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Original Article Written: 9/11/2018 Updated: 11/3/2019

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It is 2019 and you can practically get ANYTHING delivered to your house from the internet. I mean you could even order things from the grocery store to be delivered to your house within the hour, or food from your favorite restaurant with a few taps on your smartphone.

Out of the many things that you are able to order online these days are prescription eyeglasses. But purchasing prescription glasses online is not the same as purchasing a t-shirt or a new television, and have always been a sticky subject when it came to purchasing online. Many people worry about not getting the correct product, receiving glasses that have the incorrect prescription, and of course the problem of not being able to try on your frames before purchasing them.

Best Place To Buy Glasses Online

Luckily, today there are many reputable online retailers that offer prescription eyewear on the internet, and making your purchase online can actually provide you with many benefits including better pricing, and much more of a selection. Many retailers also offer in-home try-on glasses where they send you the physical frames to try on before you even have to make a purchase.

For years the only way you were able to order prescription glasses was if you were to go to your local optometrist office and place your order there. Today, there are many places online to get cheap prescription glasses, many of them carry inexpensive prescription glasses that you could buy for less than it would cost to fill up your gas tank. You can also find many designer brand frames online for at times at a substantial discount than if you were to just go to your local retailer.

Take a look below to find some of the best places to buy glasses online in 2019.

Terminology

I just wanted to do a quick rundown of the terminology in this article just in case there is anyone that may not be familiar with the terminology. If I have missed something and you find something you don’t understand, you can always leave a comment below, and I will get back to you.

• Single Vision – This means that there is a single power throughout the entire lens. It is either for Distance, Near, or Computer not a combination of any of those.

• Bifocal – When I mention bifocal in this article I am referring to a standard lined-bifocal. A bifocal is a lens through which you have distance power and near power in the same lens. The near power is visible on the lens.

• Progressive Bifocal – A progressive bifocal is a bifocal lens in which there is no-line. It is also referred to as a blended bifocal. This bifocal has powers for distance, computer and near, but there is no visible line. 

• 1.50 CR-39 – Whenever I mention this, This is referring to CR-39 plastic lenses. 1.50 is the index of the lens.

• 1.59. 1.67, & 1.74 – These are polycarbonate and high-index lenses. The polycarbonate and high-index lenses are thinner and lighter lenses. With 1.59 polycarbonate lenses being more impact resistant than standard plastic. You can find out more about the difference here,

• Photochromic – Photochromic lenses are the ones that turn dark when you are outside and the lenses are exposed to UV rays. These lenses are clear when you are indoors out of the way of UV rays.

• Blue light Protection – Since the rise of digital devices, many retailers are offering lenses with coatings that are designed to filter out the harmful HEV blue light.

Now that’s out of the way let’s get started.

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1. Warby Parker | Starting at $95

VISIT WARBY PARKER

WARBY PARKER FULL REVIEW

Warby Parker is one of the hottest online prescription glasses retailers at the moment. This company is revolutionizing the industry by offering you the ability to try on the frame you want to purchase at home. That right you can head over to their website, pick out 5 frames and they will send them home for you to try, FREE! After you try them on, you can head over to the website and place your order. Remember when I was telling you about not getting what you ordered with online purchases? Well, Warby Parker totally solved the problem of not being able to try on the glasses that you purchase online, it is truly amazing.

WHO ARE THEY?

Warby Parker is an American online prescription glasses retailer. Although they do have showroom locations scattered across the United States and a couple in Canada as well. The company was founded in 2010 by Neil Blumenthal, Andrew Hunt, David Giboa, and Jeffrey Raider. The company’s headquarters is located in New York City.

WHAT FRAMES DO THEY CARRY?

Warby Parker carries all in-house designed and made frames. They do not carry any designer brand frames on their line up. This may be a disappointment to certain people that love designer glasses. Warby Parker stays pretty up to date with trendy styles though if you don’t mind not having name brand.

LENS OPTIONS 

Warby Parker’s selection of lenses is fairly simple. The standard lens material that comes with every pair of Warby Parker glasses is polycarbonate, with anti-reflective coating. Let’s take a look at how the prices look.

• Single Vision | Starting at $95– Warby Parker’s lens options are fairly simple with 1.59 polycarbonate lenses with anti-reflective coating starting at $95, You can choose to upgrade to 1.67 High-Index for an extra $30.

• • Blue Light Protection – There is no blue light protection option.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $175 – You can get single vision prescription sunglasses for $175. You are able to upgrade to 1.67 High-Index for an additional $120.

• • Photochromic | Additional $100– You are able to get photochromic lenses for an additional $100.

• Bifocal – There is no option for a lined bifocal.

• Progressive | Starting At $295 – For progressive lenses, you are able to get the 1.59 polycarbonate lenses for $295, and you have the option of upgrading to 1.67 High-Index lenses for an additional $30.

• • Blue Light Protection – There is no blue light protection option.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $375 – If you are looking for progressive sunglass lenses you are able to get the 1.59 polycarbonate lenses for $375, or if you need thinner lenses you are able to get 1.67 High-Index lenses for an additional $120.

• • Photochromic | Additional $100 – You are able to get photochromic lenses for an additional $100.

WARRANTY

Warby Parker provides a 30-day hassle-free return or exchange policy, as well as a 12-month warranty on the lenses if they get scratched within the year.

They also reimburse you up to $50 for eyeglass adjustments within the first 30 days. This is for those individuals who receive their glasses and need them adjusted. Warby Parker locations adjust your glasses for free, however, if you do not live near one you can go to any optical location for your adjustment. If you get charged, Warby Parker will reimburse you up to $50.

VISION INSURANCE

You could check here if your insurance is in-network with Warby Parker. Anyone with FSA or HSA cards that are affiliated with Visa or MasterCard are able to use them on Warby Parker’s website. If your insurance is out-of-network, you may request an invoice to submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT WARBY PARKER

Obviously, I loved that they pioneered the home try-on program and lead to many other companies to follow suit, there are even companies like Liingo Eyewear and GlassesUSA that have home try-on WITH your prescription included. The complete pair of glasses with single vision lenses and an anti-reflective coating is a great deal when you compare to local retailers. The office I worked at charged $110 for the same lenses without the frames, their upgrade to high-index lenses for $30 is also a great deal. The frames that I ordered from the home try-on program felt as if they were well made.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT WARBY PARKER

I had thought they were going to start offering a blue light blocking lens, but I have yet to see it on their website. They also don’t have children’s frames so if your kids need glasses they will have to shop elsewhere, although I have heard that might be changing soon. I find it a bit awkward that the option to upgrade to high-index lenses is all the way at the end of checkout.

 

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2. Zenni Optical | Starting at $6.95

VISIT ZENNI OPTICAL

Zenni Optical was one of the first online optical retailers that came out of nowhere. They where the buzz for while there, offering extremely inexpensive glasses compared to all the optical offices at the time. To be honest, us folks in the optical field didn’t truly really think they were going to become as huge as they are today. Today Zenni offers one of the most affordable prescription glasses that you can buy online even today. They have a huge manufacturing facility that does all of their prescriptions in-house.

WHO ARE THEY?

Zenni is one of the most phenomenal online optical retailers out there. They are currently one of the industry leaders for online prescription glasses, offering all kinds of optical options for many different types of people. Zenni Optical was founded in 2003 by two scientist that wanted to answer this question. “Doesn’t everyone deserve to look good while wearing an affordable pair of glasses?”, and that was how Zenni was born. Zenni’s headquarters is located at no other than in the middle of all those tech-savvy companies in the San Francisco Bay Area.

WHAT FRAMES DO THEY CARRY?

Zenni makes frames in-house, therefore all of their glasses are also non-branded frames. Zenni does carry prescription sports glasses, as well as prescription sports goggles for adults as well as children. They literally have hundreds of frames in their frame selection. They have a very wide variety of styles to choose from ranging from cat eye to rimless, even browline glasses.

LENS OPTIONS

Zenni has quite a range of lens options to choose from with various different indexes available to pick from. The options you have are as follow.

• Single Vision | Starting at FREE – Single vision lenses come in indexes ranging from 1.50 (CR-39) all the way to 1.67 (High-Index) lenses. The cost ranges from FREE for the CR-39 Plastic and1.57 Mid-Index lenses. to $34.95 for the 1.67 High-Index lenses.

• • Blue Light Protection | Starting at $16.95 – You could also get single vision lenses with the Blue light protection coating from $16.95 for 1.50 CR-39 to $49.95 for 1.67 High-Index Lenses.

• • Polarized | Starting at $32.99 – You can get single vision polarized prescription sunglass lenses starting at $32.99 for 1.50 CR-39 all the way up to $102 for 1.67 High-Index polarized lenses.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $69 – You can also get photochromic lenses where your lenses get dark when they are exposed to UV rays. These lenses range from $69 for 1.50 CR-39 all to way to $169 for 1.67 High-Index photochromic lenses

• Standard Bifocal | Starting at $17 – You can get standard bifocal lenses from Zenni if you choose, Standard bifocal lenses come in either 1.50 CR-39 for $17.00 or you could get it in 1.61 polycarbonate lenses for $46.00.

• • Blue Light Protector – No blue light protection option for bifocal lenses.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $57.99 – You can get a bifocal polarized prescription sunglasses for $57.99 in 1.50 CR-39. That is the only available option.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $49 – For photochromic lenses in a bifocal, you can get it in 1.57 mid-index for $49. That is the only available option.

• Progressive Bifocal (No-line Bifocal) | Starting at $27.95 – For those individuals that prefer to have progressive bifocals those are available from Zenni as well. You can get progressive bifocals starting at $27.95 for 1,50 CR-39 all to way up to $99 for 1.74 High-Index lenses.

• • Blue Light Protector | Starting at $43.95 – Blue light protection is available for the progressive lenses starting from $43.95 for 1.50 CR-39 up to $93.95 for 1.67 High-Index lenses with blue light protection.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $63.99– For progressive lenses, you could get polarized prescription progressive lenses starting at $63.99 for 1.50 CR-39 all the way up to  $129 for 1.67 High-Index polarized lenses.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $115 – Photochromic lenses are available for progressive lenses as well. You can get photochromic progressive lenses starting at $115 for 1.50 CR-39 lenses up to $195 for 1.67 High-Index Lenses.

• Non-Prescription Glasses | Starting at FREE – If you choose to just order your glasses without a prescription just to wear as a fashion statement, you could do that as well. Standard lenses range from Free 1.50 CR-39 all the way to $9 1.59 polycarbonate lenses.

• • Blue Light Protector | Starting at $16.95 – If you choose to go with blue blocker lenses there is only one option for blue light protection and it is $16.95

• • Polarized | Starting at $32.99 – You could get polarized nonprescription glasses starting at $32.99 for 1.59 CR-39 lenses all the way up to $76.00 for 1.59 polycarbonate lenses.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $69 – You could get photochromic non-prescription lenses starting at $69. for 1.50 CR-39 all the way down to $29 for 1.61 Index lenses. They get cheaper as the index goes up for some reason. It is the strangest thing.

WARRANTY

Zenni Optical has a 30-day return policy, They will also replace broken frames within 30 days at no charge. Anti-reflective and photochromic films are covered for a year.

VISION INSURANCE

Zenni is an out-of-network provider and does not directly bill any vision insurance providers, but you are able to request an invoice to submit to your vision insurance provider. If you have an FSA or HSA  card that is affiliated with Visa or MasterCard is able to use them on Zenni’s website to purchase glasses.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT ZENNI OPTICAL

They have one of the best prices in town. You can literally get a pair of glasses through Zenni cheaper than it would cost to buy a meal at a restaurant. Their selection of frames is also amazing, there is definitely no shortage of frames at Zenni. They are also one of the few retailers that actually offers a standard bifocal for those who prefer those over progressive bifocals.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT ZENNI OPTICAL

The warranty on their frames is terrible, it is only 30 days and if you break your frames over 30 days you have to purchase the frames again.

 

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3. 39DollarGlasses.com | Starting at $39

VISIT 39DOLLARGLASSES

39DOLLARGLASSES FULL REVIEW

39DollarGlasses.com is another powerhouse online eyeglasses retailer. They offer inexpensive very affordable eyeglasses. They are another company that was tired of glasses being expensive and wanted to offer everyone an affordable way to offer great glasses. Glasses from 39DollarGlasses.com are made here in the United States.

WHO ARE THEY?

39DollarGlasses.com is definitely another one of those huge online retailers. They offer a wide range of type of frames for all ages ranging from toddlers all the way to adults. 39DollarGlasses.com was founded by two New York eye doctors who was tired of the fact that quality eyewear was coming at a high cost. They knew that didn’t have to be the way so they set out to provide excellent quality eyewear at an affordable price.

WHAT FRAMES DO THEY CARRY?

39DollarGlasses.com has all inhouse frames. They do not carry any designer brand frames. They do offer a wide variety of types of frames. They offer frames ranging from plastic to rimless, semi-rimless and even flexible frames. As far as the sizes they carry all the way down to toddler sizes.

LENS OPTIONS

There is a decent range of lens options to choose from. Here are the prices for the different types of lenses from 39DollarGlasses.com.

• Single Vision | Starting at FREE – You can get single vision lenses from here starting at Free for 1.59 polycarbonate lenses all the way up to ultra-thin 1.74 High-Index lenses for $99.95.

• • Blue Light Protector | Additional $44.95 – Bluelight protection can be added to your order for an additional $44.95.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $19.95 – Here for sunglasses you can actually get lenses that are non-polarized lenses starting at $19.95 1.59 polycarbonate lenses all the way to $98.85 for 1.59 polycarbonate polarized lenses.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $69.90 – For photochromic lenses you can choose between 1.50 CR-39 lenses for $69,90, or if you go with 1.59 polycarbonate lenses it is $98.90.

• Standard Bifocal | Starting at FREE – For the bifocal lenses they have a Free standard 1.59 polycarbonate lenses, and then they have a DualTec HD lens that is a bifocal lens but without a visible line in 1.59 polycarbonate for $59.95.

• • Blue Light Protector | Additional $44.95 – Bluelight protection can be added to your order for an additional $44.95.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $19.95 – For the bifocals in sunglasses, you can get tinted 1.59 polycarbonate lenses for $19,95 all the way up to polarized 1.59 polycarbonate lenses for $118.95. That fancy blended DualTec HD lens is available in the tinted as well as the polarized option.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $109.95 – In bifocal lenses there are two photochromic lenses available. The 1.50 CR-39 lens is $109.95, and the DualTec HD lens is $99.90.

• Progressive Bifocal (No-line Bifocal) | Starting at FREE – For progressive lenses, those start at Free for 1.59 polycarbonate lenses all the way up to a better 1.59 polycarbonate Varilux progressive lenses for $99.

• • Blue Light Protector | Additional $44.95 – Bluelight protection can be added to your order for an additional $44.95.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $9.95 – Progressive sunglass lenses start at $9.95 for tinted 1.59 polycarbonate lenses all the way up to $147.95 for 1.59 polarized polycarbonate Varilux progressive sunglass lenses.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $99.90 – For photochromic lenses you can choose between a 1.59 polycarbonate lens for $99.90 or a 1.59 polycarbonate Varilux lens for $157.95.

WARRANTY

39DollarGlasses.com offers a 30-days full refund (shipping is not refundable), and a 90-day full exchange or store credit.

VISION INSURANCE

39DollarGlasses.com is an out-of-network provider and does not directly bill with your insurance, however, you are able to request an invoice to submit to your insurance provider. They do accept FSA and HSA cards that are affiliated with Visa and MasterCard.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT 39DOLLARGLASSES

They have a decent selection of affordable eyewear for you to pick from, and standard free polycarbonate lenses in any type of lenses is also a nice little touch.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT 30DOLLARGLASSES

They also have a fairly short coverage when it comes to their eyewear offering at most a 90-day full exchange or store credit if anything happens to your glasses, after that no warranty.

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4. SmartBuyGlasses | Starting at $29

VISIT SMARTBUYGLASSES

SMARTBUYGLASSES FULL REVIEW

This is another giant online optical retailer. This company has a massive selection of frames ranging from inexpensive generic in-house frames all the way to a wide selection of designer brands. The founders of this company saw that the optical market was eventually going to shift online, and they wanted to be a part of it. This company has websites running in a wide range of countries all around the world in 15 different languages.

WHO ARE THEY?

SmarBuyGlasses was first set up in an apartment in Australia in 2006. In 2007 their first website was launched in Australia. Since then the company has 15 multi-lingual and multi-currency websites. The founders of SmartBuyGlasses was inspired to create the company due to their experience as customers where they were frustrated with the optical retail experience. They felt like the selection of frames at these locations were very limited. They saw an industry that was very inefficient and knew that eventually, it would transition online. Therefore SmartBuyGlasses was born.

WHAT FRAMES DO THEY CARRY?

This is where SmartBuyGlasses will standout compared to the previous few retailers I have mentioned. SmartBuyGlasses has a huge selection of frames, and it INCLUDES designer frames. The selection is huge, they carry over 180 different designer brands including Oakley, Ray-Ban, Versace, Burberry, Prada, Giorgio Armani, Vogue, Spy and much more.

Some frames could be pretty pricey, but the prices you find on here are much cheaper than if you were to go to your local optometrist office and purchase the same frame.

LENS OPTIONS

There is a pretty good wide range of lenses that are available for you to pick from. They have in-house lenses as well as lenses made from Essilor. Keep in mind that all of the lenses that you purchase from SmartBuyGlasses come with scratch resistance, UV, and anti-reflective coatings included no matter which lens material.

• Single Vision | Starting at FREE – For single vision lenses, you are able to purchase lenses starting at Free for 1.50 CR-39 all the way up to Ultra thin 1.74 High-Index lenses.

• • Blue Light Protector – A blue light blocking computer lens is available starting at $84.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $69 – For sunglasses you can get polarized 1.50 CR-39 lenses for $69 all the way up to very thin 1.67 High-Index for $168. You can also get non-polarized sunglasses for $19 for 1.50 CR-39 all the way up to $108 for 1.67 High-Index.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $69 – For photochromic lenses you could get it for $69 for 1.50 CR-39 all the way up to $168 for 1.67 High-Index photochromic lenses.

• Standard Bifocal – There is no standard bifocal option.

• Progressive BIfocal (No-line Bifocal) | Starting at $119 – You can get a progressive bifocal starting at $119 all the way up to $339 for a Deluxe Essilor progressive lenses.

• • Blue Light Protector – No blue light protection option.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $129 – For sunglasses, you could get polarized 1.50 CR-39 for $129 all the way up to $ 238 for thin 1.67 High-Index lenses.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $198 – For progressive photochromic lenses, these lenses start at $198 for 1.50 CR-39 all the way up to $238 for thin 1.67 High-Index lenses.

WARRANTY

SmartBuyGlasses offers a 24-month warranty against all manufacturer defects. They also offer a 100 days full refund policy just in case you are not happy with your glasses for any reason. You can also do exchanges within this 100 day time period as well.

VISION INSURANCE

SmartBuyGlasses is an out-of-network provider and does not directly bill with any vision insurances, however, you are able to request an invoice to submit in for reimbursement. You are able to use your Visa and MasterCard affiliated HSA and FSA cards on SmartBuyGlasses.com.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT SMARTBUYGLASSES

The greatest thing about SmartBuyGlasses is their selection of designer eyewear, so if you are someone who likes designer eyewear this is definitely the place for you. Along with that I really liked that they pretty much have the best warranty when it comes to eyewear whether you are purchasing online or at your local store, no one can beat that two-year warranty. They also have a nice selection of kids glasses, which is definitely a plus because it can be difficult to find kids eyewear.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT SMARTBUYGLASSES

Not totally a bad thing but their frame selection can be overwhelming to look through, I definitely recommend using the filters. They also do not carry a standard bifocal.

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5. Best Men’s Glasses – Coastal | Starting at $19

VISIT COASTAL

COASTAL FULL REVIEW

Coastal is actually one of the largest online contact lens retailers in North America along with being one of the largest sellers of prescription eyeglasses online in the entire world. Their parent company is no other than French lens manufacturer Essilor. They currently sell and ship glasses to over 200 countries worldwide.

WHO ARE THEY?

Coastal Contacts was originally founded by Roger Hardy and his sister Michaela Hardy in 2000. They were exclusively an online contact lens retailer up until 2008 when they joined the online eyeglasses industry. They started with the mission of getting prescription eyewear to people that found it out of reach.

WHAT FRAMES DO THEY CARRY?

Coastal carries a wide variety of frames ranging from frames that are designed by their in-house designers all the way to many designer brands. They carry over 100 designer brands including Vogue, Michael Kors, Nike, Gucci, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana and much more. Their glasses start as low as $19 for their in-house brands all the way up to a couple hundred for some designer brands.

LENS OPTIONS

Since Coastal is owned by Essilor you can pretty much expect them to have quality lenses available for you. The prices for their lenses are really reasonable as well.

• Single Vision | Starting at FREE – For single vision lenses, you can get Free 1.59 polycarbonate lenses all the way up to 1.61 aspheric polycarbonate lenses for $35.

• • Blue Light Protector | Starting at $45 – blue light protector lenses are available in two lens materials, you can get it in 1.59 polycarbonate lenses for $45, or you could get 1.67 High-Index lenses for $95.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $50 – For sunglasses, you are able to get lenses that are non-polarized tinted lenses for $50.00 all the way up to 1.67 High-Index polarized lenses for $130. You can also get the polarized lenses with a mirror coating for an additional $20.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $150 – For photochromic lenses you can get 1.59 polycarbonate lenses for $150, and you could get 1.67 High-Index lenses for $195.

• Standard Bifocal | Starting at $180 – For the bifocal lenses, the selection is very strange with coastal. When you select standard bifocal it just takes you straight to the checkout screen. The cost that it adds in for the standard bifocal is $180.

• Progressive Bifocal (No-line Bifocal) | Starting at $95 – For progressive lenses, you are able to choose between a standard 1.59 polycarbonate lens for $95, or the thinner 1.67 High-Index lenses for $145.

• • Blue Light Protector | Starting at $115 – You could get the progressive lens with the blue light protector lens for $115 in 1.59 polycarbonate, or for $165 in 1.67 High-Index.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $135 – For the sunglasses in progressive lenses you have the option of 1.59 polycarbonate for $135, or you can get 1.67 High-Index for $185. You can also get a lens with a mirror coat on either material for an additional $20.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $200 – For photochromic lenses you have the option of either going with a 1.59 polycarbonate lens for $200, or a 1.67 High-Index lens for $255.

WARRANTY

Coastal offers a 14-day no-questions-asked return policy on all of their orders, but returns are accepted for up to 365 days after the delivery date but are subject to a restocking fee. The warranty is for 365 days on eyewear as well.

VISION INSURANCE

Coastal is an out-of-network provider and does not directly bill with any insurance providers, however, you are able to request an invoice to submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement. FSA and HSA cards that are affiliated with Visa and Mastercard are able to be used on their website.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT COASTAL

I liked Coastal’s selection of eyewear, they had a nice balance between their in-house designed eyewear and designer brand. Using their MyFit feature made it easy to be able to find frames that were similar in size to what I already had, and narrowed down my selection to glasses I knew would fit. Their website is also easy to navigate and everything is user-friendly.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT COASTAL

They really don’t carry too many kids frames, they also don’t have a virtual try-on or a home try-on so there are no ways to know how the frames will look before you purchase.

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6. Best Eyeglass Selection – Eyeglasses.com | Starting at $40

VISIT EYEGLASSSES.COM

Eyeglasses.com is another leader in the online optical industry. This is a company that is all about quality, They only offer top-notch quality lens service without cutting any corners on every pair of eyewear that they make. They have been around for far longer than many other online retailers and hold an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau for over 14 years.

WHO ARE THEY?

Eyeglasses.com was founded by Mark Agnew many years ago in 1999. They wanted to provide you with the best service possible when it came to your prescription eyeglasses. They are a company that values quality over speed and wanted to offer customers high-quality glasses at significant savings. They also wanted everyone with a large selection and many tools to guide them along their journey of purchasing eyeglasses.

WHAT FRAMES DO THEY CARRY?

Eyeglasses.com carries a fairly large variety of glasses with over 400 designer brands and 200,000 styles according to their website. They carry many in-house brand frames that start as low as $40. The designer brands that they carry include brands such as Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Nike, Oakley, Dolce & Gabbana, Burberry, Coach, and much more.

LENS OPTIONS

Eyeglasses.com has a bigger selection of lenses than most other online eyeglass retailers. They are one of the few places that we were able to find glass lenses for those individuals who prefer those. Let’s take a look at all the different lens options.

• Single Vision | Starting at $49 – There are a ton of different options for lenses here with eyeglassses.com you have everything from 1.50 CR-39 lenses that are $49 all the way up to ultra-thin 1.74 High-Index lenses for $385. You can also purchase glass lenses starting at $119.

• • Blue Light Protector – No blue light protection option.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $17 – For single vision sunglasses you are able to get tinted lenses starting at $17 depending on the material, and polarized lenses start at an additional $79 for standard polarized lenses and $119 for polarized lenses with anti-reflective coating.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $89 – Photochromic lenses for single vision starts at an additional $89 for Transitions Signature and goes up to $139 for Transitions Drivewear.

• Standard Bifocal | Starting at $75 – You can purchase bifocal lenses starting at $75 for 1.50 CR-39 lenses, it goes all the way up to 1.67 High-Index lenses for $259. You can also purchase bifocal lenses in glass lenses for $159.

• • Blue Light Protector – No blue light protection option.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $17 – For sunglass lenses in a bifocal, you are able to pick from non-polarized tinted sunglass lenses starting at an additional $17 depending on the material. Polarized sunglass lenses start at an additional $69 for standard polarized lenses, and is an additional $119 for polarized lenses with anti-reflective coating.
  • Photochromic | Starting at an additional $95 –  For photochromic bifocal lenses depending on what material you go with there are a range of options starting at an additional $95 for Transitions Xtractive all the way to the $139 Transition Drivewear.

• Trifocal | Starting at $119 – One of the few online eyeglass retailers where you can get a lined trifocal at. They offer a trifocal starting at $119 for a 1.50 CR-39 lens, all the way up to a Trivex lens for $219. You can also get the trifocal lens in glass for $179.

• • Blue Light Protector – No blue light protection option.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $17 – For sunglasses in a Trifocal lens you could get the nonpolarized tinted lenses starting at an additional $17 depending on the material, or you could get polarized lenses starting at $89 for standard polarized lenses and $195 for Coppertone polarized lenses.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $89 – For the photochromic lenses depending on what material you choose, you might get various brands of photochromic lenses. No matter which brands the charge is an additional $89.

• Progressive Bifocal (No-line Bifocal) | Starting at $129 –  Progressive lenses from Eyeglasses.com start at $129 for 1.50 CR-39 lenses and could go as high as $519 for a high quality 1.74 High-Index Varilux lens.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $17 – Sunglass lenses for progressive bifocals start at an additional $17 for a non-polarized tinted lens depending on the material. Polarized progressive lenses start at an additional $79 for standard polarized progressive lenses, or an additional $119 for polarized lenses with anti-reflective coating.

• • Photochromic | Starting at an additional $75 – For progressive photochromic lenses depending on what material you choose it starts at an additional $75 for Transition Signature lenses, up to an additional $139 for Transition Drivewear photochromic lenses.

WARRANTY

Eyeglasses.com offers a 30 days satisfaction guaranteed where you can get a full refund. After the 30 days, they state that your glasses are covered by a manufacturer’s warranty for any manufacturing defects.

VISION INSURANCE

Eyeglasses.com is an out-of-network provider and does not directly bill any insurances, but you may request an invoice to submit to your insurance provider. They also do not state if they accept HSA and FSA cards but instruct you to submit your eyeglasses.com receipt to your plan administrator to get reimbursed.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT EYEGLASSES.COM

I liked that their selection is huge at eyeglasses.com. Aside from SmartBuyGlasses, this is another retailer where if you love designer eyewear this is your place to be. Eyeglasses.com also has a huge selection of lenses as well, so if you are looking for something specific such as Crizal lenses or a particular type of Transition lenses, you can find those here.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT EYEGLASSES.COM

I absolutely hate how their website looks, there definitely needs to be some improvement there, not very user-friendly Also, the prices for their lenses is on the expensive side when you compare them to the rest of their competitors.

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7. EyeBuyDirect | Starting at $24.95

VISIT EYEBUYDIRECT

 EYEBUYDIRECT FULL REVIEW & PROMO CODES

EyeBuyDirect.com is another one of the longtime online eyeglass retailers in the optical industry. With about 15 years in the industry, they have been one of the large online retailers serving over a million customers. The company has operations in the United States, China, and Hong Kong but serves customers worldwide.

WHO ARE THEY?

EyeBuyDirect was founded in 2005 by Roy Hessel. Roy Hessel loved different cultures but he noticed that many people did not have access to glasses. The company was founded on the belief that quality glasses should be accessible, along with affordable for everyone. Like many other companies that started up in recent years, they tired of glasses being held at a premium, especially since it is such a vital part of everyone’s daily lives.

WHAT FRAMES DO THEY CARRY?

EyeBuyDirect does not carry any brand name frames as they do everything from concept, design, to manufacturing of all their glasses from scratch. They offer a large selection of in-house designed frames in a variety of colors. They have an in-house premium brand frame called RFLKT. These RFLKT frames draw inspiration from contemporary architecture and design.

LENS OPTIONS

EyeBuyDirect offers a good selection of lenses. They are really big on protecting your eyes from digital devices so they have a whole category for their blue light protection lenses. Let’s take a look at how they cost.

• Single Vision | Starting at $18.95 – Single vision lenses for basically 1.59 polycarbonate lenses start at $18.95 and goes up to 1.74 High-Index lenses for $92.90.

• • Blue Light Protector | Starting at $24 – For the single vision blue light protector lenses, you have the option between the EyeBuyDirect Blue lens for starting at $24, or the SightRelax blue light protector lens starting at $75.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $50.85 – For sunglasses single vision lenses you have the option of getting non-polarized tinted lenses starting at around $50.85 for a 1.60 aspheric polycarbonate lens, or you could get a tinted High-Index lens for $83.85. If you choose to go with a polarized lens, you can pick between the standard polarized lens which is $141.90, or the advanced polarized lens which comes with a water repellent coating for $144.90.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $101.90 – For photochromic lenses you have a choice between EyeBuyDIrect’s in-house brand of photochromic lenses or the more well-known Transition lenses. If you choose to go with the in-house brand, the basic photochromic lenses start at $ 101.90, or you could get the advanced lenses with the water repellent coating for 104.90. If you choose to go with the Transition lenses you can go with the basic 1.59 polycarbonate lens for $159, or the advanced 1.67 High-Index lenses for $208.94.

• Standard Bifocal | Starting at $52.90 – For bifocal lenses, they range starting from $52.90 for 1.59 polycarbonate lenses and up to $77.90 for 1.60 aspheric polycarbonate lenses. Sadly clear lenses are the only option for bifocal lenses from EyeBuyDirect. There is no option for blue light protection lenses, sunglass, or photochromic lenses.

• Progressive Bifocal (No-line Bifocal) | Starting at $79.95 – For progressive lenses, there is two option, there are standard progressive lenses as well as premium progressive lenses. For the standard progressive lenses, you could get basic 1.59 polycarbonate lenses for $79.95, all the way up to 1.67 High-Index lenses for $127.90. Alternatively, you could get premium progressive lenses starting at $99.95 for 1.59 polycarbonate, all the way up to $147.90 for 1.67 High-Index lenses.

• • Blue Light Protector – No blue light protection option.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $113.90 – For sunglasses for progressive lenses, there are only tinted lenses available and no polarized lenses. The tinted lenses start at $113.90 for 1.60 aspheric polycarbonate lenses, or in 1.67 High-Index lenses for $147.90.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $198.95 – Photochromic lenses are available from Transitions starting at $198.95 for 1.59 polycarbonate lenses, and up to $337.95 for 1.74 High-index lenses.

WARRANTY

EyeBuyDirect offers a 14-day no questions asked full refund policy. Along with that, they offer a 365-day product guarantee on manufacturer defects. They offer you a one-time replacement during that 365-day period.

VISION INSURANCE

EyeBuyDirect is an out-of-network provider and does not directly bill your insurance provider, but they are able to provide you with an invoice to submit to your insurance for reimbursement. If you have an FSA or HSA card that is affiliated with Visa or MasterCard you are able to use it to purchase your prescription glasses on EyeBuyDirect.com.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT EYEBUYDIRECT

Here we have another affordable eyewear retailer, but the one thing that truly stuck out to me from EyeBuyDirect was their Buy 1 Give 1 program. I particularly liked this program because for every pair that you purchase, EyeBuyDirect donates a pair to the country of your choice. It’s already amazing that there are so many companies doing programs like this but being able to pick your country is a special one.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT EYEBUYDIRECT

They don’t carry any designer eyewear, and their kid’s selection is a bit limited.

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8. GlassesUSA | Starting at $19

VISIT GLASSESUSA

GLASSUSA FULL REVIEW & PROMO CODES

GlassesUSA is another major player in the online eyeglasses retailer space. GlassesUSA mainly operates and focuses on North America, but they offer their eyeglass services to over 92 countries across the globe. GlassesUSA compared to the rest of the online optical field is one of the newer companies. They started because they felt the need for a good and reliable online optical service. The thing that makes GlassesUSA stand out from most other retailers is that they offer a new home try-on program in which they send you two pairs of glasses with your prescription included for you to try on for 14-days.

WHO ARE THEY?

GlassesUSA was founded in 2008 by Daniel Rothman, Eldad Rothman, and Roy Yamner. Daniel Rothman is still the current CEO of the company. The company wanted to provide effective, high-quality, and affordable eyeglasses with a large selection of frames for customers to choose from.

WHAT FRAMES DO THEY CARRY?

GlassesUSA carries a wide variety of in-house brands along with many different top designer brands including Coach, Versace, Burberry, Michael Kors, Prada, Ray-Ban and much more. They have thousands of frames to pick from in a range of styles and colors. Their frames start in the $50 range and go on up from there.

LENS OPTIONS

Unlike some of the other competitors, GlassesUSA offers a very simple and straightforward way of selecting your lenses. Let’s take a look at how much they cost from here.

• Single Vision | Starting at Free – If you are looking for single vision lenses, these lenses start at Free for 1.50 CR-39 lenses, and up to $129 for 1.67 High-Index lenses.

• • Blue Light Protector | Additional $29 – Digital block could be added for an additional $29.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $29 – For sunglasses, basic non-polarized lenses are an additional $29, and polarized lenses could be purchased for an additional $99. You can add a mirror coating for $49.

• • Photochromic | Starting at an additional $59 – For photochromic lenses you could get it in the house brand for an additional $59, or you could get Transitions photochromic lenses for an additional $109.

• Standard Bifocal | Starting at $99– If you are looking for bifocal lenses you can get it in standard 1.50 CR-39 for $99, and up to $129 for 1.60 Aspheric polycarbonate lenses.

• • Blue Light Protector | Additional $29 – Digital block could be added to bifocal lenses for an additional $29.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $29 – For bifocal sunglasses, the only option available is the non-polarized tinted lenses for an additional $29. Mirror coating could still be added for an additional $49.

• • Photochromic | Additional $149 – Photochromic lenses are available in for bifocals only in Transition lenses for an additional $149.

• Progressive Bifocal (No-line Bifocal) Starting at $159 – If you choose to go with progressive bifocals they start at $159 for 1.50 CR-39 and up to $219 for 1.60 aspheric polycarbonate lenses.

• • Blue Light Protector | Additional $29 – Digital block could be added for an additional $29.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $29 – For sunglasses, you are able to get non-polarized tinted lenses for an additional $29, or the polarized lenses for an additional $99. You could add the mirror coating for an additional $49.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $149 – Photochromic lenses are available from Transitions only for $149.

WARRANTY

GlassesUSA offers a 14-day no questions asked return policy. All of their glasses come with a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty for defects, the lenses are covered for 90 days for manufacturer defects.

You are able to purchase an extended warranty for $24 that covers accidental damage and prescription changes, the warranty is called the “20/20 Enhanced Coverage”.

VISION INSURANCE

GlassesUSA is an out-of-network provider and does not directly bill with any vision insurance providers, however, you may request an invoice to submit to your insurance for reimbursement. If you have an FSA or HSA card that is affiliated with Visa or MasterCard you are able to use it to purchase your glasses from GlassesUSA.com.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT GLASSESUSA

Being able to try on frames from the comfort of your home with the prescription lenses already in is mind-blowing. You can’t even do that going into a local optical shop. They have a fantastic selection from frames as well ranging from in-house designed frames to many top designer brands. The designer frames are not eligible for the home try-on program.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT GLASSESUSA

Navigating their website looking for your specific frames can be a bit confusing at times, and their selection of designer eyewear smaller when compared to the rest of the competitors that carry designer eyewear.

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9. FramesDirect | Starting at $129

VISIT FRAMESDIRECT

FramesDirect has been around for quite some time. They are actually one of the pioneers of the online optical world. They were one of the first websites to offer prescription glasses online. Over the years they have served over a million customers.

WHO ARE THEY?

Frames direct was founded in 1996 by two eye doctors David Cooper, OD and Guy Hodgson, OD. The two business partners have had many years of experience in the industry running many optometry offices in Houston, Texas. Currently, FramesDirect headquarters is located in Austin Texas and the company sells eyewear products such as eyeglasses, sunglasses and contact lenses.

WHAT FRAMES DO THEY CARRY

FramesDirect carries a huge selection of designer frames, and thousands of frames overall for you to pick from. Their vast selection of designer frames includes over 200 brands that include brands such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, Maui Jim, Kate Spade, Nike, Prada, Michael Kors, Burberry and much more. They also have many in-house brand frames to pick from, their frames start at about $40.

LENS OPTIONS

Since FramesDirect has been in this industry forever their lens choosing process is very simple and not confusing at all. Let’s take a look at how their prices look.

• Single Vision | Starting at $69 – Single vision lenses start at $69 for 1.50 CR-39 lenses and up to $199 for 1.74 High-Index Lenses.

• • Blue Light Protector | Additional $129 – Eyezen blue light protector is available for an additional $129.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $135 – For single vision sunglass lenses, you can get them non-polarized with a tint for $135, and up to $257 for a polarized lens with anti-reflective coating.

• • Photochromic | Starting at an additional $99 – Photochromic lenses can be added for an additional $99. You have the choice between transition signature and transition XTRActive. There is no price difference between the two.

• Standard Bifocal | Starting at $95 – For bifocal lenses, you are able to get standard 1.50 CR-39 lenses for $95, and up to $295 for 1.67 High-Index lenses.

• • Blue Light Protector – No blue light protector coating available.

• • Sunglasses – No sunglass lenses available.

• • Photochromic | Starting at an additional $119 – You are able to get photochromic lenses for an additional $119.

• Progressive Bifocal (No-line bifocal) | Starting at $219 – Progressive bifocals start at $219 for 1.50 CR-39, and up to $409 for 1.74 High-Index lenses.

• • Blue Light Protector | Additional $129 –  You can add on blue light protector for an additional $129.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $339 – For sunglasses lenses, you are able to get non-polarized tinted lenses starting at $339, and up to $550 for polarized lenses with anti-reflective coating.

• • Photochromic | Starting at an additional $119 – Photochromic lenses can be added for an additional $119.

WARRANTY 

FramesDirect offers a 1-year warranty for their frames and lenses for manufacturer defects. They also guarantee the lens for 30 days just in case of any prescription changes you may have. They also offer a 30-day return policy for any reason.

VISION INSURANCE

FramesDirect is an out-of-network provider and does not directly bill with your vision insurance, however, you may request an invoice to submit to your insurance for reimbursement. On their website, they have links to reimbursement forms from various insurance providers to help make the reimbursement process easier. If you have FSA or HSA cards that are affiliated with Visa or MasterCard you are able to use it to purchase your glasses on FramesDirect.com.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT FRAMESDIRECT

They have a gigantic selection of designer eyewear, as well as a great selection of quality lenses made by Essilor for you to pick from.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT FRAMESDIRECT

I don’t care too much for their refund policy, they don’t refund you back the entire cost of the lenses if you want a refund. They also do not cover the cost of shipping to get the merchandise back to them.

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10. Glasses.com | Starting at $124

VISIT GLASSES.COM

Glasses.com is the Luxottica Group’s presence in the online optical industry. They are a fairly newer online optical retailer compared to many of the other online optical retailers. One other limit with Glasses.com is that they do not ship internationally.

WHO ARE THEY?

The Luxottica Group is an Italian company that is the world’s largest company in the eyewear industry. This company’s big eyewear brands include Lenscrafters, Sunglass Hut, Target Optical, Ray-ban, Oakley, and of course Glasses.com. Glasses.com was founded in 2011 and is an online resource for anyone looking to purchase prescription glasses. Their headquarters are located in Draper, Utah.

WHAT FRAMES DO THEY CARRY?

Glasses.com carries a wide range of designer frames as well as some in-house frames. The designer brands that they carry include Michael Kors, Armani Exchange, Brooks Brothers, Vogue, Versace, Ray-Ban, Tiffany & Co. and much more. Their frames aren’t too inexpensive though with their lowest-priced frame starting at $89.

LENS OPTIONS

Glasses.com offers you an easy 3 step way to pick your lenses. It is all very simple and the descriptions are straight to the point. Let’s take a look at how much their lenses run.

• Single Vision | Starting at $35 – You can get single vision lenses starting at $35 for 1.50 CR-39 lens, and it goes up tp $139 if you go with 1.67 High-Index lenses.

• • Blue Light Protector – No blue light protection option.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $99 – For sunglass lenses, you are able to get non-polarized tinted lenses starting at $99, and up to $159 for polarized. lenses.

• • Photochromic | Starting at an additional $89– Photochromic is available for certain materials and could be added on for an additional $89.

• Bifocal – No bifocal lens options.

• Progressive Bifocal (No-line bifocal) | Starting at $99 – For progressive bifocals, you could get 1.50 CR-39 lenses starting at $99, and it goes up to $238 for 1.67 high-index lenses.

• • Blue Light Protector – No blue light protection option,

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $198 – For progressive sunglass lenses you can get non-polarized tinted lenses for $198, and it goes up to $258 for polarized lenses.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $89 – Photochromic lenses can be added to certain materials for an additional $89.

WARRANTY

Glasses.com has a 30-day no questions asked return policy. All the frames come with a 1-year warranty against manufacturer defects. They also offer a 50% discount on a frame if your frame is damaged within the first year.

VISION INSURANCE

You can go here to find out if your vision insurance is in-network with Glasses.com. If your insurance is out-of-network you may request an invoice to submit to your insurance for reimbursement. If you have an FSA or HSA card that is affiliated with Visa or MasterCard you are able to use it on Glasses.com

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT GLASSES.COM

Since they are a Luxottica owned online store, you will always find the most trendy and up to date styles in their selection.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT GLASSES.COM

Their expensive and their selection really doesn’t measure up to SmartBuyGlasses and Eyeglasses.com

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11. Walmart | Starting at $38

VISIT WALMART

This is a name that has been around for quite a while. Walmart has a presence in many countries across the globe and is a leader in the optical industry offering affordable eyewear both online and in retail locations in many of their Walmarts across the company.

WHO ARE THEY?

Walmart themselves do not need to be introduced that much. The company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and is a global leader in the retail industry. They are one of the most well-known retailers in the world. Walmart first joined the optical business in 1991 and was known for its affordable prices on lenses. Later on, they started offering more premium lenses from manufacturers like Essilor, and Carl Zeiss. Walmart has multiple labs across the United States and manufactures many of their glasses and lenses in-house.

WHAT FRAMES DO THEY CARRY

While Walmart carries a lot of frames on Walmart.com including many designer brands. Many of the designer frames are offered as frames only and do not come with lenses. All the glasses that you can get with prescription lenses include Walmarts in-house brand frames, and some designer brands such as Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler, Elizabeth Arden, Sophia Loren, Flower and many more. Walmart has many inexpensive frames to choose from with their lowest price frame starting at $38.

LENS OPTIONS

Walmart.com seems to be fairly limited with their lens offerings compared to what they offer in store. Let’s take a look at how their prices stack up.

• Single Vision | Starting at FREE – For single vision lenses you are able to get 1.50 CR-39 lenses for Free, and all the way up to $151 for 1.67 High-Index Lenses.

• • Blue Light Protector – There is no option with blue light protection. You would have to visit a retail location.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $41 – For sunglasses, you are able to get 1.59 polycarbonate non-polarized tinted lenses for $41, or if you choose to go with polarized lenses those start at $50 for 1.59 polycarbonate lenses, and goes on up to $201 for 1.67 High-Index polarized lenses.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $65 – For photochromic single vision lenses you can go with 1.50 CR-39 lenses starting at $65, and it goes as high as $216 for 1.67 High-Index photochromic lenses.

• Bifocal – Walmart doesn’t seem to offer a standard bifocal on Walmart.com, you are able to purchase a bifocal if you vision your local Vision Center.

• Progressive Bifocal (No-line Bifocal) | Starting at $50  – If you choose to go with a progressive bifocal it starts at $50 for 1.50 CR-39 lenses, and it goes as high as $271 for 1.67 High-Index progressive lenses.

• • Blue Light Protector – There is no option with blue light protection. You will have to visit a retail location.

• • Sunglasses | Starting at $60 – For progressive sunglass lenses if you decide to go with non-polarized lenses then that starts at $60, or if you decide you go with polarized sunglass lenses then those start at $141 for 1.59 polycarbonate lenses, and goes as high as $321 for 1.67 High-Index lenses.

• • Photochromic | Starting at $65 – If you want to go with photochromic lenses those start at $65 for 1.50 CR-39 lenses, and it goes as high as $336 for 1.67 High-Index lenses.

WARRANTY

Walmart offers a 60-days satisfaction guaranteed return policy. They also offer a 12-month warranty on their frames and lenses.

VISION INSURANCE

Walmart accepts may different vision insurance plans however you will have to vision a retail location to have it applied to your order. If you purchase online you may request an invoice to submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement. If you have an FSA or HSA card that is affiliated with Visa or MasterCard you are able to use it at Walmart as well.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT WALMART

Their prices are affordable, and there are thousands of Walmart Vision Centers all over the U.S. if you have any issues.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT WALMART

Their website is very confusing to use, it is difficult to determine which frames are eligible for prescription and which frames you are just purchasing the frame.

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Final Thoughts

With so many options where do you begin? Well, honestly every online optical retailer has its own selection of frames so my best recommendation is to look through them to find a frame that you really like. Of course, don’t forget to pick good lenses, that’s the important part.

What are your thoughts on purchasing glasses online? Let me know what you think below! As always thank you all for stopping by and if you have any questions, comments, or just want to say hello feel free to leave a comment below and I will definitely get back to you.

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