Warby Parker delivers cool eyewear that doesn’t cost a million bucks, all without leaving your couch. It sounds like a sweet way to get some new specs — but does it really live up to the hype?

You could call WP the Everlane of the eyewear world. By cutting out the middleman, they’re able to offer designer-quality glasses and sunglasses, along with brand-name contact lenses, for less moolah. Sometimes, way less moolah.

You can do the whole thing online if you’ve already got an eye prescription. But if you’d rather try on your glasses in the store or also need an eye exam, there’s also the option to pop into one of the brand’s brick-and-mortar spots.

How does it work?

You’ve got two easy ways to get your eyewear. Go the home try-on route or visit a WP store.

At home

Browse through the brand’s frames and pick out what you like. You can download the virtual try-on app to see how the glasses will look on you.

You’ll have to enter your prescription info and use your phone to measure your pupillary distance (PD), which helps center the prescription correctly in your frames.

But WP has simple instructions that make this quick, easy, and basically unscrew-unable. Then place your order and wait for your frames to be delivered to your doorstep.

Struggling to decide between a few different specs? You can also select up to 5 model frames to try on at home for 5 days, and shipping and returns are free. Once you find your perfect pair, place your order online with your prescription info and the brand will send out a fresh set made just for you.

At the store

All of the frames on WP’s website are also available to try on in their brick-and-mortar store. That process works pretty much like getting glasses at the eye doctor.

For both

If you don’t love your glasses, you can return or exchange them for up to 30 days. WP also has a 1-year no-scratch policy: If your lenses get scuffed up during the first 12 months of wear, the brand will replace them for free.

What’ll it cost me?

Depends on what you’re buying, babe. Here’s a quick crunch o’ the numbers:

1. Glasses. Many of the WPs frames start at $95, but some cost more. You’ll pay extra for filtering.
2. Sunglasses. Nonprescription frames start at $95. Prescription options start at $175.
3. Contact lenses. WP offers the same contacts you could get from the eye doctor or other retailers. TBH, the price is about the same as what you’d pay elsewhere, but they do offer free shipping. The brand’s in-house contact lenses cost $55 for a 90-day supply.

Wondering whether Warby Parker takes insurance? They’re in-network with some providers, and if yours is on the list, it’s basically a matter of entering your insurance info to check your benefits. For many providers outside of WP’s network, the brand also offers instructions on how you can submit a reimbursement claim for your glasses or contacts.

Got flexible spending (FSA) or health savings account (HSA)? You can put those dollars toward your WP purchase too.

What do they have?

We’ve talked some about the brand’s goods, but let’s dive into a little more detail.

Eyeglasses

WP offers a ton of different styles. They’re best known for their acetate frames, which come in a ton of cool designs and colors. But they’ve also got a decent number of wire-rimmed options.

All of Warby Parker’s lenses come with anti-scratch treatment, UV protective coating, anti-reflective coating to eliminate glare and ease eye strain, and a superhydrophobic coating to minimize smudging.

They’re designed to work for all types of prescriptions. You can get progressive lenses, readers, or even nonprescription frames if you’ve got perfect vision and still also want to look cool.

You can also opt for a blue-light-blocking coating (nice if you’re staring at a screen all day!), transitional lenses (if you want your glasses to also double as sunglasses), or ultra-thin lenses for heavy-duty prescriptions.

Sunglasses

Again, you can pick from a ton of different styles in both prescription or nonprescription options. Either way, the lenses are scratch-resistant, offer 100 percent UV protection, and are polarized to eliminate glare and help you see things more clearly in bright sunlight.

Contact lenses

You can buy many of the same lenses you’d get from other retailers, like Acuvue, Bifinity, Air Optix, and DAILIES. WP also has its own in-house contact brand, called Scout. They’re billed as comfortable, breathable, and affordable, and they come in a space-saving flat pack that minimizes waste.

Eye exams

If you don’t already have a glasses or contacts prescription, you can get that from a WP store. The brand’s brick-and-mortar locations offer comprehensive exams, so you can get your vision checked and shop for specs all at the same place.

Pros and cons

If all of the above was tl;dr, here’s a quick list of the good and the bad.

The bottom line

Warby Parker has a huge selection of glasses at really good prices. You can do the whole thing online or take advantage of their free at-home try-on option.

Either way, buying your specs is pretty easy and takes up way less time than hoofing it to the glasses store. You just need to make sure you have your prescription already handy.

Is it exactly the same as going glasses shopping in person? No, but it’s pretty damn close. And if you want access to WP’s cool, affordable frames but still want the in-store experience, just head over to one of their brick-and-mortar spots. It’s all good.

Try it for yourself

Ready to start shopping? Check out the frames and learn more at WarbyParker.com.

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