Best Places to Buy Contact Lenses Online for 2024
To order contact lenses, you first need a prescription from your doctor.
If your insurance covers eye care, check to see if the store you are considering accepts your insurance.
If your doctor has prescribed a particular brand of contact lenses for you, it is best to choose a store that sells that brand.
Always check the seller’s returns policy if you wish to return an item.
Did you know 45 million people in the US wear contact lensesbut do many of them end up paying more than they need to? Yes, you can save yourself a trip to the eye doctor and some money by checking out online contact lens vendors. Online contact lens vendors let you easily compare prices, and the best places to buy contact lenses online even accept vision insurance.
At CNET, we’ve been covering eye care for years with extensive research and unbiased reviews. After checking out and reviewing a variety of online stores, we’ve found the ones that have something for everyone. Here are our top picks for the best places to buy contact lenses online, so you can get the most bang for your buck.
Read more: Best Online Glasses & Contact Lens Deals: Savings You Have to See to Believe
What is the best place to buy contact lenses online?
Topping our list is Warby Parker, which we think is the best place to order contact lenses online. As one of the most popular eyewear brands, Warby Parker offers a seamless and hassle-free buying experience for filling your new prescription. Additionally, the company carries most of the major contact lens brands, so you can shop around for a lower price. If you choose to buy your contact lenses from Warby Parker, you can buy in bulk, such as a yearly supply, to save money.
Best Places to Buy Contact Lenses Online for 2024
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Warby Parker not only sells affordable and stylish eyewear, the company also sells contact lenses. You can choose from ExplorerWarby Parker’s own brand of contact lenses, or buy contacts from Acuvue, Biotrue, Air Optix, Dailies and other major brands. A three-month supply of Scout daily lenses (90 lenses total) starts at $52, which is a good deal for daily disposable lenses. Depending on where you shop and the brand you use, prices can range from $60 to $200 online. You can get a six-day trial pack of Scout contact lenses to see if you like them before committing to a full supply.
Depending on your vision insurance, you may be able to use your benefits to pay for your Warby Parker contact lenses. If your insurance company does not work directly with Warby Parker, you can instead file a claim with your insurance to be reimbursed for all qualifying orders.
GlassesUSA.com sells both contact lenses and glasses and will price match any other seller. Like every other retailer on this list, GlassesUSA.com carries all the popular lens brands including Acuvue, Biofinity and more, and offers free returns and free shipping on prescription lenses.
As one of the most famous contact shops, 1-800 Contacts stocks all the popular brands and you can even get regular contacts through its call center. A CNET editor praised the company for providing customer service that went above and beyond.
1-800 Contacts will match any competitor’s price. If you find a better price, you can tell the company and they will do their best to match it (with some restrictions).
Like Lens.com, you can text or email your contact lens prescription, which speeds up the ordering process. 1-800 Contacts also offers free shipping on all orders and allows you to update your prescription via an online test (available only to adults ages 18-55). You can also purchase colored contact lenses from 1-800 Contacts. If for any reason you need to exchange your unopened lenses, 1-800 Contacts will cover the shipping costs.
A popular source for cheap contact lenses among my fellow CNET editors is ContactsDirectbecause it often sends discount codes to customers. It has a wide selection of lens options, including multifocal lenses, colored contact lenses, soft contact lenses for dry eyes, and toric lenses for astigmatism.
ContactsDirect offers returns on products purchased within one year if your vision changes and you need correction from your doctor. ContactsDirect also sells contact lens solution, as does 1-800 Contacts.
Lens.com‘s prices are often lower than other prescription contact lens stores. It has an impressive selection of brands — including Acuvue, Air Optix, Dailies and Biofinity Toric for astigmatism — plus it accepts returns and covers shipping costs for unopened boxes.
Lens.com is an out-of-network vision insurance provider, so you can’t use your benefits to pay for your order directly. However, you can submit the receipt to your insurance company for reimbursement. (Always check with your insurance company to see what it covers.)
Eye conical has a wide range of contact lens brands to choose from, including Acuvue, Air Optix, Biotrue by Bausch + Lomb, and Extreme H2O. Like others on this list, it offers free shipping and free returns.
To narrow down our list of the best places to buy contact lenses, we considered factors such as:
- Customer satisfaction: We researched customer reviews from reputable third-party platforms, such as the Better Business Bureau, to measure overall customer satisfaction.
- Variety: We reviewed the product range and selected retailers that offer a wide range of products that meet different regulations and needs.
- Accessibility: We prioritized online retailers that offered a smooth ordering process and had user-friendly websites and customer service.
- Price transparency: We preferred retailers that offered competitive prices and a clear breakdown of costs. In addition, we chose retailers that accepted some form of vision insurance or discounts.
- Shipping Policy: We have also taken into account the shipping and delivery times to ensure that our readers receive a fast and reliable service.How to order contact lenses online
Buying contact lenses online is just as safe as buying them from your eye doctor, because you get the same lenses as you would from the optician. The process requires a little more effort than buying them from your eye doctor, but you will be rewarded with savings.
To get started, you just need to follow a few simple steps.
- Have your contact lens prescription checked.
- Find the brand and model of contact lenses on your prescription at one of the stores above to find your specific lenses. Disposable lenses are sold in boxes and most online stores will give you a deal if you buy a six or twelve month supply, rather than one box at a time.
- During the checkout processEnter your prescription information to select the correct lenses and then submit your prescription verification. Most stores will allow you to upload an image or PDF of your prescription, or you can choose to have the company contact your doctor to verify it. This process can take a few minutes or up to a few days if the store contacts your doctor.
- Once that process is complete, order will be completed and deleted ship directly to you.
Pro tip: Immediately following your contact lens exam, it’s almost always worth picking up a year’s supply of your current prescription. Whether you’re buying daily, monthly, or even multifocal lenses, buying in bulk will save you money.
If your prescription changes during that year, you can exchange your prescription at many of the retailers listed above unopened boxes with a new recipe. You don’t have much to lose by buying a year’s supply. While it may be a higher initial cost, you will save money compared to buying one box at a time.
If you are considering buying contact lenses online, keep these things in mind to ensure you make a safe purchase.
- Make sure you have a valid prescription from your eye doctor. Whether you buy in-store or online, a prescription is required to ensure you get the right strength.
- Compare the best deals from different online contact shops and read customer reviews.
- Please double and triple check your order details before placing it.
- Make sure you have (or purchase) all the care products you need to ensure the safety and longevity of your contact lenses.
Is it safe to buy contact lenses online?
Can I order contact lenses online with an expired prescription?
Do you need a prescription to buy contact lenses online?
What is the best place to buy contact lenses online?
