Click here for Best site for contacts We reviewed trusted vision centers and online retailers. These Are the Best Places to Buy Prescription Contact Lenses. We researched the best vision centers and online retailers. Johnstone M. Kim, MD, is board-certified in ophthalmology. He',s a practicing physician at Midwest Retina in Dublin, Ohio and previously served as a full-time faculty member at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and the Kresge Eye Institute in Detroit, Michigan. James Lacy, MLS, is a fact-checker and researcher. James received a Master of Library Science degree from Dominican University. We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products. Healthcare professionals review articles for medical accuracy. Learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Verywell / Sabrina Jiang. While eyeglasses require considerably less maintenance, contacts tend to be more adaptable to our usual day-to-day activities like showering, driving, and exercising. Combine that with the fact that contacts give wearers a wider field of vision, there are plenty of reasons to consider tackling the contact lens learning curve. That said, there is a learning curve to wearing contacts. The right prescription, type, and fit are all key to finding success with your contact lenses. And then there’s buying them: with options available through your doctor’s office and online, how do you know if you’re shopping for the right contacts from the right places? “To determine which contacts are best for you, it’s important to speak to your eye doctor regarding your contact lens routine,” explains Dr. Vanessa Hernandez, optometrist at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai in New York City. You'll want to take into account how often you want to dispose of them, how many hours per day and how many days per week you will wear your lenses, any allergies or problems with eye dryness, and if you plan to sleep or shower in them. Once you've determined your contact needs, you'll be better prepared to find the best retailer for you. We researched dozens of online contact retailers and evaluated them for reviews, shipping speed, site experience, pricing, product selection, customer service, and return policies. Each of the retailers chosen in this article was determined to be the best of these factors. We also did a comprehensive testing review on both 1-800 Contacts and Coastal Contacts. Here are the best places to buy contacts online. Best Overall: Discount Contact Lenses. Wide selection of lenses. Generally lower prices. Regular chances for cost savings. Return policies vary by product. Out-of-network insurance reimbursement only. You still get most contact lenses that you’ll find on other sites, but at a more affordable price when you order from Discount Contact Lenses. Most packs ring in at well under $100, while other companies offer lenses in the triple digits. In addition to the actual contact lenses, you can also find a range of eye care products on the site, like solutions and cases for your contacts, as well as sunglasses and reading glasses. If you don’t need better eyesight, but you do want colored contacts, this site offers that too—all at prices that won’t break the bank. Price: Average $30 to $50 | Subscription Orders: Yes | Shipping Time: Standard (5-7 business days) Best Budget: AC Lens. Always 20 percent off first order. Over 42 brands to choose. Free shipping only with $99+, orders. Out-of-network insurance reimbursement only. With more than 42 brands to choose from, you’ll find the best contact lenses for you—and all at an affordable price. New members also get 20 percent off on all contact lenses, so you save a little money with your first-time order. Because the company has been around since 1995, they’ve got the system down, with easy navigation to order contacts online. If you do have a question, you can give them a call as well. Keep in mind, you do have to spend $99 to get free shipping with an online order at this site. Price: Average $30 to $50 | Subscription Orders: Yes | Shipping Time: Standard (5-7 business days) Verywell Health / Sarah Vanbuskirk. Best for Convenience: 1-800 Contacts. Flexible return and exchange policy. In-network insurance and FSA/HSA spending options. Automated shipments on your schedule. Some returns may be store credit, not money back. If you want to make sure you get a fresh set of lenses every month, then the 1800contacts.com page should get a spot on your bookmark list. You can easily input your prescription information—and update it at any time—and you'll automatically get your contacts when you need them, without even thinking about it. If you decide not to do the subscription and realize you',re out of lenses, you can also order a set for next-day delivery. Better yet, if your Rx changes and you still have some lenses left, you can send back the remaining unopened boxes for money toward your next order. Price: Average $40 to $60 | Subscription Orders: Yes | Shipping Time: Standard (5-7 business days) Verywell Health / Sarah Vanbuskirk. What Our Editors Say. ",I',ve been ordering my contacts from 1-800 Contacts for over 10 years. I don',t wear them regularly, which means sometimes my daily lens Rx changes or the lenses expire before I need to use them. Their customer service has always made it easy for me to exchange for what I need, which I really appreciate.", — Nicole Kwan, Editorial Director of Verywell Health. Best One-Stop Shop: LensCrafters. Wide variety of brands and styles. Many types of insurance and HSA/FSA accepted. Eye exams and lenses at same location. Limited variety of pack sizes. 30 days for returns or exchanges. Get your eye exam and prescription and order contacts (and glasses, if you want them, too), all at Lenscrafters locations across the country. The vision care center offers a few different brands, and your eye doctor can easily suggest which would be best for you. Choose from different pack sizes, from a few dailies to a three-month supply of monthlies. You can also find contacts for different conditions like astigmatism or multifocal lenses. Besides the option to buy in-person, you can also easily order contacts online from Lenscrafters—a good idea if you’re just looking for a renewal and want to get it done quickly. Price: Average $50 to $80 | Subscription Orders: No | Shipping Time: Ground (5-7 business days) Best for Buying Only Online: Coastal. Price match guarantee. Easy reordering process. Offers colored lenses and other options. Some restrictions on returns and exchanges. No online eye exam offered. Known for their buy-one, give-one glasses, you can find more than just a pair of spectacles at Coastal. They also offer contact lenses, which you can easily order (and re-order) when you need them. If you aren’t sure how, they have an online chat option so a rep can help you out. They offer a price match guarantee, too, so you can get them inexpensively. Coastal also offers colored contact lenses and “enhancers” that simply magnify the natural color of your eyes. Price: Average $50 to $70 | Subscription Orders: No | Shipping Time: Standard (3-5 business days) Verywell Health / Joline Buscemi. Best for Scoring Deals: Walgreens. Free standard shipping on all lens orders. Frequent discounts and rebate offers. Wide selection of brands. Returns are not accepted unless there is damage or error. Prices vary widely across brands and styles. Order popular brands like Dailies, Acuvue, or Bausch &, Lomb (among others) for your everyday contact wearing. The Walgreens website often offers discounts on lenses—in fact, right now you can snag a 20 percent off deal on all contact lenses that the retailer sells. Besides keeping contacts budget-friendly, Walgreens also offers tons of options for you to choose the right set. Best circle lenses site Best online contacts website Best colored contact sites Best discount contact lens site Best online contact ordering site Best website to order contacts Cheapest contact website
