Where's the Best Place To Buy
Contact Lenses?

From an eye doctor? Optical store? Internet? Warehouse club? Wherever you buy, shop for value and don't forget your eye health.

By Liz Segre

With so many choices, how can you find the best place to buy contact lenses?

There's no single "best" place to buy. Finding the right source for your lenses will require some research — but the information in this article will help you save hours of time you'd spend if researching your purchase from scratch. Here's where to start:

First, ignore your preconceived ideas about which source is cheaper or better, and be prepared to evaluate a variety of offline and online sources.

Second, focus on value, not just price. With any type of purchase, most people who are "looking for the best price" are really looking for the best overall value. In contact lenses, where a combination of products and professional services are involved, this is especially important.

Overall value is affected by these factors (in no particular order):

• Availability (the best price won't mean much if the product is out of stock, and you need it now)
• Customer service
• Convenience (consider the value of your time, plus the price of gas)
• Bundled products and professional services
• Price

Before you buy, you'll need a copy of your contact lens prescription, which can be obtained from your eye care practitioner (ECP). You may also want to read the article "Understanding Your Contact Lens Rx."

Next, follow our step-by-step plan for choosing a contact lens seller.

Step One: Check Your Insurance

Do you have a health insurance plan that includes vision coverage? Check to see what benefits are provided for contact lenses. You'll typically find one of two scenarios:

• You get a simple percentage discount (for example, 15 percent off) at participating brick-and-mortar retailers and ECPs.
• You can mail-order from a lens seller that either is owned by the plan provider or has a special arrangement with them.

The prices from your insurance plan's seller may or may not be better than what you can find elsewhere. Consider this as one option as you shop around.

Step Two: Evaluate Sources

Before comparing specific prices, consider the positives and negatives of different types of contact lens sellers:

Your eye doctor. Pricing of contact lenses from ECPs varies widely. Many people assume that lenses from a doctor will be more expensive and inconvenient, but some doctors will sell larger quantities of lenses — a year's supply, for example — at prices that are competitive with other sources. And they can have the lenses shipped directly to you.

Also, some ECPs offer bundled packages of lenses and professional services. If your doctor's lens price is slightly higher than a competitive source, but the package includes office visits, contact lens care products, or other services, the value may be greater. The disadvantage: not all ECPs are price competitive, and generally they don't keep the convenient hours of some other lens sources.

If you purchase a contact lens that is damaged, does your source have a good return policy? Check before you buy!

Optical chains. Stores like Pearle Vision and LensCrafters, and regional multi-location eye care practices, generally have optometrists either on-premises or in adjacent affiliated locations. Such outlets offer the advantage of being able to provide eye exams and contact lens fittings, as well as sell you a supply of lenses.

If you have a common prescription, already have a valid Rx and need more contact lenses immediately, such a location may be a good option because there's no waiting for your lenses. These sellers also benefit from volume buying and generally offer competitive prices. Some people also appreciate the "trust factor" of an in-person transaction, as opposed to mail order. And these locations are generally open evenings and weekends.

Mass merchandisers. Stores like Sears and Target often have optical departments that offer the same advantage of optical chains — in fact, because these departments are separately owned and operated by those same chains. Costco, which runs its own optical department, and Wal-Mart, which has a mix of company-owned and leased optical departments, offer those same advantages, too.

Online retailers. Buying anything on the Internet involves some risk, and contact lenses are no exception. That doesn't mean it's a bad idea — you just have to know where to buy. (For complete information, read Buying Contact Lenses Online.) Internet sites let you order 24/7 and make it easy to compare prices; a disadvantage is that if you need lenses today, you won't get them; and if you need them tomorrow, be prepared for extra shipping charges.

Check shipping and handling rates before ordering, whether it's online, at an optical store, or at your eye care practitioner's office. Sometimes the charges are significant; sometimes there's no charge at all.

Step Three: Compare Prices

To get the best price on contact lenses, you have to comparison shop. This can be complicated.

Don't assume you'll find a significantly better price on the Internet than you will in an optical chain or from an independent ECP. Also, don't assume that any seller who offers one particular lens for less will be cheaper for all lens brands and types. And remember that pricing can change often, particularly at Internet sites.

Here's what to do:

• Ask about prices at your doctor's office when you have your examination, or during a follow-up visit when you obtain your Rx.
• Call or visit several optical stores for price quotes. If you belong to a warehouse club like Costco, be sure to include them.
• Check prices on the Internet. For details on how best to do this, read Buying Contact Lenses Online.
• For each of the above, be certain to ask what rebates are available.

The chart below gives sample prices, or you can skip to Step Four. Please note that when we called Costco and Pearle Vision, we were given different prices and/or rebate information by different stores for a couple of the products. (We called at least two locations for each offline company). We don't know if prices and rebates vary by location or if some store employees were misinformed. Either way, it pays to ask questions and double-check the information when you call.

Step Four: Factor in Rebates

This is the most complicated and confusing step, and you'll have some decisions to make. Our research indicates that there are often several rebates available, and you'll have to choose the one that works best:

• Rebates from the seller
• Rebates from the manufacturer
• Rebates for first-time contact lens wearers
• Rebates for individuals who buy lenses and get an eye exam

Usually you can take advantage of only one rebate, because the required proof of purchase (for example, a box flap with bar code) can be sent to only one entity. Also, you may have to order larger quantities to qualify for rebates.

At this point, take the prices you've collected, and factor in the rebates to get the best price. But be careful! It can be confusing.

Hypothetical example: JiffyLenses.com offers eight boxes of AcuSight lenses for $17.45 each ($139.60 total). MegaLenses.com's price is $16.50 each ($132.00 total). But JiffyLenses offers a $20 rebate. Which is cheaper?

If you said JiffyLenses, you might be wrong. That's because if you just had an eye exam, the manufacturer of AcuSight lenses is offering a $50 rebate on a purchase of eight boxes. Remember, you can use only one rebate. Better to buy from MegaLenses, and use the manufacturer rebate. But if you didn't just have an eye exam, buy from JiffyLenses and use Jiffy's own rebate.

Brand-Switching and "Private Label" Contact Lenses

By law, contact lens retailers must sell you the exact lens you have been prescribed — no switching of brands or lens specifications. But there is one exception. Some lens manufacturers sell a particular lens under several brand names — for example, they may create private-label brands for large eye care practices or optical chains. If your prescription calls for a private-label lens, it's legal to buy that same lens packaged with a different brand name. Some mail-order sellers offer guides to help determine the national brand name of a private-label lens.

The Bottom Line on Buying Contact Lenses

To get the most value from your purchase, you'll need to think about what best meets your needs, and do some price-comparison shopping.

No matter where you buy your lenses, be certain to have your eyes checked on a regular basis. With smart shopping and regular eye care, your contact lens-wearing experience can be both economical and healthful.

[Download a printable PDF version (31kb) of "10 Tips for Getting the Best Price." Requires Adobe Reader, which should be already installed with your browser. If not, you can download Adobe Reader now.]

[Page updated August 2006]