Buy Your Glasses at Warby Parker? Beware This Pitfall

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Warby Parker is a great place to buy affordable glasses. But read on to learn about one pitfall. 

I’ve been wearing glasses since I was a child, so naturally, I’ve gone through my fair share of frames and styles. As a kid, I rocked a pair of neon pink frames for several years before switching over to round John Lennon-style glasses during high school. And in college, I frankly bought the cheapest glasses I could find, since money was tight for me back then.

In recent years, I’ve taken to buying my eyeglasses from Warby Parker due to its affordable price point. I have vision insurance and am entitled to one pair of glasses per year — with a copay — if I use an in-network provider, which Warby Parker is not. However, because I’m limited to that network, I’m limited to expensive frames that still leave me with a sizable copay.

At Warby Parker, glasses start at just $95. That’s less than my copay using insurance. So even though Warby Parker is out of network for me, it’s cheaper for me to get my glasses from it. And, my insurance provider gives me a small out-of-network allowance, so I get a little of what I spend on Warby Parker frames back.

But while I love using Warby Parker, I recently encountered a hiccup. And it’s one you should be aware of if you use the company for glasses.

When your favorite frames are discontinued

Warby Parker has a generous policy with scratched or damaged lenses. If your lenses are scratched within six months of getting them, the company will replace your glasses for free one time.

In some cases, if your prescription has changed or your lenses are more than six months old, Warby Parker will extend a one-time lens replacement discount starting at $35 toward a replacement pair of the same glasses (or sunglasses).

However, this system only works when Warby Parker continues to make your frames. Sometimes, Warby Parker will discontinue certain styles. And when that happens, you can’t simply get your lenses replaced so you can keep your existing frames.

So now, I have a problem. Granted, it’s a first-world problem, but an annoyance nonetheless.

I really like my current Warby Parker frames, but they aren’t made anymore and my lenses are scratched up to the point where it’s getting hard to see comfortably. Only I can’t just go to a Warby Parker store and get my lenses swapped out in my current frames.

When I called to ask why, I was told they don’t do this because there’s a risk of the frames breaking, especially if they’re older. And while I could try to see if another optical store will swap my lenses, I’m taking that same risk there.

Plus, I could be looking at an expensive fee. And I really don’t want to dip into my savings account for new lenses only to potentially have to give up my beloved frames anyway.

What I’ll do differently next time I buy glasses

The next time I fall in love with a pair of Warby Parker frames, I may just go ahead and purchase two pairs of glasses. This way, if my lenses get worn over time, I can just pull out my second pair when that happens. With Warby Parker’s low price point, it’s doable.

Plus, I happen to have a limited purpose FSA that I can use for dental and vision expenses. This is a special FSA that I’m allowed to have alongside my health savings account (HSA). So if I buy a second pair, I can submit the expense to my FSA for reimbursement.

If you get your glasses from Warby Parker, you may want to take a similar approach if you can afford to shell out the money for two pairs of glasses, and if you’re someone who wears glasses all the time and can’t see without them. It’s generally a good idea to have a backup pair of glasses on hand, and you might as well stick to a style you know you like.

For now, I have to make a choice — deal with my scratched lenses or go out and find new glasses I like. I’ll probably go with the second option because I need to be able to see clearly. But after wearing the same frames for a few years now, it’s going to be an adjustment.

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The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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