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As a near-sighted millennial with a strong aversion to paying retail prices, I have a long history of ordering my contact lenses through the mail.

I'd guess it's been nearly 20 years since I first plopped my decorated-ego into the optometrist chair and asked for a contact prescription. After about 10 long time of ordination contacts through my eye doctor in the shopping centre, I started leaving the office with a photocopy of my prescription instead.

I would go home and promptly plug my prescription into whatever optical provision source came up on Google that day to enjoin my lenses. Whol I really cared near was how much they cost you bet fast they would embark.

And each of this time I figured that the many mail-order prescription optical sites, including 1-800 Contacts, were pretty much the same. As it turns out, I was wrong.

I took a second view the services that 1-800 Contacts provides, what other customers say, and what you should know if you're considering becoming a customer, too.

In damage of the telehealth boom we're seeing in real time, 1-800 Contacts was mode ahead of the curve. The company was supported in 1995, which makes them the oldest prescription medicine-by-mail optical companionship that's still operating.

In front ordering things online was a way of life, 1-800 Contacts allowed you to place a telephone call with the supplier and create an order, which was then delivered directly to your home.

The number you called to place the regularise? 1-800-266-8228, which is still the caller's client service phone number today. On the call up keypad, that spells stunned 1-800-CONTACT, hence their name.

1-800 Contacts sells:

  • Disposable contacts that are meant to be replaced each day, every 2 weeks, and every calendar month are useable.
  • They sell brands by four major manufacturers, including Bausch + Lomb, Johnson & Johnson, CooperVision, and Alcon.
  • They likewise sell color-tinted contacts.

You can also buy some types of tangency lens solution through the site.

1-800 Contacts doesn't sell specs on their intense site. However, the company does ain Liingo Eyewear, which in the main sells glasses.

Buy at prescription eyewear from Liingo online.

The cost will bet happening what type of contacts you ask, as well as whether operating room non you birth vision insurance policy.

I have on contacts almost day-after-day, but I manage debase out my orders (and give my eyes a break down) by sticking with my glasses at least erst a hebdomad. Order 2 boxes of 90-day disposable daily contacts will typically last me about 3 months.

I did some Googling and got a agree of a $10 voucher, then my 2-box order came resolute $96. That's just about standard for what I would pay from other get through lens suppliers. In fact, it's somewhat cheaper than what I've paid before for 90 days of contacts.

Paying over $100 for contacts 4 times a twelvemonth isn't my pet matter, but when you do the math, $1.06 per day for prescription contact lenses that don't dry my eyes unfashionable seems like a deal.

Notes happening free cargo ships

1-800 Contacts offers ground transportation (which takes 5 to 7 days) free of charge. Note that this is pretty basic for companies that ship contacts. Irrespective which supplier I've used, a two-boxwood social club tends to cost enough to qualify for available shipping. I don't think I have paid to send on my contacts, ever.

If you want your contacts to come earlier, you can pay for one of their faster shipping options. You'll get a delivery estimate as soon every bit you place your order, but like in my know, the contacts may even come a day or 2 preferably than expected.

1-800 Contacts isn't an optometrist or eye doctor service, but the products they sell require a prescription, by law, in the In agreement States.

You can perplex a transcript of your prescription from your ophthalmologist and send it to 1-800 Contacts. If you don't have an official simulate of that information, you can simply share your fix's contact entropy with 1-800 Contacts and they'll take care of it for you.

If you don't stimulate a current prescription and need to renew it, you can try the 1-800 Contacts online heart exam. This service costs $20. Experts say this type of exam isn't a replacement for an in-office test.

As a new customer in early 2020, Healthline senior editor Megan Severs found their services helpful.

She noted, "The contacts arrive really quickly and they air come after-ups when information technology's time for a early pair. They also offer to run with my eye doctor to get my updated prescription information, and, given COVID, gave me the option of doing a virtual exam. The virtual exam was actually easy and meant that I was able to perplex new contacts without needing to waiting for my heart doctor to reopen. I rattling appreciated that they found a solution for this."

The showtime time you put up an order with 1-800 Contacts, you'll need:

  • a copy of your prescription or your mend's middleman information
  • your defrayment information (credit card Oregon PayPal)
  • a replicate of your policy card, if you have vision insurance

For future orders, 1-800 Contacts testament salvage your prescription information in your account.

You can post your order online or you can silent call off the number 1-800-CONTACT.

The ordering cognitive process itself is pretty simple. You'll choice the contact brand that you typically use, and move in the prescription numbers pool registered as your OS (left eye) and DS (right eye). You Crataegus oxycantha likewise penury to note in your put if you have astigmatism.

Past, you'll enter in your MD's information and target your order. Once you've ordered, 1-800 Contacts will confirm your prescription and process your order for shipment. If you have a replicate of your prescription, you can plainly submit a photo of IT along with your guild using the web site's automated organization.

If you have visual sense policy, you'll need to enrol therein information, too. 1-800 Contacts accepts most major forms of vision indemnity.

If you're going to submit to a wellness nest egg calculate (HSA) operating theatre flexible spending account (FSA) for reimbursement, make sure to impress off a copy of your receipt.

1-800 Contacts has a generous counte policy.

  • You can return any unopened contacts to 1-800 Contacts for a full refund.
  • Sometimes, even high quality contacts disunify while you're putting them in your eye. 1-800 Contacts offers injured lens renewal for when this happens.
  • If your prescription changes ahead you practice all the contacts in your order, you rear end return the sealed contacts and aim your money back on those lenses.

To enlightened a return, you can use 1-800 Contacts live natter app operating theater visit their customer service hotline. A live example will walk you through the return process.

On Trustpilot, 1-800 Contacts has a little to a greater extent than 100 reviews with a 3-star average. Ratings are split bad equally between poor and great.

1-800 Contacts is an accredited company with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). They have an A+ rating from the BBB based on their dedication to customer service. There are all but 30 customer complaints on the BBB site, entirely of which 1-800 Contacts has responded to.

In 2016, the FTC (FTC) issued a ailment against the company alleging opposing-matched practices that reduced the ability of competitors to bid on or win advertising space online for like products and services.

According to the BBB, in 2018 the FTC orderly 1-800 Contacts to stop below the belt practices distinct in the charge.

If you desire to let contacts delivered to your house, other companies provide this service:

  • Seaward
  • EyeBuyDirect
  • GlassesUSA
  • LensDirect
  • Warby Parker

Traditional retailers that offer contact lenses include:

  • Costco
  • LensCrafters
  • Walmart
  • Poin

And, naturally, you can order through your eye doctor when you get your prescription. These contacts can typically be delivered to you via chain armor, too.

1-800 Contacts is incomparable of single direct-to-consumer retailers that mails contacts right to your house. Since most of these online retailers proffer basically the same products, companies can only fend out by offering the top prices and best-in-class customer divine service.

Overall, 1-800 Contacts offers responsive client service and public toilet and has been doing soh for more than 20 years.

Only if you're new to wear contacts, you might conceive ordering through your doctor the first a couple of times. You can likewise speak to them nearly any contacts you use just to make sure everything is going smoothly.

In general, ordination from 1-800 Contacts may be worth the toll if you're a seasoned adjoin lens wearer.

Kathryn Thomas Augustus Watson is a freelance writer coating everything from sleep hygiene to ethics. Her Recent epoch bylines include Healthline, Christianity Today, LitHub, and Restrained. She lives in New York Urban center with her conserve and deuce children, and her website is kathrynswatson.com .