1-800 Contacts
1-800 Contacts is a US direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer of contact lenses, serving millions of wearers through its website, mobile app, and 24/7 service, with 90%+ US vision insurance coverage and a private-label AquaSoft brand. In March 2025 it expanded into eyewear via The Framery, and it operates as a KKR Strategic Holdings portfolio company.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersDraper, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What 1-800 Contacts does
1-800 Contacts is a US-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer specializing in contact lenses, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Draper, Utah. The company sells contact lenses from major manufacturers (Johnson & Johnson/Acuvue, Alcon, Bausch + Lomb, CooperVision) through its website, iOS and Android mobile apps, and 24/7 phone, text, and chat service. It also distributes a proprietary private-label daily disposable brand, AquaSoft Daily, sourced directly from manufacturer at $25/box — roughly 40% below leading brand pricing. The company operates as a subsidiary of KKR & Co.'s Strategic Holdings unit and serves millions of US contact lens wearers, with in-network status across 90%+ of US vision insurance plans (Davis Vision, Superior Vision, Spectera, Blue View Vision, Anthem BCBS, Solstice).
The underlying technology stack consists of a prescription verification platform with a triple-check process, a mobile-first e-commerce application with a stored prescription wallet, real-time order tracking, and an instant insurance-benefit lookup tool. ExpressExam provides a $20 online vision exam completed in approximately 10 minutes, with board-certified ophthalmologist review and prescription issuance within two business hours. The Gajillion Percent Promise — a customer guarantee covering best-price matching, free torn-lens replacement, free returns, and 24/7 US-based service — is positioned as the core service differentiator.
Revenue is generated primarily through transactional contact lens sales, with secondary streams from the AquaSoft private label (which captures manufacturer-level margin), the $20 ExpressExam fee, and the recently launched The Framery eyewear subsidiary (frames and lenses starting at $79, launched March 2025 with virtual and in-home try-on). The go-to-market is digital-first, insurance-driven, and mobile-app-centric, with a 30% first-order discount used as the primary acquisition lever. In March 2025 the company expanded into the broader eyewear category via The Framery, building on prior eyewear-adjacent moves such as the 2017 Liingo Eyewear acquisition and the 2019 acquisition of 6over6.
1-800 Contacts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 1-800 Contacts
- Legal name
- 1-800 Contacts
- Website
- http://www.1800contacts.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- 1-800 Contacts is a US direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer of contact lenses, serving millions of wearers through its website, mobile app, and 24/7 service, with 90%+ US vision insurance coverage and a private-label AquaSoft brand. In March 2025 it expanded into eyewear via The Framery, and it operates as a KKR Strategic Holdings portfolio company.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
1-800 Contacts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Contact Lens Retail
- NAICS
- Optical Goods Retailers (45613), Optical Goods Retailers (456130), Offices of Optometrists (62132), Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115)
- SIC
- Ophthalmic Goods (3851)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Contact Lenses & Care Systems (Soft/RGP/Scleral Lenses; Cleaning/Disinfection Solutions) (HLAHAJAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Retail (Glasses/Frames/Lenses) (HLAKAKAL), Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Devices (Frames, Lenses, Lens Edging/Finishing Equipment) (HLAHAJAD), Prescription Eyewear Frames (Optical) (CRAAAKAA)
Keywords
Where 1-800 Contacts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Draper
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
1-800 Contacts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Contact Lens Sales: Direct sales of contact lenses from major manufacturers (Johnson & Johnson/Acuvue, Alcon, Bausch + Lomb, CooperVision). Products sold in various pack sizes with manufacturer rebates available. Primary revenue driver with 30% off first-order promotions to acquire new customers.
- Private Label Contact Lenses (AquaSoft): Proprietary AquaSoft Daily brand manufactured directly, cutting out middlemen. Sells at $25/box vs $50-$85 for leading daily brands, offering 40% savings. Direct manufacturer relationship enables lower pricing.
- Online Vision Exam (ExpressExam): $20 fee for online prescription renewal exam. Board-certified ophthalmologist review included. FSA/HSA eligible. Generates new prescriptions and customer acquisition for contact lens sales.
- Eyewear/Glasses (The Framery): Sister brand The Framery sells frames and lenses starting at $79. Complete prescription eyewear with virtual try-on and in-home try-on programs. Leverages direct manufacturer partnerships to eliminate designer markups.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One-time | First order discount - 30% off |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Standard contact lens pricing by brand |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | AquaSoft Daily - proprietary daily disposable |
| Other | Annual | Vision insurance savings |
| Unit Pricing | Per use | Online vision exam (ExpressExam) |
| Unit Pricing | One-time | Eyewear - Frames + lenses (The Framery) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
1-800 Contacts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
1-800 Contacts is a direct-to-consumer online retailer of contact lenses, selling products from major manufacturers (Acuvue, Air Optix, Biofinity, Bausch + Lomb, CooperVision, Dailies) as well as its own private-label brand AquaSoft Daily. Customers order via website or mobile app, with the company handling prescription verification, vision insurance benefit application, and home delivery. The company also offers an online vision exam service (ExpressExam) for prescription renewal and has expanded into prescription eyewear through sister brand The Framery.
Product overview
1-800 Contacts operates a direct-to-consumer online platform for contact lenses and has expanded into eyewear through its sister brand The Framery. The core product is an online contact lens ordering platform offering multiple manufacturers' brands (Acuvue, Air Optix, Biofinity, Bausch + Lomb, CooperVision, Dailies) with prescription verification, insurance integration, and home delivery. Supporting services include ExpressExam for online prescription renewal, a mobile app for iOS/Android, and vision insurance integration. The company also launched its own private-label daily contact lens brand, AquaSoft Daily, priced at $25/box. Recent expansion includes The Framery for prescription glasses and sunglasses starting at $79 with free lenses, leveraging virtual try-on and in-home try-on programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Contact Lens Ordering Platform Online ordering platform selling contact lenses from major manufacturers (Acuvue, Air Optix, Biofinity, Bausch + Lomb, CooperVision, Dailies) with prescription verification, insurance integration, and home delivery. For individual contact lens wearers.
- AquaSoft Daily Proprietary private-label daily disposable contact lens brand priced at $25 per box, featuring 4x more breathability than leading competitors and up to 40% cost savings. Made from advanced silicone hydrogel material with UVA/UVB protection.
- The Framery (Eyewear/Glasses) Sister-brand e-commerce site for prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses offering frames starting at $79 with free prescription lenses included. Features virtual try-on technology and a complimentary in-home try-on program. Delivers high-quality frames directly to consumers without designer markups.
- ExpressExam Online vision exam service allowing customers to renew their contact lens or glasses prescription from home in approximately 10 minutes. A board-certified ophthalmologist reviews results and issues a valid prescription, typically within two business hours. Costs $20 and is FSA/HSA eligible. Available in most U.S. states.
- Mobile App iOS and Android mobile application enabling customers to order contacts, reorder in as few as three taps, track orders in real-time, access a prescription wallet, and chat with customer service 24/7. Supports Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, PayPal, AfterPay, and HSA/FSA payments.
- Vision Insurance Integration Service enabling customers to look up and apply vision insurance benefits at checkout. Accepts over 90% of vision insurance plans including Davis Vision, Superior Vision, Spectera, Blue View Vision, and Anthem BCBS. Saves customers an average of $130 per year.
Quantifiable outcome
- Customers save $130 on average per year with vision insurance
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use 1-800 Contacts
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
1-800 Contacts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
Feature5 records
1-800 Contacts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.
- Davis VisionmajorIn-network vision insurance provider. 1-800 Contacts automatically applies Davis Vision benefits at checkout for customers with valid insurance.
- Superior Vision (Versant Health)majorIn-network vision insurance provider. Customers can instantly verify and apply Superior Vision benefits at checkout.
- Spectera (United Healthcare)majorIn-network vision insurance provider. Spectera benefits auto-applied at checkout for United Healthcare vision plan holders.
- Blue View VisionmajorIn-network vision insurance provider under the Anthem/Blue Cross Blue Shield network.
- Anthem BCBS (EyeMed)majorIn-network vision insurance provider administered through EyeMed. Anthem BCBS members can apply vision benefits at checkout.
- The FramerycoreSister brand/subsidiary launched in March 2025 as an online destination for high-quality frames and lenses. Features virtual try-on, prescription integration, and in-home try-on program. Complete prescription eyewear starting at $79. Direct partnerships with manufacturers to offer premium frames without designer markups.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
1-800 Contacts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- EssilorLuxottica: Global eyewear and lens manufacturer/retailer controlling major brands (Ray-Ban, Oakley, LensCrafters, Pearle Vision) and a large share of the optical supply chain. Comparable to 1-800 Contacts as the dominant incumbent whose vertical integration The Framery's 'cut out the middleman' pitch directly targets.
- Costco Optical: Optical retail operations within Costco, offering contact lenses, eyeglasses, and eye exams at value pricing to a large membership base. Comparable as a scaled, low-cost contact lens retailer whose pricing intensity sets the floor for the value tier.
Direct peers
- EyeBuyDirect: Online eyewear retailer offering affordable prescription glasses and sunglasses. Directly comparable to The Framery on price-led D2C positioning and direct manufacturer relationships eliminating designer markups.
- Hubble Contacts: Direct-to-consumer daily contact lens subscription brand. Competes with 1-800 Contacts' AquaSoft private label on the same value-tier daily disposable segment, though its trajectory has been constrained by regulatory and brand challenges.
- Zenni Optical: Leading online prescription eyewear retailer offering extremely low-priced frames and lenses. Comparable to The Framery's value-priced $79 entry point and direct-to-consumer model with no physical retail footprint.
- Warby Parker: Direct-to-consumer eyewear brand selling prescription glasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses online with a virtual try-on and insurance integration model. Directly comparable to The Framery's positioning and increasingly to 1-800 Contacts' broader eyewear/lens offering.
- Lens.com: Online retailer of contact lenses with prescription verification, manufacturer rebates, and direct-to-consumer shipping. Most direct head-to-head competitor to 1-800 Contacts' core contact lens retail business.
- Liingo Eyewear: Online prescription eyewear brand acquired by 1-800 Contacts in 2017. Provides direct comparable performance data on The Framery's likely trajectory, as the same D2C eyewear model has been tried within 1-800 Contacts' portfolio.
- America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses: Large US optical retail chain offering contact lenses, eyeglasses, and eye exams at value pricing. Comparable to 1-800 Contacts as a price-aggressive contact lens retailer targeting the same insurance-driven, value-conscious customer segment.
Emerging players
- Hims & Hers Health: Telehealth platform expanding into vision care and online prescription services. Comparable as an emerging tech-enabled consumer health brand with adjacent digital prescription and D2C pharmacy capabilities that could overlap with ExpressExam and contact lens subscription models.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
1-800 Contacts social profiles
Digital presence1-800 Contacts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
1-800 Contacts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
1-800 Contacts subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
1-800 Contacts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
1-800 Contacts M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 1-800 Contacts
What does 1-800 Contacts do?
1-800 Contacts is a direct-to-consumer online retailer of contact lenses, selling products from major manufacturers (Acuvue, Air Optix, Biofinity, Bausch + Lomb, CooperVision, Dailies) as well as its own private-label brand AquaSoft Daily. Customers order via website or mobile app, with the company handling prescription verification, vision insurance benefit application, and home delivery. The company also offers an online vision exam service (ExpressExam) for prescription renewal and has expanded into prescription eyewear through sister brand The Framery.
Is 1-800 Contacts a public or private company?
1-800 Contacts is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was 1-800 Contacts founded?
1-800 Contacts was founded in 1995. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is 1-800 Contacts based?
1-800 Contacts is headquartered in Draper, United States, in the North America region.
How does 1-800 Contacts make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Contact Lens Sales are the primary driver. The others are private Label Contact Lenses (AquaSoft), online Vision Exam (ExpressExam) and eyewear/Glasses (The Framery).
Who are 1-800 Contacts's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are EssilorLuxottica and Costco Optical. Direct peers are EyeBuyDirect, Hubble Contacts, Zenni Optical, Warby Parker, Lens.com, Liingo Eyewear and America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses. Hims & Hers Health is listed as an emerging player.
Does 1-800 Contacts have an API?
No public API is recorded for 1-800 Contacts.
What industry is 1-800 Contacts in?
1-800 Contacts's product category is Online Contact Lens Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAHAJAE, Contact Lenses & Care Systems (Soft/RGP/Scleral Lenses; Cleaning/Disinfection Solutions), with a secondary code of HLAKAKAL, Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Retail (Glasses/Frames/Lenses). Its NAICS code is 45613 and its SIC code is 3851.