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There's no need to buy an overpriced pair of eyeglasses at the doctor's office when there are more convenient and affordable places to buy glasses online using insurance — just grab your prescription and open your web browser in the comfort of your home.
Many online retailers accept insurance and HSA/FSA dollars, and often advertise generous discount codes. Among them are sites with different lens types that offer a virtual try-on option or, if not, a return and exchange policy. Whether you have astigmatism that requires corrective lenses or need blue-light glasses for extended amounts of screen time, we've compiled a variety of the best places to buy glasses online using insurance or those that provide you with the right info for reimbursement.
Accepts FSA/HSA dollars for prescription eyewear
Types of prescription eyewear you can shop at EyeBuyDirect:
Eyebuydirect is the best all-around place to buy glasses online because it has a lot to offer, regardless of what you'd like to prioritize for your shopping experience and eyewear needs. From affordable frames made in-house and a wide assortment of name-brand frames to virtual try-on and fast and easy returns, you'll likely find what you're interested in here.
What to try:
Accepts FSA/HSA dollars for prescription eyewear
Types of prescription eyewear you can shop at GlassesUSA.com:
GlassesUSA.com is the largest online eyewear retailer, operating in over 92 countries, and sells designer and in-house brands making it one of the best places to buy glasses online. Though prices can run into the hundreds and even thousands because of the designer-leaning selection, it often runs sales and promotions that can help you save on a sleek new pair of glasses. There are multiple ways to provide your prescription: fill it out online, upload it, or have your doctor send it directly to the site. Use their virtual mirror and see guides for how to find your frame size and the best glasses for your face shape. GlassesUSA.com has a 30-day free return and exchange policy.
Accepts FSA/HSA dollars for prescription eyewear
Types of prescription eyewear you can shop at Zenni:
Zenni is the most budget friendly option for glasses shopping, where you can find frames for as little as $7. Delving into Zenni's helpful resource library will demystify all your questions about the costs of wearing glasses, which lenses are best for your prescription, and measuring frame size. Zenni's video capture tool captures a 180° view for envisioning your ideal fit and they employ a 30-day return policy, where you can get 50% back directly or 100% back in store credit.
Accepts HSA and FSA affiliated with a major credit card. For all other insurance, YesGlasses provides a detailed copy of an invoice for your provider.
Types of prescription eyewear you can shop at YesGlasses:
Unless you're dedicated to flashing labels, YesGlasses is a great place to shop for eyewear. Many of its frames closely resemble popular styles from name-brand designs you're probably looking for, at a fraction of the cost. You can check out the latest styles using the YesGlasses virtual try-on. Glasses start as low as $19 with prescription lenses, but can be customized to include thinner lenses, polarized, or gradient lenses for sunglasses.
Accepts insurance from major providers, including UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Anthem, etc. If your provider is not listed, you will need to contact your insurance company directly for reimbursement. Check your vision benefits here.
Types of prescription eyewear you can shop at Warby Parker:
Most of Warby Parker's frames cost $95 including the cost of the lenses (as long as they're the classic, non-blue light, non-light responsive ones). This makes them pricier than other online glasses brands, but you get the benefit of a large variety of on-trend styles and access to their brick-and-mortar locations. However, Warby Parker's main attraction is the free Home Try-On, where you can try on 5 pairs for 5 days and decide which frames are your favorite. Once you send them all back, Warby Parker will send you a fresh pair. It has a 30-day free return and exchange policy and for every pair purchased at Warby Parker, the brand distributes a free pair of glasses to someone in need.
Accepts FSA/HSA dollars for prescription eyewear. For all other insurance, Overnight Glasses provides a detailed copy of an invoice for your provider.
Types of prescription eyewear you can shop at Overnight Glasses:
Accidents happen, and sometimes you need a new pair of glasses stat. Overnight Glasses can get you your replacement pair quickly through their rush service. They boast some of the fastest delivery times in the online eyewear market, with single vision frames starting at $40 ready in 24 hours, and progressive lenses ready in just 3 days. Overnight Glasses offers 8 different lens types including blue light blocking and migraine glasses. Their site's resources include a sales and promotions page and sizing guides. Orders sent back within 14 days can be eligible for return or exchange.
Accepts HSA and FSA affiliated with a major credit card. For all other insurance, Covry provides a detailed copy of an invoice to submit for reimbursement.
Types of prescription eyewear you can shop at Covry:
Size and shape inclusivity are just as important in eyewear as they are in clothing. However, the eyewear industry standards are not all-encompassing when it comes to diverse bone structures. Covry's Elevated Fit® frames are most notably the best for low-nose bridges and wide faces, making them a great choice when hunting for the best places to buy glasses online using insurance. They offer blue light-blocking lenses and an at-home try-on service, where you can test out 5 frames for 5 days before choosing your favorite pair. Covry has a 14-day return policy, excluding prescription lenses.
Accepts FSA/HSA dollars and several major insurance providers including Aetna, Ameritas, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, EyeMed, Humana, United HealthCare, and VSP. For all other insurance, Overnight Glasses provides a detailed copy of an invoice for your provider.
Types of prescription eyewear you can shop at Roka:
Lens technology goes beyond correcting your vision deficit. Roka offers lenses made with quality materials like polycarbonate, Trivex, and a thin high-index material for strong prescriptions. Roka has a range of options for customizing according to specific needs— you can elect for photochromic and blue light blocking filters, and progressive lenses can be configured for expanded fields of view and computer use. Roka offers a 30-day return policy and a 2-year warranty on most items.
Accepts FSA/HSA dollars affiliated with a major credit card. For all other insurance, Pair Eyewear can provide a detailed copy of an invoice to submit for reimbursement.
Types of prescription eyewear you can shop at Pair Eyewear:
Glasses may not seem like the most practical way to switch up your style on a whim, but Pair Eyewear has an innovative solution to the monotony of wearing the same frames each day. Their base frames start at $60, and you can add on lightweight magnetic top frames to layer for a completely new look. Pair offers blue light-blocking lenses and special occasion top frames with unique designs. What's even better is that for each pair purchased, Pair Eyewear partners with EYElliance to provide glasses and vision care to children in underserved countries. Pair Eyewear fully refunds glasses returned within 30 days of delivery.
Accepts FSA/HSA dollars for prescription eyewear.
Types of prescription eyewear you can shop at Felix Gray:
Felix Gray started primarily as a computer glasses company, highlighting the negative effects of our increasingly digital world. Felix Gray's blue light-filtered lenses provide relief from the harsh light of our computer and phone screens. They also carry amber glasses meant for before-bedtime scrolling. If you already know you want blue light glasses, Felix Gray is the most convenient place to get them since it bundles the feature directly into all its prescription glasses options. Their frames are hand finished in Italy and they have a 30-day free return and exchange policy.
Accepts FSA/HSA dollars and several major insurance providers including Aetna, Cigna, EyeMed, Humana, Spectera, DavisVision, United HealthCare, and VSP. For all other insurance, SportRx provides a detailed copy of an invoice for your provider. See SportRx's insurance page for more information on vision benefits.
Types of prescription eyewear you can shop at SportRx:
Sports and other extracurricular activities require a special kind of eyewear that can withstand an athletic lifestyle. SportRx has specialized glasses for 35 different activities, so there are likely prescription sports glasses just for you. Prescription snow, swim, and sport goggles are SportRx's main draw, though they do have athleisure eyewear collections. SportRx also supplies replacement sports lenses and inserts, including those made for brand-name frames. The SportRx site features a sales and promo page and virtual consultations with a trained sports optician. Most glasses are covered by a 1-year warranty and can be returned within 45 days for a refund or exchange.
Accepts HSA and FSA dollars affiliated with a major credit card. For all other insurance, Zeelool can provide a detailed copy of an invoice to submit for reimbursement.
Types of prescription eyewear you can shop at Zeelool:
Making eco-friendly glasses calls for both sustainable sourcing and innovative production methods. Zeelool's eco-friendly artsy frames are biodegradable and made with cellulose extracted from cotton. Zeelool sends you your frames in minimal packaging to decrease the brand's impact on the environment. The lowest-priced frames within the Eco-Glasses collection start at just $7. Zeelool.com offers blue light-blocking filters and specialty lens coatings for UV protection and scratch resistance. They provide a 1-year warranty on all glasses and a 30-day return or exchange policy.
Accepts FSA/HSA money affiliated with a Visa or Mastercard. If you don't have one of these debit cards, you can get an invoice from DIFF to submit to your provider.
Types of prescription eyewear you can shop at DIFF:
Since glasses are an investment piece, it's a good feeling when you know your money is going towards a good cause. DIFF began in 2015 and has since gone on to donate over one million pairs of reading glasses to people in need across the globe. They've collaborated with Disney Princess, Star Wars, and Marvel franchises on character-inspired frames. DIFF partners with Sightsavers to help pay for eye exams, prescription glasses, medicine, and surgery in impoverished communities. DIFF offers a 1-year warranty on their products and a 10-day window for returns or exchanges.
A FSA, or flexible spending account, is an account provided by your employer in order to save on taxes and pay for qualified expenses. The IRS sets a limit on how much money you and your employer can add to your FSA. These funds expire at the end of each calendar year, so remember to use it or lose it. You can pay for qualified items with a debit or credit card linked to your FSA, or you may use your own money and later submit a receipt to your account manager for reimbursement.
An HSA, or health savings account, is a type of flexible spending account geared towards qualified medical expenses. By enrolling in a High Deductible Health Plan and opening an HSA, your monthly insurance premium is usually lower, while tax exempt dollars from your HSA pay for higher deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and other health-related costs. Your HSA balance rolls over from year to year so you can save up to pay for eligible medical expenses.
Read more in our personal finance explainer on the differences between HSA vs. FSA.
When ordering glasses online, you'll be prompted for your PD, or pupillary distance. Your PD is a key component of your prescription, as it aligns the power of your lens with the center of your eye and determines at what exact point you'll be looking through. You can measure your PD at home using a ruler as demonstrated in this helpful guide from GlassesUSA.com. The YesGlasses guide for measuring PD with a credit card is useful if you don't have a ruler on hand.
When ordering glasses online, you have 3 main options for lenses:
Single vision lenses hold one prescription and are used mostly for people with either myopia (nearsighted) or hyperopia (farsighted).
Bifocal lenses are usually prescribed for presbyopia, or age-related farsightedness. Bifocals separate your distance prescription from your reading prescription with a distinct horizontal line.
Progressive lenses accommodate your distance, mid-range, and reading prescriptions all in one lens, allowing you to smoothly transition between separate fields of vision.
Connie Chen is a former senior reporter on the Insider Reviews team, where she led coverage of home textiles, home entertaining, and food and drink. While at Insider, she specialized in all the things that enhance life at home, from the most comfortable bed sheets and fluffy pillows to cool online wine clubs and bartender-approved cocktail shakers. She combined rigorous testing methods, conversations with professionals, and active knowledge of the home and kitchen space to help readers get the most out of their money. When she's not changing duvet covers or washing towels twice a day for articles, she loves talking about and trying the newest snacks, drinks, and food gifts. You can see more of her testing process and other behind-the-scenes of being a product journalist on her Instagram @connayreviews. Connie joined Insider Reviews as an early member in 2017 and has also reported on products and services in the style, tech, fitness, travel, and e-learning spaces, with a particular interest and expertise in emerging startups. She has represented the team at CES and moderated panels on media business and the future of retail. Connie graduated from UC Berkeley with degrees in media studies and business administration, which help inform her perspective on and coverage of industry trends, as well as the competitive e-commerce landscape at large. Read some of her work: The 4 best cocktail shakers in 2021 The 7 best women's bathrobes in 2021 The 5 best wine openers and corkscrews we tested in 2021 The 5 best bed sheets we tested in 2021 The 5 best cordless vacuums we tested in 2021 12 direct-to-consumer kitchen startups that are changing the way we shop for cookware and knives 8 tableware startups changing the way we shop for dishes Even chefs experience cooking burnout — here's how they get re-inspired in the kitchen How businesses create successful virtual experiences 50 cookbooks from famous restaurants across the US that will help you recreate their best dishes at home Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more about how we test kitchen products.
Read more Read lessAmir Ismael is an editor for Insider Reviews, Insider's e-commerce branch of the service journalism team. As a collector of sneakers and fashion, Amir is passionate about all things related to style. He's covered everything including the industry's shift to producing more sustainable clothing, the most comfortable loungewear, all of the best places to shop for affordable business casual attire, and more. He's used his expertise in footwear and the footwear industry to review all kinds of shoes from sportswear giants, well-known casual brands, and startups. Amir's coverage also includes eyewear, watches, and grooming products like electric razors and men's skincare. Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Amir has led Insider Reviews' face masks coverage with thoughtful recommendations based on CDC guidelines, expert opinions, and his own testing. During his time at Insider, Amir previously handled deals of the day coverage, and worked as a generalist writing hundreds of reviews ranging from phone cases and headphones to bed sheets and blenders, and has also covered major shopping holidays including Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. Before joining the Insider Reviews team in 2017, worked as a freelance writer for Complex Sneakers and Sole Collector where he contributed to daily sneaker news and release dates, feature-length articles, and interviews with artists, designers, and athletes. Amir graduated from William Paterson University in 2015 with a degree in journalism and public relations. Say hello to Amir at aismael@businessinsider.com or on Instagram @amirjismael. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more about how we test style and beauty products.
Read more Read lessMaiya Pascouche is the Beauty Editor for Business Insider Reviews with a passion for beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and entertainment. Maiya was formerly a Commerce Updates Editor, developing and executing e-commerce strategies and formats for our Reviews content. She has also worked as a Beauty Editor for BeautyByUs.com, at Alphy as a Content Editor and Creative Strategist, and as a feminist film critic for FF2 Media. She holds a BFA in Drama from New York University. In her spare time, Maiya is a theater director and songwriter in her band, Cherin! Say hello at mpascouche@businessinsider.com!
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
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