Your vision, as you know, is important. The amount you pay for glasses and contacts? That’s negotiable. If you’ve ever walked out of an optometrist’s office after dropping $400 on frames and lenses, you know that corrective lenses are expensive. Even with help from insurance. But here’s the secret the optical industry doesn’t want you to know: you don’t have to pay those prices.
Why are glasses so expensive in the first place?
Spoiler alert: they shouldn’t be. Most eyewear, from cheapo to high fashion, is made by the same massive company (Luxottica, which owns basically everything from LensCrafters to Ray-Ban to Pearle Vision). It’s a near monopoly, and monopolies love charging premium prices for moderate costs. Because they can.
A pair of glasses that costs $20 to make can retail for $300+. That’s not a markup—that’s prescription-based highway robbery.
Online retailers: Changing the game
The internet broke the optical monopoly wide open, and now you can get quality glasses for a fraction of traditional prices.
Zenni Optical: The budget champion. Frames start at $6.95. Yes, really.
The deal:
- Prescription glasses starting under $10 (with basic lenses)
- Most complete pairs run $20-50
- Huge selection of frames and styles
- Virtual try-on feature
The catch: You need your prescription and pupillary distance (PD) measurement. Your eye doctor might charge you for the PD, but you can also measure it yourself with apps or a ruler.
Warby Parker: Style plus savings. The cool kid of online eyewear, with prices around $95-145 for prescription glasses.
The deal:
- Home try-on program (they send you 5 frames to test for free)
- Physical stores in major cities if you want to try before you buy
- Buy one, give one program (they donate glasses to people in need)
- Includes anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coatings
The vibe: More expensive than Zenni, but still way cheaper than traditional optical shops—and the quality and style are excellent.
EyeBuyDirect: The middle ground. Prices typically range from $20-100 for complete pairs.
The deal:
- Frequent sales (like 40-60% off)
- Virtual try-on
- Fast shipping
- Good quality for the price
Costco Optical: Membership required, savings delivered
If you already have a Costco membership (or you’re willing to get one), their optical department is shockingly good.
The deal:
- Frames + lenses typically $70-200 (still way less than LensCrafters)
- Name-brand frames available
- High-quality lenses
- In-person service and adjustments
- No appointment needed for adjustments (even if you bought elsewhere)
The catch: You do need a membership ($60/year), but it pays for itself if you buy glasses and do other Costco shopping and use other member benefits.
Contacts: Where the savings get serious
Contacts can be even more of a racket than glasses. Your eye doctor’s office wants you to buy directly from them at premium prices, but you have options.
1-800-Contacts: Not the cheapest, but reliable and super convenient. They’re the big name, but not necessarily the best deal anymore.
The deal:
- Price-match guarantee
- Fast shipping
- Easy reordering
Cheaper options exist, though.
Hubble: Subscription convenience. Daily contacts for about $1 per day through a subscription model.
The deal:
- $36 for your first box (60 lenses)
- Simple, straightforward pricing
- Automatic delivery
The catch: Only daily disposables, and you’re locked into a subscription.
Coastal: The discount heavyweight. Often runs promotions and has competitive everyday prices.
The deal:
- First pair of glasses free (just pay shipping) for new customers
- Contacts at discount prices
- Frequent sales
WebEyeCare: The under-the-radar winner. Consistently low prices on contacts, often beating bigger competitors by 20-40%.
AC Lens: No-frills, low prices. Focuses purely on contacts, which means lower overhead and better prices.
The deal:
- Often 30-50% cheaper than buying from your eye doctor
- No subscription required
- FSA/HSA accepted
How to make this actually work
Step 1: Get your prescription You’re legally entitled to a copy of your prescription after an eye exam. Don’t let your doctor tell you otherwise.
Step 2: Shop around Check prices on 3-4 sites before you click the buy button. Prices change constantly, and what’s cheapest today might not be tomorrow.
Step 3: Use discount codes Sites like RetailMeNot or Capital One Shopping and Honey browser extensions can save you another 10-20%. Never buy without checking for codes first.
Step 4: Consider buying multiple pairs When glasses are $20-50 instead of $400, you can afford backups, sunglasses, and different styles for different occasions.
What about insurance?
Vision insurance often isn’t worth it if you’re buying online. Do the math:
- Premium: ~$15/month ($180/year)
- Coverage: Usually $100-150 toward frames
If you’re buying $50 glasses online, you’re losing money with insurance. But if you’re buying expensive glasses in-store, it might be worth it.
The quality question: will cheap glasses fall apart?
Honest answer: online glasses are usually just as good (sometimes better) than what you’d get in-store. They’re made in the same factories, often with the same materials.
What you might sacrifice:
- In-person service and adjustments (though many online retailers have physical stores now)
- Immediate gratification (shipping takes a few days)
What you won’t sacrifice:
- Quality of lenses or frames
- Prescription accuracy
- Durability
The bottom line
Vision correction is essential, but overpaying for it isn’t. By shopping online or at discount retailers like Costco, you can easily cut your eyewear costs by 50-80%.
The smart strategy:
- Get your prescription and measurements from your eye doctor
- Buy your first pair from Warby Parker or Zenni (with virtual or home try-on)
- Order backups from Zenni or EyeBuyDirect during sales
- Buy contacts from discount online retailers, not your doctor’s office
Your eyes deserve the best care. Your wallet deserves a break. With online retailers, you can have both.
