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Best overall place to buy replacement lenses
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Lenses are easy to scratch and even crack. Many of us need prescription lens replacements quickly, and it’s never been easier to get them. You don’t need to buy new frames anymore, and you can actually get prescription lenses delivered to your doorstep. There are plenty of sites out there that will ship you replacement lenses for your existing frames, saving you money, time and effort.
These companies either send you a return shipping label for your glasses or if your glasses don’t have a box, you can get a box with a shipping label inside. All you have to do is ship your glasses, and you can get expedited shipping for a special fee if you need your glasses back quickly. It’s an easy process, and some companies can turn around orders in just a couple of days, depending on your prescription.
I’ve had the lenses in about 15 pairs of glasses replaced over the last four years. Here’s all you need to know about the best places to buy replacement lenses online.
What’s the best place to buy replacement lenses overall?
It’s hard to declare one online retailer as the best place to buy replacement lenses for your glasses. All of them are good, although none of them is perfect. I occasionally get an email from a reader about a bad outcome, but I’ve found that the customer service at all of our top picks is usually pretty responsive and settles any issues. They can sometimes take a few days to resolve.
We have Lensabl at the top of our roundup for the best place to buy replacement lenses for glasses, because it’s user-friendly and offers competitive pricing. Qualifying customers can even renew their eyeglass prescription with them online. If you’re looking for fast service, Overnight Glasses is a great pick. I had good experiences with all the other online lens-replacement shops on this list. Note that all of them also sell frames, full prescription eyeglass and sunglass packages.
Read more: Use Your Phone to Check Your Vision
Best places to buy replacement lenses for glasses of 2024
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Although it offers full frame/lens packages, Lensabl puts its lens replacement service front and center and comes up high in search results when Googling “lens replacement.” Its motto is “Your frames, our lenses,” with prices starting at $77 for a basic pair of single-vision lenses. A pair of tinted sunglasses lenses start at $97. The budget new lens options are decent enough, but it does make a difference (in terms of sharpness and clarity) to step up to lenses more in the $150-plus range.
You upload your prescription online and pick the type of lens you want, and then Lensabl sends you a box with a prepaid return shipping label. You simply mail in your old frame in the box (shipping is free). First-time prescription lens customers get 15% off.
Lensabl does make prescription lenses for Bose Frames and other audio sunglasses.
Notable site features: For $25, you can renew your prescription online. Not everybody qualifies to take the online eye exam — you have to answer some questions to see if you qualify — but if you do, Lensabl says, “All you need is your computer, [your] smartphone and about 15 minutes of time.” Your results will be reviewed by an eye doctor or optometrist licensed in your state who will then issue you a new prescription via email.
Current deals and coupons: All of Lensabl’s deals and promo codes are displayed on its homepage.
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As its name implies, Overnight Glasses can make you a new set of prescription glasses quickly; really quickly if you’re willing to pay extra for a new pair of glasses. If you buy a frame/lens package, fast three- to four-day service is available for $9. (It takes slightly longer for progressive lens and bifocal lens types.) The quality of the lenses I got was as good as that from other replacement lens sites, so there’s no sacrifice of prescription eyewear quality for speed.
As for new lenses for your current frame, you ship your frames to Overnight Glasses and it’ll replace your lenses with new ones in 48 hours. The service can do polarized, blue light, transitions and many other types, although progressives take an additional two days (so 72 hours total from the time your frames are received).
If you’re looking for a truly overnight option, the emergency, 24-hour rush service costs an additional $60 for single vision. As noted, a progressive lens order can take an additional two days, so the fastest you can get new progressive lenses is three days.
Overnight makes lenses for Bose Frames and Amazon Echo Frames audio glasses.
Notable site features: The site has a clean look and is easy to navigate. There are multiple shipping options.
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Eyeglasses.com has a huge selection of both frames and lenses and is also one of a small number of sites that offer a lens replacement service for existing frames, with prices starting at $48. As with all the other sites here, you simply choose the lens you want (that can be a little daunting because there are so many options) and you’ll get sent a prelabeled box with which to return your frames, with free shipping both ways. If you don’t know your prescription — and don’t want to change your current prescription — you can opt to have Eyeglasses.com’s technicians “read your lenses and duplicate them.”
The service isn’t superspeedy in terms of turnaround time, but the lenses are high-quality and the eyewear site has good online help options, including a Replacement Lenses Wizard and an online chat feature. Unlike Lensabl, which highlights its lens replacement service, Eyeglasses.com doesn’t market the options front and center.
Eyeglasses.com makes lenses for Bose Frames and Amazon Echo Frames audio glasses.
Notable site features: Eyeglasses.com says it only sells “high-quality, individually made lenses made in the USA,” and the sample glasses I tried had excellent lenses that gave me a very sharp image. There’s a huge selection of lens options, and you get a “Perfect Lenses Guarantee” that allows you to send your glasses back if they don’t work for you — you can get a redo or a full refund, your choice.
Current deals and coupons: 15% off for new customers in exchange for your email address.
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While it’s had shops in the New York area for a while, ReplaceRxLenses is somewhat new to the online replacement-lens arena. My experience using this retailer was smooth, with a relatively quick turnaround time (about a week, but I was in New York). Its prices are competitive and slightly cheaper for some lens types.
The site says what differentiates it from competitors is that it doesn’t have an assembly-line format for fulfilling orders, where one worker is responsible for manufacturing the lenses, another is responsible for tracing the frame and edging the lenses to fit the frame and another might handle the final eyeglass inspection. “With us, one technician works on a customer’s order from start to finish,” a rep told me. “We believe this format results in a better end product, because there is almost no chance of information being lost or mistakes being made along the way.”
ReplaceRxLenses says it can do a replacement for prescription eyewear or replace nonprescription lenses for Bose, Amazon Echo, Snapchat Spectacles and many other audio/smart frames.
Notable site features: The site says it has experience working with frame types and lenses that some other places can’t handle. “We have plenty of experience working with sports frames, wraparound frames, vintage frames and extended range prescriptions,” a rep told me. “Many other online replacement services can only work with certain frame types and up to certain prescriptions.”
The site tries to get as much information about a customer’s frame beforehand so it can begin working on the order even before receiving the frame, which helps expedite the order. (I submitted a photo of my frame.)
Current deals and coupons: 15% off for new customers or 10% off for returning customers in exchange for your email address (leave the site to see the offer).
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LensDirect says it can make quality lenses for a wide array of frames — “practically any frame unless it just absolutely doesn’t make any fundamental sense like putting a +7.5 prescription on a semi-rimless frame” — and has its own machine in-house that can cut the lenses anytime (other retailers have this as well). “We make lens replacement more affordable than our competitors without sacrificing quality,” a rep told me.
LensDirect does now make replacement lenses for Bose and Amazon audio glasses, although it does require you to sign a waiver to work on them.
My lens replacement took about a week, and the lens quality was high. After using discount codes, the cost for lenses I got was a bit less than from some competing sites like Lensabl.
Notable site features: The site has a virtual try-on feature if you’re buying a frame and lens package. When it comes to an older audience (people who wear progressive or bifocal lenses), lens options tend to be more affordable (with discount codes applied), specifically when it comes to the 1.67 high-index lens, which is 40% thinner and lighter than a standard CR39 lens. “Even to a younger audience who wants to take a cheap eyeglass frame and get exactly the lens they need, our CR39 and Polycarbonate lenses start off more affordable even for them,” a rep said.
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Make sure you get the best discount
Most of the prescription eyewear sites highlighted here for eyeglass lens replacement offer a discount for first-time customers. They also sometimes have codes for lens upgrades. Make sure you check for any deals before purchasing.
Know your prescription
In most cases, you’ll need to know your prescription and pupillary distance from your optometrist before you use an online glasses retailer, so make sure you get a hard copy the next time you get your vision checked. Once you have your current prescription, most of these websites will let you upload a picture of the prescription from your phone the first time you buy prescription eyewear. If you don’t know your prescription, certain lens-replacement outfits in this roundup can simply duplicate the lenses you have in your existing frames. (If a lens is cracked or scratched, you may simply want to replace it if your prescription is current.)
Provide as much information about your frames as possible
Some eyeglass lens-replacement sites will ask you to send a description or photo of your frame (and perhaps ask for a model number if you have one), so they can prep your order and process it faster. Most but not all existing frames can accept new prescription lenses.
Return policy
Read the fine print about returns before you purchase replacement lenses. Often, sites will accept returns but only if they messed up your order in some way or a flaw was created in the lens production process.
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We test online replacement lens services by ordering a set of replacement lenses from a site. We tend to order midrange lenses and, in some cases, we’ve ordered multiple times from the same site. We mainly evaluate the lenses for quality (how good they are comparable price points), turnaround times and how user-friendly the site is.
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Can I replace lenses in glasses?
With any frame that currently has a prescription lens in it, you should be able to replace the lens. Certain types of glasses that have more curved lenses — such as those found in certain sports glasses — may be harder to replace. Just make sure that before sending in that type of frame that a lens-replacement shop can replace the lens for it.
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Can you put old lenses in new frames?
You can put old lenses into a new frame as long as the new frame is the same as the old one and the lenses are still in good condition. Some eye care providers may be able to shape old lenses into the new frame, but it’s not always possible.
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Is it expensive to put new lenses in old frames?
Depending on the quality and type of lens you get, it can be expensive. It’s usually cheaper to do through an online retailer. If you are just getting basic lenses, it can be quite affordable. The main reason to do it rather than buying a whole new set of glasses is if you like your frames and paid a tidy sum for them when you got them new.
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What type of eyeglass lens is best?
For pure clarity, a glass or mineral glass lens is the best. Most people prefer polycarbonate lenses, which are lighter and more durable. High-index lenses are good for those who have strong prescriptions that would normally require thicker lenses. These high-tech plastic lenses end up being the same thinness as standard plastic or polycarbonate lenses that have a lighter prescription. You do have to pay more for high-index lenses. Arguably the best lenses are Trivex lenses, which are lightweight and durable and offer slightly better clarity than polycarbonate lenses. They are more expensive than plastic (CR-39) and polycarbonate lenses.
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Can I get prescription lenses for Bluetooth audio glasses?
If you’re wondering whether these eyewear retailers make prescription lenses for audio glasses, like the Bose Frames, Amazon Echo Frames and Razer Anzu, most do. Only a few have officially partnered with Bose, like Lensabl and the Bose Tempo sports model. Aside from the Tempo, most other audio glasses have pretty standard frames that accept prescription glasses. You can always call and ask whether the company can make lenses for whatever audio glasses you have based on your particular prescription.
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