The harsh reality of needing to purchase tiny, malleable plastic lenses in order to see on a daily basis is only trumped by the fact that they’re incredibly expensive and need to be restocked every year. The visually ill-fated don’t have control over their needs, but they can choose where to order their yearly supply and hopefully save a few bucks. There are a plentitude of online destinations that sell contact lenses, but only a few that make the process simple, easy and cheap enough to warrant dodging the upcharging of most optometrists.
Contacts, of course, have a lifespan, which means it’s important to remember how long the current pair has been glazing the eyeballs for. Daily, weekly, bi-weekly and monthly contact lenses are all great options if cared for properly and changed out once their allotted time runs out. Overwearing can lead to problems ranging from minor irritation to possible blindness, and beyond that, an extra stash of fresh lenses is always a good idea in case one gets lost or damaged. Many of the best contact lens subscription sites have an auto-ordering option that makes it easy to upload a prescription so the last box of contacts doesn’t run dry before another takes its place, and removes the added task from the to-do list.
How To Find Cheap Contacts Online
Contact lenses are an investment, and, no matter where they’re purchased, much more expensive than wearing a single pair of glasses each day.
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Comparison shopping is the best way to find the cheapest contact lenses online and ordering lenses in bulk is almost always cheaper than a la carte. This will entail pulling up a few different sites and comparing the prices manually.
However, to avoid the headache of having a million tabs open, shoppers can use comparison shopping websites like ContactsCompare.com or ContactsPrice.com, which automatically pull the lowest prices from the web. Another thing worth considering is that many contact lens subscription sites, including the ones mentioned before, are willing to do a price match, guaranteeing shoppers the lowest price possible.
Contacts Lens Subscriptions and FSA/HSA Eligibility
Many monthly contact lens subscriptions are also HSA/FSA eligible. These financial accounts allow people to set aside pre-tax money from salaries towards qualified health expenses. Under most HSA/FSA plans, prescription vision expenditure is covered. This is often used for prescription glasses, but prescription contact lenses can also be paid for with HSA/FSA. Once shoppers have figured out what’s covered and what’s not, it’s best to maximize value by choosing the best options available under coverage. HSA funds never expire and can be carried forward every year, so contact lens buyers can accumulate them yearly and save funds for larger purchases, including items needed for the care and maintenance of contact lenses. Ideally, lenses are purchased with an FSA credit or debit card, but if this isn’t possible, an itemized receipt should suffice.
The Best Monthly Contact Lens Subscriptions At a Glance
Frequently Asked Questions About Contact Lens Subscriptions
Can a Monthly Contact Lens Subscription Be Canceled at Any Time?
Most of these services offer flexible subscriptions that can be canceled or rescheduled if buyers want to skip a month or two, but it’s best to always read the fine print just in case.
Are Contact Lenses FSA/HSA Eligible?
Yes, just like prescription glasses, prescription contact lenses are covered under most FSA/HSA plans.
Are Contact Lenses Expensive?
Depending on what kind of lenses are purchased (daily wear vs. monthly wear, for instance) a year’s supply can be an investment, especially if shoppers aren’t FSA/HSA eligible and can’t be reimbursed via insurance. On top of that, contact lens solution can also get pricey. However, by using comparison shopping, people can get the best price on contact lenses.
Hubble
For $33 a month, plus shipping, Hubble will deliver 60 of their Hubble-brand contact lenses directly to the shopper’s door, making them one of the most affordable monthly contact lens subscriptions. The lenses are made by St. Shine, an FDA-approved manufacturer with over 20 years of experience in the field and state-of-the-art production methods to ensure quality throughout their manufacturing process. As an added bonus, buyers that are signing up for the first time get their first box of lenses for just $1. For the price and the quality, Hubble is SPY top pick for contact lens subscription services.
1-800 Contacts
From 1-Day Acuvue Contacts to PureVision Multi-Focals, 1-800 Contacts offers a truly unmatched library of contact lens brands for lens wearers to choose from, and they make the ordering process very simple. It’s easy to upload a prescription from an optometrist or take an eye exam online to verify a current prescription if the old one is lost or expired. 1-800 Contacts is less of a monthly contact lens subscription and more of a delivery service, but it’s perfect for ordering annual supplies in bulk, especially for those who have a very specific contact lens brand they like, due to the size of the library.
Waldo
Waldo is another reliable choice when it comes to home-delivery monthly contact lens subscriptions. They offer a choice between two in-house lens models, original and a vitamin style infused with B12 for added hydration. They offer a choice between a monthly and quarterly plan, with the least expensive option available at just $13.60 per box of lenses (when paid quarterly). The first 10 pairs are also free. Waldo lenses are made for optimum moisture and comfort, block UV rays and provide impressive oxygen permeability to help maintain eye health.
Warby Parker
Warby Parker is known for making glasses chic again, but the brand also has a wide library of contact lenses available for consumers to order through them as well as an in-house brand called Scout. Scout is a super comfortable, breathable and affordable contact lens that comes in a flat, hygienic pack that uses 80% less packaging than other brands. In addition to being more environmental, the pack presents the outer surface of the contact facing up so users are less likely to drag debris from their hand into the container and into their eye in the process. They also offer an initial trial pack with six days’ worth of contact lenses for just $5.
Lens.com
With a range of lenses, including Acuvue VITA, Air Optix Colors and Focus Night & Day, Lens.com has a pair of contacts for everyone. After choosing the desired contacts, shoppers can then choose how many they want. The more boxes they choose to purchase at a single time, the greater the discount becomes. For example, two boxes of 1-Day Acuvue Define will give a $20 discount, but order a six-month supply and that discount quadruples to $80. Lens.com contact lenses also come with a money-back guarantee if customers aren’t completely happy with their monthly contact lenses subscription.
Felix Gray
Felix Gray makes sure buyers know that their lenses are fully FSA/HSA eligible and insurance reimbursable instead of making shoppers dig around for that info. Plus, their Daily Contacts set with 60 lenses is available for $5.00 instead of $40.00 for the first month. Designed with screen usage in mind, Felix Gray lenses are super hydrating and designed to relieve Digital Eye Strain. The company also focuses on transparency, sharing all details of its lenses and why they might be a better choice than someone’s current brand.
AC Lens
AC Lens’ user-friendly site makes it easy to see all the available contacts along with reviews from users to help pick the right pair. This website also boasts an impressive range of contacts, including Air Optix Aqua, Acuvue Vita and Proclear Toric XR. For those who sign up for their monthly subscription plan, they offer a 10% discount off future orders and free shipping as well as the freedom to choose exactly when lenses are delivered.
Sight Supply
Sight Supply is for those who like to keep things simple. By offering just a single choice of daily contact lenses, they rid the paradox of choice from the process. Once a prescription has been verified, buyers will receive a free 10-day supply of contacts. After that, the only choice to make is how often to receive contacts. The Taiwan-made contacts are produced from high-quality Etafilcon-A material and are FDA-approved. In addition, for every box of contact lenses sold by Sight Supply, a $1 donation is given to help end preventable blindness.
Discount Contact Lenses
Along with offering steeper discounts on contact lenses than the average retailer, this website is extremely easy to use with easy prescription upload tools. It also boasts one of the biggest brand selections online, making it perfect for people who have trouble finding their specific lenses in stock. Subscription plans aren’t just flexible – Discount Lenses provides an initial 20% discount for new customers and anyone who buys a subscription plan.
Vision Direct Club
Vision Direct Club is one of the most popular contact lens retailers that sell a variety of lenses, but only offer subscriptions for daily lenses from brands like Aucuvue, Bausch + Lomb and CooperVision. Despite this, they’re worth mentioning because they offer home eye checks, video consults with optometrists and eye doctor consults on various eye conditions. They also offer free Hydrelo Eye Drops for contacts with a purchase of $60.00 or more.
Why Ordering a Contact Lens Subscription Is Worth It
Many optometrists encourage ordering contacts through them right after an exam, but it’s almost always cheaper to go through a subscription service. It’s tempting to order through a doctor since a subscription requires a bit more legwork to upload and verify the prescription, but in the long run, it’s more than worth the extra step.
It’s cheaper, and more convenient, their libraries tend to be bigger and many send consistent (borderline annoying) reminders of when it’s time to order more contacts. The squeaky wheel gets the grease and the stockpile of thin rubbery lenses never runs out.