In recent years, it has been a struggle to raise enough money to even cover a six-month supply of my contact lenses. Many times I considered just wearing my glasses full time because spending a few hundred dollars was too rich for my bank account.
If you wear contact lenses, you know how expensive they can be, even with vision benefits. And if you buy them from your ophthalmologist or local optician, you’ll likely pay full retail value, which could set you back a few hundred dollars.
Fortunately, there are many online stores that offer every brand of contact lenses you can think of, often at discounted prices or with discounts to help you save some money. We’ve rounded up some of the best places to buy contacts online below. I wouldn’t say one of them is better than the other, but shopping around will help you get the most savings and find a store that will let you use your insurance to offset the cost.
Keep in mind that before shopping, get an eye health and contact lens exam from your optician or optometrist. An eye doctor can help you determine the best prescription lenses for your specific needs, whether they are daily disposables, soft contact lenses, hard contact lenses, lenses for astigmatism, or multifocal lenses. All stores on this list require a valid vision prescription from an eye doctor to dispense your contact lenses, and they won’t ship your order without one.
So, ready to ditch the frames and dive in? Here you will find contacts for an affordable price.
Scout by Warby Parker
Not only does Warby Parker sell affordable and stylish eyewear, the company also sells contact lenses. You can choose from Scout, Warby Parker’s own contact lens brand, or get contact lenses from Acuvue, Biotrue, Air Optix, Dailies, and other major brands.
A quarterly supply of Scout daily disposables (90 lenses in total) starts at $47, which is a good deal on daily disposables. Depending on where you shop and the brand you use, prices online can range from $60 to $200. You can get a six-day trial pack of Scout contact lenses to see if you like them before buying a full supply.
Depending on your vision insurance policy, you may be able to use your benefits to pay for the purchase of your Warby Parker contacts. If your insurance company does not work directly with Warby Parker, you can file a claim with your insurance company instead to get reimbursement for qualified orders.
Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff/CNET
Personal Story Time: I found Lens.com too many years ago to remember now, and it’s been my go-to place for cheap contacts ever since. I keep coming back because the customer service is great and the prices are usually the lowest I can find for prescription contact lenses. It has an impressive selection of brands – including Acuvue, Air Optix, Dailies and Biofinity Toric for astigmatism – plus it returns and covers the cost of returning unopened boxes. ‘Enough said.
Lens.com is a third-party vision insurance provider, so you cannot use your benefits to pay for your order directly. However, you can submit the receipt to your insurance company for reimbursement (and always check with your insurance company to see what it covers).
Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff/CNET
As one of the best-known contact stores, 1800Contacts stocks all popular brands, and you can even get hard contacts through the call center. A CNET editor praised the company for delivering customer service that went above and beyond.
The price of 1800Contacts matches that of any competitor, so if you find a better price, you can let the company know and it will do its best to match it (with some limitations).
Like Lens.com, you can text or email your contact lens prescription, which speeds up the ordering process. 1800Contacts also offers discounted student contact lenses and free shipping on all orders, and allows you to update your prescription through an online test (only available to adults between the ages of 18 and 55). You can also buy colored contact lenses at 1800Contacts. If you need to exchange your unopened lenses for any reason, 1800Contacts will cover the shipping costs.
Accepts vision insurance with a valid prescription.
Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff/CNET
A popular contact resource among my fellow CNET editors is ContactsDirect, as it often sends coupon codes to customers. It has a wide selection of lens type options, including multifocal lenses, colored contacts, soft contact lenses for dry eyes, and toric lenses for astigmatism.
ContactsDirect offers returns on products purchased within a year if your vision changes and you need vision correction from your doctor. ContactsDirect (and 1800Contacts) also sells contact lens solutions.
Accepts vision insurance.
Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff/CNET
Eyeconic has a wide variety of contact lens brands to choose from, including Acuvue, Air Optix, Biotrue from Bausch and Lomb, and Extreme H2O. Like others on this list, it offers free shipping and free returns.
Accepts VSP, MetLife and Cigna Vision vision insurance.
Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff/CNET
Last but not least is GlassesUSA.com, which sells both contact lenses and glasses and will match other sellers in price. 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.
Accepts selected insurers.
For the most part, yes. Disposable contact lenses will cost you more money in the long run than glasses. I’ve been wearing Acuvue Oasys for years and they average around $25-$40 for a box of 12 lenses. That box of 12 will last me three months (one lens per eye, and I toss those lenses every two weeks). That means I usually spend about $160 a year on contacts.
Depending on the brand your doctor prescribes, your contacts may cost less or more.
You can easily get glasses for about $100, and if you don’t have to change your prescription every year, you can wear those same glasses as long as they work for you. Regardless of whether my vision changes or not, I still have to buy more contacts every year.
How to save money on contact lenses
Pro Tip: Right after your contact lens exam, it’s almost always worth getting a year’s supply of your current prescription. Whether you buy daily, monthly or even multifocal contact lenses, buying in bulk can save you money.
If your recipe changes sometime during that year, many of the above retailers will allow you to exchange unopened boxes for a new recipe. You don’t have much to lose by buying a year’s supply. While the purchase cost may be higher, you’ll save money instead of buying one box at a time.
More health and wellness recommendations
The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified healthcare professional if you have any questions about a medical condition or health goals.