A selection of brands including Acuvue, Clariti, Bioinfinity, Proclear and Air Optix are available online. In order to buy from one of these brands, you’ll need a recent eye prescription. However, the majority of retailers feature a prescription checker to help you find the right product for you. If you are looking for a large selection of well-known brands at affordable prices, 1800 Contacts is our pick of the top online contact lens retailer. Free shipping comes as standard, while their customer service is known to be reliable and friendly. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for deals or savings, GlassesUSA offer a 25% saving on some of their best vision brands. It’s also worth checking out our guide to the best eyeglasses online (opens in new tab) if you wear a combination of contact lenses and glasses. Meanwhile, if you hate the stress of going back and forth between contact lenses retailers and your vision insurance (opens in new tab) provider, many retailers are now set up to work directly with them. It’s important to choose a trusted eyewear retailer when purchasing prescription contact lenses online. When it comes to eye health, give yourself peace of mind by opting for an online contact lenses retailer has a great track record. Meanwhile, if it’s been a while since your last eye exam, some online contact lenses retailers offer online exams. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that the American Academy of Optometry recommends (opens in new tab) having an in-person eye exam every two years. Ready to find the best contact lenses online? We’ve rounded up our top picks to help you decide the best retailer for you… What to look for in a good online contact lenses retailer:
Visible and five-star customer reviewsStructured pricingFree deliveryTracking serviceA good selection of contact lensesAn easy returns policyMultiple ways to contact customer service
Top 10 best contact lenses online brands
1. GlassesUSA: Best for online contact lenses and frames
Don’t let the name fool you. GlassesUSA might have lots of frames to choose from, but it also has some of the best contact lenses online. The site has a wide range of both prescription contact lenses and frames available, so if you move between the two, this is your chance to stock up. Many of the online contact lenses on GlassesUSA are significantly cheaper than other online services and come with free shipping. You’ll also find an express shipping option, which is ideal if you’ve left your lens order right up to the last minute. The only drawback is there aren’t quite as many lens options as other retailers that focus solely on lenses. However, you’ll find most of the best contact lens brands in a variety of sizes, as well as color contact lenses. There’s no subscription needed, so you don’t have to commit to regular orders if you don’t want to.
GlassesUSA user reviews and ratings
There are more than 20,000 reviews of GlassesUSA on Trust Pilot at the time of writing. The vast majority of them are excellent, with a high number of reviews awarding the company 5 out of 5 stars. Users commented on the easy, fast and efficient online contact lenses service on offer, as well as the fantastic customer service team. One customer wrote: “This is the third time I’ve purchased my glasses from Glasses USA. I am quite pleased with the ease of the ordering process and the online chat help is fantastic.” There aren’t many negative reviews, but the few we did find during our review process mentioned that the website can be challenging to navigate at times, depending on what eye health products you are looking for. A few customers also complained about discounts and coupons that appeared to be live, but they couldn’t use them on their order. So be sure to double-check the small print if you’re hoping to snag a deal.
Read our GlassesUSA review
2. 1800 Contacts: Best for online contact lenses and frames
Your search for the best contact lenses online may be a short one if you start with 1-800 Contacts, as this is one of the most trusted destinations for prescription contact lenses. 1-800 Contacts has been in business for more than 20 years, providing good customer service, free shipping, free returns if your lenses are unopened and exchanges on broken lenses. The site is well-known for its great discounts, and you can buy one-off boxes of lenses or set up a subscription, which automatically sends you new prescription contact lenses when you need them. 1800 Contacts also offers an online eye test service, which determines whether your current prescription is right for you. This test shouldn’t replace visits to your eye doctor entirely but could save you a trip if you don’t have any problems. It’s worth knowing that 1800 Contacts sells frames too, for those of you who mix up your vision wear. So if you like the experience and service of buying contact lenses online, you could grab a new pair of specs at the same time and save yourself the hassle of splitting your order.
1800 Contacts user reviews and ratings
There are many happy reviews for 1800 Contacts, with customers frequently rating the brand 5 out of 5 stars for its online prescription contact lenses service. “I used 1-800 contacts for the first time recently and had a great experience! I had an eye exam on Friday and thought I’d try out an online contact delivery service for cheaper prices and convenience,” one customer wrote on TrustPilot. Customers tend to mention the excellent service from 1800 Contacts’ eye doctors, the choice, fair price and speedy delivery. However, not everyone is pleased. Some customers have flagged up issues with discounts and rebates, claiming they’re not dealt with quickly – if at all sometimes. Others also mentioned long wait times for order, but from our research that seems to be infrequent.
Read our 1800 Contacts review (opens in new tab)
3. AC Lens: Best contact lenses online on a budget
AC Lens is a simple online contact lenses site with quick service and plenty of discounts - first-time customers tend to get even more significant price reductions. You can make a one-off purchase or sign up for the company’s Lens Subscription, which currently brings you perks, like free shipping and 20 per cent off all future orders. Like 1800 Contacts, an online eye test option is available to check your current prescription, which an eye doctor will review for you. There are many prescription contact lenses to choose from – more than 40 brands – when you’re shopping with AC Lens. But it’s also a one-stop shop for plenty of eye-related extras, including glasses, dry eye treatments and swimming goggles. AC Lens does have a toll-free number to call if you have questions about a product or your order, and there’s an online chat function. The brand also stocks a good range of contact lens accessories, including storage cases and cleaning fluids.
AC Lens user reviews and ratings
There’s a range of different reviews for the AC Lens prescription contact lenses service. Many are good, praising AC Lens for the quick, efficient services on offer, as well as affordable contact lens prices - some of which are significantly cheaper than what you’d find at an eye doctor’s office. In one online review, a customer wrote: “All together, from ordering online to receiving was about a week. Great! I saved a ton of money because my eye doctor was going to charge triple for the same contacts.” However, some other customers were disappointed with the company, particularly those sharing stories of long wait times for their online contact lenses order. So if you’re in a rush and need contacts urgently, you may want to try a different retailer that has a rush service option.
Read our AC Lens review (opens in new tab)
4. Discount Contact Lenses: Best contact lenses online for a wide selection
The Discount Contact Lenses site features a vast range of prescription contact lenses from different manufacturers and color contact lenses. There are lots of low prices and further reductions on offer regularly. The site is easy to use and straightforward. Choose your brand, select how many lenses you need and then input your prescription. You can return prescription contact lenses within a whole year of ordering them, which is a fantastic policy that puts customers first. There’s also a friendly customer service team. If you need assistance, call the 1800 number. There are other good options on this list, but Discount Contact Lenses online is one of our favorite choices for people who want quick, efficient service and low prices for their contact lenses online without anything getting in the way.
Discount Contact Lenses user reviews and ratings
There aren’t as many online reviews for Discount Contact Lenses as some of the other online contact lenses services on this list, but the few we could find suggested customers had a mixture of experiences. On Trust Pilot, one customer wrote: “I have been ordering from them for years. AMAZING customer service!” Another says: “Love the process and will purchase from them again!” However, some customers were less impressed. One claimed that they received defective lenses, and another said that some of the discounts could be misleading at times. If you’re shopping through Discount Contact Lenses, make sure you read up on any promotions you’re hoping to get before you hit checkout to ensure they’re still live and applicable to the contact lenses you are buying.
Read our Discount Contact Lenses review (opens in new tab)
5. Web Eye Care: Best contact lenses online from big-name brands
Web Eye Care stocks a vast selection of online prescription contact lenses, color contact lenses and frames. There’s a wide range of choice of big-name contact lens brands, the customer experience is simple, and there are several different payment options available. Web Eye Care says it provides 24/7 customer service. You can schedule a call with a customer service rep, or there’s an online chat feature too, which is handy if you can’t step away from your desk at work to take a call. A subscription allows you to pick the number of boxes of contact lenses you’d like to order and how often you’d like them. You can pause at any time, and you get 10% off with your subscription, which is excellent news if you’ve found a brand you love and don’t intend to find another. There’s an option to renew your subscription with an online vision test, which is helpful if you’re happy with your contact lens prescription or don’t have any significant issues that would require a visit to an eye doctor.
Web Eye Care user reviews and ratings
There are many great reviews of Web Eye Care on Trustpilot. 70% of the reviews rate the prescription contact lenses service as “excellent”, making it one of the top-rated on our list. Many customers mention the quick and easy contact lenses online ordering process and the affordable prices. One reviewer wrote: “WebEyeCare had the best pricing, easy shopping experience, quick support response, fast shipping, and thorough follow-up to make sure my order was correct. I’m very pleased with my experience and will definitely be ordering my contacts from them in the future. Highly recommend!” There were only a few negative reviews in which people were disappointed with shipping times and discounts. However, the brand has been replying to people who aren’t happy and offering alternative solutions and explanations, which is good to see.
Read our Web Eye Care review
6. Coastal: Best contact lenses online for customer service
When buying contact lenses online from the Coastal site, if you’re anything like us, you’ll find the simple and stylish design easy to navigate and refreshing – especially compared to other brands on this list. Coastal stocks prescription contact lenses, frames and sunglasses too. There’s a decent range of contact lenses on offer, and you can choose between daily contact lenses, weekly contacts, color contact lenses and more to get started, or you can shop by brand. However, you won’t find every brand or type of contact lens here. There’s a streamlined offering, but you’ll find most of the notable names are available. Coastal stocks online contact lenses from Acuvue, Soflens, PureVision, Focus, Air Optix, Proclear, and Biomedics, catering to a range of prescription types from single vision to bifocal and astigmatism There’s a customer service team on hand 24/7 to offer help and advice. There are discounts across the site if you spend more than $99 and an on-site coupon page that provides customers with $15 savings on orders over $99. There’s also a contact lens price match policy, but we recommend reading the small print as there are a few conditions.
Coastal contact lenses user reviews and ratings
There are thousands of Coastal reviews on Trustpilot, and more than 80% of them rate the online contact lenses service as “excellent”. Many customers mention the excellent customer service offered by Coastal and the efficient returns process, which makes this prescription contact lenses service stand out above the rest. “Coastal has always done a great job, appreciate the ease of ordering, helpful with processing insurance, on time delivery, plus pricing is great,” writes one customer. We took a look at some of the negative reviews, and it seems that many of the less-than-satisfied customers had particular problems. For example, one customer writes that the frames weren’t the color they expected or the team at Coastal had made a mistake with a prescription. These aren’t ideal but felt more like one-off issues than problems with the service as a whole.
Read our Coastal Contact Lens review (opens in new tab)
7. Contacts Direct: Best contact lenses online to buy with insurance
There’s a massive range of online contact lenses on offer at Contacts Direct, including all the most popular brands, as well as others that are only a few clicks away. The site can get confusing, but it’s mostly because there’s so much choice and many different banners detailing discounts. Contacts Direct offers free shipping, and there’s a range of discounts, sales and on-site coupons. There’s also a price match service, as well as discounts if you buy an entire year’s worth of contact lenses in one go. Contacts Direct is one of the best options on this list for contacts lens insurance. It deals with your insurer directly and takes payment from them, which leaves you to cover any excess. This is a straightforward way to buy online contact lenses.
Contacts Direct user reviews and ratings
There are many great reviews of the service offered by Contacts Direct on Trustpilot. Customers mention the excellent prices, as well as quick service and delivery times. One user wrote: “Easy and cheap! Got my lenses quickly. Will definitely use again.” Many of the negative reviews on Trustpilot have been addressed by Contacts Direct, which is good to see. A few customers even edited their thoughts after receiving good customer service later. This isn’t ideal, but it’s positive to note that if you do have a problem, there’s a good chance Contacts Direct will rectify it for you. One customer wrote that they received an order, but one box was missing, so Contacts Direct sent it as a super fast delivery, and it got to them the next day.
Read our Contacts Direct review (opens in new tab)
8. Lenscrafters: Best contact lenses online for in-person care too
Lenscrafters is a little different to the other brands in our best contact lenses online guide because it’s a huge eyewear retailer with brick and mortar stores, as well as an online contact lenses service. This means the service is generally excellent, as the brand has long-standing experience and a solid reputation. The choice of online contact lenses at Lenscrafters is good, but you might notice a mark-up in terms of price because there’s much more for the business to consider. However, there are plenty of different discounts and offers. There are no subscriptions available here, but there are discounts on annual supplies of contact lenses, so it pays to buy in bulk. Because Lenscrafters has been around for so long, it’s also trusted in eye health advice and experience. So if you’re looking for a truly reliable service, Lenscrafters should be your first port of call.
1800 Contacts user reviews and ratings
There are many different reviews online for Lenscrafters, with many people reviewing both their experience in-store and online. The majority are positive, with people saying they trust the brand, there’s a lot of choice and the eye doctors who work there know what they’re doing. One reviewer wrote: “Great selection. Very pricey though. Good if you need some name brand glasses. They’re very helpful and big on contact lenses.” This is the main negative point customers make. Lenscrafters is quite expensive compared to other services, especially if you factor in online contact lenses discounts and subscription reductions that you might find elsewhere.
Read our Lenscrafters review
9. Walgreens: Best for color contact lenses online
The Walgreens Contact Lenses services are part of the bigger Walgreens brand. It’s a simple site with information for those who might be new to wearing contact lenses and need more advice about what to look for, what to expect, and how to choose the best contact lenses online for them. At the time of writing, there are some good discounts available on selected prescription contact lenses, including 20% off all contact lenses, as well as 30% off eyeglasses and sunglasses. There are also regular reductions on specific online contact lenses. You’ll also find other accessories available to buy, including contact lens cleaning solution and contact lens cases.
Walgreens Contact Lenses user reviews and ratings
It’s tricky to find reviews online specifically for the contact lenses service offered by Walgreens. Some reviews we did find were quite negative, citing problems with the lenses themselves and flagging up that it can be difficult to get refunds, as well as shipping issues. However, there are many good reviews for the Walgreens Multi-Purpose Contact Lens Solution if you’re looking for some cleaning products, too, with customers saying it’s better than branded options.
Read our Walgreens Contacts review
10. Walmart Contacts: Best for disposable contact lenses
Walmart is a massive brand with lots to offer, but it also has a good range of contact lenses online and a service to help you find the right ones for you. You’ll find everything you need for optimum eye health on the Walmart Contacts website, like a vast range of lenses, including color contact lenses, frames, contact lens solution and eye drops for all kinds of problems. Prices are reasonable, but they aren’t the lowest on this list. You’ll find better discounts from online retailers that specialize in contact lenses online and don’t have real-life stores too. While there’s a 365-day returns policy for ripped or defective contacts, lenses manufactured by Johnson & Johnson VisionCare, Inc., Alcon, and Bausch + Lomb have a separate defective lens return policy (opens in new tab). Shipping is always free, and if your order climbs above $35, you’ll be upgraded to next-day delivery status, which is good to know if you’re in a rush. Walmart also offers some other deals on multiple purchases of prescription contact lenses but doesn’t provide subscriptions.
Walmart Contacts user reviews and ratings
Consumers Advocate.org has a current rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars for Walmart Contacts, which it describes as “very good”. The Wal-Mart Vision Center has a rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars on ConsumerAffairs. Online reviews of Walmart Contacts Lenses are mostly good. Many people comment on the range of brands available, the fast delivery, and the customer service if a contact lens arrived with the wrong prescription or torn. One reviewer explained how, “Delivery is timely. When wrong prescription was delivered I received an immediate refund. Their prices and discounts are very good. I would order from them again.” Other people weren’t happy with some slower delivery times and prescription errors, so it does depend on your personal experience. One customer complained that, “I have been waiting over a week for a reply. This is terrible customer service. I highly recommend shopping elsewhere.”
Read our Walmart Contacts review
Choosing the best contact lenses online for you
This speaks very directly to what type of contact lenses you need, how often you wish to wear them, and whether they need to have any extra features. Some contact lenses are designed to be disposable, so you’d wear them once and then throw them away. Other contact lenses are designed for longer wear, and come offer colored lenses for various reasons – both medical and fashion. For these types, it’s important to learn how to clean contact lenses (opens in new tab) properly. Generally speaking, contact lenses come in the following varieties:
Soft contact lensesRigid Gas Permeable (RGP) contact lensesExtended wear contact lensesDisposable contact lenses
What are the best online contact lens brands?
This is subjective, as the best contact lenses online for your eye health needs will be different to the next person. That said, there are a few brands that stand out thanks to the superior fit, moisture content and comfort of the lenses they make. In our experience, the best contact lens brand is Acuvue by Johnson & Johnson. Acuvue makes contact lenses for astigmatism, as well as multifocals, transition lenses (UV blocking), contact lenses for dry eyes, and lenses for overnight use. You can buy Acuvue contact lenses online in packs of 12 through 90, depending on the type of lens you need. They are pricier than cheaper contact lens brands though, but we trust them for quality, comfort and accuracy.
Where to find the best contact lenses online
The best contact lenses prices online are usually found at the cheaper retailers, such as AC Lens. This site offers big discounts, so you can usually find very low prices on top-rated contact lenses here. Another place to look is Discount Contact Lenses Online, but it only offers free shipping on orders over $99. Clearly this is a place to buy online contact lenses in bulk, rather than one box a month. There are more online contact lens brands than ever before too, so it’s important to do your research. Price pays a key part in any decision. How much are you wiling to spend on contact lenses each month? Some sites are happy to replace torn contact lenses or exchange unopened boxes if your subscription changes, while others won’t. Ultimately, the online contact lens provider you choose comes down to whether you want the cheapest prices and biggest brands, or you value high levels of customer services and member exclusives.
How much do the best contact lenses online cost?
How much you pay for contacts lenses online varies depending on your prescription. Customized RGP lenses, for instance, can cost upwards of $40 per lens. While a 30-pack of more commonly prescribed contact lenses cost around $1 per lens. What you pay out of pocket depends on your eye insurance plan, so you’ll need to have that information handy when placing an order. The best contact lenses online retailers will usually state whether you can use HSA or FSA dollars to buy contacts.
Can you use vision insurance to buy online contact lenses?
With regards to vision insurance and contact lenses, if a plan is nationwide, you should double-check that it works in your area or with your provider of choice. Most sites should allow you to enter your ZIP code to review coverage areas. Some plans may offer only some benefits in certain locations, so review the details very carefully before committing. Once you find what you believe to be the best contact lenses for you, determine what (if any) insurance the site accepts. Lastly, there’s the monthly premium to consider. A lower monthly premium typically means you’ll spend more on whatever services you end up needing, and the reverse is also generally true.
The best contact lenses online for astigmatism
Toric contact lenses are designed for people who have astigmatism. Astigmatism is an imperfection in the eye’s curvature, which causes distorted vision. This usually means the cornea is oblong like an egg instead of being spherical. Astigmatism is common, affecting more than three million people in America every year. Toric lenses must stay in a specific position on the eye to correct astigmatism. They are usually made of soft materials like hydrogel, though some are made of Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP), also called Gas Permeable (GP) materials. Some toric lenses are weighted at the bottom to ensure they stay in the right location on your eye. This prevents them from rotating and only allows them to move vertically when you blink. According to Foothill Optometric Group (opens in new tab), GP lenses, while not as popular as soft lenses, don’t contain water and are therefore less likely to attract bacteria. A single pair can even last a full year if you take care of them properly. Most online contact lens companies sell corrective toric lenses in soft and GP form. Talk with your doctor to determine which option is right for you.
How to buy online contact lenses with insurance
To get financial assistance for your eye care products, including contact lenses, you need insurance. Typically, regular medical insurance covers a visit to the optometrist but doesn’t cover additional purchases such as glasses or lenses. There are a multitude of plans available, and each one is different. Generally, insurance covers all or part of the cost of contact lenses, as well as a fraction or all of the cost of the doctor’s visit as long as you’re within your plan’s network. Check ahead of time to ensure the eye doctor you’re visiting is covered by your plan. Most plans cover an annual eye exam, so if you go more often you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket costs. Coverage also usually covers part of some eye surgeries, including LASIK. If you need unique contact lenses, such as photochromic lenses, your insurance will cover part of that cost. However, if you rarely go to the eye doctor, you can use a health savings account (HSA) to pay for the visit. This isn’t viable long term or for those who often need new contact lenses, but it can work for people between jobs or who are in school.
