Lens.com Review: Expert Opinions and User Feedback

Lens.com Review

Purchasing contact lenses from your primary eye doctor remains convenient and straightforward. However, the cost is often greater due to professional fees and other factors.

Online contact lens retailers can provide more affordable pricing for the same contact lenses and often offer online vision tests. This article will go over Lens.com to provide a detailed review of its product variety, pricing, and other vital information.

What is Lens.com?

Lens.com is an online contact lens retailer. The company stocks over 35 million contact lenses and ships orders within 24 to 48 hours.

You can order contact lenses from various major brands, including:²

Acuvue
Air Optix
Biofinity
Biotrue
FreshLook
PureVision
SofLens
DAILIES

Lens.com offers rebates to help you afford the contact lenses you need. They have a Best Price Guarantee, which means you pay:¹

An average of 15% less than other reputable online contact lens retailers
An average of 50% less than your local ophthalmologist’s office

What Contact Lenses Does Lens.com Offer?

Lens.com stocks the following types of contact lenses:

Vial
Bifocal
Multifocal
Disposable
Rigid gas permeable (RGP)
Colored
Toric

Is It Safe to Order from Lens.com?

Lens.com isn’t accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). However, the company’s been in business since 1995. They only sell contact lenses that are branded, authentic, and FDA-approved.

Is It Easy to Order from Lens.com?

Ordering from Lens.com is a three-step process. Here’s what you need to do:

Look for the contact lens you need on their website and add it to your cart
Check out and provide your order, prescription, and doctor’s information
Wait for your prescription and order confirmation

Once Lens.com confirms your details, they’ll ship your order to you. You can create an account to track your delivery.

Lens.com’s website is user-friendly. It makes placing an order, changing your prescription, or tracking your delivery easy.

Each of their contact lens listings also incorporates key information, including:

How many boxes you’ll receive
How many contact lenses are in each box
How long a single box will last you
Full price and rebate price
Suggested quantity for the best value
Features and benefits of that particular lens
Manufacturer and lens type
Material type
Recommended wear time
Replacement schedule

How Does Lens.com Validate Contact Lens Prescriptions?

Lens.com requires that you upload or fax a copy of your contact lens prescription to them.⁴They’ll confirm your prescription with your eye doctor using the information you provide at checkout.

young woman smiling widely as she wears new pair of eyeglasses

As per the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act (FCLA), the Federal Trade Commission requires lens sellers like Lens.com to verify a contact lens prescription before completing a sale.³

If Lens.com doesn’t hear back from your eyecare provider within 8 hours, they will assume the prescription is valid and move forward with your order. If you do not have a current prescription, you can take Lens.com’s Online Vision Exam for $15.99.⁵

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) recommends visiting a physician to fit your contact lenses instead of taking online vision tests.⁶Maintaining routine eye exams can help detect symptoms of eye disease or other eye health concerns.⁷

What is the Cost of Lenses on Lens.com?

Lenses on Lens.com cost between $50 and $180 per box. Most boxes come with six lenses.

Each lens costs between $8.33 and $30, depending on which type of lens you order. You will pay more for multifocal or bifocal, RGP, and other special lenses.

While Lens.com is out-of-network for most vision insurance providers, you can use your FSA or HSA funds to pay for your contact lenses. Keep any contact lens receipts you receive for your records.

Pros and Cons of Using Lens.com

Lens.com offers customers an affordable way to obtain contact lenses. However, it struggles in certain areas. Use the advantages and disadvantages listed below to help you decide if Lens.com suits your contact lens needs.

Pros:

User-friendly ordering process
Speedy delivery
Competitive, affordable pricing
Comparable product quality

Cons:

Hidden fees and lack of transparent pricing
Many customers struggle to apply for and receive rebates successfully
Lengthy rebate processing times
Lack of customer support for basic issues
Shipping delays
No available subscription plans

Rebate Policies and Hidden Fees on Lens.com

Lens.com doesn’t charge membership fees or offer a contact lens subscription service. Taxes and fees can total about $25 per box, with specific tax rates tailored to your city and state.

Most contact lens brands qualify for a rebate, but you must order a set amount of boxes.¹² Your order summary includes both a before and after-rebate total.

Note that you will pay the before-rebate total, and it is up to you to follow up on obtaining the rebate. The prepaid Visa card you receive reimburses you for your purchase to arrive at the after-rebate total.

How to Redeem Your Lens.com Rebate

Redeeming your rebate once you receive your contacts is easy:

Log into Lens.com’s Rebate Center.
Print and mail the rebate form via USPS up to 12 weeks after your order is shipped.
Track your rebate status with your Rebate Center account.
Receive your Visa prepaid card with the total rebate amount.

Lens.com offers rebates of anywhere from $75 to $135 off the sticker price. Rebates take up to 12 weeks or more to process. Your Visa prepaid card is good for one year.

Lens.com Shipping

Lens.com’s standard shipping is $9.95. You can also second or next-day your lenses for an upcharge.

It takes 5 to 7 business days to ship your order, but Lens.com will usually ship within 48 hours after verifying your prescription. Ordering and receiving your contact lenses could take 1 to 2 weeks, depending on when you place your order. You can create a free account on Lens.com to track your order.

Lens.com Customer Service

Customer service agents are standing by 24/7 to assist you.⁸You can reach Lens.com via:

Phone. Contact them through the number 1-800-536-7266
Website. Contact them through live chat
Email. Contact them using the email address service@lens.com

You can also contact Lens.com via their mailing address located in Missouri.

Lens.com also offers separate phone lines and a specific email address for prescription verifications. This distinction helps to avoid tying up the phone lines for simple verification communication. You can direct your eye care provider to these contact methods to expedite verification.

What Are Customers Saying About Lens.com?

Lens.com has its fair share of mixed reviews. You’ll find a host of positive customer reviews on the Lens.com website.⁹

Customers who had a positive experience noted that Lens.com offered competitive pricing and fast shipping. They received their product undamaged and reached a satisfactory resolution if they needed to interact with customer service.

However, many customers have reported several issues with Lens.com, including:

Lack of transparent pricing
Frequently denied rebates
Shipping delays
Inaccurate orders
Lack of support from customer service

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot reviews are also unforgiving. The BBB posted a “Current alerts for this business” notice, highlighting common complaints about difficulties obtaining rebates.¹⁰ While nearly half of the Trustpilot reviews are 5-star, over a third are 1-star.¹¹

Does Lens.com Have a Processing Fee?

Customers report seeing hidden fees tacked onto their bill before checkout. Lens.com states on its website that they add a line for taxes and fees, which includes a processing fee. They don’t state an exact amount.

Lens.com offers competitive pricing at first glance. However, the company doesn’t reveal your final price until you’re ready to check out.

Lengthy and Ineffective Rebate Process

Customers reported that Lens.com frequently denies rebate requests, often citing a lack of following the necessary eligibility criteria.

With some rebate processing times lasting up to 6 months or more, Lens.com’s rebates can seemingly be nonexistent. Given a customer’s difficulty obtaining a rebate, this deceptive practice lends itself to a lack of transparent pricing.

Shipping Delays and Inaccurate Orders

Customers experienced shipping delays and unresolved billing issues. Reports of having to send back damaged or defective products to receive replacements caused further shipping delays and frustration on the customer’s part.

Lack of Customer Support

Though every company struggles with fulfilling customer needs, Lens.com struggles particularly with ensuring their customers feel heard and cared about. Some orders ship without a hitch, but it’s the times when issues come up that Lens.com’s customer service team misses the mark.

Lens.com Versus Other Online Contact Lens Retailers

Lens.com competes with several other online contact lens retailers, including WebEyeCare, 1-800 Contacts, Discount Contacts, and Contacts Direct. We’ve compiled a list of the largest competitors to help you make a more informed decision.

	Lens.com	1-800 Contacts	Contacts Direct	Discount Contacts	Warby Parker
Pricing	$50 to $180 per box	$50 to $150 per box	$20 to $70 per box	$30 to $150 per box	$50 to $100 per box
Accepts insurance?	No, but accepts FSA and HSA	Yes	Yes, including FSA and HSA	No, but accepts FSA and HSA	Yes, including FSA and HSA
Prescription verification	Upload a copy or doctor verification	Upload a copy or doctor verification	Upload a copy or doctor verification	Upload a copy or doctor verification	Upload a copy or doctor verification
Product range	Disposable, toric, multifocal, bifocal, colored, vial, RGP	Disposable, bifocal, multifocal	Disposable, toric, multifocal, colored, RGP	Disposable, colored, RGP, toric, multifocal	Disposable, toric, multifocal, bifocal, colored
Shipping costs	$9.95 standard shipping	Free standard shipping	Free standard shipping	Free shipping on orders of $99+	Free standard shipping
Shipping times	5 to 7 business days	1 to 7 business days	7 to 10 business days	7 to 10 business days	7 to 9 business days
Return policy	Free returns for 30 days on unopened products	Free returns on unopened products and free replacements for damaged products	Return unopened products up to 6 months after purchase, but you pay the return postage	Free returns for 365 days	Free returns for 30 days
Online eye exams	$15.99	$20	$29.99	Free	$5

Final Thoughts on Lens.com

While Lens.com advertises competitive pricing and a simplified ordering process, its customers report a mix of positive and negative experiences. Ordering is easy, and the company offers a 30-day return policy.

However, their customer care, rebate policies, and shipping timeframes are inconsistent. We recommend weighing the pros and cons before purchasing Lens.com.

Summary

If you’re looking for affordable contact lenses you can get with your annual prescription, consider Lens.com. This online contact lens retailer offers a variety of contact lenses from well-known brands. In general, Lens.com orders ship promptly and accurately.

However, many customers have experienced a lack of transparency and customer support. Lens.com also has an ineffective rebate process, with many customers never receiving updates after following the necessary procedures.

Your purchased contact lenses come with a 30-day return policy, but getting customer service to enforce these promises can be challenging. Other online contact lens retailers may be more expensive, but their better customer service could compensate for the price hike.

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