How Much Can You Save Buying Eyeglasses Online?

Buying eyeglasses can set you back serious cash. The average cost of glasses from an optometrist runs about $350 before insurance, according to SightMD, and extra features like progressive bifocals or anti-reflective coating can run your bill up to $1,000.

Near the turn of the 21st century, retailers selling eyeglasses online changed the financial equation for folks needing vision correction. Stores like ZenniOptical, EyeBuyDirect and Goggles4U started selling glasses for less than $20, sometimes as low as $7. And in 2010, Warby Parker entered the discount market with glasses you could try on at home and return.

You still need a prescription from an optometrist to buy glasses online, and you won't get the same professional custom fitting, but the potential savings are tempting. How tempting? We've done the math so you can know exactly how much you could save by purchasing your eyeglasses online.

How much cheaper are discount eyeglasses online?

To calculate the savings for buying glasses online, we looked at three of the longtime discount retailers -- ZenniOptical, EyeBuyDirect and Goggles4U -- as well as Warby Parker. Because the pricing systems at optometrists' offices are rarely transparent, we compared prices at those discount retailers with prices at LensCrafters, one of the largest retail chains for eyeglasses in the US.

While the difference in frame prices might not be eye-opening, the prices for lenses certainly are. Purchasing glasses from one of the discount retailers can save you about $100 or more right off the bat because of cheaper lenses. Add-ons like UV resistance are also less expensive.

At each retailer's basement prices for basic eyeglasses, you can save up to $113 buying glasses from a discount store compared with the cheapest possible price at LensCrafters.

* LensCrafters and Warby Parker offer only progressive multifocal lenses.

Once again, it's the cost of lenses that creates a big advantage for discounters. The potential savings on bifocals from eyeglasses from Zenni, EyeBuyDirect and Goggles4U is even greater than the savings for standard-vision glasses. 

Although LensCrafters doesn't offer traditional bifocals with a dividing line, you can get basic multifocal glasses for up to $179 cheaper at discount retailers compared with LensCrafters' multifocal prices.

The price difference between discount retailers and LensCrafters narrows a bit when you compare progressive bifocal glasses, but there's still a big advantage for the discounters. For the cheapest possible progressive multifocal glasses, you can save up to $167 by purchasing from an online discount store.

Can you use vision insurance to pay for online glasses? 

While some major online retailers of eyeglasses partner with specific vision insurance plans, most discount glasses sites won't accept vision insurance in lieu of payment. Instead, you'll need to submit a claim for reimbursement to your vision insurance provider after you purchase your glasses.

If you'd like to use your vision insurance for buying glasses online, check with your provider first to learn how your coverage works with online retailers. 

Zenni doesn't accept vision insurance for payment, but it will provide an "emailed invoice copy" that you can use to request reimbursement from your vision insurance provider. Zenni also explains how to use your flexible spending account or health savings account to pay for glasses online. 

EyeBuyDirect makes it easy to submit your insurance claim, with detailed instructions and links to major vision providers' forms.

Googles4U also doesn't take vision insurance, but the site says that it can give customers a "detailed itemized receipt" for filing a vision insurance claim.

Warby Parker partners with six vision insurance plans -- UnitedHealthcare, Spectera, DavisVision, Blue Cross Blue Shield FEP Vision, CareFirst and Guardian Vision -- that will discount your payment at checkout based on your coverage. The site also provides links to reimbursement claims for insurance plans that are out of its network.

The bottom line

If you're looking to save money on your next pair of glasses, online discount stores can make a big impact, with some glasses selling for prices that are more than $100 cheaper than LensCrafters' cheapest options.

About 80% of all glasses brands are owned by one company -- Luxottica -- so you won't see the exact same selection of frames at online retailers as you will at shops like LensCrafters, Pearle Vision and Target Optical (all also owned by Luxottica). However, you can find some Luxottica brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley on EyeBuyDirect, at comparable frame prices as at LenCrafters, and your lenses will still be much cheaper.

With discount eyeglasses retailers, you won't get the same fitting for your glasses that you get at an eye doctor's office. Some optometrists may be willing to help adjust glasses purchased online (sometimes for a fee), but don't count on it unless you ask first.

For now, you'll also probably need to measure your pupillary distance yourself. Only four states -- Alaska, Kansas, Massachusetts and New Mexico -- currently require PD on prescriptions. The Federal Trade Commission recently considered amending its "Eyeglass Rule" to make PD mandatory on all US prescriptions but decided against it.

For big savings on eyeglasses, give the frames at discount retailers a look to compare with what you'd get at your doctor's office. You might be able to find a pair of glasses you like for a small fraction of the price.