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EyeBuyDirect

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6.4

Overall Score

Author: Kaitlyn Short

LAST UPDATED: January 31st, 2025

EyeBuyDirect is an online eyeglasses retailer based in Austin, Texas. Since 2006, this retailer has offered affordable in-house eyeglasses. It doesn’t sell brand name frames, but does offer a premium designer brand called RFLKT Eyewear.

In 2013, the company was acquired by the Essilor Group, a huge international eyewear company.

Shop EyeBuyDirect’s more than 1,200 frames by size, shape, rim, material, color, and special features like bifocal or progressive-friendly frames, adjustable nose-pads, and spring hinges. There is even a fit and style quiz to help you understand your preferences. While it does offer more than 200 sunglass styles, adults and kids frames can be used for prescription and non-prescription glasses and sunglasses, plus reading or computer glasses. You can virtually try them on with the EyeTry virtual mirror.

Customers can create an account with their already existing Amazon or Facebook credentials. You need to have a valid prescription and pupillary distance measurement to order and glasses are delivered within 7–14 business days.

Keep reading for pros and cons of shopping at EyeBuyDirect.

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The Good

  • Affordable Frames and Lenses
  • Lots of Prescription Lenses
  • Free Shipping
  • Return Policy
  • 365-Day Guarantee
  • Buy One, Give One
  • Loyalty and Discounts

Affordable Frames and Lenses

EyeBuyDirect offers low-priced glasses, with an average total purchase of $65. It is direct sale only. All manufacturing is under one roof, so overhead is low.

Frames range from $6–$70, with 1.50 index single vision lenses included. From there, there is an added cost for upgraded frames:

  • Bifocal — $29
  • Progressive — $49
  • Premium Progressive — $69

Not only are the frame prices low, but that price includes standard 1.5 single vision lenses. On top of that, the site even has a Coupons section to see what current discounts and promos are. You don’t have to wait until a specific code is emailed to you

Lots of Prescription Lenses

Not only does EyeBuyDirect offer affordable prices, but it also offers a wide variety of lens options, including single vision distance and reading glasses, and progressive lenses as well as fashion glasses with non-prescription lenses. You can even buy bifocals, which is a lens type that other online eyewear retailers exclude.

Two options for blue light filtering glasses to help with eye fatigue and digital eye strain include EDBlue and SightRelax.

Indexes available:

  • 1.50 standard
  • 1.57
  • 1.59
  • 1.60
  • 1.67
  • 1.74

Lenses automatically come with anti-scratch coating, but you can add-on the following coatings:

  • Anti-reflective coating
  • Light-adjusting photochromic lenses
  • Premium photochromic Transitions™ coating, light-adjusting, UV protection, anti-smudge, AR, scratch resistant
  • Four color tints, and two intensities
  • Gradient-tinted coating, darker tint at the top and lighter at the bottom
  • Polarized coating in three colors (dark green, brown, or gray) for reducing reflections
  • Mirrored tinting in three colors (blue, gold, silver)
  • Water repellant
  • UV protective coating (free with 1.59 polycarbonate)

Free Shipping Over $99

Orders over $99 ship free. If your order total is less than $99, it’s still a bargain, but you do have to pay $5.95 for standard USPS shipping (7–14 business days) You can upgrade to faster shipping for $19+ via UPS and UPS Next Day Air, but that won’t expedite your processing time.

Return Policy

Customers can return or exchange their glasses within 14 days via the fit and style guarantee.

If you return after the 14-day policy, you will have to pay for return shipping.

This isn’t the longest return or refund policy (many other online eyeglass stores offer 30 days), but at least you can return for a refund, with no fees.

Customers have a variety of ways to contact EyeBuyDirect. Customer service is available via email, chat, and phone, seven days a week: Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to midnight (Eastern) and Saturday and Sunday (9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern).

365-Day Guarantee

EyeBuyDirect also offers a product guarantee for 12 months if there is a defect in materials or workmanship. However, this doesn’t cover mistakes and scratches.

This guarantee is probably a big reason why the site boasts a 95 percent satisfaction rate with customers.

Keep in mind that it is a one-time replacement. It can’t be used for replacements multiple times within that first year.

Buy One, Give One

For every order, EyeBuyDirect will donate a pair of prescription glasses through an organization called Vision for Life.

Loyalty and Discounts

If you spend over $99 in a calendar year, you are eligible for EyeBuyDirect’s Focus Loyalty Program, which comes with cool benefits and discounts:

  • Buy One, Get One Free Offer
  • 15% off any purchase
  • Free U.S. Shipping
  • Free premium glasses case
  • 30% off sunglasses discount
  • 20% off a single purchase
  • Exclusive offers
  • Exclusive early access to limited collections

Additional discounts are available at eyebuydirect.com for lots of groups:

  • Student Discount — 20% off plus free shipping
  • Veterans’ Discount — 20% off
  • Referral Discount — When you refer a friend, you get $10 (and they get $10 off their first order). There is a $50 bonus when you add five new referrals. You can track your progress through your EBD account.

Visit Site

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The Bad

  • Glasses Only
  • Try-On
  • Insurance
  • Trifocal Lenses

Glasses Only

While EyeBuyDirect has a huge selection of frames and lenses, you won’t find contact lenses among its inventory.

Try-On

You can virtually try on glasses when you upload a photo through the EyeTry option, but you can’t try on frames at home without purchasing.

Remember, if you don’t like them, you can return within 14 days.

Insurance

EyeBuyDirect does not partner with any vision insurance providers. So, if you want to use insurance, it will have to be an out-of-network benefit. However, FSA and HSA cards are accepted, if they are branded with a major credit card.

Trifocal Lenses

While you can definitely buy progressive lenses, you can’t get lined trifocals at EyeBuyDirect.

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The Bottom Line

EyeBuyDirect offers a huge selection of its low-price, self-branded frames. You can get single vision glasses for as little as $6. This is pretty cheap, when you consider that most eyeglass stores selling nationwide brands can cost hundreds of dollars for the same thing. Most customers will be able to find a good option.

EyeBuyDirect offers a 14-day return policy, a 1-year warranty, and lots of discount opportunities, on top of the retailer’s already low prices.

Have you ordered a pair of glasses or sunglasses from EyeBuyDirect? Tell us about your experience with a quick review below.

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Star Rating

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4.6

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951 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

76%

4 grade

15%

3 grade

6%

2 grade

2%

1 grade

1%

Sentiment Criteria

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AR Washington, DC

Got my orders after significant delay (but the communication about why was acceptable). Ordered (3) pair. I hoped that all three would be fine. Only two were okay. The third one seems to have an issue with the prescription. I've attempted to connect with EyeBuyDirect in order to return the problematic glasses as well as receive a refund. EyebuyDirect is not responsive to following through with the request I made to take care of this. I previously received a voucher for a significant discount on my next order. This does not make me want to continue supporting EyeBuyDirect OR sharing some of the positive experience that I have had - with family, friends, or on social media. I wanted to like EyeBuyDirect. I have mixed feelings enough to encourage others to try something different and I will also tell them why I don't want to support EyeBuyDirect.

5 years ago

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Ryan Deerfield Beach, FL

Unfortunately I've had a bad experience. I ordered my glasses, and had to fill out paperwork, and confirm on a call I approve the purchase. (Which I am thankful that you verify purchases if things seem sketchy). But I was told multiple times EyeBuy would call me to confirm and never did. Had to try and call several times to reach anyone to confirm. Then my glasses took longer than the 7-10business days to ship. all in all it took nearly a month to get a product I could get on Amazon in a few days.

5 years ago

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Ma Charisse Elk Grove, CA

the color and quality of the eyeglass is excellent unfortunately , i need to return due to lenses are too thick and make blurry vision when used. it might be a wrong prescription used. I had purchased eyeglass previously with the same preacription and never had any problem. i cay say, it is hit ot miss thing. the returnn process is easy and fast.

4 years ago

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genesis vega Riverside, CA

Customer service was a pain and super rude when I contacted them in regards to my order status. I was scoffed at and told I just needed to wait until I received my order when I questioned why my order hadn't moved past a production stage for longer than 4 days.

5 years ago

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aiko foun Yuma, AZ

I liked how there were so many options, but the shipping just took way to long. It almost took an entire month just for them to get here and now I want to return a pair and probably won't get it until April. I'm starting to think it's not even worth it.

5 years ago

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jeffrey morris Lakewood, CA

The glasses were nice BUT the service from this company was BAD. The glasses came well past due. Sorry emails came all the time with delays in China. They didn't give me free shipping and after speaking to customer service....they said they would credit my credit card for the shipping. I am still upset with this company.

5 years ago

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Tina Indianapolis, IN

While the glasses came promptly and the prescription seemed accurate, the glasses will not stay on my face. They are way too big. For the measurements, I used a pair of glasses that fit me well.

5 years ago

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Eve S Saranac Lake, NY

Honestly I am dissatisfied. They had miscommunicated and my glasses came a lot later than they were supposed to. Although they came late, customer service was very sweet and the frames are at such a good price.

5 years ago

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Aly J Tampa, FL

Took very very long for me to get these glasses, and even that wouldn’t have been so bad if they had communicated with me. But they did not until I kept calling about my glasses.

5 years ago

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Mrs B Memphis, TN

Got address wrong twice, took almost a month to get after delaying shipping. I love the glasses though they’re perfect, just a little more complications than I’d like to deal with.

5 years ago

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Fil Ferntree Gully, VIC

Delivery took a lot longer than expected. I also thought I was dealing with an Australian site. I don’t like the glasses and not really an option to send back

5 years ago

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Noemy Sanchez Austin, TX

I paid extra for the express shipping (7-10 days) and I received my glasses after 3 weeks. Also, there was no way to track the package.

5 years ago

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Jari-Ann Joseph Brooklyn, NY

This is my second order and both times my shipment was delayed by a significant amount of time. Over 5 days both times.

5 years ago

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Elizabeth Alamogordo, NM

Glasses to small and I thought they were transitionals not stay dark all the time

4 years ago

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Deborah Dean Schenectady, NY

I just am not going to be able to wear them because they are falling off my face. Bummer.

4 years ago

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Taylor Blackwell Springville, UT

It took way longer to deliver than expected which was really annoying

5 years ago