Lunar New Year & New Year: Choosing Prescription Lenses, Prescription Sunglasses — Eyewear Appointment Before the Holiday
Suggestions for preparing eyewear for the Lunar New Year: prescription sunglasses, photochromic lenses, order before the store gets busy; checklist for warranty stickers and re-measure if using an old prescription — Dien Bien Phu Optical 529 3/2 Street.
Optometrist Vũ Văn Tiệp
March 28, 2026
The Lunar New Year and New Year is a time when the demand for new eyewear, lens replacement, or prescription sunglasses increases significantly: many people want to see clearly when visiting family, driving home, taking family photos, or gifting grandparents and parents a pair of properly prescribed glasses. At the same time, the lens cutting workshop and stores are usually busy with orders before the holiday — if you place an order close to the holiday, it’s easy to end up in a long wait, lack of ordered lenses, or having to change plans (lens index, lens color) due to late arrivals. The following article is a practical guide to help you proactively schedule and choose the right eyewear configuration; apply flexibly when visiting Dien Bien Phu Optical — 529 3/2 Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City (contact).
Why should you schedule eyewear appointments at least 2–3 weeks before the Lunar New Year?
Single vision lenses are usually cut on the same day; however, progressive lenses, brand-name lenses, special photochromic lenses, or cutting on rimless frames often require a few days to a week depending on the workshop's workload. Before the Lunar New Year, the number of orders spikes, causing waiting times to extend. If you need glasses by a specific date before heading home or before the holiday, make sure to measure and finalize your order early — bring your old glasses and prescription (if available) to help the technician shorten the measurement step. For more information on lens cutting times at the store area, refer to the article how long to get lenses cut in District 10.
Prioritize getting glasses before the Lunar New Year if…
- Your lenses are heavily scratched, peeling, or you experience glare when driving at night or against the light.
- Your eye exam prescription is outdated or you see blurry text / squint more than before.
- You need prescription sunglasses or photochromic lenses for traveling, daytime driving during the holiday.
- You want to gift glasses: you need time to choose frames, measure the recipient (or have reliable measurements).
Prescription Sunglasses: Polarized or Photochromic?
The intense sun during the Lunar New Year in the South often comes with reflections from asphalt roads and car windows. Polarized prescription lenses help reduce glare from reflective surfaces — suitable for daytime driving, beach outings, and prolonged outdoor activities. Photochromic lenses are better for people who move in and out of buildings–cars–outdoors continuously, not wanting to carry two pairs. The two options do not completely replace each other; it’s necessary to test the darkness, color change speed, and see if the phone screen appears “strangely dark” with polarized lenses. For a more detailed comparison, check polarized prescription lenses or photochromic for daytime driving and pros and cons of photochromic lenses.
Lens Replacement at Home: Index, Coating, and “Pick Up After the Lunar New Year”
If you don’t need glasses urgently before the holiday, you can still order lenses to avoid the rush right after the Lunar New Year — but you should finalize the configuration beforehand: index (1.56 / 1.60 / 1.67…) affects thickness and price; anti-reflective coating (AR) helps reduce glare when taking photos with flash or looking at screens. Don’t just look at the total price; ask for a breakdown of costs by lenses – frames – coating to compare fairly, similar to the suggestions in which brand of lenses to choose.
Gifting Glasses During the Lunar New Year: Important Notes
Gifting prescription glasses requires accurate measurements or taking the recipient to measure on-site. Giving a voucher with guidance to the store for free measurements is often safer than guessing the prescription. For older adults, you may need ADD (reading power) — consider progressive lenses or bifocals instead of just a single distance prescription; read more about what progressive lenses are and bifocals or progressive lenses.
Stickers, Warranty, and Genuine Lens Sources
During the holiday, counterfeit products are easy to mix up. Be sure to check the warranty stickers, receipts, and lens information (brand, index, coating type). In the store area, you can refer to genuine lenses in District 10 — 529 3/2 Street.
Eyewear Frames for the Lunar New Year: Comfortable and “All-Day Wear”
Besides lenses, frames determine weight, fit when sweating, and whether the lens center is misaligned. During the Lunar New Year, people often go out for long periods, eat and drink at gatherings, and children run around — slipping or tight-fitting frames will make you constantly adjust your glasses and strain your eyes. Choose frames with a suitable nose pad, well-fitting, and ask the technician to measure PD / height on the actual frame before cutting progressive lenses. If you are unsure about your face shape, you can read more about how to choose glasses that fit different face shapes (a summary article on the site).
Traveling Home, Vacationing, and Backup Glasses
Many families drive long distances or fly domestically during the Lunar New Year. Bring a hard case, cleaning cloth, and if possible, your old glasses as a backup (with a close prescription) in case of broken frames or lost glasses. Prescription sunglasses do not replace regular glasses when it’s dark — don’t wear sunglasses when driving at night after a party; see more about what lenses and coatings to choose for nighttime driving.
Ordering Glasses Online During Promotions: Avoid Common Mistakes
The end of the year and the beginning of the new year often have flash sales for online glasses. The biggest risks are incorrect PD, incorrect index, or frames not matching measurements — leading to distorted vision, dizziness. Read carefully about mistakes when ordering glasses online and how to avoid them before finalizing your order.
Children, Screens, and “Lunar New Year Break”
During the holiday, children use tablets / phones more than usual. This is when parents should remind the eye rest rule, screen distance, and if children are already nearsighted, re-measure before the new school year. Refer to what to do if children are nearsighted and correct screen viewing distance.
Checklist When Visiting the Store During Peak Times
Bring: old glasses, old prescription or a photo of the prescription; list of medications (if affecting vision); notes on needs (driving, computer, outdoor). Ask clearly: when to pick up glasses, number of free adjustments (if any), warranty conditions for lenses.
Conclusion
Preparing eyewear before the Lunar New Year helps you manage your time, choose the right lens type for sunlight and holiday activities, and avoid waiting in line / waiting for lenses on peak days. Whether the need is for prescription sunglasses, lens replacement at home, or gifting loved ones, the most important step is still accurate measurement and real-life trials. For advice based on your prescription and lens cutting schedule, you can schedule an appointment / contact or continue reading articles in the articles section and the lens selector tool.
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