Summer is nearly halfway over, which means the start of a new school year is mere weeks away. Of course, you'll need to snag the basics—finding the best backpacks, clothing and pencils might be easy—but if your child needs glasses, it can come as a shock. Fortunately, the best kids glasses online are stylish, affordable and come in a variety of frames and styles. Whether you’re searching for prescription lenses, toddler specs or blue light glasses for teens, online retailers make it easy to choose frames, upload prescriptions and pick the best design for your child. For example, our top pick for the best kids glasses online, Zenni Optical, offers a wide range of inexpensive specs that can be tried on virtually before you buy.
Shopping for the best kids glasses online means comparing style and prices but also return policies. Transparent Eyeglasses
But when making a decision that’s so specific to the individual—both in terms of fit and functionality—there are some extra factors to consider before making your final purchase. Finding the right pair of kids glasses online takes some research and attention to detail. To simplify your search, we’ve gathered eight popular eyewear brands and highlighted the most useful information, from general turnaround times to return policies—and whether they accept insurance, HSA or FSA. When writing this story, we also consulted with eye care experts: Optician and myopia control specialist at GC Optic, Galo Andrade, and Dr. Valerie Kattouf, pediatric OD, optometry professor and medical reviewer for All About Vision. Here are the best kids glasses online that you can shop now.
Turnaround time: 14-21 business days with standard shipping, expedited shipping options available | Return policy: 30 days for store credit refund | Insurance accepted: No, but accepts HSA and FSA
If you’re new to buying kids’ glasses online, Zenni Optical’s easy-to-navigate site is a great place to start. You can shop by age range—toddler, little kid, pre-teen and teen categories—to find the size, style and features that’ll suit your child. (For instance, you might want flexible frames with kid-friendly glasses straps for tots or affordable yet cool-looking specs for tweens). After finding frames your kiddo might like, give the site’s virtual try-on button a go. Once you pick a pair, they’re easy to customize: Choose from prescription lenses, blue-light blockers, sunglasses or transitional lenses, and then select add-ons like specialty coatings and extra accessories.
Zenni’s glasses are also quite affordable, with prices starting between $10 to $46 before upgrades (most are in the $16 to $25 range). The icing on the cake is the company’s 30-day return policy that offers a 100% store credit or a 50% cash refund via Paypal (excluding shipping). Certain aspects of the glasses are also covered under warranty, like free replacements for damaged frames within the first 30 days.
Turnaround time: 10-16 business days, expedited shipping options available | Return policy: 14 days | Insurance accepted: Yes, and accepts FSA and HSA
If variety is what you’re after (or a specific brand, style or set of features) GlassesUSA.com won’t disappoint. Although the thought of sifting through hundreds of kids’ frames may sound overwhelming, easy-to-use filters—in which you can sort by age, frame shape, brand, color, price and more—will make your search more manageable. Even better, most come with free single-vision prescription if you need it, with optional add-ons like blue light blocking and light transitioning. You can also score deep discounts at the massive optical retailer, with clearance sales. For added reassurance, GlassesUSA.com offers a 14-day, full money-back guarantee return policy, plus free shipping and returns. (Note: The return policy excludes items purchased through an exchange or store credit.)
Turnaround time: 9-14 business days, expedited shipping options available | Return policy: 365 days |Insurance accepted: No, but accepts HSA and FSA
DiscountGlasses.com offers glasses for ages ranging from toddler to little kid to pre-teen to teen and frame prices typically start at $40, but the addition of prescription lenses only adds $10 at the lowest end. Choose from non-prescription, single vision, reading or progressive lenses as well as the type of lens material, and then pick add-ons like blue light filtering, sun tinting and light transitioning coatings and films. And even the wariest of buyers will be at ease with the ample 365-day return policy. That’s right, you have a full year to return your kids’ glasses for any reason and get free return shipping, to boot.
Turnaround time: 7-10 business days, expedited shipping options available | Return policy: 30 day for non-prescription or prescription glasses | Insurance accepted: Yes, and accepts FSA and HSA
Warby Parker is synonymous with trendy, durable eyewear, and now kids can rock similar styles just like their parents. The kids line starts at $95 and can be purchased in-store or over the phone. While you technically can’t make your purchase online, you can take a look at the many styles and silhouettes available on the brand’s site. The “Jr. Jr.” line is designed for children between ages 4 to 8 and comes in a variety of colors. Plus, for every kids pair purchased, a pair is donated to a child in need.
Turnaround time: 7-14 business days, expedited shipping options available | Return policy: 14 days | Insurance accepted: No, but accepts HSA and FSA when affiliated with major credit cards
Eyebuydirect’s selection of frames for kids includes over a dozen classic styles in kid-friendly materials. It’s affordable too, with prices ranging from $12 to $42, plus $7 for standard lenses (with or without prescription). And there are more upgrades you can pick and choose from including blue light blocking, sun tinting and transitional lenses.
Another easy-to-use site, you can shop by age (juniors ages 6-8, tweens and teens) and use the size guide to find the right fit for your kid. A virtual try-on feature also offers a glimpse of how they’ll look on. And if the new specs still aren’t perfect, the company’s 14-day Fit & Style guarantee ensures you can get a replacement or refund. Parents might also appreciate the 365-day Product Guarantee, in which customers are eligible for a one-time replacement pair if the glasses aren’t holding up as they should. Looking to buy multiples? You can save 30% on orders totaling $65 or more with code FORBES30.
Turnaround time: 10-14 business days, expedited shipping options available | Return policy: 30 days | Insurance accepted: No, but accepts HSA and FSA
Do you have a child who can’t make up their mind? You might want to consider Pair Eyewear. Created especially for kids, the brand name is actually a play on words—you can order clip-on covers to change the look of the frames, effectively getting multiple pairs in one. While glasses start at $60, including prescription or non-prescription lenses (with the exception of progressives), specialty add-ons like blue light filtering and light responsiveness are an additional charge and toppers range from $25 to $30 a pop.
The base styles come in five flattering shapes and your choice of six neutral(ish) colors, from clear to classic tortoiseshell. But youngsters can really express themselves with the snap-on top frame covers, which offer dozens upon dozens of options, including sparkles, funky floral, Harry Potter themes, superheroes, sports team logos and more. They can also choose tinted sun tops that transform their glasses to sunnies in a snap.
Turnaround time: 10-15 business days, expedited shipping options available | Return policy: 90 days | Insurance accepted: Yes, and accepts FSA and HSA
With over dozens of kids’ styles from brands like Ray-Ban, Coach and Vogue, Target offers plenty of higher-end eyewear options, as well as more affordable frames from its Cat & Jack line. While its kids’ frames typically start at $80 and go up from there, the retailer is currently running a deal on select pairs where you can snag both a frame and the lenses for a total of $59 or less.
Target Optical does accept insurance as well as HSA and FSA, which can offset or cancel the out-of-pocket cost. But the truly redeeming factor is the generous return policy, a 90-day Unconditional Guarantee that promises complete satisfaction or your money back, no questions asked. In short, if your child just wants fashion-forward frames and you’re not looking for any extra features, Target Optical is your spot, especially if you have insurance.
Turnaround time: 8-12 business days, expedited shipping options available | Return policy: 30 day for non-prescription glasses or frames (all prescription lenses are non-returnable) | Insurance accepted: No, but accepts HSA and FSA
Jonas Paul is exclusively a kids’ glasses brand and all its specs are made with quality materials designed for durability and comfort. They also have some truly fashionable pairs available in toddler to teen sizes. The online retailer offers a streamlined shopping experience with frames organized by age range and gender, so you can narrow your search from the get-go. While the cost of frames range from $59 to $89, basic prescription or non-prescription lenses can be added for free. You can also choose pricier upgrades like polarized sunglasses, blue light filtering and light responsiveness.
But where this brand really shines is its at-home try-on kit, which lets you borrow a set of seven frames to test out for a week at the cost of $1. While virtual try-ons are also an option, you’ll probably want to opt for the kit, since glasses are non-returnable once prescription lenses are put in. The brand promises to replace glasses (depending on the purchase price) that exhibit a manufacturer defect or scratched lenses within 30 days, or you can purchase an additional yearlong warranty.
The Forbes Vetted team has researched and published several stories about shopping for eyewear online, from contact lenses to blue light blocking glasses. And, as many of us are glasses and contacts-wearers ourselves, it’s a subject with which we have personal experience, including the author of this story, Karen Tietjen, and the editor: senior baby and kids gear editor, Rose Gordon Sala. Further, many of us on the team are parents, so we know that taking care of your child’s eyesight is of the utmost importance to you, and it is to us, too.
That’s why we also enlisted the help of several eye care experts to help write this story. This includes: Galo Andrade, optician and myopia control specialist at GC Optic; Nicole Lord, vice president of merchandising and supply chain for My Eyelab; Doug Zarkin, CMO of Pearle Vision and Dr. Valerie Kattouf, pediatric OD, optometry professor and medical reviewer for All About Vision.
To create this list, we started by referencing our story on the best prescription glasses online and pulled some of the tried and tested retailers that also offer kids’ lenses. Then, we compared the value and quality of the selection of each, insurance eligibility, return policy and order turnaround time.
We spent time on each site to see if we genuinely enjoyed the experience and learned about any special offers or features. We also made sure to add a variety of styles and price points to suit the needs of families across the board. To stay up-to-date on the best kids glasses online, we regularly update this article for accuracy. We last updated this story in July 2023 to review new options and update prices. We also added Warby Parker to our list of picks.
Shopping for glasses for your child can be stressful. There are plenty of variables to consider, and we know that this is a time-consuming, often multi-step process that begins with a doctor’s appointment and ends with (hopefully) a one-and-done glasses shopping experience, so we’re here to help make things easier.
Interpreting your child’s prescription
After your kid’s RX comes in, there will be a number of possible codes on it that all mean different things. Here’s a quick cheat sheet:
Andrade, optician at GC Optics, explains that having the right prescription information on hand is key, especially when it comes to the pupillary distance (PD) measurement. “[PD] marks exactly where the center of the eye is in the lenses,” he says. “Vision won't be perfect without this number. You can ask your ophthalmologist or optometrist when writing the prescription if they can share the PD with you. There may be a fee, but it's important to have this very exact measurement for the most precise lens design.”
Lord at My Eyelab, notes some features to look for, like a selection of lenses to suit your kid’s comfort level and lifestyle. For instance, “polycarbonate lenses are scratch-resistant and have UV protection built in,” she says. “ And the option to upgrade to blue light-blocking lenses is great for kids who spend a lot of time in front of screens.”
Of course, cost is another thing to keep in mind, but it’s important to look beyond the initial price tag. Make note of the retailer’s return policy, any warranties and whether or not they accept insurance or HSA or FSA. And while some glasses retailers don’t work directly with insurance companies, many plans offer a stipend to reimburse vision purchases as out-of-network expenses, so it’s worth taking a closer look at your benefits (pun intended).
If this isn’t your child’s first pair of glasses, also consider how well they’ve handled the previous pairs. If they tend to lose them, or are too young to take proper care of them, you may want to opt for the most affordable glasses or examine the warranty.
As with any online purchase, it’s important to note the brand’s return and warranty policies. With glasses, this is especially important because a pair that feels uncomfortable (whether it’s the prescription or frame style) becomes a waste of money. Since glasses orders are customized, most return policies have limited terms; for instance, some retailers only allow exchanges, some are only for the first order and you usually have to make any return or exchange decisions within a certain timeframe. If your child is accident-prone (or, just behaving as a typical kid) also look at warranty information, as some retailers will replace lenses or frames that get broken or scratched.
Finally, it’s crucial to choose a set of frames that your child will actually wear. “Emotionally, it’s critical to ensure your child plays an active part of the journey,” says Zarkin, CMO of Pearle Vision. “To help ease the emotional transition that many kids face, encourage your child to find a pair that they feel good about,” he says.
Andrade says that fit is the number one most important aspect of choosing glasses for your kid. “Parents need to be fit detectives and check all aspects of it,” he says, and points out key areas to watch out for:
Shopping for kids’ glasses online isn’t as easy as picking up the rest of their school supplies, such as a lunch box or water bottle, but it can save you an extra trip to the eye doctor and in many cases a good chunk of money. The best advice: Stick to a retailer that has a return policy or warranty you’re comfortable with, and take advantage of onsite live chat features to ask questions along the way.
The truth is, unfortunately, you might not know. That’s according to Dr. Valerie Kattouf, Pediatric OD, optometry professor and medical reviewer for All About Vision. “The most important thing for parents to understand is that your child may need a vision correction but may not show any symptoms,” she said. There are some telltale signs that you can look out for, like squinting, blinking, eye rubbing and getting close to books or digital devices, and if they complain about frequent headaches, eye strain and fatigue, it’s time to speak with their doctor.
Kattouf adds that children with eye issues also often struggle in school with reading and have poor fine motor skills. But kids are great at hiding things, so regular visits to the doctor are recommended.
Kattouf stresses that frames that fit well are “gravely important” for kids and says that it’s “critical” for parents to work with a trained optician to know what their child’s proper fit is ahead of ordering online. If your child’s frames seem too wide for their face, slip down their nose or don’t sit straight next to the temple, you might not have the right fit, she adds.
Their eyes should be in the center of the frame, and sometimes, with heavier prescriptions, an elastic band that loops around the back of their head is needed to help keep the frames up.
Online glasses are often the same ones you’d find in a store or at your doctor’s office, so they’re certainly safe for your child. Kattouf stresses, however, that parents should always “research the quality of the ophthalmic lens material and be certain that polycarbonate lenses (shatterproof) are prescribed for your child,” since kids tend to break theirs.
Generally, kids glasses online range in price from $50 to over $100. Most of the picks on our list are on the inexpensive side; our best overall pick from Zenni Opticals has styles starting at just $10 per pair. Our most affordable pick—DiscountGlasses.com—also offers a variety of budget-friendly frames, with styles starting at $24.
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Get in touch: cfarivar@forbes.com or +1-341-758-0888 (Signal/WhatsApp)
NSJ is a journalist and editor specializing in fashion, beauty, lifestyle, culture. Her work has appeared in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Grazia, The Guardian, Telegraph Fashion, The Sydney Morning Herald.
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I am an updates writer for Forbes Vetted, and I optimize content related to fashion, beauty, and travel. Before joining the team, I was a commerce writer for Bustle Digital Group as well as a freelance entertainment journalist with regular contributions to ScreenCrush, PopCrush, and more. I have a B.F.A. from Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, and I currently reside in Long Beach, California.
I grew up in northern Vermont running, skiing, playing soccer and chasing after my sister and her friends, endlessly writing our escapades down in journals. After earning an environmental studies degree at Brown University, I moved to Boulder, Colorado, where I received a master's in journalism from the University of Colorado, met my now-husband, and learned how to climb. I spent the following six years at Backcountry Magazine, the last two as Editor in Chief, writing about the nitty gritty of backcountry ski tech, as well as big picture topics like how climate change is impacting our favorite ski zones and the need for greater inclusion in the sport. I now spend my time raising my wild child and moonlighting as a freelance writer, gear reviewer, and flower farmer.
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