Every person that wears contact lenses or are thinking about obtaining some contact lenses for vision correction or a fashion statement should understand that proper care and maintenance for your contact lenses is very important for the health and safety of your eyes. Caring for your contact lenses will only take a few minutes of your time each day and will help keep your contact lenses in excellent condition for a number of years. Many people prefer wearing contact lenses or color contacts to wearing glasses and with proper care and maintenance, wearing your contact lenses can be just as safe and hassle free.

The most important part of contact lens maintenance is making sure that your hands are clean and free of debris before handling your contact lenses. Particles of dirt or hair on your hands can adhere to the surface of the contact lenses and scratch the surface of the eye when the contacts are put in, causing pain and discomfort until the contact lens can be removed. Any viral material or bacteria that are on the hands can also be transferred to the surface of the eye by the contact lens and can cause illness or infection that may require medical treatment to cure. The hands should be thoroughly washed with hot water and soap before handling the contact lenses out of the case or out of the eye.

The next step in proper care for contact lenses is to use a sterile contact lens solution for cleaning the contact lenses. These solutions can be purchased at any neighborhood grocery store, drug store, or mass merchandiser. There are many different brands of contact lens solutions available from different manufacturers and it is up to the person to decide which brand they like to use the best. Using this solution, the contacts should be rinsed before placing them in the eyes and after they have been taken out of the eyes to remove any particles of dirt and to disinfect them. The solution is also used in the contact lens case when storing the contact lenses to prevent them from drying out and provide a barrier from infectious agents.

The contact lenses should be removed from the eyes according to the schedule of the manufacturer of the contact lenses. There are many different varieties of contact lenses can be purchased and the type of contact lenses that are purchased will dictate how often they need to be removed and cleaned. Some contact lenses need to be taken out every night at bedtime for cleaning and disinfection while some other types of contact lenses can be left on the eyes for a week at a time before they will need to be removed.

There are also a number of other solutions and devices that can be used for cleaning the contact lenses if the person chooses to use them. One of the most common solutions used are the protein removal solutions that removes any of the proteins that are found on the surface of the eye or in tears from the surface of the contact lenses to prevent build up and clouding on the contact lens. There are also contact lens cases that plug into an outlet so that the case will slowly agitate the contact lenses during the night, helping to wash anything off of the surface of the lenses. Proper contact lens care can extend the life of your contact lenses or special effects lenses and protect your eyes from many of the complications associated with contact lens use.

Leonardo da Vinci was said to have invented the concept of the contact lens in 1508. Since the penning of his historic and innovative Codex of the eye, Manual D, the contact lens has greatly evolved and is the option of choice for corrective wear.

Developed as an option for men and women who needed visual enhancement but didn’t like to appearance or hassle associated with eyeglasses, the original lenses were originally very hard. They also had a myriad of drawbacks, like popping off the cornea and getting lost. A version of the earlier hard contacts lens still exists today, and are now called gas permeable (GP or RGPs or rigid gas permeable). Unlike their predecessors, they allowed oxygen to pass through the lens to the eye, which makes them healthier to wear.

Unfortunately, like their predecessors, these hard contacts are still a bit uncomfortable.

Enter soft contact lenses, which were also gas permeable and far easier on the eyes. Yet and still, even among the softer lenses, some are more comfortable than others.

So, what kind of contact lens offers the highest comfort?

Disposable contact lenses

Disposable contact lenses come in single day, weekly, or monthly use. These contact lenses often offer a higher degree of comfort because and there is less of a chance of protein buildup and warping, which can feel scratchy to the eye. To date, many soft contact lens buyers say that these lenses are the best ones on the market in regards to ease of wear, however, they may not be the ultimate option for true vision correction.

Color contact lenses

Color contact lenses can be fairly easy on the eye if they are the soft variety. Although most color contacts are used to produce an aesthetic effect, ease of use is still very important. Because these contacts are most often come in the soft lens, they are generally very comfortable. Some companies even make them with a prescription in them, although the prescription may not be as strong as with plain lenses.

Gas permeable lenses

As stated before, gas permeable lenses are often harder but with the proper fitting they can be a bit healthier and easier to wear than soft contact lenses. This is due to the fact that they allow oxygen into the cornea, which is important since this delicate part of the eye needs oxygen to ‘breath’. For this reason, they are also called the ‘breathable’ contact lens.

Hybrid lenses

Hybrid lenses can offer the best of both the gas permeable and disposable contact lens. These lenses are often comprised of a GP center and softer outer ring. This makes the contact lenses a bit easier to wear while giving all the benefits of gas permeable contacts. The lenses are a great option fro people who suffer from astigmatism as they may not be able to wear certain soft lenses.

All of the above lenses including color contacts have their pros and cons, and in the end, it is really up to you to decide which type best fits your lifestyle. Some people who are very active seek soft lenses because they stay in place far easier than gas permeable. On the other hand, others have vision correction problems that soft contacts can’t fix and need to get gas permeable or hybrids.

If you are interested in getting contacts, or just want to switch to a far more accommodating brand, be sure to make an appointment with your ophthalmologist. He will be best able to tell you what would be a good fit, and knows which contact lenses have been reputed to yield the highest amount of comfort.

In recent years, there have been many innovations in the types of special effects lenses that are used by the theatrical industry to transform the eyes of their actors. Special effect lenses are used to create eye appearances that cannot be obtained in any other way and because the eyes are considered to be the windows to the soul, having dramatic eyes on the actors in the movie can pull the entire look of the character together in a way that is incomparable. Because of the growing popularity of these types of color contacts lenses, some people that are not in the theatrical industry have chosen to purchase and wear these lenses as a fashion statement.

One of the most popular types of special effects lenses on the market today are the ones that are individually hand painted by artists to create the appearance that the purchaser desires. These lenses are made out of some of the softest plastic available for contact lenses and the designs for the lenses are hand-painted by some of the leading artists in the industry, making each set of lenses a unique creation. These hand-painted lenses are much more highly prized that the theatrical lenses that are mass produced by machinery in a factory.

Hand-painted special effects lenses can be purchased as either standard lenses that are used only to change the appearance of the eyes or prescription lenses that provide vision correction as well as altering the appearance of the eyes. To obtain the prescription lenses, the person will first need to see an optometrist for an eye examination to be sure that the prescription lenses will allow them to see properly. Having an incorrect prescription for the lenses could can damage to the eyes and prevent the person from seeing correctly while the lenses are in.

Many of the artists that hand-paint the theatrical special effects lenses are able to create virtually any design that the person can imagine. Purchasers can email or fax their design to the company that creates the special effects lenses and receive a reply of whether or not the design is possible within a matter of days. After the lenses have been painted in the design that the purchaser desires, the lenses are carefully packed in a sterile solution and shipped to the purchaser using one of the main package delivery services in the country.

These hand-painted special effects lenses can last for a number of years as long as they are cared for properly. The lenses can be cleaned and disinfected with regular contact lens cleaning solutions and stored in typical contact lens cases without damaging the lenses. It is not recommended for individuals to share a pair of contact lenses, even if they are not prescription lenses, because diseases could be transferred by the lenses from one person to another. As special effects lenses become more and more popular with members of the general population as well as individuals in the theatrical industry, hand-painted special effects lenses will continue to make an appearance at theaters near you.

The eyes have been a subject of intense exploration from time immemorial. Indeed, your eyes define you. Cosmetic enhancement of eyes using kohl, eye liner and eye paint have been around since the days of the ancient Egyptians and the Hindus over 6000 years ago. As technology improved, so has our ability to attune our knowledge to further the appeal of a pair of captivating eyes. The advent of contact eye lenses has taken the fashion world by storm, no less.

Gone are the days when people chose normal contact eye lenses, a substitute for prescription designer glasses. Transparent and colorless normal lenses have varied magnification factor depending upon the user’s visual status. Normal lenses may also serve specific purposes - a variation of normal contact eye lenses is the bandage lens which acts as a protective cover for a damaged cornea requiring protection during healing.

Special effect lenses are a class apart. They are also called as theatrical lenses. These lenses are typically used by movie actors who may be playing an unusual character, a vampire or a ghoul, for example, or some other theatrical character which necessitates a distinctive look. Unlike normal lenses which cover only the cornea, special effect lenses cover the entire eyeball. Special effect lenses have a small opening in them through which the wearer actually sees. Therefore, those with weak eyes or those who require corrective lenses cannot wear special effect lenses as these are purely theatrical in nature. Also, since the special effect lenses have a different way of wearing and cover the entire eyeball, they are difficult to wear and rotate your eyeballs once worn. Once worn, special effect lenses usually are limited by a 3-hour duration, as wearing them beyond that may cause severe eye strain or even some sort of permanent damage. It is for this reason that a prospective user is required to obtain a doctor’s prescription to buy special effect lenses. A safety certificate preferably from a qualified eye care specialist’s is very useful in ascertaining if you are a suitable candidate for special effect lenses. It is prudent to wear special effects lenses under the guidance of an eye care professional.

At the opposite spectrum of utility are the normal lenses which serve therapeutic purposes alone. These can usually be worn for extended time periods, such as night-and-day wear lenses, or the disposable ones that are replaced regularly. Special effect lenses on the other hand are a specialty niche that finds usage in the world of theatre - from horror to science fiction movies. Naturally the variety of special effects lenses available is tremendous. You have lenses that give you a cat-eyed image or a jaguar-like feel. There are special effect lenses that are blood red or hypnotic, lenses that give you ‘wild-looking’ eyes, those that blaze like a wildfire, or give you a Zombie look. From ‘white eye’ lenses to contacts that make you eyes glow in the dark, the range is limited only by human imagination. So if it is a pair of special effect lenses you seek, there’s no dearth of choice - just grab the most startling pair and turn the spotlight your way.

Can looks kill? Well we don’t know about that, but a pair of piercing eyes certainly can! The eyes once called the ‘windows to the human soul’ have since become the tool to present a whole new you. Your eyes are the most noticeable facial feature and can enhance your personality when projected the right way. Depending upon perception and cultural setting, the color of the eyes may reflect a person’s traits too. For example, dark intense eyes are purported to be the associated with seers, soothsayers and even criminals. Blue eyes are synonymous with royalty and have a certain sex appeal. Brown eyes are apparently ‘dreamy’ and romantic, while green eyes are believed to suggest feline qualities. The hold of the color of eyes on the human psyche is for real; no wonder people go to great lengths to showcase them, mold them modify them.

Enter the era of contact lenses - visual add-ons that serve dual roles, that of visual correction as well as a beauty aid. Normal lenses are usually used for therapeutic purposes as a substitute for glasses. These colorless eye lenses are manufactured with an ophthalmic value and have the requisite magnification number as recommended by the ophthalmologist. The lenses are transparent and preserve your true eye color. For those seeking colored eyes there are in fact a host of choices. Colored contact lenses are usually favored by those looking to mold their natural looks with a pair of arresting eyes. There exist a range of colored lenses to add to your aesthetic appeal. The fun with colored lenses mean that they can be worn by almost anyone, as long as you take your overall persona into consideration. Present the right image by opting for the appropriate eye color depending upon the occasion. Try wearing a subtle shade for an afternoon engagement and a bold striking pair for an evening out.

The common variety of colored eye lenses is opaque and tinted variety. Opaque lenses do not allow the original eye color to be seen and are used by those who want to conceal their original eye color. Tinted colored lenses allow the original eye color to be seen and are used by people who wish to enhance the original color of their eyes. Colored lenses also have an added advantage over normal lenses in that they have inbuilt UV protection. This helps protect your precious pair from harsh sunlight. If you wear prescription lenses but wish to enchant your audience with a pair of distinctive colored lenses, try colored contacts that have the corrective properties. These dual lenses have the magnification factor desired inbuilt. Ensure however that you don’t compromise on quality over cost; combining the color and magnification requires a high degree of industrial precision and this makes the high-quality colored lenses rather pricey.

The cheaper ones may even cause blurring of vision due to the color introduced by substandard manufacturing processes. And the engineering difficulties involved mean that very high magnifications cannot be introduced into colored lenses. While this may seem like bad news for those with much weaker eyes, you know that you are getting the best out of your normal transparent lens where the corrective power is well retained.

Finally, whether you are looking for the most popular contact lenses, or a pair to enhance your looks, the market provides a dazzling array - just pick the pair for you and be your own fashion icon!

Whether you have just discovered that you need prescription glasses or simply want to replace the ones you have, it pays to go with some of the most popular prescription glasses. These are the ones that are going to be of the best quality, in general, since people usually reject anything that is subpar pretty fast.

When you first walk into an eyeglass shop, you’ll see an overwhelming display of prescription glasses. The most popular will usually have the most prevalent display to entice you to buy those. And they are often a good choice, so it’s definitely a good idea to take a look at the options offered.

What are some of the most popular prescription glasses?

Top Designer Prescription Glasses

There are quite a few clothing designers who have decided to branch out into the whole prescription glasses area and because of their fame in the area of clothing, perfume, shoes, etc., they tend to make it big with eye wear, too, at a very rapid pace. These designer brands are often far more popular than others that are focused exclusively on glasses.

Such big names in the fashion world include:

- Hugo Boss

- Armani

- Brookes Brothers

- Calvin Klein

- Christian Dior

- Diesel

- DKNY

- Fendi

- Gucci

- Valentino

- Puma

- Liz Claiborne

- Marc Jacobs

- Prada

There are many other big names in fashion that are also expanding into the world of glasses and eye wear and making it all the more stylish for their clients. It’s now possible to be dressed in designer brand names from top to bottom, from shoes, purse and glasses to jewelry and perfume, as well as clothing.

Other Popular Prescription Glasses

Of course, the fashion gurus aren’t the only ones who are in on the whole fashionable glasses movement. You’ll find that the whole area of glasses is one where designs abound and popular fashion statements are being made all the time. It’s up to you to select the brand that you want.

With brands like Ray Ban, which is commonly associated with sunglasses, and other popular styles, you really can’t go wrong. There`s a reason there are so many glasses options when you enter that store, you need to find the right pair for your face.

Choosing a Popular Brand

While going with a popular brand of prescription glasses, you will also want to ensure that they look good on you. Just because the initials CK are stamped into the frames doesn’t mean that they will fit your face. Try on various styles and decide which type goes best with your face type. For example, large glasses won’t look good on a more petite face, but a smaller pair could be just what you are looking for. Square glasses tend to look more masculine than oval ones, but you will need to decide for yourself which style you want.

Many people these days prefer frameless glasses, so there is no rim, only the arms. This is a great look, particularly if you aren’t fond of looking like you have glasses and can really help make your glasses more unobtrusive.

The pair of glasses you select is a big deal. It says a lot about you and will make or break your looks with the glasses on. Some people find that the right pair of glasses can make them look even hotter than without, so it is definitely worth doing a few test runs to see which pair of glasses suit you the most.

For many people, eyeglasses are the single most significant clothing accessory they will purchase. In order to get the perfect set of spectacles, most near or far-sighted individuals would prefer the service of a professional optician or at the very least a well known corporate one hour lens crafter. However professionals can be costly, and as anyone who has ever lost or broken his or her glasses before knows, can cost enough to seriously disrupt a person’s monthly finances. Unlike other items one might be able to live without for a brief stretch, eyeglasses are absolutely vital and must be replaced immediately. As even a modest pair from a traditional optician could range anywhere from two hundred to five hundred dollars, shopping online can drastically soften the blow to the wallet that goes along with replacing one’s eyeglasses. Instead of two-hundred, glasses can be found on many websites for as little as twenty dollars a pair.

Before you go online to buy your next set of spectacles, in order to ensure your glasses will fit, there are some important measurements that need to taken. The only thing worse than an expensive pair of eyeglasses: an uncomfortable pair of eyeglasses. In addition to your regular prescription, ask your optometrist for your pupil distance measurement. The pupil distance, or PD, is the space between the lines of sight leading directly ahead from your pupils. This can be difficult even for professional opticians to measure on themselves. If you really can’t get an optometrist to take the measurement then you can resort to using a mirror and a ruler placed beneath your eyes. The measurement ought to be taken in millimeters. The PD is the most important measurement as it will determine precisely where the lenses will fit in the frames.

Shopping for eyeglasses online provides the buyer with significantly more selection than he or she would find in a regular brick-and-mortar store. Most websites have up over two hundred frame styles and wading through them all can take up a lot of time. However, you should know detailed measurements of the size of frame that will fit your head and face properly. Use a tape measure and record the various lengths of your current set of eyeglasses. The arms, the lens width, the bridge width (space between the frames). Compensate for any part your glasses that fit awkwardly. Since you will not have the luxury of a professional to assist you in your selection, the more information you can collect to describe your ideal pair of glasses the more likely you will be satisfied with your purchase.

One option that can turn a twenty dollar pair of eyeglasses into an eighty dollar pair of eyeglasses is the lens. Moreover, as the lenses are the functional part of any set of glasses, it might not be the best idea to skimp when it comes to lens options. When it comes to lenses, the thinner they are the more expensive they are. Some individual?s prescription will not allow them to get lenses thinner than a certain width. This, again, is an example of how it is important to know the details of your particular needs before you go shopping online. Besides thickness, many people like some percentage of glare coating to filter out UV rays. Even with fancy bells and whistles such as specialized sports frames, the online shopper can expect to pay at least thirty-five percent less than he or she would in at a traditional eyeglass emporium.

If you currently use glasses or contact lenses, or have just been prescribed glasses or contact lenses, you need to know about some of the different options available from Acuvue. Before deciding which option is best for you, make sure to read through and think about the differences. Consider your lifestyle and which option will work best for you.

1-Day Acuvue

1-Day Acuvue lenses are the disposable contact lens option from Johnson & Johnson. Basically, 1-Day Acuvue lenses are worn only once, for one day. Each day, a new pair of lenses is used. Some of the benefits of these disposable, one-time use lenses are the feeling of fresh, new lenses each day, flexibility for part-time wear, and low-maintenance care as no messy contact lens solutions are required. Daily disposable contact lenses are also extremely hygienic, as lenses are discarded after use rather than cleaned and re-used, thus reducing the opportunity for bacteria to accumulate. 1-Day Acuvue contact lenses are also UV-blocking lenses. UV-blocking lenses help protect the portion of your eyes that are covered by the lenses. Johnson & Johnson offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee on their 1-Day Acuvue contact lenses.

Acuvue 2

Acuvue 2 contact lenses are extended wear disposable lenses that are intended to be used for up to two weeks if removed and cleansed every night, or up to six days if left in during sleep. Basically, Acuvue 2 lenses have the flexibility to be used as daily wear lenses or continuous wear lenses, depending on your preference. Acuvue 2 lenses are easy to insert, remove and handle. These lenses contain a visibility tint that makes them easy to see when handling as well as an inside-out mark that ensures you’ll insert your contact lens correctly every time.

People who use Acuvue 2 lenses claim that they are extremely comfortable to wear. Acuvue 2 lenses also offer excellent improvement in vision. According to Johnson & Johnson, 7 out of 10 people who use Acuvue 2 contact lenses enjoy better than 20/20 vision.

Acuvue ADVANCE

With Acuvue Advance contact lenses, the focus is truly on comfort. Acuvue Advance lenses feature Acuvue’s Hydraclear technology, which promises to maintain lenses moist, silky and comfortable all day long. The materials used in making Acuvue Advance lenses is soft and flexible and remains that way until the end of the day, no matter how long your day is. Advance contact lenses stay moist without the need for drops or other maintenance measures. Acuvue Advance lenses, like Acuvue 2 contact lenses, contain a visibility tint that makes them easy to see and handle. Advance lenses also contain the inside-out mark which ensures proper insertion every time. Advance lenses also offer the highest UVA and UVB blocking currently on the market to protect the portion of your eyes that the lenses cover. As with their other lenses, Acuvue offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee. In addition to carrying this guarantee, Advance lenses are available on a 90-day, worry free trial basis.

Which Lens is Right for You?

Choosing between the available options can prove to be daunting. Knowing a bit more about the differences between 1-Day Acuvue, Acuvue 2 and Acuvue Advance definitely help. The main difference between 1-Day Acuvue and Acuvue 2 have to do with how long you choose to leave your contacts in and how much maintenance you’re willing to do. Acuvue Advance offers advanced technology in the manufacturing of the lenses for added comfort and ease of use. No matter what your lifestyle, one of the available lenses from Acuvue is sure to fit your needs.

With Halloween round the corner, shops are abuzz with great costumes and some are decidedly scary. However, most costumes overlook an important facet of personality that conveys a dramatic range of emotions with a single ‘look’. We are talking about your eyes. No scary costume will work if the eyes are also not properly ‘dressed up’. A real ghoul will scare the jeepers out of your friends and family members only if the eyes look actually ghoulish! Theatrical or special effects lenses are just the products to have a fun-filled Halloween.

These are special lenses, an offshoot from the normal contact lens, which come in varied styles and colors. Picture yourself as ‘Lestat’ the Vampire, or the Werewolves and Vampires depicted in the ‘Blade’ franchise. Or perhaps you fancy yourself as ‘Violet’ or for that matter the good old Dracula. The ‘white out’ look popularized by the ‘Evil Dead’ series of movies as well as the various ‘Exorcist’ horror flicks are a great choice. The special effects lenses industry caters for all such types and even advertises them under the name of favorite ghoulish characters. You may want the traditional ‘witch’ or wizard look, aim for that ‘wild animal’ look or try Goblins and other mythical character lenses. Other really chilling eye lenses you don’t want to miss are the Banshee, Black Wolf, Bezerker, Starburst, Zombie, Demon Eyes, Whiteout, Blood Red, Manson, Mummy, Cat eyes to name a few.

Wild Eyes and Crazy Lenses are some of the major brands out there in the market. A click of the search button will reveal many more brands with a huge library to choose from. At most shops selling special effect lenses, matching Halloween costumes are also available: a one-stop shop with all you want under one roof. You could also ‘mix-n-match’ and create your own scary look. For example, combining a vampire costume with cat eyes or a werewolf with a ‘whiteout’ mummy could give a real fright. If you buy the entire package, you may be in for special bargains too. The price of lenses varies from $35 to $100 depending upon the quality.

It is important to choose the right pair because these lenses, unlike normal lenses, cover the whole eyeball. These special lenses are either opaque or tinted and have a small aperture in them through which the wearer can see the outside world. So once you have a pair fitted it becomes difficult to move the eyeballs so skip the strain and take these out no later than three hours after you go on a Halloween rampage. Also to buy them you will need to keep a prescription handy, hence a proper eye care professional’s advice is required when trying them on for the first time. As a general rule those with significant vision problems are advised not to wear these lenses. But then, fear not: even if you do have minor eye problems you may be able to wear these lenses but consult your doctor just to be sure. In any case most shops selling these specialty products have eye care professionals stand by to help you try them out. So this Halloween, pick those realistic, scary special effect lenses and go Happy Hunting. Trick or Treat!

Like so many other types of products and services, eyewear such as eyeglasses or contact lenses is increasingly available for purchase from the comfort of your own home or office - as long as you have a computer and internet connection. Many of the traditional providers of corrective lenses you know and trust have now started offering their products online. Other online providers you’ve never heard of may also be offering similar products over the internet. With so many choices of where to get prescription glasses or contact lenses online, it can get very confusing. In order to determine which eyewear provider you should use when shopping for glasses or contacts online, consider three factors: selection, value and service.

Selection

Whether you are brand new at shopping for corrective lenses or whether you’ve been wearing glasses or contacts for years, you’ll want to know that your online provider can meet your needs. The greater a selection an online provider of eyewear has, the better equipped they will be to have whatever it is you’re specifically looking for. Also, the greater a selection of eyewear an online retailer has, the more you can trust they know their business. If a retailer has 3 or 4 different eyeglass frames to choose from and a myriad of other products, then you know that eye care is not their core business. On the other hand, if that same online retailer were to have every designer glasses brand known to humankind and virtually no other products unrelated to eyes, then you know where they stand.

Now, if you are a person who has worn the same glasses for years and years and who sticks with what they know and love, then a huge selection may not be on the top of your priority list. If you are this type of person, you may place more importance on other factors. In this case, just verify that the online eyewear retailers you are researching carry your preferred brand and style.

Value

Today more than ever Americans need to keep an eye on how much they are spending on products and services. Though we certainly wouldn’t want you to make any sacrifices in the area of caring for your eyes, you can see where this is going. You’ll want to make sure that the online eyewear retailer you choose to get your glasses or contact lenses or theatrical lenses from has competitive pricing. The best way to find out if the price being charged for a pair of eyeglasses or contacts is to research the marketplace. When you are visiting online eyewear providers to research their selection, make sure to pay attention to pricing so you can make comparisons. Make sure to research shipping costs and to include these in your comparisons in order to make them more comprehensive. Also take into account any added value the site might offer and factor this in. Does the online retailer offer discount coupons for eye exams in your area? Do they offer free returns or a discount for recycling your old frames? These kinds of concessions can add up to extra value for you.

Service

Service is something that may be difficult to gage before you actually do business with an online retailer, but there are usually at least a few indicators of whether they offer good service or not. One of the ways to tell if an online retailer is readily available to provide excellent customer service is if they post a 1-800 number on their site. Another sure sign that an online retailer provides good service is if they have a satisfaction guarantee or money-back guarantee. Usually this signifies that they stand behind their product.