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The Best Contact Lens Stores

Where's the Best Place to Get Contact Lenses?

If you answered, "at the optometrist's office", you might be missing out on some serious savings - on the exact same contacts you'd get from your doctor! Shopping for your lenses online could get you prices at discounts of as much as 70% over the everyday retail price, but with the benefits of ordering from home and having them come right to your doorstep.

Have you ever wondered if contact lenses are right for you? Maybe you tried to wear them a decade (or two) ago and just couldn't find a comfortable fit. You may want to schedule an appointment with your eye doctor, because technology has advanced to the point that many people can now comfortably wear contacts, even when previous attempts have failed. Where once it took a hard or gas permeable lens to achieve the right amount of correction, there are now soft lenses for astigmatism and even presbyopia (i.e. age-related farsightedness).

Friday, March 24th

2023 Contact Lens Store Reviews

Eyeconic Review Top Consumer Reviews Best-In-Class Blue Ribbon Award 5 Star Rating

Eyeconic

5 Star Rating Top Consumer Reviews Best-In-Class Blue Ribbon Award

Although Eyeconic's everyday prices aren't the absolute lowest, this store offers an impressive array of benefits that should catch your attention. Eyeconic is one of the few companies that accepts benefits from three different vision insurance plans - no need to send in receipts to file a claim. Plus, with free shipping on all orders and huge discounts on year-supply orders of contacts, you may find that contacts are more affordable with Eyeconic than anywhere else. This retailer earns our strongest recommendation.

AC Lens Review 4.5 Star Rating

AC Lens

4.5 Star Rating

AC Lens is part of a brand family that includes Discount Contacts, another site in our evaluation. When shopping specifically on the AC Lens site, you'll save a little money over their partner brand - but both stores come in with the lowest prices on contacts. With a superior "A+" rating from the BBB and hundreds of satisfied customers, AC Lens should be one of the sites you shop when buying your contacts.

Discount Contacts Review 4.5 Star Rating

Discount Contacts

4.5 Star Rating

Discount Contacts is a great option for buying contact lenses. Sister store to AC Lens, you'll find many of the same tools and features here, but prices that may be slightly higher. This is one of just a few contact lens stores to offer an online prescription verification tool, which could save you the time, hassle and expense involved in visiting your optometrist. Discount Contacts earns one of our highest ratings.

Contact Lens King Review 4 Star Rating

Contact Lens King

4 Star Rating

Despite the slightly cheesy name, Contact Lens King is a good place to buy contact lenses. Their inventory reaches into the millions, and the site makes it a breeze to quickly find the right contacts. You may not find huge promotional discounts here, but Contact Lens King's everyday prices and strong reputation are enough to make this a retailer to consider for your next purchase of contact lenses.

Coastal Review 3.5 Star Rating

Coastal

3.5 Star Rating

Buying contact lenses from Coastal will almost definitely cost more money. Their per-box prices were the highest in our review, so you'll want to make sure you look for a discount code on the site or request a price match. The site is easy to shop, and most customers give Coastal a 4- or 5-star rating. But we'd need to see a drop in their everyday prices before moving this retailer up in our rankings.

Lens Direct Review 3 Star Rating

Lens Direct

3 Star Rating

Across all dimensions, Lens Direct comes in as "just average". From their slightly high prices on contact lenses to the 6% "handling" fee, they aren't going to "wow" you - especially when their site sometimes makes it challenging to be sure you've found the right lenses. It's not a bad option for buying contacts, but you'll probably have a better overall experience with a higher-ranked store.

Lens Review 2.5 Star Rating

Lens

2.5 Star Rating

Lens has an amazing selection of contact lenses: more than 13 million in stock! You can also use their online prescription verification tool (if you can find it). But you'll spend a lot more here, not only on the contacts themselves but also with no options for free shipping on top of a hefty processing fee. You can get the contact lenses you need, but Lens is likely to be your most expensive option.

Compare the Best Reviews

Continued from above...

You may also be surprised to see just how many options are available. Multifocal contacts instead of eyeglasses? Yes! Daily lenses that you throw away at the end of the day, eliminating any need for cases and cleansers? That too! While it may take some trial-and-error in the beginning, to find both the prescription and the type of lens that feels most comfortable, it's definitely worth it to take advantage of the convenience and flexibility contacts offer compared with traditional eyeglasses.

With so many online retailers of contact lenses, how can you tell which one to choose for your order? It may be helpful to keep these criteria in mind:

  • Selection. Does the store carry a wide range of brands and lens types? If you've got a more challenging prescription, you might not find the lenses you need at a retailer with a smaller inventory.
  • Ease of Use. Can you find your specific contacts quickly? Does the site make it simple to determine if you've found the ones that match your current prescription?
  • Price. How much will you spend per box? Are there any discounts for ordering more than two boxes at a time? Be sure to look at shipping fees and other costs, because some contact lens stores tack on extra "processing/handling" fees that won't show up until checkout.
  • Reputation. What do other customers say about their experience with buying their contact lenses from the retailer? Does the store have a good rating from the Better Business Bureau?
  • Benefits. Some retailers go the extra mile to make your purchase even better. You may be able to have your prescription verified with an online test - no doctor visit necessary. Others let you set up an automatic refill schedule (often at a discount) so that you never run out of your contacts.

TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best online retailers of contact lenses available today. We hope this information helps you get your contacts quickly and affordably, so that you can see clearly and comfortably for a long time!

The Best Contact Lens Stores Compare Contact Lens Stores Compare Contact Lens Store Reviews What are the best Contact Lens Stores Best Contact Lens Store Reviews

Contact Lens Store FAQ

With nearly 45 million people in the US alone who wear contacts, the reasons are just as numerous! Some prefer the way they look, while others find them more comfortable for their everyday activities, especially spending time outdoors or exercising. Also, a small percentage of the population struggle to achieve 20/20 vision with glasses but find that contact lenses make it possible.
There are three basic types of lenses: hard, gas permeable, and soft. In the past, more rigid contacts were needed to correct astigmatism, but with advances in technology most users can get the vision correction they need with a more comfortable soft lens. Some contacts are single-use (meaning that you throw them away after you've used them for a day), while others are worn for longer periods and need to be kept in a disinfecting solution overnight. There are even fashion contact lenses to change the look of your eye color or as part of a Halloween costume!
Children can use contact lenses as early as age 8, but many doctors don't recommend them for patients younger than 12 - largely due to concerns about hygiene and injuries when putting them in and removing them. On the other end of the age spectrum, there's no such thing as "too old" for contacts, but you may find yourself needing a more specialized lens that can accommodate presbyopia (not being able to see things up close) or dry eyes
That's an easy one: to save money! Why spend more when you can get the exact same lenses for less? You'll often see new customer discounts of up to 30% off retail prices. And, your optometrist may not be fully stocked on the lenses you need, leaving you waiting for them to be delivered either way.
Most contact lens stores have a satisfaction guarantee that protects you if you somehow receive lenses that are different from your prescription. It's a good idea to check the contacts you get against the prescription you submitted: a simple mistake like changing a plus to a minus or a 3 to an 8 can easily leave you with drastically blurry vision!
In most places, it's required by law to have a prescription to dispense contact lenses. Prescriptions are typically valid for a year, so you may want to keep an eye on the calendar and reorder your new contacts right before yours expires. Some retailers have an online tool that will check your vision, send your results to an optometrist, and update your prescription - often at no charge! If you don't have a complicated prescription and don't think your vision has changed much since your last in-person exam, this could be a convenient option.
Sometimes. Not every online retailer of contacts will accept vision insurance. If you have a plan with VSP, Cigna, MetLife or another provider, you may want to choose a contact lens store that will apply your benefits to your purchase.
Absolutely. Many of them have been in business for decades. If you want extra reassurance that the retailer you're considering is a good option, be sure to look at their rating from the Better Business Bureau along with reviews from previous customers.
See the Best Contact Lens Store
The Best Reviews of Contact Lens Stores