Tuesday, April 20th
2021 Contact Lens Store Reviews
Lens Direct
- Cost: Higher than average
- Shipping: Free on orders over $49; 6% handling and insurance fee
Lens Direct has been around for more than 30 years and has been featured in Forbes, Newsweek and Business Insider as a top online retailer. Does this contact lens store live up to the hype?
Smaller Selection Of Contact Lenses
Right off the bat, the selection of contact lenses at Lens Direct is lower than many other stores: where their rivals have contact lens options in the millions, Lens Direct's inventory (which includes glasses and contacts) tops out in the 200,000 range.
Tricky Website Navigation
Getting to the comparison lenses we needed was a little tricky with Lens Direct. Where every other retailer called them Acuvue Oasys for Astigmatism, this store labeled them as "Oasys Toric" - but the box image looked exactly like the ones we were shopping for. That could quickly get confusing, especially considering there are other Acuvue lenses that specifically say, "for Astigmatism".
More Espensive Than Most
Lens Direct was also one of the more expensive retailers in our evaluation. For a 30-day supply (one box) of our target brand and lens type described above, their retail price was $41.88. You could get them at a 20% discount, or $33.50/box, if you signed up for Lens Direct's AutoRefill program. Those automatic deliveries can be set to come every month, or choose a delivery schedule of your choice (up to once a year).
Extra Fees
Shipping fees at this store are more affordable than some, with free delivery on all orders over $49 (which will include most contact lens orders of at least two boxes). However, you'll also pay a 6% "handling and insurance fee" that will drive your costs higher than many of Lens Direct's rivals.
Watch For The Discounts
When using the Lens Direct site for the first time, watch for a pop-up offer of 30% off your order if you provide your email address. We also spotted a 15% discount plus free shipping code at the top of the site during our most recent visit.
Minor Customer Complaints
When it comes to reputation, Lens Direct isn't a standout. We were glad to see that the BBB has accredited this retailer, which left us a little puzzled by their "B+" rating. Most of the customer complaints seemed to center around long processing and shipping times on eyeglasses, but they came during a time when manufacturers worldwide were experiencing significant delays.
The Costs Add Up
Lens Direct is a retailer we'd describe as "good enough". It might be harder to find the contacts you need (or to be sure that you've selected the right ones), and you'll pay slightly more for them once you add up the higher-than-average cost per box and the extra handling fees. You might want to shop around at some of the higher-ranked contact lens stores in our review before committing to a purchase at Lens Direct.
More Contact Lens Store Reviews
The 7 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).
Contact Lens Store FAQ
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!
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