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Can’t make it to the eye doctor to grab your contacts? You can send contacts to your home and make it easier on yourself. Check out our top picks for places to buy contacts online.
If you’re among the 45 million people in the United States who wear contact lenses, you know the hassle of keeping them in stock at home. To ensure you always have a pair handy and keep costs down, many people choose to buy their lenses online instead of directly from healthcare professionals or in stores.
There are many online retailers of contact lenses with features that vary. Some retailers make their own brand of lenses, others offer special bundles or offers, and some even have subscription services so you don’t have to think about reordering.
In order to help you determine which features may work best for you, we’ve reviewed the best places to buy contact lenses online.
Though some online contact platforms can do an eye exam virtually, it’s important to note that this isn’t a substitute for a full exam. Eye care professionals recommend yearly in-person eye exams for people who wear contacts.
Here’s what we looked for to find the best places to buy contacts online:
Solid reputations: We omitted retailers with an extensive history of complaints across multiple areas, including customer service and product quality. We omitted those with low ratings or a history of fraudulent practices. We checked out consumer reports on sites, such as Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Quality and selection: We chose sites that offer a wide variety of contact lens brands from trusted manufacturers using modern lens materials.
Ease of mind: We looked for those that offer money-back guarantees and price-match guarantees.
Are contact lenses medical devices?
Yes, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers contact lenses as medical devices and regulates them for safety and effectiveness for vision correction. Contact lenses should only be purchased from reputable sources and manufacturers, such as those listed in this article.
Keep in mind that some eye doctors and people who wear contact lenses advise against using online retailers to buy contacts, citing experiences with incorrect contacts and low quality products.
Even the best business is bound to have some poor reviews. However, if reviews are consistently negative, particularly about a specific issue, it can be a red flag. Also, try to look for the most recent reviews for a better picture of what to expect from the company now.
Check out each retailer’s website and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for user-submitted reviews.
Consider quality and cost
Price comparison shopping is a good idea, but some deeply discounted contact lens retailers also have bad reputations. Less expensive products can sometimes wind up costing you more in the long run, such as in contact lenses that come ripped, in unsealed boxes, or made of lower quality.
To avoid this, always choose to buy from a retailer that offers a money-back guarantee or a price-match guarantee.
Words to the wise
It’s important to keep in mind that contact lens prescriptions are brand specific and can’t be substituted. Your eye doctor will include which brand they prescribe on your prescription.
On most sites, the best way to get a good deal is to buy in bulk. Using a monthly prescription service can be a viable way to save money on your current prescription. Choose a service that lets you opt out at any time without penalty.
Checking in with an eye doctor
Some online sites offer prescription checks. These are fine to use if you wish to extend the time between your doctor’s visits. However, it’s very important to get your eyes checked regularly. An online prescription check doesn’t include overall eye health and won’t identify conditions, such as macular degeneration or glaucoma.
Even sites with great chat features won’t offer much support when it comes to deciding what’s best for your eye health.
Buying online isn’t for everyone. If it’s not for you, consider purchasing directly through your optometrist or ophthalmologist. Some offices partner with suppliers to have your prescriptions mailed to you.
The American Optometric Society recommends an annual comprehensive eye exam for all contact lens wearers, so be sure to get checked out if you haven’t done so recently.
These exams should be in person, as the prescription checks offered by online services are not able to check the fit of the contacts or see if there are any side effects from your contacts.
Aim to see your eye health professional in person every year.
Buying where your vision insurance is accepted
Not every site accepts vision insurance. If you do have coverage, you can buy from a retailer that accepts it. This can wind up saving you hundreds of dollars annually.
Even without vision correction, a contact lens exam and prescription from an eye doctor are necessary for colored contact lenses.
That’s because the doctor needs to be sure that the lenses will fit correctly on the eye and that your general eye health supports the use of colored lenses.
If you aren’t wearing disposable contacts, you can use fresh contact solution every night and replace your contacts as stated on your prescription. Each type of contacts has its own guidelines, so be sure to follow them.
When choosing the best online retailer for you, consider features like acceptance of vision insurance, selection, cost, and free shipping.
The short answer is no. You do need a verified prescription to purchase contact lenses. When you get your eye exam, the prescriber is required to give you a copy of your contact lens prescription when the fitting is complete.
You can get a prescription from an optometrist or ophthalmologist if you choose. Opticians are customer service specialists who work in vision care centers and can read prescriptions given by other eye care professionals. Some online retailers supply their own eye care professionals.
It’s very important that you only use this prescription to order contacts, otherwise you can hurt your eyes.
By selling contacts online, manufacturers can cut out intermediaries and distributors and the overhead costs of their brick-and-mortar stores.
Being able to shop around and look for the best offer is what keeps the prices competitive and makes it more affordable for you. However, there are companies who do charge more than the going price.
Make sure to make use of the offers and bundles some of these websites have to make sure you get the best value.
There are many online contact lens retailers, but many come up short when it comes to customer service and product guarantees.
The sites on this list have a consistent record of customer satisfaction. Many take vision insurance or offer monthly payment plans. Many also provide price-match guarantees and free shipping on returns.
How we reviewed this article:
Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.
