimmer binoculars, and is less susceptible to misalignment due to jolting or damage.

What does field of view mean?      

Field of view is essentially the horizontal view, or width, that one perceives. This is expressed two ways: one; by a measurement of width at a certain distance, usually in feet per 1000 feet, or; two, with an angular measurement, as if a cone were projected from your line of sight out to infinity, most often from 2 to 10 degrees.

What is twilight factor?       

Twilight factor is a measure of the binoculars performance in low light conditions. To calculate twilight factor, multiply the magnification by the aperture, and find the square root of the answer. The higher this number, the better your binoculars will perform in low light situations.

What are lens coatings?       

How many times have you looked through a pair of binoculars and been blinded by a "chain of light" effect? This is because the lenses and prisms either have inferior, or lack completely and kind of chemical coating. These coatings vastly decrease both the amount of light lost due to external reflection and the unnerving internal reflection caused by inferior coatings. Without quality chemical coatings on your optics, even good quality lenses will suffer a great loss of clarity and, through internal reflection, produce a dizzying amount of reflection.

How do I choose the right pair of binoculars?       

Binocular choice depends on your intended use. If you are birding, you will probably want something with the truest transmission and least distortion of colors possible. If you are observing butterflies, you will want something with an extremely close focal range, as well as accurate transmission of colors. For astronomical use, you will probably want a binocular with at least a 50mm objective lens to collect as much light as possible. Whatever your needs, the opticians at 20/20 can help you with your choice of binoculars!

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Questions About Payment, Shipping, Returns:

What methods of payment do you accept?       

20/20 EyeCare accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. If you do not have a credit card, you can mail your personal check to us, although this will obviously take longer to process than credit cards as a form of payment.

What if I want to cancel an order?      

If you find you need to cancel an order, simply call or email us as soon as possible, and we will take care of it, no charge to you. If your order has already been shipped, you can return the item to us as per our return policy.

Where are you located?

Our street address is:

3122 Black Avenue
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601.

Phone: (970) 945-2020, or (800) 955-3578
Fax: (970) 945-5630

How much is shipping?

Shipping and handling for all items (other than binoculars) weighing under a pound is $6.95 for UPS ground, $12.95 for UPS second day air. In the rare event that these orders exceed 1 pound in weight, customers will be informed via email concerning any additional costs before the item is shipped.

Shipping and handling for Binoculars is $8.35 for UPS ground, $26.95 for UPS second day air. If more than one pair of binoculars is ordered, simply multiply these amounts by the number of pairs.

What if I want to return something?

Here at 20/20 EyeCare your satisfaction is our primary concern. We offer a 30-day, no-questions- asked money-back guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, simply return it to us, in the original condition, and we will exchange or refund, whatever your preference.

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