Eyewear Lenses - Price Comparison Tool

Single Vision

Single vision lenses are capable of correcting nearsightedness (myopia) and farsightedness (hyperopia). Some retailers also offer readers, which are single vision lenses for hyperopia.

Nearsightedness makes distant objects difficult to see, while farsightedness causes objects up close to appear blurry. Myopia and hyperopia can occur with people of all ages.

Presbyopia is a visual condition typically experienced later in life that reduces people’s ability to see fine details up close (such as words on a page). Unlike hyperopia, this condition naturally develops as most people age and can be offset with quality reading glasses.

Progressive Lenses

Progressive lenses are also referred to as multi-focal lenses and facilitate presbyopic conditions. These lenses utilize a special curvature that provides viewing zones for near, intermediate, and distance vision, essentially correcting all ranges of eyesight. Progressives can be difficult to grow accustomed to using, but given enough time and patience, they are an effective solution for the refractive errors commonly seen in older adults.

Premium Progressive Lenses

Premium Progressive lenses boast a wider viewing field, making them easier to adapt to for clearer seeing and focusing at all distances.

A word about Index Numbers

Index numbers are used to dictate how thin or thick your lenses will be. As index numbers increase, the lenses in question are designed thinner and lighter, being better suited for higher power prescriptions. Take these measurements into consideration when purchasing lenses.

Standard (Plastic)

Standard lenses use plastic as their base material. Plastic lenses are often cheaper lens options that work well with smaller prescriptions, but have a strong tendency to become scratched or smudged through daily wear and tear. This results in glasses which are affordable, but not very durable. Plastic lenses normally use a standard or mid-index number from 1.50 to 1.54 for a thicker design. As such, they are ideal for people with minor prescriptions.

Better (Polycarbonate)

A step up from plastic, polycarbonate lenses are made of a material that is light, thin, highly resistant to damage caused by impacts, and capable of blocking UV light. Given their advantages over cheaper alternatives, polycarbonate lenses are a great choice for those looking for durable, long-lasting glasses. Polycarbonate lenses keep their index number around 1.55 to 1.59 for a slightly thinner appearance.

Advanced (Thinner)

Lenses with even thinner polycarbonate materials make use of higher index numbers to achieve a lighter and more comfortable fit for people with heftier prescriptions. Advanced polycarbonate lenses typically opt for a high index number in the range of 1.60 to 1.68, and are best used for prescriptions exceeding +/- 4.00 powers.

Premium (Extra thin for higher powers)

The lightest lenses you can usually find, these hi-tech polycarbonate lenses utilize very high index numbers to achieve the thinnest and lightest designs possible; perfect for people with very large refractive errors. Note that these lenses will err on being more expensive than other options. Premium polycarbonate lenses keep their index numbers nice and high above the 1.69 mark.

Anti-Scratch

Tired of your lenses getting easily scratched? Unfortunately, no lens is going to be completely scratch-proof. The good news is that a special scratch-resistant coating can be applied to your lenses to give them a more durable surface, lessening the likelihood of receiving scratch damage. Polycarbonate and high-index lenses are typically scratch-resistant by default.

Anti-Reflective

Also known as anti-glare, anti-reflective coatings can be applied to your lenses as an extremely thin layer that eliminates reflections from both the front and back of your glasses. This doubles as both a way to allow people to see your eyes properly in person and in pictures, and as a means to reduce glare when driving a night or reading. Polycarbonate and high-index lenses tend to produce more reflections than plastic options, making anti-reflective coatings are particularly useful.

Anti-Smudge

Anti-Smudge coatings are a boon to those who find themselves constantly wiping fingerprints and grim off their lenses. A special coating is applied to your lenses that disallows dirt and markings from clinging to your lens material as easily, reducing the frequency they’ll need to be cleaned.

Anti-Fog

Cold environments can see your glasses fogging up easily, which can be as dangerous as it is frustrating. Anti-fog coatings prevent condensation from building up on your lenses and keeps your vision clear when temperatures fluctuate. This coating can be applied to virtually any type of lens material.

UV Protection

UV Protection filters on your lenses can help keep the dangerous UV rays of the sun from causing harm to your eyes. Just like its effect on your skin, ultraviolet sunlight can be potentially hazardous to your eye health, leading to ocular complications such as retinal damage, cataract development, and other problems. A special UV Protection dye on your lenses will guard your eyes from 100% of UV emissions.

Blue-Light

Blue-Light filtering features provide lenses with the ability to reduce the strain of blue-light on the eyes. This optional filter is a must-have for people who spend a large amount of time looking at electronic devices and digital screens. Blue-light emitted from these sources is harsher than other wavelengths and tends to tire out the eyes faster through symptoms of dry eye. Adding a blue-light filter to your lenses will help to minimize the impact LEDs have on your eyes.

Lenses make up the bulk of the cost of new glasses. The prices you see in this tool reflect the type of lens you choose in addition to the extra features you wish to apply, such as special coatings. The sum of all your choices through different online retailers is shown as the final cost for you to compare.

When you see a lens price of $0.00 in the tool, the lenses are already covered with the price of their frames to make up the actual cost.

Please note that our lens configuration tool assumes you have already chosen your frames. Frames from well-known brands (e.g. Ray-Ban) often do not vary greatly in price from retailer to retailer, meaning the same frames from the same brand will often be in a narrow, similar price range. Frames are left out of our calculations for this reason.

When using the tool, keep in mind that links to retailers will take you to their homepages and not to the specific glasses you want. This is because most retailers require users to customize their glasses through a sequence of options before checkout. Make sure to select the same options you have chosen here on the retailer’s website for accurate price matchups.

Premium Brands

Many retailers offer premium brand frames such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, Dior, Coach, Versace, Armani, Adidas, Burberry, Tiffany, etc. This filter will only show retailers that carry at least 10 premium brands.

Brand Alternatives

Activating this filter will restrict the selection to retailers that offer their own house brand or so-called no-name frames (brand alternatives). These frames usually come with a lower price tag.