Contact lenses can make your life far easier for day-to-day activities like showering, driving, and exercising, even if they do require far more work than popping on a pair of glasses. Combined with the fact that contacts give wearers a wider field of vision, there are plenty of reasons to consider tackling the contact lens learning curve.
“To determine which contacts are best for you, it’s important to speak to your eye doctor regarding your contact lens routine,” explains Dr. Vanessa Hernandez, optometrist at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai in New York City. You'll want to take into account how often you want to dispose of them, how many hours per day and how many days per week you will wear your lenses, any allergies or problems with eye dryness, and if you plan to sleep or shower in them.
Once you've determined your contact needs, you'll be better prepared to find the best retailer for you. We researched dozens of online contact retailers and evaluated them for reviews, shipping speed, site experience, pricing, product selection, customer service, and return policies. An ophthalmologist from our Medical Expert Board reviewed the contents of this article for medical accuracy, why prescriptions are necessary, and safety considerations.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall:Discount Contact Lenses
Best Budget:AC Lens
Best for Convenience:1-800 Contacts
Best One-Stop Shop:LensCrafters
Best for Buying Only Online:Coastal
Best for Scoring Deals:Walgreens
Best Subscription Service:Web Eye Care
Best for Easy Returns:Lens.com
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Pros
Wide selection of lenses
Flexible subscription options
Helpful prescription upload tools
20% off for new customers and subscription plans
Cons
App could be much better
When it comes to buying contacts online there are a ton of options, but we like Discount Contacts the best because it’s easy to use, has massive brand selection, and flexible subscriptions with steep discounts. Our tester was a first-time Discount Contact Lens customer filling a new contact lens prescription. The first thing that struck her about ordering her contacts with this site was the product selection, which she called deep and extensive. “I was quickly able to find my specific contact lenses and along the way noticed that every single other brand I’ve ever worn over the last 20 years was also available,” she said.
As a new customer, she was eligible for a 20% discount (which may fluctuate, but at time of publication was still 20% off). The site also offers several different subscription plans. You can choose the interval—they have options ranging from every two weeks to every two years. All subscription plans offer 20% off and free shipping (regular orders are eligible for free shipping over $99).
One of the easiest and most seamless features of the site is how you add prescriptions. On every single listing, they will show a diagram of the box and highlight exactly which numbers correspond to the entry field so even if you don’t know what the numbers mean, you can add your prescription details. Our tester chose to have Discount Contact Lens confirm the prescription with her doctor (a nice option if you don’t have it in hand), but there is also an upload tool where you can add a photo or attachment.
The only downside our tester found to ordering with Discount Contact Lens is the app experience. The mobile app is just a dashboard for users with an account. To do anything beyond manage your account information, the app sends you to the website. Our tester said she wished the app could support the entire purchasing process beyond simple account management.
Price: Average $30 to $50 | Subscription Orders: Yes | Shipping Time: Standard (5-7 business days)
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Pros
Always 20 percent off first order
Over 42 brands to choose
Affordable prices
Cons
Free shipping only with $99+ orders
Out-of-network insurance reimbursem*nt only
With more than 42 brands to choose from, you’ll find the best contact lenses for you—and all at an affordable price. New members also get 20 percent off on all contact lenses, so you save a little money with your first-time order.
Because the company has been around since 1995, they’ve got the system down, with easy navigation to order contacts online. If you do have a question, you can give them a call as well. Keep in mind, you do have to spend $99 to get free shipping with an online order at this site.
Price: Average $30 to $50 | Subscription Orders: Yes | Shipping Time: Standard (5-7 business days)
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Best for Convenience
1-800 Contacts
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Pros
Flexible return and exchange policy
Next-day delivery
In-network insurance and FSA/HSA spending options
Automated shipments on your schedule
Cons
Some returns may be store credit, not money back
If you want to make sure you get a fresh set of lenses every month, then the1800contacts.compage should get a spot on your bookmark list. You can easily input your prescription information—and update it at any time—and you'll automatically get your contacts when you need them, without even thinking about it.
If you decide not to do the subscription and realize you're out of lenses, you can also order a set for next-day delivery. Better yet, if your Rx changes and you still have some lenses left, you can send back the remaining unopened boxes for money toward your nextorder.
Price: Average $40 to $60 | Subscription Orders: Yes | Shipping Time: Standard (5-7 business days)
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What Our Editors Say
"I've been ordering my contacts from 1-800 Contacts for over 10 years. I don't wear them regularly, which means sometimes my daily lens Rx changes or the lenses expire before I need to use them. Their customer service has always made it easy for me to exchange for what I need, which I really appreciate." — Nicole Kwan, Editorial Director of Verywell Health
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Pros
Wide variety of brands and styles
Many types of insurance and HSA/FSA accepted
Eye exams and lenses at same location
Cons
Limited variety of pack sizes
30 days for returns or exchanges
Get your eye exam and prescription and order contacts (and glasses, if you want them, too), all at Lenscrafters locations across the country. The vision care center offers a few different brands, and your eye doctor can easily suggest which would be best for you. Choose from different pack sizes, from a few dailies to a three-month supply of monthlies. You can also find contacts for different conditions like astigmatism or multifocal lenses.
Besides the option to buy in-person, you can also easily order contacts online from Lenscrafters—a good idea if you’re just looking for a renewal and want to get it done quickly.
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Price: Average $50 to $80 | Subscription Orders: No | Shipping Time: Ground (5-7 business days)
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Pros
Price match guarantee
Easy reordering process
Offers colored lenses and other options
Cons
Some restrictions on returns and exchanges
No online eye exam offered
Known for their buy-one, give-one glasses, you can find more than just a pair of spectacles at Coastal. They also offer contact lenses, which you can easily order (and re-order) when you need them. If you aren’t sure how, they have an online chat option so a rep can help you out. They offer a price match guarantee, too, so you can get them inexpensively.
Coastal also offers colored contact lenses and “enhancers” that simply magnify the natural color of your eyes.
Price: Average $50 to $70 | Subscription Orders: No | Shipping Time: Standard (3-5 business days)
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The 10 Best Blue Light Blocking Glasses, Tested By Our Editors
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Pros
Free standard shipping on all lens orders
Frequent discounts and rebate offers
Wide selection of brands
Cons
Returns are not accepted unless there is damage or error
Prices vary widely across brands and styles
Order popular brands like Dailies, Acuvue, or Bausch & Lomb (among others) for your everyday contact wearing. The Walgreens website often offers discounts on lenses—in fact, right now you can snag a 20 percent off deal on all contact lenses that the retailer sells.
Besides keeping contacts budget-friendly, Walgreens also offers tons of options for you to choose the right set. You can get daily disposables or pairs you toss after a month or a week—opt for colored lenses to change your pupil hue or focus on multifocal if you need better sight near and far.
The 10 Best Contact Lenses for Dry Eyes of 2024
Price: Anywhere from $40 to $100 | Subscription Orders: No | Shipping Time: Standard (3-4 business days)
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Pros
Free shipping
Flexible subscription plan for changing shipping window
Text notifications about shipping and delivery
Cons
Customer pays postage for returns
Prices vary widely across brands and styles
Web Eye Care has a great selection of popular contact lenses at incredibly affordable prices, and their subscription service makes the contact-buying experience hassle-free—you can even reorder with Alexa.
If you're someone who waits by the window to watch for your package delivery, sign up for SMS notifications so you know exactly what's going on with your order (and shipping is free!). Life happens, and if you need to postpone or change your subscription, logging into your account to change the timing is a breeze. Want to cancel? Just text, email, or calland they take care of you right away.
Price: Anywhere from $40 to $100 | Subscription Orders: Yes | Shipping Time: Business Day Ground (5-10 business days)
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Pros
Most comprehensive return policy
Selection comparable to competitors
24/7 customer service online
Cons
Out-of-network insurance reimbursem*nt only
No online eye exam option
Filled the wrong prescription? Don’t like the way your lenses feel? No matter why you have to return your contacts, you can do so at any time—and for free. They’ll cover the cost of shipping them back, all you have to do is make sure to call the customer service center first (or email them) before packing them up. The rep will tell you what to do to get your order back, including the paperwork to fill out. It’ll take just two to three business days after you submit everything to get the cash back on your card.
In addition to the great return policy, you have lots of brands to choose from and that customer service team can help you out with any questions you have before your order.
Price: Average $30 to $50 | Subscription Orders: No | Shipping Time: Standard (5-7 business days)
Final Verdict
Discount Contact Lenses is a great place to look for your next pair of contacts. They offer a wide range of prices and prescriptions, and have subscription options that make getting your prescription easy. If you're not looking for a subscription service, and would rather have a one-stop-shop purchase, LensCrafters is your best bet.
How We Selected
When choosing the best places to buy contact lenses, we spoke with optometrists and spent hours combing the web for the best and most effective products. After taking all of our options into consideration, we determined which to feature based on a few key criteria as recommended by dermatologists: prescription availability, selection size, shipping time, and return policies.
The experts we talked to included:
- Vanessa Hernandez, optometrist at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai in New York City.
- Brad Brocwell, optometrist and vice president of clinical operations for Now Optics
Once we narrowed down our options, we compared each treatment's benefits to its price tag. While some choices on our list may be more expensive, we wanted to give a wide range of options that would fit all needs and budgets. Based on all of these factors, we compiled this list of the best places to buy contact lenses.
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What to Look for When Buying Contact Lenses
Prescription
If there’s one singularly important takeaway about buying contact lenses, it’s that you need a current eye prescription before shopping around. Why?
- Contact lenses are medical devices. Wearing ill-fitting or incorrect lenses could actually damage your vision. You should get an eye exam once per year and verify or update your contact lens prescription accordingly. Credible vendors won’t fill prescriptions for contact lenses that are more than one or two years old.
- Speaking of credible vendors, per the Federal Trade Commission, it’s illegal to sell any kind of contact lenses to someone without a legitimate prescription. This includes cosmetic lenses, like ones that simply change the color of your iris without correcting your vision.
- You may need a different type of contact lens based on your vision like if you’re near-sighted versus far-sighted or have astigmatism in one or both eyes. This is something only an eye doctor can tell you based on an eye exam. Sometimes different eyes need different accommodations, too, so knowing your specific vision needs for both your left and right eyes is critical.
If you already wear glasses, you can’t use your glasses prescription to buy contacts. Contacts correct your vision in a totally different way than glasses—including measurements for the curve and diameter of your eye—so you need a prescription specifically designed to work for contacts.
Daily Lenses vs. Monthly Lenses
Whatever your normal day-to-day optical needs are, there’s probably a lens type to suit them.
For example, people with severe seasonal or environmental allergies might want to choose daily disposable lenses; over time, longer-wear lenses may accumulate too much microscopic dust, pollen, and debris to be kept in place comfortably. On the other hand, if you work long shifts, unpredictable hours, or travel frequently, lenses that can be worn for one month at a time—through every activity including sleep—could be better for you.
“The most popular and arguably the healthiest contact lens option is the daily disposable lenses," says Brad Brocwell, optometrist and vice president of clinical operations for Now Optics. "They offer the benefit of a fresh clean lens every morning for an everyday wearer, convenience for the part-time or occasional wearer, and are also great for first-time wearers and younger patients that might lack a little responsibility.”
Convenience
Since contacts are a bigger inconvenience than glasses in terms of maintenance, you probably want to minimize the strain on both your budget and your supply.
“Convenience is a big factor and if you prefer to purchase your supply throughout the year, online retailers can offer more flexibility and mail your supply quarterly,” says Dr. Hernandez.
On the other hand, you may be more limited when committing to auto-deliveries from a particular company.
“Subscription-based contact lens services offer convenience as well as peace of mind,” says Brocwell, “[but] the disadvantage is some subscription-based sites only offer their own private label contact lenses, which may not be the best choice or modality for some customers.”
Legitimacy
Look into all your available options to find a seller that will offer you the most affordable contact lenses, and do some research to make sure that the seller is maintaining a high level of quality service.
Specifically, you should verify that:
- the company only sells contacts approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA);
- the company requires a current prescription from customers;
- the company is not plagued with poor online reviews and/or complaints to consumer regulation boards;
- and the company does not make unauthorized changes to your prescription or attempt to sell you a similar but cheaper or lesser-known brand than the one your doctor prescribed.
“Companies who offer to change the prescription without a visit to the eye doctor will often use a subpar contact lens that uses outdated technology and materials,” explains Dr. Hernandez, “which increases the risk for complications and infections in contact lenses.”
Safety
Most people can safely wear contacts without damaging their vision, but there are rare cases when contacts aren’t compatible with your eyes. This includes medical conditions that cause excessive dryness or inflammation, certain kinds of allergies or infections, or if you work around a lot of environmental debris.
Also, keep in mind that correct maintenance of your contacts is hugely important; your contacts are only safe to wear if they’re being cleaned, stored, and disposed of properly. Failure to maintain your contacts can easily lead to eye infections that could, if left untreated, damage your vision temporarily or even permanently.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How often should you replace your contacts?
That depends on the style of contacts you and your doctor agree on. With the exception of gas permeable or scleral lenses, which can last for years with proper care, most contacts have a shelf life of three months at the most. That doesn’t apply to all lenses, however: if you’re opting for daily disposables, weekly, or monthly lenses, you’ll need to follow the replacement schedule outlined by the manufacturer of your contacts.
Do you need a prescription to order contacts?
You should have a prescription from your doctor. If a website claims you can order contacts without a prescription, you should steer clear—it’s not a legitimate retailer. The FDA has mandated that contact lenses cannot be sold without a valid prescription. Even if you are only ordering contacts for cosmetic reasons, like wanting to change your eye color or the physical appearance of your eye, you still need a current prescription from an eye doctor.
You also need to make sure you’ve told your doctor about wanting to wear contact lenses (either along with or instead of glasses). Contact lens prescriptions are different from eyeglass prescriptions because contacts are inserted into your eyes and are considered medical devices. You won’t be able to order contacts with a prescription for eyeglasses.
How much do contacts cost?
The price for contacts varies based on how many you’re purchasing. Contact lens boxes often come in packs with a 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month supply. For a 3-month supply, you can expect to pay between $30 to $100 per month. Discount Contact Lens, our top pick, offers 3-month supplies ranging between $30 to $50. And they often offer 20% off for first-time customers. Some ways to lower the cost of contact lenses include using free shipping codes, buying larger quantities at a time, or buying them with a Healthcare Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) through insurance.
Why Trust Verywell Health
Mallory Creveling is a health and fitness writer and ACE-certified personal trainer living in Brooklyn, NY.She previouslyworked on staff atShapemagazine for more than four yearsand worked as the associate health editor atFamily Circlemagazine for nearly two years.
Additional reporting for this story by Sarah Bradley
Sarah Bradleyhas been writing health content since 2017—everything from product roundups and illness FAQs to nutrition explainers and the dish on diet trends. She knows how important it is to receive trustworthy and expert-approved advice about over-the-counter products that manage everyday health conditions, from GI issues and allergies to chronic headaches and joint pain.
