1-800 Contacts Review

Monday, December 2nd

2024 Contact Lens Store Reviews

1-800 Contacts

• 4 manufacturers and 11 brands of contacts
• Works as an in-network provider with some vision insurance
• Accepts HSA/FSA
• $20 ExpressExam to renew prescription from home in 10 minutes
• Unlimited timeframe for returns on unopened boxes of contacts
• Free shipping and returns
• 24/7 customer support
• "A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• In business since 1995

1-800 Contacts got its start in a dorm room back in 1995, launching the industry's first online contact lens store - and then, years later, the first mobile app for buying contacts. The company believes that the customer comes first and has gone to bat to advocate for telehealth laws, against anti-consumer pricing models, and to help get a federal law passed to give everyone the right to their own vision prescription. If you want to buy your contacts from a retailer that puts you first, 1-800 Contacts is the one.

Insurance accepted

When we visited the 1-800 Contacts site recently, we got a pop-up offering us a 20% discount on our first order if we entered our email address. Just be aware that new customer offers typically can't be combined with insurance benefits if you're using an in-network partner. If you're submitting paperwork as an out-of-network benefit (as you would need to do with VSP and several other insurers), you can get all of the new customer perks on offer at the time and still get whatever your coverage includes for out-of-network contacts purchases.

Extremely competitive pricing

When you shop for your contacts here, any available discounts will be reflected in the pricing. And those prices are very competitive. On the Acuvue Oasys 1-Day for Astigmatism contacts that we applied across contact stores as a comparison, 1-800 Contacts came in at $47.99 per box on the 30-pack and $105.95 on the 90-pack after that 20% new customer price was applied. We could save another 5% if we set it up as a recurring subscription. 1-800 Contacts impressed us by also showing us that we'd qualify for a $90 rebate if we purchased at least 8 boxes of the 90-pack : something we weren't too likely to do, but it was a benefit we also didn't spot with any other contacts store on our list.

Unlimited timeframe for returns on unopened boxes

We were genuinely impressed with 1-800 Contacts' customer service. We reached out via live chat to ask about the timeframe on their "Gajillion Percent Promise” with respect to exchanging contact lenses, and we got a US-based rep right away. Looks like that 24/7 customer support is exactly as advertised. The agent we connected with confirmed that as long as the box is unopened, contacts will be accepted for returns with no time limit. That's extraordinary.

$20 to renew your prescription from home

That agent also gave us more details about 1-800 Contacts' unique ExpressExam for renewing a contact lens prescription from home. As long as you're still seeing clearly with your current prescription (and assuming this type of exam is allowed in your state, which you can confirm prior to signing up), you can pay $20 to be seen virtually by an optometrist. It'll take about 10 minutes and you need 20 feet of space (to confirm your vision at a distance), but that's it. That's a huge savings over the typical in-office contact lens exams that cost $150+. Obviously this isn't suitable for first-time contact lens wearers, but it's a big advantage for those of us who have worn them for a long time and just need that updated prescription to order more.

Solid track record over many years

1-800 Contacts has an "A+” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, with just 100 complaints filed there over the last three years. Given that this contact lens store has millions of customers over its nearly 30-year history, that's not bad at all. And, in most places you look, this retailer gets 5-star reviews from customers who appreciate the attentive customer service, fair pricing, and extended return policy on unopened boxes.

Some complaints recently

But, notice that we said "most places”. Trustpilot's reviews told a different story: across nearly 400 ratings, customers were split almost dead even between 1- and 5-star scores for 1-800 Contacts, and most of the comments left within just a few weeks of this evaluation were not positive. Long-term customers started having issues with order processing and entry of prescription information, and some brands wound up being backordered even though the payment was taken upfront. It's not enough to make us think that there's a big problem at 1-800 Contacts, but it is enough to drop this store a half-star in our ratings.

Excellent choice for contacts

1-800 Contacts stands out as a pioneer in the industry, having started as the first online contact lens store and later introducing the first mobile app for purchasing contacts. This retailer prioritizes the needs of their customers through impressive customer service, an unlimited timeframe for returns on unopened boxes, and 24/7 support. While Trustpilot reviews show a few recent concerns, millions of satisfied customers and a multitude of positive reviews from other sources solidify 1-800 Contacts' reputation as a reputable and dependable choice for purchasing contact lenses.