O, say can you see?

December 20, 2008 3:35 PM

Need to order contact lenses. Where?

I relocated a few months ago and went to see a new eye doctor last week. He gave me a prescription for my usual disposable lenses. My old doctor's office used to order them, but the new one's office doesn't. The doctor recommended CostCo or BJs, but I don't belong to either and don't want to join just to buy lenses.

There are tons of places on the web that sell lenses. Any that are better/cheaper/more reliable? Or anyplace I ought to avoid?

I'm in the US, and the lenses are Acuvue 2.

Thanks

posted by natalie b to health & fitness (11 answers total)

Walmart is probably going to be the cheapest.
posted by COD at 3:42 PM on December 20, 2008

I've used 1-800 contacts for a few years now and have no complaints.
posted by biscotti at 3:48 PM on December 20, 2008

Yeah, you can take your prescription to Wal-Mart and get them very cheaply for most lenses.
posted by EarBucket at 3:51 PM on December 20, 2008

If you find a price on the web, however reliable, 1-800 Contacts will match--that's what I usually do.
posted by deeaytch at 4:46 PM on December 20, 2008

I have also been using 1-800-contacts for years (since you actually had to call the number!), and I have been very happy with them. Like deeaytch said, they will match any online price. Reliable and fast shipping, too.
posted by gemmy at 5:21 PM on December 20, 2008

1-800 Contacts! They have fantastic customer service. I once ordered +550 instead of -550 lenses (my mistake) and they overnighted me the correct ones at no charge. And they were totally nice about it.
posted by min at 5:34 PM on December 20, 2008

1-800-contacts always worked fine for me, but I go to Costco now. They have the best prices I've found for the contacts I wear.
posted by geeky at 5:48 PM on December 20, 2008

800 Contacts is where I have been going. My prescription is a little different, and rarely does anyone have it in stock (soft lens, torrid, with a strong prescription). 800 contacts is always a great price, quick delivery, and the emailed reminders do help me take a look at my inventory.
YMMV.
posted by bytemover at 6:14 PM on December 20, 2008

I also use 1-800-Contacts.
posted by danb at 6:34 PM on December 20, 2008

I know you said you don't want to join Costco or BJs just for lenses, but I should add that Costco also has awesome prices on glasses. So awesome they're worth the membership fee alone. For example, my husband bought glasses earlier this year. A pair at the local eye glass shop was going to cost upwards of $400. A pair of glasses with the same features cost $160 at Costco. An annual membership is $50, which still leaves a savings of $190. We also found their technicians to be much more friendly and knowledgeable than the local eye shop technicians, who were clearly just pushing their product of the month.
posted by geeky at 5:51 AM on December 21, 2008

Looks like it's almost unanimous on 1-800-contacts. I am just going to mark the first one as best because marking so many as best is visually distracting.

Geeky, that's an interesting point. I need to get new glasses - or at least updated lenses for old glasses. I'll check the stores out, and if either can save me the money, I'll join up.

Thanks again, everyone
posted by natalie b at 7:23 AM on December 21, 2008