Article updated on June 18, 2024 at 8:39 AM PDT
We've put together our top picks for places to get the best reading glasses for your needs and personal style. Thug Life Glasses
Figure out what power or strength you need your reading glasses' lenses to be.
Choose a pair of reading glasses that suit your personal style and where you plan to wear them.
Look at the site's shipping, warranty and returns policies to make sure you can order online worry-free.
With 4+ years covering health and eye care products, we consider power, price, shipping and return policy to determine our roundup of the best places to buy reading glasses.
It's natural for your eyes to get weaker as you age. Having trouble reading is quite common, and nearly everyone will develop some degree of presbyopia over time, the technical term for age-related blurry vision caused by the lens of the eye becoming less flexible.
"The human lens grows like a little onion and adds layers, and right around age 40 becomes stiffer," Dr. Viola Kanevsky, a past president of the New York State Optometric Association, told CNET. "Even a person who's always had perfect vision suddenly needs reading glasses and starts to pull things out further."
The American Academy of Ophthalmology says that if presbyopia is your only vision problem, reading glasses can be a simple solution. While the best option is to get a thorough eye exam to determine your prescription and specific power requirement, you can easily buy reading glasses online and have them shipped right to your door.
You'll find tons of retailers offering reading glasses online, but not all of them are created equally. We've sifted through nearly a dozen sites, carefully considering customer reviews, product variety and shipping policies to help you narrow down your choices. Find out where to get the best readers and find your perfect pair.
GlassesUSA is our pick for the best overall reading glasses you can buy online, thanks to its well-rounded inventory, fair policies and great customer reviews. GlassesUSA was also one of CNET's picks for the best online glasses and best prescription sunglasses.
GlassesUSA offers nearly 200 frames as reading glasses. You can get lens powers from +0.25 to +4 on every pair, which is one of the widest ranges out of all the brands we looked at -- even people with very weak or very strong farsightedness can get their readers here. There are many different styles to choose from, from traditional to bold. Frequent sales bring the prices down to as low as about $34 for a pair. GlassesUSA also has other policies and perks that make it a convenient vendor to buy from. These include virtual try-ons, free shipping, free returns or exchanges and a year-long warranty.
Warby Parker is a popular and well-known brand in the online glasses world, and for good reason. Its site makes it easy to shop for the exact styles you're interested in based on size, shape, color and more. You can try on frames virtually or even at home. All of Warby Parker's glasses are available as reading glasses with powers from +0.25 to +2.75. Glasses start at $95 and come with free shipping and 30-day returns.
You can't go wrong with a budget pair of glasses from Zenni, with more than 1,700 frames to choose from. The company now offers a line of ready-to-wear readers with powers from +0.50 to +2.75 starting at just $7. (If you need +0.25, you can also go the custom route.) The site offers a virtual try-on experience and because the frames are so affordable, it's easy to get a couple of pairs for different occasions or to stash in different locations. If you do change your mind, make a return within two weeks for a refund or within 30 days for store credit.
There's something to be said for buying a pair of reading glasses from a brand that's dedicated to that specific product. Readers.com offers little perks like an online "PowerFinder" to help you determine the best strength for your eyes, and it sells frames in +1 to +4 powers to accommodate a wide range of vision needs. The site's frames come in a range of prices and styles (over 500). You can filter your search by shape, style and more.
Peepers, a brand you might recognize from talk shows or Oprah's Favorite Things, is ideal for people who want a bolder or more creative look at a reasonable price. The brand keeps things simple: The selection isn't huge, but it is well-curated and each pair of glasses is the exact same price: $29 (before tax and any discounts). Virtual try-on is available, and shipping is free over $42. Powers range from +1 to +4.
Pair Eyewear is unique in that each of its frames allows for multiple different looks -- you can add magnetic attachments to the frames to achieve a new color or pattern. Any one of the frames on Pair's website can be made into reading glasses with strengths from +0.25 to +2.75 for the same price as a prescription pair of glasses. There are 15 base frames for women and 11 base frames for men to choose from and almost 500 tops to switch out per frame. CNET reporter Jessica Rendall explained the process in detail in her pair eyewear review.
The easiest and surest way is to see an eye doctor, especially if you think you need a stronger pair. Another alternative is to try on glasses of different strengths; pick the lowest power that you can see well with. An online diopter chart can also help you find the closest power that may help you read.
Anti Glare Glasses Yes, cheap reading glasses are perfectly acceptable, and there's no reason to shell out more than $25 for a pair unless you want to. Just know that cheaper frames may not last as long or hold up to as much wear and tear as higher-quality ones.