Key takeaways:
Contact lenses can cost anywhere from $200 to more than $1,000 a year, depending on the lens type, prescription strength, and brand.
Vision discount plans, coupons, and pre-tax accounts like FSAs and HSAs all offer ways to save money on contact lenses and related expenses.
Check with your eye doctor or lens manufacturers about trial contacts that let you try out the contacts for free before committing to ordering more.
Contact lenses can be a convenient way to correct your vision, but they can end up costing more than glasses over the long term. Most contacts cost between $200 to $500 per year, but they can be more than $1,000.
Many factors can affect the total price you pay for contact lenses, including:
Brand
Complexity of the vision problem the lenses are meant to address
Eye care supplies (like lens solution or contact lens cases)
Follow-up visits with your eye doctor
Prescription strength
Type of contact lenses (for example, hard contacts or extended wear)
Where you buy them
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Insurance policies usually won’t cover all the costs of having contacts, so your expenses can quickly add up. But there are steps you can take to save money.
How to get discounts on contact lenses
There are ways to get discounts on contact lenses. Here are five things to look into.
1. Vision discount plans
With a vision discount plan, you won’t have to worry about paying full price for contact lenses.
Vision discount plans, also known as savings plans, let you receive discounts on eye care without committing to a vision insurance plan. You’ll typically pay more out of pocket than you would with insurance for purchasing contact lenses or visiting your eye doctor. But the annual membership for a vision discount plan is generally cheaper than insurance premiums.
With a vision discount plan, you’ll typically receive a membership card that gives you access to discounts and benefits from a list of participating providers. These plans can help with certain costs related to basic vision care and some optional procedures by providing pre-negotiated, discounted prices with providers, who typically accept payment at the time of service.
2. Buy lenses in bulk
You might be able to save money by buying lenses in bulk from membership warehouse clubs like Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s instead of paying to ship repeated orders. At these retailers, you can order different types of lenses — including daily lenses, lenses for astigmatism, and two-week disposables. These clubs often offer lower prices and members sometimes get additional savings through instant rebates and promos like free shipping.
Some drug stores offer sales and discounts, too. When this happens, you may want to consider stocking up.
Many people who use contacts prefer disposable lenses, which come in various types that last different amounts of time:
Dailies: one-time use contacts that are discarded at the end of the day
Bi-weekly: can be worn for up to two weeks
Monthly: can be reused for a month, or up to 30 days
There are also contacts that last as long as a year. Daily disposable lenses are very popular, but they tend to cost more than biweekly or monthly lenses.
3. Use your FSA or HSA to buy contact lenses
You can often use untaxed dollars from a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA) to pay for eligible vision expenses including contact lenses and exams. Both FSAs and HSAs can also help cover out-of-pocket costs of items related to contacts, including:
Contact cleaning solution
Contact lens cases
Saline solution
Rewetting drops
Eye drops
4. Take advantage of coupons
Coupons are an easy way to find savings. They can be “clipped” online or printed from:
Contact lens suppliers
Drug stores
Vision insurers
Online coupon companies
Some lens manufacturers and sellers also offer coupon codes that can be added during the online checkout process. Other retailers offer mail-in rebates.
5. Shop around for savings
If you have the time (and patience), consider shopping around both online and in retail stores to find the best prices. And be sure to ask questions about other chances to save, such as:
Do you offer a price match guarantee for online retailers and other competitors?
What is your price adjustment policy if the item I purchase later goes on sale?
Do you offer an exchange program if my prescription changes within six months?
Other ideas for savings
Additional ways to save on contacts include:
Trial offers. Check with lens manufacturers and online retailers, or ask your eye doctor for free, trial lens starter packs.
Rewards programs. Look for rewards programs that offer promos, discounts, and money back for repeat customers.
Discounts. If you belong to professional associations or membership organizations like AARP, ask if they offer discounts on contacts and related services like lens fittings. Retailers might offer their own discounts as well.
First-time customer deals. Some retailers offer savings on your first order of contacts.
What you need to know before buying discount contacts
In order to get contacts, you first need to meet with an eye doctor for an eye exam and lens fitting. Compared with glasses, contacts may require a more extensive exam, according to the American Optometric Association. That’s because contact lens exams require additional tests to measure things like tear production. If the doctor finds you have certain eye conditions such as presbyopia or astigmatism, you may need special lenses that are more expensive.
Once the doctor has given you a prescription, you’re ready to purchase lenses. It’s important to understand that there are different types of contacts, including:
Soft contact lenses: typically extended-wear contact lenses that can last seven or 30 days
Rigid, gas-permeable contact lenses: usually last longer than soft contact lenses and may be less expensive over the life of the lens
How much you pay out-of-pocket will depend on the type of contact lens you need. For example, progressive contacts cost more because they provide multiple prescriptions in one lens, don’t have lines, and are prescribed for multiple eye conditions.
Remember, health insurance — including Medicare — typically doesn't cover contact lenses and related eye exams except in a very limited number of special circumstances.
The bottom line
Prescription contact lenses can be expensive, costing hundreds of dollars a year. Still, there are ways to save money. Enrolling in a vision insurance plan, buying in bulk from warehouse clubs, or using an HSA or FSA can help lower the costs related to getting contact lenses. Taking advantage of coupons and special programs for freebies, discounts, and rewards can help, too.
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Written by:
Arnesa A. Howell
Arnesa A. Howell is an award-winning freelance writer, editor and content creator based in Washington, D.C., writing for national magazines and online outlets about health, social justice, entrepreneurship, lifestyle and culture, and more. A graduate of Howard University, Arnesa has served as board member and scholarship committee chair for the Journalism & Women Symposium, an advocacy organization for women journalists.
Edited by:
Charlene Rhinehart, CPA
Charlene Rhinehart, CPA, is a personal finance editor at GoodRx. She has been a certified public accountant for over a decade.
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References
AARP. (n.d.). Membership & benefits.
American Optometric Association. (n.d.). Types of contact lenses.
View All References (5)
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Federal Trade Commission. (2022). Buying prescription glasses or contact lenses: Your rights.
Lens.com, Inc. (2022). Dailies disposable contacts buyer's guide: Everything you ever wanted to know. Cision PR Newswire.
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Eyeglasses & contact lenses.
Mukamal, R. (2020). Pros and cons of progressive lenses. American Academy of Ophthalmology.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2018). Types of contact lenses.
GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.
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