Best places to buy glasses

Our opticians customer survey reveals the best places to buy your glasses. 

We've surveyed those who bought glasses in-store or online recently to find the best and worst options. We've also surveyed members on the best places to buy contact lenses.

Brands were rated on the price, value and quality of their glasses range, and the accuracy of prescriptions, as well as customer service, after sales service and store environment.

Best places to buy glasses on the high street

Member content: Log in or join Which? to see the results in the table. Non-members will see an alphabetically ordered list of brands.

Discover the top-rated brands for eye tests.

About 60% of our respondents bought their glasses at the same place they had their eyes tested, which makes sense in terms of getting personalised advice from someone familiar with your prescription. But you can save money by shopping around, including online (see the best brands below).

Buying glasses - expert tips

Our expert opticians recommend the following when you're deciding where to buy your specs and figuring out what you can afford:

1. Check if there are conditions attached to a ‘free’ eye test For example, will you have to pay for it if you don’t make a purchase?
2. Be upfront about your budget Most opticians make a loss on your eye test, so it’s likely they’ll want to try to keep your custom – including finding you affordable glasses.
3. Pay attention to quality and fit The mark-up on cheaper frames tends to be higher – you’ll get better value from frames if you can spend a bit more. Check for a smooth finish and sprung sides. Make sure they fit your face and are comfortable - it's good to get help from an optician on this if you aren't used to glasses or have been having any issues. Also, check they don’t fall off if you tip your head forward, and that the sides are the right length for your head.
4. Check if you're eligible for help from your employer Across the UK, if you use a display screen at work, you can claim the full cost of a standard test from your employer. If you need glasses specifically for display work your employer should pay for a basic pair of single-vision glasses or at least subsidise some of the cost.
5. Check whether a special offer gives you what you need Look out for offers but check the terms and conditions: does it include only single-vision lenses or a limited number of frames? Will you have to pay a premium for basic coatings or high-index lenses? If you need two pairs of glasses you could save money on a two for one deal.

Best places to buy glasses online

We surveyed people about their experiences of shopping for prescription glasses online and asked opticians for their advice on how to ensure you get the best from buying glasses on the web.

Online optician stores rated

Member content: Log in or join Which? to see the best places for buying glasses online in the table below.

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Buying glasses online - what you need to know

People tended to buy online for reasons of cost and convenience and we've found this is often a good option for people with simpler prescriptions. 

61% of our survey respondents who bought glasses online bought single-vision lenses, rather than varifocals. In the past, we’ve found that if you’ve got a relatively simple prescription, you shouldn’t run into too much trouble buying online.

More caution is needed if you have a complex prescription (for example, higher-strength lenses or varifocals), where getting really specific measurements to make sure the frames fit and lenses are positioned correctly in front of your eyes is of paramount importance.

We’ve also found that you are less likely to get personalised information about lens thickness, frames and coatings or tints when you order online.

5 tips for buying glasses online

Ensure you have the right measurements to hand

Opticians aren't required to put all the measurements needed to dispense glasses on your prescription, as some are taken when your glasses are dispensed rather than when your eyes are tested. This means that by buying online you may be missing details such as your PD (pupillary distance).

The PD helps position your pupils accurately in the centre of the lenses. It’s crucial for higher prescriptions and varifocals to have your exact PD, because a measurement more than a couple of millimetres out could make the glasses unusable.

Best practice is for stores to request an exact PD from the customer – which unfortunately might not always be included on your prescription. But some stores have ways you can do this at home. Others simply let you use an average measurement, which may result in poorly fitted glasses.

Look for websites that send you a selection of frames to try at home. Also look for websites that have a ‘best fit finder’ and frame fitting advice, and that give full frame measurements. And if you need to take measurements yourself, make sure they’re accurate.

Getting the right lenses

If you’ve got a high prescription you should opt for high index (thinner) lenses when buying online as they’re more likely to work with a range of frames.  

As a rule of thumb, if your prescription is stronger than +/- 3 but less than +/- 5, consider thinner lenses (around 1.67 index). If your prescription is stronger than +/- 5, you may want to go even thinner (around 1.74 index).

Getting the right frames

It’s not necessarily easy when shopping online to know which frames will suit your prescription (as above), or fit properly.

Some sites offer a free try-at-home service. This could be a good way to make up for the lack of in-person fitting advice and lets you take time to decide what fit works for you.

Take care when buying bifocals or varifocals online

Varifocals are the cause of many complaints to the Optical Consumer Complaints Service.

The ideal varifocal lens design provides sharp vision in the far distance, middle and close up for reading, is comfortable to swap between each zone, is easy to get used to and has few distortions at the edges.

Varifocal design has become very sophisticated over the past 10 years, but there are big differences in quality and variability of lenses. Use our guide to choosing varifocals to make sure you know what level you need and what quality you’re buying.

Precise fitting measurements – such as the pupillary distance (PD) and the vertical pupil position - are crucial to how well any lens will perform.

Our experts also strongly discourage shoppers from buying bifocals or varifocals from websites that don’t ask – at the very least – for additional information that would help them gain the necessary measurements, such as a photo of the customer wearing their chosen frames.

Know your rights

If goods you buy are faulty and don’t do what they're supposed to, or don’t match the description given, you have the same rights under the Consumer Rights Act as you have when buying face-to-face.

Any terms and conditions that say you must cover the cost of returning an item don't apply where the goods being returned are faulty.

When you buy goods online, you have additional rights to return them. This is because your decision may be based on a brief description or a photograph – so what you receive isn't always quite what you’d expected.

The Consumer Contracts Regulations give you 14 calendar days from the day after you receive your goods to cancel. See our Consumer Rights section for more information. 

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Where to buy contact lenses

We asked hundreds of people who wear contact lenses about their experience buying them - both in-store and online - including quality of lenses, value for money, price and customer service.

We found there was quite a variation in scores for buying contact lenses in-store: the highest score was 90% and the lowest was 64%. Online, the highest-rated brand received a customer score of 86%.

Buying contact lenses: high street opticians rated

Member content: Log in or join Which? to see the results in the table.

Buying contact lenses: online opticians rated

Member content: Log in or join Which? to see the results in the table.

What you need to know before buying contact lenses online

If you’re new to contact lenses, it’s best to get them in-store as you’ll need to be assessed for fit and get a specific prescription for contacts.

In the UK, contact lenses can only be fitted by (or dispensed under the supervision of) a registered optometrist, qualified dispensing optician or medical practitioner. 

Once fitting is completed, your practitioner will issue you with a contact lens specification. You can then buy contact lenses from a shop or go online, provided the sale is under the ‘general direction’ of a registered practitioner. 

Ordering online can be a more convenient option, but it’s still important to get regular aftercare, including fit checks, treatment for symptoms like itchy eyes, and advice on any issues you’re experiencing.

Some stores offer packages which include a contact lens subscription, eye tests and lens aftercare. You can compare contact lens prices online to find good deals, but it’s best to stick to trusted brands and sellers that are registered with the General Optical Council.

The law says that online sellers must confirm that a buyer has a valid contact lens prescription by seeing it, or checking with the optician who supplied it. Eyes change over time, and an optician can pick up on complications and worrying practices, such as inadequate cleaning that threaten eyesight.