Woman sitting in car, checking her contact lens
Getty Images/FOTOGRAFIA INC.

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process.

Around 45 million people in the United States wear contact lenses to improve their vision. In 2018, approximately 22 to 30 percent of adults in the United States bought lenses online instead of directly from healthcare professionals or in stores.

The reasons for this vary.

Are contact lenses medical devices?

The FDA regulates contact lens medical devices for safety and effectiveness for vision correction. They should only be purchased from reliable sources. We will give you information on the top choices for online contact lens retailers.

Eye doctors and people who wear contact lens advise against using online retailers to buy contacts, citing experiences with incorrect contacts and low quality products.

We looked for places to buy contacts online.

  • Solid reputations. We omitted retailers who have an extensive history of complaints across multiple areas, including customer service and product quality. We omitted those with low ratings or a history of fraudulent practices. We checked out consumer reports on sites such as Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
  • Quality and selection. We chose sites that offer a wide variety of contact lens brands from trusted manufacturers using modern lens materials.
  • Ease of mind. We looked for those that offer money-back guarantees and price-match guarantees.

Best for accepting insurance

1-800 Contacts

  • Insurance accepted? yes
  • Free shipping and returns? yes

1-800 Contacts was an early entry into the online contact lens market. They’re still one of the largest sellers, offering an extensive selection of brands and contact lens types, including dailies and trifocals.

1-800 Contacts has a price guarantee for all of their competitors. If you see a better price, you can chat on their website. They will verify the lower price and reduce their cost accordingly.

Your contacts will be shipped on the day you order them. Standard shipping takes 5 to 7 days. Rush shipping is available if you need them sooner.

They accept vision insurance. Their in-network insurance partners include:

  • The anthem.
  • United healthcare vision
  • Davis Vision.
  • Spectera.

If you have an expired prescription, you can update it by taking an online vision exam for $20. Note that this vision exam doesn’t take the place of an annual comprehensive exam, however.

1-800 Contacts also offers There are free returns and exchanges..

The 1-800 Contacts app for the iPad and iPod touch has a 5-star rating from users.

Pros

  • The best price guarantee.
  • There is a low cost online vision exam.
  • Online support 24/7.
  • There are free returns and exchanges.
  • accepts vision insurance.

Cons

  • many negative reviews on BBB and Trustpilot
  • Negative reviews often mention bad customer service.

Best for specialized lenses

ContactsDirect

  • Insurance accepted?yes
  • Free shipping and returns?yes

ContactsDirect gets high marks from consumers for running sales on a regular basis. They also send out coupons regularly to existing customers, and offer discounts on contacts purchased as an annual supply. A 90-day 1-pack of The person said that it was called The person said that it was called The person said that it was called Acuvue… Moist drops from $76.99 to $67.61 with the annual supply option.

They accept most major vision insurance plans.

  • A company called A company called Aetna..
  • Blue View Vision.
  • EyeMed is used for eye exams. is used for eye exams.
  • Humana..
  • Superior vision.

ContactsDirect carries specialized glasses.

They make it easy to shop by brand or lens type.

Once your order is verified, your contacts will be delivered free of charge. Rush deliveries can be had for 3 to 5 days for $11.98 or 1 to 2 days for $19.99.

Pros

  • A wide range of specialized lens.
  • Standard shipping is free.
  • Most major vision insurance plans are taken.

Cons

  • “Doesn’t ship internationally.”
  • To get the best price, you have to buy in bulk.

Best full line of eyewear

GlassesUSA.com

  • Insurance accepted?yes
  • Free shipping and returns?yes

GlassesUSA.com carries a full line of eyewear, including contact lenses, eyeglasses, sunglasses, and blue-light-blocking glasses.

Your choice of contact lens category is included.

  • dailies
  • Weeklies.
  • monthlies
  • Bifocals.
  • multifocals
  • Single vision glasses.

They offer a price-matched guarantee, 100 percent money-back guarantee, and Free shipping. and returns. If cost is an issue, you can pay for your contacts in three installments.

United healthcare is one of the few in-network vision insurance companies that GlassesUSA.com works with.

Standard shipping takes 5 to 10 business days. If you need your contacts yesterday, express shipping will get them to you in 1 business day for $12.

Pros

  • There is a large selection of glasses.
  • A price-match guarantee is offered.
  • There is a money-back guarantee.
  • There is Free shipping..
  • has lots of positive reviews for customer service and Affordability.

Cons

  • “doesn’t carry all major brands of contact lens”
  • There is a limited number of in-network insurers.

Best for quality customer service

Lens.com

  • Insurance accepted?no
  • Free shipping and returns?yes

Lens.com was established in 1995 and is currently known for having an extensive selection of contact lens brands at wholesale or near wholesale prices. To get the best price on contacts here, you’ll have to log into the Lens.com rebate center to print out and mail in a rebate form. Visa rebate cards are mailed back.

Some brands they sell.

  • The person said that it was called The person said that it was called The person said that it was called Acuvue…
  • The company is called The company is called The company is called Bausch + Lomb…
  • “It’s called “It’s called Biofinity.”.”
  • Soflanes
  • “It’s called the Vertex.”

You can purchase weekly disposables in single packs or in bulk. The more you buy, the lower the cost.

The company tends to get high marks for customer service, easy return process, and delivery speed. Shipping is not free. Standard shipping is $9.95 and FedEx Next Day is $24.95. International shipping is available for a fee.

There have been complaints about the gift card program.

Pros

  • A large selection of contact lens.
  • The online vision test is available.
  • There are discounts for bulk purchases.
  • ships internationally

Cons

  • There are hidden fees, shipping and processing costs, and the Visa card rebate program in customer complaints.

Best for reusable contact lenses

LensCrafters

  • Insurance accepted?yes
  • Free shipping and returns?yes

LensCrafters carries disposable lenses and is one of the only online retailers with conventional contact lenses, which are contacts designed for reuse for several months. Keep in mind that LensCrafters offers only one conventional lens: Optima 38/SP by Bausch & Lomb.

You can buy sunglasses here as well.

They carry a wide range of contact lens products. These include:

  • MyDay Toric is a novel.
  • Soflanes Daily for Astigmatism
  • 1-Day The person said that it was called The person said that it was called The person said that it was called Acuvue… Moist Multifocal

They offer discounts for members of both organizations. They accept vision insurance from most major plans.

  • Humana..
  • A company called A company called Aetna..
  • EyeMed is used for eye exams. is used for eye exams.

One thing that sets LensCrafters apart is their large number of brick-and-mortar stores. If you live near a store, you can shop online and pick up your glasses when your prescription is verified. You can get free eyewear fitting at a store.

There is a free green shipping option. Green shipping is designed to reduce the environmental impact of global trade. Green shipping takes 7 days.

Free ground shipping is offered by LensCrafters, which takes 7 days to complete. All shipping types need an additional day or two for contact lens processing.

Pros

  • It carries conventional and specialty lens.
  • An eco-friendly shipping option is offered.
  • It combines in-person experience with online shopping..

Cons

  • Only one style of contact lens is sold.

Best for stylish glasses and sunglasses

Warby Parker

  • Insurance accepted?yes
  • Free shipping and returns?yes

Warby Parker is best known for selling stylish eyeglasses and sunglasses online and in retail stores at very cost-effective price points.

They also carry a nice selection of contact lenses online, including their own brand of low cost daily lenses: Scout by Warby Parker. Scout costs $46.95 for a box of 90 daily lenses. A comparably sized box of The person said that it was called The person said that it was called The person said that it was called Acuvue… Oasys 1-Day goes for $82.45 here.

If you want to get a prescription for Scout, you should get an eye exam done at Warby Parker.

The brands that Warby Parker sells daily, biweekly, and monthly are:

  • The person said that it was called The person said that it was called The person said that it was called Acuvue…
  • The company is called The company is called The company is called Bausch + Lomb…
  • Air Optix is a product.

Contact lenses are free to ship.

If you have an issue with cost, you can set up interest-free monthly payments by selecting Affirm.

You can use the Warby Parker app to shop for contacts and eyeglasses.

Shipping is free with Warby Parker.

Pros

  • It offers trendy, low cost eyewear.
  • Free shipping.
  • There is an interest-free monthly payment plan.

Cons

  • “Doesn’t carry a full range of brands.”

15% off your first purchase.

Best for discounted pricing

ContactLensKing.com

  • Insurance accepted?no
  • Free shipping and returns?yes

Contactlensking.com has popular brands of contact lens.

  • Alcon is a character from the movie “Alcon.”
  • The company is called The company is called The company is called Bausch + Lomb…
  • CooperVision

The lowest priced brands of daily disposables are $32.

They get great marks for customer service, their money-back guarantee, and discounted pricing.

They carry specialty lenses, including multifocals for astigmatism, plus daily, weekly, or monthly disposables.

“ContactLensKing.com will ship to foreign and domestic addresses. They don’t give a ballpark shipping time for orders on their website, and shipping isn’t free. They will be able to speed up your order if you fax it.”

A prescription for contact lens involves more than just knowing the optical power that corrects for nearsighted, farsighted, or astigmatism. Knowing the right contact lens material and size can help prevent eye issues.

Pros

  • ships around the world
  • There is discounted pricing.
  • There is a 100 percent money-back guarantee.
  • Customer service gets high marks.

Cons

  • “It doesn’t give clarity around estimated shipping times.”
  • some customers complain about high shipping and processing fees

Best for a large selection

Walmart Contacts

  • Insurance accepted? no
  • Free shipping and returns? yes

Walmart has a full range of contact lens brands.

  • The person said that it was called The person said that it was called The person said that it was called Acuvue…
  • “It’s called “It’s called Biofinity.”.”
  • UltraFlex.

Contact lenses are comparably priced to most other large online retailers. A 90-day supply of 1-day The person said that it was called The person said that it was called The person said that it was called Acuvue… Moist retails for $64.86.

Standard shipping is free and takes between 5 and 7 days. It is possible to get expedited shipping for $11.

You can choose the interval and shipping schedule that you want.

Pros

  • A large selection of contacts.
  • includes Free shipping.

Cons

  • “Doesn’t accept vision insurance.”

Online retailer Free standard shipping Discounted pricing/low cost options available Accepts vision insurance
1-800 Contacts yes yes yes
ContactsDirect yes yes yes
GlassesUSA.com yes yes yes
Lens.com no yes no
LensCrafters yes yes yes
Warby Parker yes yes yes
ContactLensKing.com no yes no
Walmart Contacts yes yes no

Check the seller’s reputation

The best business will have some bad reviews. If reviews are negative about a specific issue, it can be a red flag. Try to find reviews from the most recent time to get a better idea of what to expect from the company.

User-submitted reviews are accepted on sites like Trustpilot and BBB.

Consider quality and cost

Some deeply discounted contact lens retailers have bad reputations, so price comparison shopping is a good idea. Less expensive products can end up costing you more in the long run, such as in contact lens that come ripped, in a box or made of lower quality.

To avoid this, always buy from a retailer that has a money-back guarantee or price-matched guarantee.

Contact lens prescriptions are brand specific and can not be replaced. Your eye doctor will tell you which brand they prescribe.

Buying in batches or subscriptions

Buying in bulk is the best way to get a good deal. A monthly prescription service can be a viable way to save money. You can opt out at any time without penalty.

Checking in with an eye doctor

Some online sites offer prescription checks. These are fine to use, if you wish to extend the time between your doctor’s visits. However, it’s very important to get your eyes checked regularly. An online prescription check doesn’t include overall eye health and won’t identify conditions such as macular degeneration or glaucoma.

“It won’t be easy to decide what’s best for your eye health with great chat features.”

Buying online isn’t for everyone. If it’s not for you, consider purchasing directly through your optometrist or ophthalmologist. Some offices partner with suppliers to have your prescriptions mailed to you.

The American Optometric Society recommends an annual comprehensive eye exam for all contact lens wearers, so be sure to get checked out if you haven’t done so recently.

Buying where your vision insurance is accepted

Not every site accepts vision insurance. If you do have coverage, buy from a retailer that accepts it. This can wind up saving you hundreds of dollars annually.

Do you need a prescription to order contacts?

Yes. When you get your eye exam, the prescriber is required to give you a copy of your contact lens prescription when the fitting is complete. It’s very important that you only use this prescription to order contacts, otherwise you can hurt your eyes.

How often should you replace your contacts?

If you aren’t wearing dailies, use fresh contact solution every night and replace your contacts every 3 months. Each type of contacts have their own guidelines, so be sure to follow them.

Is it illegal to buy contact lenses online?

No. If you use your prescription when purchasing contact lens online, you will get the right fit for your eyes.

Is it bad to wear contacts every day?

No. Proper care of your eyes and contact lens is important.

Learn how to care for contact lens.

What is the best website to order contacts from?

There are many great websites to order contacts from, including 1-800 Contacts and ContactsDirect. When choosing the best online retailer for you, consider features like acceptance of vision insurance, selection, cost, and Free shipping..

Can I order contacts online without a doctor?

A verified prescription is required to purchase contact lens. If you want, you can get a prescription from an eye doctor. They are not medical doctors. Some online retailers have their own eye care products.

Is it safe to buy contacts online?

Yes. It is important to choose a trustworthy retailer. You may want to look for one that has a free return policy to make sure it is the right fit for you.

Many online contact lens retailers come up short when it comes to customer service and product guarantees.

The sites on this list have a consistent record of customer satisfaction. Many take vision insurance or offer monthly payment plans. Many also provide price-match guarantees and Free shipping. on returns.