Where's the best place to buy contact lenses? (prescription, insurance, eye)

[ahava]

My husband just started wearing contact lenses a year ago, and his optometrist ordered a year's supply of lenses for him then. So now my husband needs to order more, but we're not sure if we should order them through the optometrist again or if someplace like 1-800-CONTACTS would be cheaper. On the 1-800-CONTACTS website a year's supply is $400 ...do optometrists get some kind of price cut that websites don't? Or does anyone know of a better website than that one?

[ShepsMom]

Lenses are very expensive. I get disposable Acuvue-1 day moist. I buy them from Lens.com for $245.00 6 month supply. If you find something cheaper, let me know.

[part_iv]

I work in an optometrist's office, and the prices that I see on 1-800 CONTACTS are all pretty much the same as the prices we charge at the office. I would recommend looking into places like Wal-Mart or Costco, because they are able to buy in bulk so the prices are a little cheaper there -- I'm talking like $2 or $3 cheaper, so nothing huge, but every little helps.

What lenses is your husband wearing, just out of curiosity.

[country pride]

There are many plces you can go for those, but I usually go to the Vision Center in Walmart because their exams are very inexpensive (around 89.00 unless some knows of a place thats cheaper!) and basic lenses are only about 16.00 for a box of 6. Of course you have to get 2 boxes, one for each eye, which is because sometimes your prescription differs in each eye. Speaking of which....Im overdue by a year, for an exam and some new contacts...

[myrc60]

Walmart is cheaper than any other place I've ever found. If you are a warehouse club member they are a little cheaper than Walmart is.

[molochai2580]

I wear daily lenses (disposables are too big for my eyes). One pair last me about 12 months.

I used to go to Walmart, because their eye exams and a pair of contacts would cost me around $100.

Of course now I have vision insurance so I get an eye exam and 2 pairs of daily wear for $25.

[Suzanne45]

Costco was the cheapest for my lenses.

[ahava]

Thanks for your replies. I didn't even know that Costco sells contact lenses - we'll have to look into that. My husband ended up ordering his lenses from the optometrist and it cost almost twice as much. He asked for a year's supply, which according to 1-800-CONTACTS is 8 boxes, but a year's supply is actually 4 boxes. Apparently 1-800-CONTACTS thinks people change their lenses every 2 weeks instead of every month? Anyway, so we got 4 boxes for $340 when we could have gotten 8 boxes for $400......that will be the last time we order lenses from the optometrist.

For the person who asked, he wears FreshLook toric lenses.

[Moonwalkr]

I got mine from VisionDirect. I think for a year's supply, it's around $100. I've also gotten a $30 rebate from AcuVUE the past two years I've ordered, so it comes out to around $70. Doesn't matter much since my vision insurance covers up to $125 worth of contacts per year, but it's pretty good if you don't have insurance.

[SPNARD1]

Please be careful with cheap lenses...
I have a cousin that wore "cheaper contact lenses" from Walmart and her Opthomalogist told her they were really bad for her eyes..

I'd recommend everyone see an Opthomalogist...Optometrist's aren't the same.

Originally Posted by Suzanne1945

Costco was the cheapest for my lenses.