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Pioneering Prescriptions: How to Fit Prescription Lenses to Amazon Echo Frames

Although much of the past decade was dominated by wristwear in the form of smartwatches, research shows that eyewear will evolve to make its presence felt very soon, and the Echo Frames have a strong case to become market leaders in smart eyewear.

By Dmytro SpilkaPublished 3 years ago 5 min read
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The arrival of the second-generation Amazon Echo Frames may amount to one of the most significant releases in the global wearable technology market today, but just how compatible are they with prescription lenses?

Amazon’s latest foray into eyeglasses tech launched in late 2020 with a discreet design, promises of longer battery life, and notification priority filters. With the release of augmented reality smart glasses still some months or years away, the Echo Frames have a strong case to become market leaders in smart eyewear.

(Image: Grand View Research)

Although much of the past decade was dominated by wristwear in the form of smartwatches, research shows that eyewear and headwear alike will evolve to make its presence felt in the wearables market as the 2020s progress further.

But what exactly can the Echo Frames do for wearers? And is the technology easily compatible for users who want to use their prescription lenses with the eyewear? Let’s take a deeper look into a significant moment in the development of smart eyewear:

How Amazon Echo Frames Work

The world of smart eyewear is hotly anticipating the arrival of augmented reality glasses that are currently being developed by industry behemoths like Apple, Google and Facebook. Although Amazon’s Alexa integration is certainly a positive move into the realm of smart glasses, they won’t boast the AR displays that users are craving like in the case of Apple Glass, for instance.

Despite Amazon’s Echo Frames lacking anything in the way of a visual display, they will encompass the whole of Alexa’s resources all while resting on your face. The Frames work by utilizing four-directional speakers built into each temple of the discreetly designed glasses - allowing you to talk to Alexa without anyone around you hearing the responses.

Although such a setup may initially attract some confused looks while being used on-the-go, it means that you can have full control over your smart home and notifications while also having the ability to listen to music and make calls on-demand.

The glasses themselves have been built out of carbon fibre and titanium for a lightweight experience for the wearer, despite having bulkier arms to encompass the vast technology within. The Frames have also been rated IPX4 for fending off sweat, water and splashes.

Significantly, Amazon has worked to up the battery life of its Frames by 40% compared to their first incarnation. This has been seen as a vital upgrade due to reports of disappointingly low lifespans of its former model. The upgraded battery means that users can enjoy around one hour of music, 30 minutes of phone calls, or 120 incoming notifications over a 14 hour period.

While the battery improvements make the frames much more practical for casual use throughout the day, you’ll be hard pushed to substitute your headphones for them when on the morning commute. Vitally, Amazon has also added an auto-off feature that automatically switches off the eyewear when placed upside down for three seconds - helping to save battery when not needed.

How to Fit Lenses to Amazon Echo Frames

Because Amazon Echo Frames operate entirely without the use of the actual lenses of the glasses themselves, it’s relatively easy to install your prescription lenses on the frames themselves. Such ease may not be afforded to the upcoming AR glasses models from Apple, Google and Facebook, however, which heavily depends on visualisations and gestures that are embedded on the lenses themselves.

Amazon doesn’t ship its Echo Frames with prescription lenses readily fitted, so you’ll need to head to your optician to have the lenses installed. Alternatively, it’s possible to buy prescription lenses online that can also have them manually fitted by an optometrist. For example, here, you can simply mail your frames to them and they’ll install lenses for you. During the pandemic, this could be a good option to explore if you hesitate visiting your local optician.

If you already have a prescription you can have your optician professionally transfer the lenses into the frames for you. Thankfully, because Amazon uses a relatively traditional style of frame, the process is reportedly straightforward.

Because the frames contain electronic components such as microphones and four open-ear speakers, it’s essential that your optician understands what they’re working with and how they can adjust the glasses.

Fortunately, Amazon appears to have anticipated that there could be some misunderstandings when it comes to fitting lenses to Amazon Echo Frames and has so the retail giants have produced a list of instructions for opticians.

(Image: GroovyPost)

According to the guide, the only place that can be adjusted is the tips of the temple, which is the part that extends over the wearer’s ears.

It’s important to avoid risking damage to the frames during the prescription lens installation process because this may not be covered in the insurance that you’ve taken out. The same goes for damage to the lenses themselves as they’re being installed - although this will be down to your domestic health insurance options.

If the worst were to occur and your lenses become damaged at any point in the lens installation process, some providers may allow you to submit an out-of-network claim for reimbursement of the cost of the frames.

Be Aware of Your Boundaries

While there are strict guidelines as to what the Amazon Echo Frames can and can’t do when it comes to opticians making adjustments, there are also some important factors for wearers to remember at all times.

Perhaps most important is to remember that your Frames are only splash resistant to an extent and that they’re not waterproof. For users who are used to the daily wear, tear and durability of prescription glasses, this may be important to keep in mind. If your built-in microphone and speakers are exposed to too much water, it could cause irreversible damage.

It’s also worth taking note that the only adjustable part of the Frames is located at the temple tip, and nowhere else. This means that it’s vital to avoid manipulating the shape of the Frames too much to suit your wearing preferences.

Despite there being a few factors to remember in order to ensure that the technology inside the Amazon Echo Frames stays protected, the process of fitting prescription lenses into the device appears to be relatively straightforward when compared to how the upcoming AR glasses may work.

With greater battery life and more intuitive power settings compared to their first effort, Amazon may well have produced one of the most efficient pieces of smart wearable technology available on the market today.

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About the Creator

Dmytro Spilka

I'm a tech writer based in London. Founder of Solvid and Pridicto. My work has been featured in TechRadar, Entrepreneur, The Next Web, and Huff Post.

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