Why We Love the Costco Vision Center + Our Best Tips & Tricks!
If you’re in need of new glasses or contacts, visit the Costco Vision Center to score a great price!
There’s a lot to love about the Costco Vision Center. 😎
Costco always gets a lot of praise for having great prices and a wide selection of products, but one area that deserves a little more hype is the Costco Vision Center. They offer competitive pricing on new glasses and contacts. Though you can use a prescription from an outside doctor, The Costco eye center also works with trained opticians so you can also get a full eye exam there, if needed.
According to Reddit, Costco eyeglasses are considered better than both Target and Walmart and according to the Miami Herald, Costco is the best place to buy contact lenses. Hip2Save’s Lina has shopped there for years and has scored some great deals on eyewear. If you want to take advantage of this Costco perk, we’re here to tell you the details you need to know!
What kinds of products can you find at the Costco eye center?
Costco Optical carries a wide selection of stylish eyeglasses and sunglasses. The only catch is that you have to be a Costco member to purchase them. When it comes to frames, you’ll recognize name brands like Fendi and Ray-Ban. Additionally, Costco now has Universal Fit frames which provide you more room from temple to temple.
When it comes to lenses and treatments for lenses, the selection available is pretty impressive. Just check out some of their options:
- Kirkland Signature HD Progressive Lenses – Get high definition at any distance! These value lenses are custom-made for your prescription and offer you a wider reading area. They’re also scratch resistant and receive anti-reflective treatment.
- Polarized Lenses – Costco’s polarized lenses are a notch above the standard tinted glasses. These special lenses protect against glare and block 100% of harmful UV rays. For an additional cost, you can customize them with silver, gold, or blue flash mirror coating.
- Gen 8 Transitions Photochromic Lenses – Want lenses that are clear indoors but darken as you step outside? Check out these handy lenses from Transitions. They block 100% of UV rays and protect against harmful blue light and health problems like eye fatigue or strain. They’re available in single vision and as Kirkland Signature HD Progressive Lenses.
- Drivewear Transitions Photochromic Lenses – These innovative lenses are ideal for driving because they adapt to various daylight conditions and reduce excess light. When you’re behind the windshield, these lenses become a copper color to enhance your depth perception. If the outdoors are particularly bright, the lenses darken to a red-brown to provide you comfort. Lastly, if the sky is overcast, they become a green/yellow which minimizes glare.
- Blue Anti-Reflective Treatments Lenses – Living in the technology era, you may have heard about blue light and how it could potentially damage your eyes or interrupt your sleep cycle. This harmful blue light is emitted from our electronics, digital devices, LED lights, and even the sun. The Costco Vision Center offers special lenses that have blue light filtering. This means that the lenses reduce the harmful blue light while allowing you to receive beneficial light. Choosing these lenses may help you to reduce any potential harm to your eyes. Plus, they reduce glare and reflections.
- Anti-Reflective Treatment Lenses – Have you ever been driving at night and noticed a lot of reflections in your glasses? This anti-reflective treatment can provide clarity and minimize the reflections that you and others see in your glasses. These lenses come in standard or blue light protection versions.
- Multi-functional Lenses – These lenses provide an intermediate reading area and can help prevent against eye strain and fatigue.
- Brand Name Contact Lenses – If you’re looking for a great deal on contact lenses, Costco may be the place to go. They offer brand name contacts like Acuvue, Precision 1, Biofinity, Clariti Day 1, Dailies, Total 30, and more! They also have their own line of Kirkland Signature contact lenses that are usually available at a very affordable price.
Hip2Save’s Monica often gets her contacts at Costco. Here’s what she had to say:
“I haven’t gotten my exam there, but I know if you do, they have their own contact lens brand thats supposedly much cheaper than most. But you have to get your prescription for that exact brand during your exam! Aside from that, I only ever buy my 1-A-Day Acuvue contacts from Costco or Sam’s. No one can beat their prices even with insurance (1-800 Contacts comes close with their rebates).
– Monica, Hip2Save
Does the Costco eye center have any current deals?
Yes, Costco is running a special deal on contact lenses right now and Costco members can save up to $95 depending on how many boxes they buy.
Regularly priced, their box of 90 disposable contact lenses costs $58.99 or about 66¢ per lens. If you buy 4 boxes, you’ll save $35 and pay just 56¢ per lens. If you buy 8 boxes, you’ll save $95 and pay just 52¢ per lens! The offer is valid through 12/31/2023 so you can take advantage of it anytime this year. You just have to be a Costco member to purchase.
If this isn’t the deal for you, check in-store to see what your warehouse is offering. Hip2Save’s Lina has seen many Buy One Get One $50 Off deals at the Costco near her.
How much does the average pair of glasses from Costco cost?
According to Consumer Reports, the average out-of-pocket expense for a pair of glasses from Costco is around $186 which is half of what Lens Crafters charges. Hip2Save’s Lina recently bought a pair of glasses from Costco and she confirmed that they truly were half the price!
How much does a Costco eye exam cost?
A Costco eye exam without insurance costs between $60 to $100 depending on your location. Though you need to be a Costco member to buy frames and lenses, you do not need to be a Costco member to receive an eye exam. If you do receive an exam, you are not obligated to use your prescription at Costco.
Does Costco take vision insurance?
It used to be that Costco did not take insurance, but according to their website, they now take most vision insurance plans. Your vision insurance may help further reduce the cost of lenses and frames.
As for doctor visits, Costco’s doctors are contractors, so it’s best to double-check to see if the exam portion of your visit qualifies. Before making an appointment, call your Costco Optical to get further details and verify with your insurance company that the Independent Doctor of Optometry you are seeing is covered.
What are the Costco Vision Center hours?
If you’re looking to buy a pair of Costco eyeglasses, visit the Costco Vision Center during normal business hours. These hours vary by location but most are accessible between 10 AM – 6 PM with some centers staying open as late as 8:30 PM.
Hip2Save’s Lina buys her glasses from the Costco eye center…
Lina recently got a great price on some glasses she purchased from Costco. We’re loving these winning looks! Both pairs are high-quality without the burden of a luxury price tag. 😍🙌
Here’s what Lina had to say about Costco Optical:
“Costco Vision Center is THE BEST!! 🤓 [Our location has] an eye doctor but you can’t use insurance. We just go to our eye doctor, print out our prescription and head straight to the store to save hundreds over our eye doctor. We have used Costco Optical for years and are obsessed! They are so helpful and NOT sales-y. If you have visited an optical shop lately it’s like buying a car with expensive add ons and I hate it. BUT I have a face that needs to try on in-store. Costco often runs a buy one get $50 off a 2nd pair of glasses.They do have stylish frames too. I am wearing Fendi ones now. ❤️
My hack if you really want a certain frame is you can buy designer on Amazon and take your prescription to Costco. I once tried on Tiffany & Co. glasses at Lens Crafters, wrote down the number, bought the frames on Amazon, and took them to Costco. It saved over half over Lens Crafters.
Also sunglasses! I now need prescription sunglasses and the Kirkland copycat Ray Ban aviators are cuuute, and nice quality. You can opt for tinted, polarized glasses in various colors too.” – Lina, Hip2Save team
I’m going to check this out on my next visit. My glasses from last year were $500. 🥴
Same here! 😔 They can get pricey! I’m excited for this savings idea too, amyh! 🙌
Costco wouldn’t sell me any more contacts – they berated me saying I should only change my contacts once a month never more and that I bought too many for the year and I was cut off.
Oh darn! SO very sorry to hear about that experience. ❤️ I haven’t purchased from Costco, however I have worn contacts regularly before and now only wear them occasionally. I believe it can vary as to the type of contacts you have, to how often you’d switch to a new pair. I wonder if this was a limitation on your eye insurance? Maybe reach out to customer service to look further into it for you. Hoping they may be able to offer more help.🤗 I do see a chat option at the bottom right of their site.
I love this post/timing as I need a new pair of glasses. Lina you look amazing & so classy with your eye glasses and sunglasses.
Do you know if I can bring a pair of reading glasses with the lenses? I want to reuse my Burberry reading glasses. I have a new prescription. Thanks. I love these Hip2save posts.
You all have changed my life with All these savings’ tips!
Yes you can! Every time I get a new prescription, I reuse the old frames. Great money saver.
Oh, thank you so much Mod Mom! Yes, you can bring those. I have before. There is a small fee the last time I did this if not using their frames, but still worth it!
I have never heard of the Drivewear eyeglasses, they are just what I need, thanks! I have been buying my glasses there for the last 8 years. The only time I had a problem is when my frames had paint loss, found out that it was a common thing with metal frames that are painted. Luckily they replaced them since it was less than a year since I bought them. So, that was the last time I bought those, it’s plastic frames from now on.
Thank you for the tips! Do you have any tips on Costco hearing aids?
Yes! My husband experienced sudden hearing loss last year and Costco saved us a ton of money compared to what the doctor could sell us. I highly recommend setting up an appt at your store for this! He got all set up and is pleased with the customer service there.
Thank you! Do you know if you have to be a member? (It is for my Dad, and I am a member, but he is not.)
Yes I looked up online and believe you do.
Buyer beware! I’ve purchased contact lenses online from Costco so tried to purchase prescription glasses instore, worst mistake I have ever made. Took over 3 weeks to get my glasses and when they finally arrived, the lenses were too opaque and could hardly see out of them. I even shelled out extra for progressives. When I brought this to the attention of the staff, she said, “sorry there’s nothing we can do about it since we don’t give refunds.” Waste of time and money since I can’t even see with them. Please be aware of their no prescription glasses refund policy before buying!
The last time I interacted w/ the Vision Center staff was a decade ago. They didn’t seem very friendly back then.
Also, if you buy you lenses at Costco they will replace the nose pads, and re-adjust them anytime even like 2 years later, no charge.