Believe it or not, it’s been 25 years since mail-order prescription contact lenses have been available. You used to have to order them by phone.
But times have changed.
Now, for the 45 million people in the U.S. who wear contacts, ordering has never been easy. There are tons of options to order your contact lenses online.
Ordering online is a great option for anyone who has worn contact lenses and knows how to take care of them. The main benefits of buying online are convenience and cost.
You don’t need to order your contacts or glasses from the doctor you get your exam from. Once you have a prescription and are familiar with proper contact lens handling and care, you can order them online.
To place an online order, you need a current contact lens prescription from an eye doctor because contact lenses are medical devices that need to fit your eye properly.
Some online retailers offer online eye exams to renew your prescription, but this is only recommended for people over 25 years of age, who have already had a contact lens fitting and have a stable prescription.
Vision Center recommends 1800 Contacts over all other online contact lens retailers. They have the simplest ordering process, a price match guarantee, and 24/7 live customer service.
1800 Contacts is the oldest contact delivery company still in business. They’ve been mailing contacts to their customers since 1995. You used to call them and place your order via telephone (hence the company name).
Now, they’ve made it simple to order contacts online and have every part of the business figured out. Here’s why we recommend 1800 Contacts:
They have a huge selection of all major contact lens brands
Their price match guarantee ensures you get the best standard price on the internet
The checkout process is simple
Shipping is fast
Subscription service is available
They have a generous return policy that covers defective, torn, and unopen contact lenses
Excellent customer service (real people answer phone calls and online chat messages)
Coastal is another online retailer with 20+ years of experience in the industry. They sell contact lenses, glasses, and sunglasses (with or without prescription).
Coastal gets some of the highest ratings from customers online. Their prices are low, but you do have to pay shipping on orders under $99.
Both 1800 Contacts and Coastal are good options for ordering contacts. However, there are a few reasons we recommend 1800 Contacts over Coastal:
Coastal has a smaller selection of contacts
Coastal’s return policy is not as comprehensive as 1800 Contacts
Coastal does not replace torn lenses
Standard shipping costs $5.95 for orders under $99 on Coastal, but all standard shipping is free at 1800 Contacts
The prescription upload process is easier at 1800 Contacts
Coastal does not offer online eye exams to renew your prescription
GlassesUSA has a nice selection of designer contact lenses, eyeglasses, and sunglasses. Their site isn’t the prettiest, but it’s easy to navigate and the ordering process is simple.
Their contact selection is smaller than 1800 Contacts and Coastal. However, their glasses and sunglasses catalog is the best on the internet.
If you’re looking for a site to order contacts along with glasses or sunglasses, GlassesUSA has the most options.
ACLens has made a name for themselves as a discount eyewear retailer. They have some of the lowest prices on contacts, eyeglasses, sunglasses, and readers.
In addition to their already low prices, they constantly offer promos and discounts. 1800 Contacts will match ACLens’ original prices, but they don’t match special deals.
If one of their deals covers your contacts, ACLens could be your cheapest option for lenses.
However, unlike 1800 Contacts, ACLens doesn’t offer 24/7 customer support, free shipping on orders under $99, or online eye exams.
Warby Parker is our number one choice for eyeglasses. Their in-house design and manufacturing process produces some of the highest quality and most stylish frames available.
They also have a pretty good selection of contacts, including their own brand Scout. Their contact lens prices are generally a little higher than other sites. However, their glasses prices are low for high-quality frames.
If you’re looking for unique, stylish frames, and contacts in the same place, Warby Parker is for you.
Michael is the content strategist and a lead content writer for Vision Center. With eight years of experience in the world of content strategy and creation, Michael specializes in medical copywriting and advanced research methodologies.
https://www.visioncenter.org/author/michael/
Author: Michael Bayba | UPDATED April 21, 2022
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