When it comes to buying contact lenses, e-commerce is the next big thing. With approximately 22% of adults in the US buying their contact lenses online, e-commerce is changing the contact lens retail landscape.
The market share of online contact lens sales will only grow as more and more people realize the benefits of buying contact lenses online. After all, people shop for clothes, groceries, electronics, and even cars online. Why should buying contact lenses be any different?
If you’ve never bought contact lenses online before, you may have certain reservations and questions about the buying process.
Lens.com is here to help.
Can I buy my contact lenses online?
Many lens wearers wonder whether they can actually buy contacts online. Some believe they’re not allowed to shop for contacts online, while others worry the process of ordering online is too complicated.
But if you can buy cat food from your phone or book a weekend in Las Vegas from your computer, you’re good to go. Just make sure you’re ordering your contacts from a retailer that carries only FDA-cleared or approved contact lenses and requires you to provide a prescription.
What do I need to buy contact lenses online?
As it turns out, not very much! For us to fill your contact lens order we’ll need a copy of your current prescription from your eye doctor. This should not be a problem since, under Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules, ECPs are legally required to provide patients with a copy of their prescription, whether patients ask for it or not. If your ECP has violated the law and not provided you with a copy of your prescription don’t worry. The same statute allows us to call on your behalf and obtain your Rx.
If your prescription has expired, you can get an eye exam via our online vision test, some restrictions apply. visit your nearest eye care professional to get an eye exam. As an alternative, renew your prescription online.
Once you have a copy of your prescription, you can buy contact lenses from any online contact lens retailer you choose. If you choose to purchase from Lens.com, your prescription will automatically appear in your account.
What is the difference between an online eye exam and a physical eye exam?
If you want to get an eye exam but are hesitant to visit your ECP’s office, Lens.com offers an online vision test service.
Online eye exams like the one we offer are designed to be quick, easy, and convenient ways to get a prescription. Our online eye exam is accurate and licensed ECPs in your state review your results before providing you with a copy of your prescription.
Furthermore, you take the online eye exam from the comfort of your home. This makes online eye exams completely safe, which is important in response to COVID-19 social distancing efforts.
Online eye exams cannot diagnose any eye problem or disease. If you want to know about your eye health and whether you have any undiagnosed eye diseases, you’ll have to visit your eye care professional so they can perform an in-office eye exam.
Can I buy contact lenses with my eyeglass prescription?
No, you cannot buy contact lenses using your eyeglass prescription. Contact lens prescriptions and eyeglass prescriptions are two different things. The information you need to buy contact lenses online is only listed on your contact lens prescription, not your eyeglass prescription. The powers listed on your contact lens prescription and your eyeglass prescription are also different.
What are the advantages of buying contact lenses online?
Buying contact lenses online is significantly cheaper than buying them in stores. Buying contacts online also enables you to buy them in bulk without ever leaving the comfort of your home, and the entire ordering process only takes a few minutes.
Why are contact lenses cheaper online?
The factors that determine online contact lens pricing online will differ from website to website. However, the simplest and most common reason why online contact lens retailers charge lower prices is the reduced overhead.
Brick-and-mortar stores, pharmacies, and ECP offices have to consider the price of real estate, employee salaries, utilities, and several other costs. Meanwhile, online contact lens stores save a significant amount on these costs, so they pass those savings on to their consumers.
What are the things that I need to consider when buying contact lenses online?
Online contact lens retailers have varying prices. It’s important that you compare those prices to get the best value for your money. It’s also a good idea to check a retailer’s reputation to make sure they’re legitimate. One way you can do that is by looking at the reviews on their website. Reputable retailers will post both good and bad customer reviews. Take the time to read those reviews so you can make an informed decision.
Make sure as well to buy contacts only from secure websites that encrypt sensitive information (e.g., your name, address, and credit card details). You’ll know it’s a secure website if it has an HTTPS prefix. HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, and it ensures that the information you enter on the website is confidential.
Is it safe to buy contact lenses online?
Yes. Buying contact lenses is safe as long as you buy from a legitimate company, have a valid prescription, and buy only FDA-cleared or approved contact lenses.
Do I have to buy my contact lenses online?
No. Even though there are many advantages to buying contact lenses online, you are not obligated to buy your contact lenses this way. Keep in mind, though, that you are also not required to purchase your contact lenses from your ECP.
ECPs are indispensable, and they provide a necessary service. However, many patients believe that buying from their ECP is the only way—nay the best way—to buy contact lenses. This is false. While you are free to buy your contact lenses from your ECP if you choose, you are likely going to find contact lenses are cheaper online.
The Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act of 2004 gives contact lens wearers several rights, with one of them being the right to choose where to buy contact lenses. As a consumer, you are free to buy your contact lenses from any legitimate source.
Conclusion
In this post, our goals were to answer all the questions you may have about buying contact lenses online, to make you realize the many benefits of buying your contact lenses online, and to reassure you that buying contact lenses online is safe and you have nothing to worry about.
For any other questions regarding your eye health, prescription, or the best contact lenses for your needs, consult your eye care professional. Your ECP will work with you to determine what suits your unique requirements. Lens.com is a leading seller online of FDA-approved contacts, offering a wide range of popular contacts and a convenient online vision exam service.
