What to Know About Coastal Contacts, Now ContactsDirect
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Coastal is an online retailer selling eyeglass frames, sunglasses, contact lenses, and accessories. When Coastal had its own standalone retail site, they also carried their own line of designer frames, Derek Cardigan.
In 2021, Coastal merged with another eyewear retailer, ContactsDirect. ContactsDirect and Coastal are owned by the same Italy-based parent company, Luxottica Eyewear. Not only did this merger change the name of Coastal, it also changed what products are available and how customers interact with the brand.
You won\’t be able to order directly from the online store called “Coastal” if you want to. What you need to know about the merger is here.
As of this writing, the domain name for the website “Coastal.com” is owned by another eyewear retailer, EyeBuyDirect. EyeBuyDirect and ContactsDirect are actually competitors, so this was a move by EyeBuyDirect to attract Coastal’s former customers. When you type “Coastal.com” into your browser, it will bring you to EyeBuyDirect’s site.
You have to visit ContactsDirect directly for information from the company about Coastal.com and the merger.
Coastal used to sell prescription glasses, prescription reading glasses, sunglasses, lenses for glasses frames, and contact lenses. Now that Coastal has merged with Contacts Direct, the new website only sells contact lenses and accessories.
The popular contact lens brands that are sold by Coastal/ContactsDirect are Air Optix, Biofinity, and Acuvue.
Coastal also sold premium brands such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, Brooks Brothers, and Michael Kors, among many others. These eyewear brands are not available at ContactsDirect, but you can purchase through another Luxoticca property (and ContactsDirect sister site) Glasses.com.
The brand calledDerek Cardigan was unique to Coastal.
Fans of that brand will be happy to know that they can still purchase those types of frames. Canadian-based eyewear retailer Clearly still carries the Derek Cardigan line. Longtime Coastal buyers may also like Clearly because of their commitment to give away a pair of frames for every pair sold, something Coastal was known for.
You can redeem store credit with ContactsDirect if you had it from Coastal. You will need to contact ContactDirect to get access to those credits. Transferring credits will require a phone conversation.
If you had an account with Coastal, the account information did not transfer to ContactsDirect. You will need to create a new account to shop with ContactsDirect.
Contacts Direct prescription contact lens costs the same as they do on other online retailers. The pricing structure is not different.
In general, these contact lenses prices start toward the lower end of what you would pay for the products they sell. You can learn more about what ContactsDirect offers by reading our comprehensive ContactsDirect review.
The buying process for contact lens has not changed even though the name of the company has been changed.
You need to order contact lens. Contact lens is the only thing that this merged version of the retailer sells.
- If you’ve ordered prescription eyewear or contact lenses, you’ll need to at least know your prescription before placing an order.
- You will need to decide on your preferences for your glasses. Do you need an anti-glare coating? What about progressive glasses that get darker when you go outside? Knowing your must-haves will keep you from overspending.
- “You need to look into your vision insurance, as well as your health care and financial policies. The company won’t work with your insurance to coordinate payment, but will give you a receipt for reimbursement or let you pay with your HSA or FSA card.”
The ordering process is very similar to when Coastal was part of ContactsDirect. If you gave your information and prescription to the website when it was Coastal, you will have to submit them again. ContactsDirect did not get access to that data.
Tip: If you have a copy of your prescription, you can send ContactsDirect a photo so they don’t have to call your eye doctor. Sometimes, this means you get your order faster.
Can you still shop at Coastal?
“You can’t buy products at the site. You can find the same contact lens at ContactsDirect. The company does not sell eyeglasses or frames.”
Is Coastal Contacts legit?
You could buy prescription contacts at Coastal Contacts. The retailer is no longer a stand-alone one. They have been absorbed by ContactsDirect.
What happened to Coastal Contacts?
ContactsDirect and Coastal Contacts merged. The parent company of the two retailers was Luxottica. You can only use ContactsDirect to buy contact lens after the merger.
Kathryn Watson is a freelance writer covering everything from sleep hygiene to moral philosophy. Her recent bylines include Healthline, Christianity Today, LitHub, and Curbed. She lives in New York City with her husband and two children, and her website is kathrynswatson.com.
