Are you looking for prescription eyeglasses online? Check out our picks for thebest online glasses retailers, as well as ourreview of the best online contacts, and learn how to choose the right frames and lenses.

According to theVision Council, about 75 percent of American adults require some form of vision correction, and 64 percent choose eyeglasses. Buying prescription glasses online can offer greater convenience, lower prices, and a better frame selection than in a store. In fact, there are many options when it comes to finding the right pair of prescription glasses online. You can choose from progressive or bifocal glasses, reading glasses, or customizations like polarized,blue-light blocking, ortransition lenses. These factors make buying prescription glasses online an easier and less expensive option than buying eyeglasses from a store. Read ourreview of the best prescription sunglasses if you’re looking for vision correction and sun protection.

Several glasses websites allow you to upload an image of your face and virtually try on several frame types to see how they look on you. Others can help you determine your face shape and send sample frames to your home for you to try. With this online prescription glasses review, you’ll get our recommendations for the seven best online retailers for prescription glasses. This review will go over what you should look for before buying eyeglasses online and what you need to know to purchase glasses online. It will also answer a few common questions about ordering prescription glasses online. Our top picks for the best online glasses stores are Warby Parker, Eyebuydirect, GlassesUSA, Zenni Optical, and more options explored in this guide.

Our Review of the Best Online Glasses Stores of 2024

• Best online glasses overall GlassesUSA
• Most affordable glasses online Eyebuydirect
• Best at-home try-on option Warby Parker
• Best for complimentary services For Eyes
• Most stylishFelix Gray
• Most durable online glasses Liingo
• Best online sunglasses DIFF Eyewear
• Best custom glasses online Zenni Optical
• Best for reading glasses Peepers

What to Consider When Buying Eyeglasses Online

Here are a few important things to consider when you're shopping online for prescription glasses.

Prescription

Make sure you submit your prescription for eyeglasses or sunglasses accurately online. Filling out prescriptions online might be difficult because of the unusual terminology, such as “axis,” “sphere,” and “cylinder.” Some online glasses retailers may request that you provide a snapshot of your prescription to eliminate any errors. It's best to have your eyes examined by an eye-care specialist once a year to discover any changes in your vision or illnesses, such asglaucoma, which slowly leads to blindness, ormacular degeneration, which causes blurred vision. Not all prescription lenses can be filled through online stores. If you have a severeastigmatism that causes blurred vision or requires extensive progressive lenses, doctors recommend purchasing prescription glasses in person to guarantee the best outcome for excellent vision.

Cost

Buying eyeglasses online can be expensive, especially if your vision plan does not cover them. The quality of your online prescription glasses is determined by the type of materials and protective coatings on the lenses, which may drive up prices. You should avoid spending money on extra features that you may not need.

Check if online retailers take vision insurance, HSAs, or FSAs. Eyebuydirect, for example, does not accept vision insurance but does accept funds from HSAs and FSAs. GlassesUSA, on the other hand, accepts both spending accounts and vision insurance. You may be able to get a reimbursement form if the online glasses store doesn’t take vision insurance, and you can submit that paperwork to your insurance carrier for reimbursement.

TheNational Eye Institute (NEI) also offers a list of programs and options for free or low-cost eye care, including eye exams and eyeglasses.

Frames

One pair of frames may not fit as well as another, depending on your facial contour and features. Your frames should be comfortable on your face, and the lenses should be well-placed. These variables may be harder to identify while shopping for prescription glasses online. Various name-brand or designer manufacturers build their frames using materials tailored to specific facial characteristics, ensuring long-lasting comfort and a secure fit.

When purchasing glasses online, remember to consider essential features such as the bridge fit, adjustable nose pads with rubberized or silicone tips, and temple styles that can bend behind your ear or remain straight. People who already know what type of glasses they want can use the measurements from frames they own to get a pair that fits similarly. If not, you can use the measurement guidelines provided by the online glasses store, but your eye doctor will be able to give a more precise figure.

Lenses and Coatings

Online glasses stores provide extra choices for customizing prescription lenses. According to theNEI, the different types of glasses available include reading glasses, single vision prescription lenses, and multifocal prescription lenses, which include progressive lenses and bifocal lenses.

Lens coatings are helpful features that increase the durability of your eyeglasses.

• Anti-scratch and anti-reflective lens coatings are scratch resistant and minimize glare off the lens’s surface.
• Tints are coatings that provide color to a lens to increase the vibrancy and contrast within your surroundings.
• Mirror coatings are reflective top coverings added to the front surface of a lens to offer a polished finish while restricting light transmission, particularly from strong, bright lights.
• Lenses with a coating forblue-light blocking diminish blue light waves from digital displays.
• Photochromic or transition Lenses automatically adjust from clear to dark when exposed to sunlight or UV rays. These lenses often also filter blue light and are ideal for people who don’t want to swap constantly between glasses and sunglasses.
• High-index lenses are smaller, lighter, and more comfortable if you have a strong prescription.

Return Policy

Pay particular attention to any online eyewear retailer’s return policy. While some will offer you a complete refund if you don’t like your glasses, others will only provide a credit toward another pair of glasses from the same brand. Make note of any warranty information included with your order in case your glasses don’t last as long as you hope.

How to Buy Eyeglasses Online

Before buying frames from online glasses companies, you’ll need a prescription from youroptometrist orophthalmologist, so make sure you ask for a hard copy the next time you get your vision examined. Make sure your prescription includes your pupillary distance (PD).According to the Vision Center, PD is the distance between the centers of your pupils, and it helps identify where you look through your glasses lens. Some optometrists may refuse to provide your PD without measuring you for specific frames. In any case, you must still obtain your PD to order glasses online.

You can also measure PD with a smartphone app or by downloading a PD ruler from most online glasses stores, complete with instructions on how to use it. When lenses are produced, it’s crucial to know where your pupils are regarding the lens’s center. Even a slight error in PD measuring can cause headaches. Furthermore,Jonah Berman, a doctor of optometry and fellow of theAmerican Academy of Optometry, says, “Your [prescription] does not usually include your pupillary distance, so you may have to ask that it be measured and written in the prescription. Your PD is important because the distance between your pupils must line up with the optical centers (not necessarily the physical centers) of your eyeglass lenses in order to avoid any distortion or discomfort when wearing your glasses.”

After you obtain your PD and other lens metrics, most sites will allow you to enter your numbers or upload a picture of your prescription from your phone the first time you purchase a pair of glasses.

Can I use vision insurance to buy glasses online?

Yes. Many online glasses stores accept vision insurance, like GlassesUSA and Warby Parker. If not, the brand should be able to send you the paperwork you’ll need to apply for reimbursement from your insurance after you pay out of pocket.

Can I use my HSA to buy glasses online?

Yes, you can purchase prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses with HSA and FSA funds at most online glasses retailers. Some online glasses companies will accept HSA and FSA cards as payment only if it’s linked to a credit card. If the company doesn’t offer those options, or you don’t have your HSA or FSA card with you when making your purchase, you can request reimbursement from your online eyewear provider.

How We Review the Best Places to Buy Glasses Online

Our reviews team performs in-depth, independent research to help inform your online search for glasses. We gather data like cost and payment options, shipping and return policies, and the variety of lenses and frames offered from each retailer. We also mystery shop the services ourselves to evaluate customer features like virtual try-on, at-home try-on, overall customer service, online vision exams, and consultations with professionals. To better understand a brand’s reputation, we read customer experiences on trusted third-party review websites like Trustpilot and the BBB.

Finally, we have our data independently fact-checked to make sure that it’s accurate and up to date. We also submit all articles about online glasses orcontacts purchased online for medical review by an expert in optometry or ophthalmology to make sure that our reviews are scientifically accurate. Read more about oureditorial standards.

Why You Can Trust Our Expert Review

We conducted extensive research when exploring where to find the best eyeglasses online. We mystery shopped big and small brands, interviewed experts, and researched the user experience.

We rated the brands based on the following factors to help you find the best glasses online:

• Cost and payment options, including vision insurance billing and lens costs
• Shipping and return policies, and if the brand makes it fast and easy for you to find the right pair of glasses
• Customer-friendly features like virtual try on, online vision exams, and consultations with a professional
• Variety and style selection for both lenses and frames
• Brand reputation and reviews from trusted third-party review sites like theBetter Business Bureau (BBB) andTrustpilot

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking for the best eyewear deals, Eyebuydirect might be the right choice, with frames for single-vision prescription lenses starting as low as $6.Peepers showcases the best online frames you'll need for reading, including stylish, formal, or antique-inspired frames endorsed by Oprah.DIFF Eyewear can provide you with unique and extravagant designer-looking frames for sunglasses at a price lower than other sunglasses manufacturers and includes your prescription without additional costs. If you want online prescription eyeglasses that can withstand everyday wear longer than your average pair,Liingo offers the best in sturdy frames with the best return policy, giving you two months to return your frames if not satisfied.

Zenni Optical offers custom options you won’t find with other online retailers, allowing you to create some of the most personalized pairs of prescription eyeglasses.GlassesUSA has the most designer and brand-name frames. Finally, if you need online prescription glasses that are easy to try on and purchase without leaving your home,Warby Parker makes at-home try-ons and ordering easy.