Should prescription glasses be sold online?

Controversy is growing over whether the government should allow prescription glasses, which are categorized as a medical device in Korea and thus only available for purchase at offline optical stores run by licensed opticians, to be sold online.

Controversy is growing over whether the government should allow prescription glasses, which are categorized as a medical device in Korea and thus only available for purchase at offline optical stores run by licensed opticians, to be sold online.

Deep-eye, an eyewear startup company selling glasses frames online, recently requested the government’s easing of regulations to allow online sales of prescription glasses, a measure it viewed would enhance consumer convenience and growth of the eyewear market.

The company plans to sell glasses to users of its mobile app, eliminating the need to visit an offline store.

To place an order, consumers can select frames using a virtual fitting tool, after which they should enter valid prescription data from an examination by an eye-care professional taken within six months. Other necessary information such as face shape and pupillary distance can be measured using the app.

“Unlike in Korea, ordering prescription glasses online has long been available in other countries such as the U.S. and Japan,” an official at Deep-eye said.

“Using advanced technology, the data needed to make a pair of glasses can be measured accurately through the application, enabling consumers to easily purchase prescription glasses that are suitable for their eyes without visiting an optician.”

The company’s proposal, however, was met with fierce backlash from the opticians’ association. The opticians argued that glasses must be prescribed by an eye-care professional, as wearing the wrong prescription of glasses would lead to severe eye damage. They also expressed concerns that the launch of online shops would pose a threat to the conventional eyewear industry.

The Korean Optometric Association, representing some 50,000 opticians across the country, held a rally in front of Government Complex Sejong, July 7, demanding the government nullify any plans to allow online sales of prescription glasses.

“Eyeglasses should not be treated the same as retail goods such as clothing or household items, which can be sold online easily. Poorly fitted glasses will lead to serious side effects such as amblyopia and headaches,” said Kim Jong-suk, head of the association.

“This is why glasses are made by licensed opticians who have received years of education and training.”

The association has uploaded several petitions on the Cheong Wa Dae website protesting the proposed online sales, and it also plans to conduct research to analyze the possible consequences of online prescription glasses on public health.

Related ministries — the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare — for their part, are trying to settle the dispute.

The ministries have decided to organize discussion sessions attended by representatives of the two parties, consumer groups and dispute resolution experts. They held the first meeting, July 9, with an aim to reach an agreement by October, and their second meeting was last week.

“Although face-to-face meetings would be more effective in resolving issues, things were moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” an official at the finance ministry told The Korea Times.

“Through deep discussions involving relevant parties, we hope to settle the dispute and release a letter of agreement in the coming months.”