Best Places to Buy Glasses Online 2024

1. The first thing you need to buy prescription glasses online is a prescription. The best way to get an accurate prescription is to visit an optometrist and get an eye exam, which usually costs about $100. After the test is completed, you need to make sure you get a copy of your prescription so you can keep it in your records. Alternatively, you can pick up a device like $99 EyeQue Vision Check (finished) to use your smartphone to check your vision and create a prescription that will accept most online eyeglass stores, although some require an Rx from an optician.

2. Get your pupil number from your optician or measure yourself. Be aware that sometimes opticians will not give you your pupil size because they will say they want to measure you for a specific set of glasses. Insist on getting one because it is necessary to order glasses online. Note that you can also measure PD yourself using an app on your smartphone or download a PD ruler many online stores are available for download and instructions on how to use. Pupillary distance is key because when making lenses it is important to know where your eye is in relation to the center of the lens.

3. Make sure your prescription is not expired. If you haven’t had an eye exam in a while, it might be a good idea to get another one. Some sites like Warby Parker offer Inexpensive vision screening if your prescription has expired but you feel that you can see well without your current glasses (but still want to change them). You take a five-minute vision test, look at the eye chart at home. The optometrist then reviews the results and responds within 48 hours to let you know if you qualify for a prescription renewal.

4. Some but not all stores accept dollars from Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts. If you have money you want to use in an FSA or HSA, or you have insurance coverage, you need to check the store’s insurance, FSA and HSA policies before buying. Many accept them.

5. Go to an online retailer and select the frames you like. This can be the hardest part of the process because it’s tricky to know exactly how you’ll look in the glasses unless you try on the frames yourself and look at them in the mirror. Some online retailers have virtual try-on programs or, even better, will send you a few frames that you can try on at home before choosing one or more to buy.

6. Give your prescription. With some online retailers, you can simply take a photo of your prescription with your smartphone and upload the photo to the site. Many prescription glass sites also allow you to enter your prescription numbers, which is what I do. If the site asks for a prescription, it will also ask for your PD number.

7. Choose the type of lenses you want. You can buy a complete pair of prescription glasses for less than $20 online. And in most cases, they will work well. You will definitely notice the difference when you upgrade to higher quality lenses in terms of clarity and weight (thin, light lenses tend to cost more). I personally have a few cheap glasses that I keep in my car or backpack as backup glasses in case something happens to my big pair. What I’ve found is that often the best thing to do is spend a little more money for a higher quality lens and not get the cheapest option.

8. Before your final purchase, read the fine print on the site’s return policy. Most sites are okay with letting you return glasses if the lenses you ordered (based on the correct prescription numbers) are wrong for some reason or the frames don’t fit properly. Read the fine print on the return policy. In some cases, you may receive a full refund and in others you may receive store credit. Sometimes stores will only offer partial store credit. You don’t want to be surprised if something goes wrong. I’ve only had one company tie up my order with an incorrect prescription for one lens.

9. Enter any discount codes at checkout. Mirror sites often have promotions that work with discount codes you enter at checkout, although sometimes they don’t include paid frames from name brands. Sometimes you’ll see slightly sweeter deals around the holiday season, with online glass stores using almost any holiday as an excuse to offer a new discount code.