New CSIRO technology which allows machines to "see" is being used to help people choose the right "specs".
Scientists have developed a sophisticated algorithm which turns 2D images of the face into a three-dimensional graphic.
The technology, called Smart Vision, calculates the size and scale of the face using measures such as the distance between pupils.
Dr Simon Lucey, who led the research, said it allows machines to "see like we see".
Dr Lucey and his team announced on Tuesday that they had licensed the technology to Glasses.com, an online subsidiary of 1-800 CONTACTS, who claim on their website to be the world's largest contact lens retailer.
The company is using the technology in a new iPad app, which creates a 3D image of a customer's face and lets them "try on" different frames for glasses.
The technology "solves a big problem in online retail" by allowing people to see how a product will look on their face from a range of angles, Dr Lucey said.
Users can also tap the screen to reposition the glasses as they would if they were trying them on in-store.
Previously, creating a 3D scan of the face would require a sophisticated range scanner which can cost thousands of dollars, Dr Lucey said.
The algorithm is flexible enough to work with any smartphone, tablet or laptop, he said, which means there is potential for the technology to be used to scan more than just faces.
"We could create 3D scans of other things, just with a mobile phone, without having to have expensive hardware."
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