ContactsDirect Review: What to Know
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ContactsDirect is an online contact lens store. They claim to save you money by shipping them directly to you, instead of having you buy them through a third party.
ContactsDirect is one of several online retailers that offer a similar service. Is ContactsDirect different from their competitors? We looked at their pricing, customer service policies, and online reviews.
Pros of ContactsDirect
- ContactsDirect is about the same or more affordable than their competitors, even when you use a discount.
- “Many online retailers don’t work with vision insurance plans.”
- “They make getting a manufacturer’s rebate easy.”
- “You will get a significant discount if you order a year’s supply of contacts.”
- If your prescription is out of date, you can use their vision assessment tool.
Cons of ContactsDirect
- If you receive a bad order, the policy is a little confusing.
- You can only buy contact lens from this site.
- If you choose the standard option, it will take 7 to 10 business days to ship.
- “The contacts cost the same if you don’t get a deal or a discount.”
ContactsDirect sells contact lens products to consumers. The Luxottica Group is an international eyewear retailer based in Milan, Italy.
They market themselves as the most affordable place to buy contact lenses online.
ContactsDirect offers a $100 discount if you choose their annual supply option, and they also match prices with their competitors. They make a convincing pitch for being the cheapest place to get quality contact lens shipped straight to you, with other periodic sales and offers.
Contact lenses
ContactsDirect sells brands of contact lenses from every major manufacturer. That includes Acuvue, SofLens, Biofinity, Clariti, Johnson & Johnson, CooperVision, Ray-Ban, Bausch & Lomb, and more.
ContactsDirect has a wide range of prescriptions. They have prescription contact lenses that are colored. They also offer disposables.
Contact solution
ContactsDirect sells eye care products. They carry several brands.
Glasses.com partnership
“The retailer doesn’t currently sell frames or glasses for prescription, but they do have some sales and promotions with Glasses.com.”
The cost of buying from ContactsDirect will be dependent on your prescription and preferred brand of contacts. Buying in bulk reduces the price of your order.
Two 90-count boxes of TruEye dailies cost $209. If you buy enough boxes, you will get a discount.
Two boxes of daily disposables from the brand called SofLens cost $104. If you buy in bulk, you can save money.
The price of these contact lenses is similar to what you would pay if you used another online retailer. When you buy in bulk, the savings kick in.
The site has seasonal coupons and frequently runs deals on certain brands. Some competitors offer better deals than these coupons, but they can reduce the price. All orders from ContactsDirect get free standard shipping.
“Yes. ContactsDirect works with several vision care insurance companies. You can enter your insurance information at the checkout, and ContactsDirect will bill you. If contacts are covered by your insurance, you won’t have to submit for reimbursement.”
ContactsDirect allows you to pay for your contacts with a health savings account if you have a major credit card.
It is easy to buy online from ContactsDirect. The website is easy to navigate on a mobile device or a desktop.
You need to know the type of contacts you are prescribed to buy. It is easy to shop by brand and scroll down to the product you typically buy, whether it is dailies, weeklies, or monthly disposable contact lens.
You need to give ContactsDirect your prescription information before placing your order. You can do this in many different ways.
- “Provide your doctor’s contact information by entering the information. ContactsDirect will contact your doctor to make sure the information is correct.”
- You can get a photo of your original prescription.
- Choose to send your prescription later, if it’s expired. You can use the ContactsDirect digital assessment tool to update your prescription for an added fee. Note that this assessment doesn’t mean you can skip out on your regular eye exam.
How to order from ContactsDirect
Check out any promotions that are running right now. You can find a coupon on the site.
You may want to subscribe to their email list before you place your order. You will get a coupon for the better deal that they are currently running.
The process is very simple.
- You can choose the product you want to purchase.
- “You can enter your prescription information via uploading a photo, providing your eye doctor’s contact information, or using ContactsDirect’s virtual assessment tool.”
- Choose the speed of your shipment.
- You can enter your payment information.
You will receive an email confirmation and updates when your order is processed.
ContactsDirect offers discounts to military personnel. You can get the discount if you have an employee ID.
You are ready to order once you have your discount code.
Manufacturer rebates
Some manufacturers offer a discount after you purchase their product. It is like a coupon, but you get money back once you have paid.
Using rebate programs for ContactsDirect is pretty simple, even if you’ve never used a rebate program before. Simply go to the rebates page on their website and see if the product you purchased is eligible. You’ll fill out the information, submit a form, and get your rebate in the mail.
ContactsDirect is for people who have an up-to-date prescription. It is for people who want to save money by ordering in bulk and for people who can wait a week or two before their contacts arrive.
It is also for deal hunters who are looking for coupons. ContactsDirect deals directly with insurance companies, so people with vision insurance, for example, may appreciate that. There is no need to submit separate forms.
It is not the best fit for people who need their contacts to show up on their doorstep immediately. You have to pay hefty fees for super-fast shipping. It is not a good fit if you are looking to order contact lens and eyeglasses together.
ContactsDirect ships for free. The shipping option takes a few days to be processed.
You can get your order within 3 to 5 business days for $12 or within 1 to 2 business days for $20, whichever is greater.
If you choose to have ContactsDirect contact your eye doctor to verify your prescription, this can add to the processing time and make your order take a little longer.
ContactsDirect will give refunds if you meet certain criteria.
You can return unopened boxes of contacts and contact solution within 6 months of receiving your order. They create a shipping label for you after you request a return. You can get a refund within 10 days after you ship the product back to ContactsDirect.
ContactsDirect has a customer service that can help you if you have an issue with your contacts.
“They can’t give refunds on opened boxes of bad contacts. You probably wouldn’t know they were defects until you opened them. If you have a problem with your order, contact the retailer and give them the information.”
Most people who shop at ContactsDirect seem to be happy with their service.
Customer reviews
The site has a 3.9 rating out of 5 stars on the independent review site Trustpilot. Since there are over 1,000 reviews, that’s pretty impressive.
Some reviewers report that their order never arrived or took longer than expected. This seems to be the exception, but it does happen.
Class action lawsuit
Luxottica of America, which is the parent company of ContactsDirect, was involved in a multi-company class-action lawsuit involving 1-800 Contacts that was settled in 2020. The lawsuit alleged that some contact lens retailers entered into an agreement with 1-800 Contacts that negatively affected the price and availability of contact lenses on the online marketplace.
There are several other competitors that you might want to check out before placing your order with ContactsDirect, such as:
- 1-800 Contacts. 1-800 is one of the oldest retailers focused on direct-to-consumer contact lens shipments. Read more about them. 20% off new orders
- LensDirect. Like many other online, direct-to-consumer companies, LensDirect offers prescription contacts and glasses. Learn more about their services.
- Warby Parker. They’re known for bringing prescription eyeglass shopping online, direct to shoppers at home. Read more about their contact lens options.
Here is how they compare.
| Contacts Direct | 1-800 Contacts | LensDirect | Warby Parker | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free standard shipping? | yes | yes | for orders over $49 | yes |
| Sells eyeglasses? | no | no | yes | yes |
| Works directly with insurance? | yes | yes | no | no |
| Offers eye care accessories? | yes | yes | yes | no |
“If you have an up-to-date prescription for contacts, you shouldn’t have to go to the eye doctor.”
Make sure you still get yearly eye exams to keep your prescription accurate and monitor your eye health.
Signs that you need to see your optometrist include:
- persistent symptoms like redness, inflammation, and dry or watery eyes
- eye pain or frequent eyestrain
- There are lights in your eye.
- blurry or obscured vision
- “It’s difficult to see up close or far away.”
Is ContactsDirect legit?
ContactsDirect is a legitimate place to get contact lens. They accept most forms of payment, including major vision insurance. They have security measures in place to protect your information.
Is ContactsDirect a reputable company?
ContactsDirect has a good reputation in the eyewear world and hundreds of happy customers. If you have a problem with your order, they have customer service available, and it seems as if they work to make it right when things go wrong. There have been some negative reviews about their return policy.
Does ContactsDirect verify prescription?
“It is required by law in the United States that you have an up-to-date contact lens prescription. They can do this by asking for a photo of your current prescription, or by reaching out to your eye doctor. If you don’t have a prescription, they won’t give you contact lenses.”
ContactsDirect has a good reputation for customer service and a good product at a good price.
“Buying from ContactsDirect is probably cheaper than going to an eye doctor, but that doesn’t mean it’s cheaper than any other online contacts retailer. You may have to look for a coupon or discount to get some savings.”
Buying from ContactsDirect pays off the most for the bargain hunter who is willing to wait for a good sale and is looking to buy in bulk.
