How Much Do Contacts Cost?
Contact lenses cost about $185 to $1,000 annually for both eyes. If you wear contacts regularly, you should expect to pay anywhere from $15 to $85 monthly.
This wide range is partly due to the many types of contact lenses available. Contact lenses vary in price based on their design and the vision problems they treat.
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Average and Annual Cost of Contact Lenses
The price depends on the contact lens manufacturers, packaging, and how often you have to replace them.
We created a table below to better show this information:
| Type | Average Price | Annual Cost |
| Daily disposable lenses | $17 to $45 per box (30-pack)$50 to $122 per box (90-pack) | $204 to $540 per year (30-pack)$200 to $488 per year (90-pack) |
| Bi-weekly lenses | $25 to $35 per box of 6 lenses | $270 to $360 per year |
| Monthly lenses | $30 to $50 per box of 6 lenses | $180 to $300 |
| Yearly lenses | — | $50 to $80 per year (changed yearly) |
| Rigid gas permeable (RGP) contacts | $35 to $95 per lens | $70 to $190 per pair (changed yearly) |
| Extended-wear contacts | $45 to $65 per box of 6 lenses | $360 to $520 per year (changed weekly)$90 to $130 per year (changed monthly) |
| Toric lenses | $45 to $85 per box of 6 lenses (soft contacts)$95 per lens (RGP contacts) | $360 to $680 per year (soft, changed weekly)$180 to $340 per year (soft, changed bi-weekly)$190 per year (RGP, changed yearly) |
| Multifocal lenses | $35 to $50 per box (30-pack)$90 to $120 per box (90-pack)$70 to $90 per box of 6 lenses | $420 to $600 per year (30-pack, changed daily)$360 to $480 per year (90-pack, changed daily)$140 to $180 (6-pack, changed monthly) |
| Ortho-K lenses | Initial cost: $1,000 to $4,000 | Additional annual cost: $300 to $500 |
| Colored (Tinted) contact lenses | $45 to $90 monthly | $500 to $1000 |
| Decorative (Cosmetic) contact lenses | $100 to $400 per pair | — |
Types of Contact Lenses
Eye doctors prescribe different types of lenses based on a person’s condition. Each type of contact lens offers different benefits, conveniences, and replacement schedules.
These include:
- Daily disposable contact lenses. Soft contact lenses that are meant to be disposed of at the end of the day.
- Biweekly contact lenses. Designed for longer use. You can wear them for up to two weeks during the day and needs to be soaked in a saline solution overnight.
- Monthly contact lenses. You can wear these for up to 1 month before replacing them.
- Yearly contact lenses. Can be worn safely for up to a year. Requires cleaning and soaking them in a contact lens solution.
- Rigid gas permeable (RGP) Contacts. More durable than soft contact lenses. These specialty lenses are typically used for astigmatism or cornea refractive therapy.
- Extended-wear contacts. Approved for overnight use and can be worn for a week or 30 days.
- Toric lenses. Toric contacts are non-spherical lenses that treat astigmatism. They can be soft contact lenses or RGP lenses.
- Multifocal lenses. Bifocal and multifocal lenses provide clear vision at all distances and are used to correct presbyopia in older people.
- Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) lenses. Orthokeratology is a refractive therapy. It corrects vision problems by slowly reshaping the cornea.
- Colored (tinted) contact lenses. Tinted contacts change the color of your eye while correcting your vision. These contacts are available in daily, extended, and toric lenses.
- Decorative (cosmetic) lenses. Cosmetic lenses approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Unlike other lenses, they don’t correct eyesight.
Additional Costs
In addition to the standard price of contact lenses, other expenses might be added to your total. One of these additional costs is eye exams, which can cost around $40 to $240.
These prices can vary depending on where you get the eye exam. For example, retail outlets and discount stores can charge $45 to $150, and an exam at a vision center can cost up to $80. Meanwhile, optometrists with their own clinics can charge anywhere from $40 to $240, depending on your location.
During an eye exam, your doctor may perform additional procedures like dilation and image testing. These are usually included in your examination fee and can cost you $24 to $33 each when charged separately.
Additionally, you’ll have to spend money on a contact lens case, which usually costs a few dollars, and a contact lens solution ranging from $5 to $20 per bottle. Lastly, contact lens fittings can cost you $25 to $250.
Does Vision Insurance Cover Contacts?
Your insurance will cover some but not all of your expenses. The amount covered will depend on the plan you choose. Vision insurance and vision benefits may cover these costs:
- Preventive eye care. Annual eye examinations
- Prescription eyewear. Eyeglasses and contacts
You can purchase these plans directly from an insurance provider. If you qualify, you can also get them through an employer or government programs like Medicaid and Medicare.
Some providers give additional benefits if you purchase contact lenses together or as an alternative to eyeglasses. Comprehensive vision plans such as LASIK and PRK also offer discounts for elective vision correction.
Can I Use an FSA or HSA to Pay for Contacts?
If you have a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA), you can use them to help pay for contact lenses.
Best Places to Buy Contacts
You can buy contact lenses directly from your doctor’s office. However, it can be more expensive than those you can find online.
Aside from the optometrist, you can get contacts from online retail stores such as:
Lastly, big-box retailers often offer discounted prices on contacts. You can buy them in-store or online at many Walmart and Costco locations.
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