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Where to buy prescription glasses for kids online
Jonas Paul Eyewear
When it comes to shopping for prescription eyewear for kids and teens, you’ll likely face two challenges: The young person you’re shopping for might want expensive designer frames worn by favorite influencers. And you’ll want to make sure the frames and lenses can take a beating.
We’re about to make your eyeglass shopping easier, by guiding you to the best places to buy prescription eyeglasses for kids and teens. And right now, many of these companies are offering generous back-to-school sales and promotions that can save you some serious cash.
Pro Tip: Most eyeglass companies offer an added discount when you buy more than one pair at once.
What are the best deals on prescription glasses for kids?
Our team of expert shoppers has done the research and found kid and teen-friendly prescription eyewear that checks all the boxes in terms of style, durability and affordability.
Best selection for kids overall: GlassesUSA
GlassesUSA
Durable frame options: Yes | Accepts vision insurance: Yes | Home try-on: No | Virtual try-on: Yes | Beyond 30-day warrantee: Yes
GlassesUSA is now offering glasses for as low as $19. You’ll find glasses for two- to five-year-olds, six- to 10-year-olds and 11- to 14-year-olds in a wide range of styles and colors. And verified college students can get a bonus coupon for 65% off their new glasses, plus get free shipping.
Once you choose your frames, they can be custom fitted with single vision, reading, progressive, bi-focal or non-prescription lenses. There’s an upgrade fee for progressive and bi-focal lenses, although basic, single vision lenses are included with all of the basic frames offered by GlassesUSA.
A variety of lens upgrades are available, each with its own fee. We’re talking Transitions lenses (that darken outdoors and fade back to clear indoors), blue light block, which protect your eyes from screen fatigue; super hydrophobic, which repel water from lenses; custom tints, polarization, which blocks glare; and mirrored.
All eyeglasses ordered from GlassesUSA come with free shipping and returns, a money-back guarantee and a 365-day warranty. For many of the frames available, you can take advantage of a virtual try-on feature to see how they’ll look before placing your order.
GlassesUSA accepts most vision insurance, as well as FSA and HSA payments. First responders, nurses, teachers, medical providers, military members, hospital workers, senior citizens and government employees are entitled to an extra discount.
Best deals on eyeglasses for kids: Jonas Paul Eyewear
Jonas Paul
Durable frame options: Yes | Accepts vision insurance: Yes | Home try-on: Yes | Virtual try-on: No | Beyond 30-day warrantee: Yes
As part of its back-to-school promotion, Jonas Paul Eyewear is currently offering an extra $10 off orders over $119, $25 off orders over $159, or $50 off orders over $199, with no promo code required.
One thing that caught our attention about Jonas Paul Eyewear is that the company promotes a $1 trial “7 frames for 7 days” offer. You can select any seven eyeglass frames to have shipped to your door. Your child can then try each of them on. Choose the frames you want to order with prescription lenses, and then return the sample frames using the supplied prepaid shipping box.
Jonas Paul Eyewear offers a vast selection of frames designed in-house. Choose between clear (prescription) or sunglass lenses, as well as the lens type (Trivex, polycarbonate or high-index).
For an additional $30, you can purchase the JPE Care warrantee, which is a no-questions-asked one year warrantee that covers all repairs. In addition to the frames designed specifically for kids, Jonas Paul Eyewear has a separate selection of eyeglass frames for teenagers.
Best durable eyeglasses for kids: Firmoo Co.
Firmoo
Durable frame options: Yes | Accepts vision insurance: Yes | Home try-on: No | Virtual try-on: No | Beyond 30-day warrantee: Yes
At Firmoo Co., prescription eyeglasses for kids and teens — between 5 and 15 — are the company’s specialty. For younger kids, the company offers frames with bendable arms and an enhanced scratch-resistant coating on the lenses.
During the company’s back-to-school sale, you can save 60% off frames, plus 20% off lenses when you use code KIDS60 at checkout. All frames come in a wide range of colors and sizes. You can also select Super Flex lenses that are flexible and impact-resistant. You can also add a blue light-blocking filter and anti-reflective coating to the lenses for an additional fee.
There’s even an option to order photochromatic lenses for any of Firmoo’s kid-friendly frames, so the lenses will automatically darken when exposed to sunlight. The company offers a 60-day return or exchange policy and a one year warrantee. Head over to Firmoo’s website to discover a handful of other back-to-school deals and promotions currently being offered, including a BOGO offer for eyeglass frames when you use code BOGO at checkout.
For a limited time, new customers can purchase eligible eyeglass frames for just $4.95 per pair and get 20% off on custom prescription lenses.
Best everyday eyeglasses for kids: 39DollarGlasses
39DollarGlasses
Durable frame options: Yes | Accepts vision insurance: Yes | Home try-on: Yes | Virtual try-on: Yes | Beyond 30-day warrantee: Yes
The company’s name says it all. Well, sort of. 39DollarGlasses offers an impressive selection of prescription eyeglasses starting at $39, including basic, single vision lenses that offer 100% UV protection and a scratch-resistant coating. You can also choose between clear, gradient or sunglass lenses. Lens upgrades cost extra. Bi-focal or progressive lenses range between $119 and $238.
The glasses are crafted in the USA and come with a 100% worry free guarantee. Some are priced at $48 or $59, plus the cost of any selected lens upgrades, but on the plus side, many of the frames are promoted as being unbreakable.
All glasses come with a 30-day full refund (less shipping) policy or a 90-day full exchange policy. This means if you’re not happy with the glasses for any reason, they can be returned.
Best eyeglasses for teens: Warby Parker
Warby Parker
Durable frame options: No | Accepts vision insurance: Yes | Home try-on: Yes | Virtual try-on: Yes | Beyond 30-day warrantee: No
Warby Parker is a one-stop shop for all of your prescription eyewear for teens and adults. Most frames, which include single-vision prescription lenses, start at just $95. Progressive lenses start at $295.
The company sells only its own collection of frames and offers an easy virtual try-on feature. There’s also a home try-on option that allows you to select up to five frames and have them shipped to your home for free. Choose the frames you want, order your prescription glasses and return the samples in a pre-paid box.
You also get a wide range of lens options, so you can pick only the add-ons you need — whether it’s a blue-light filter, anti-fatigue filter, or light-responsive lenses that darken in the sun. An anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coating is included for free. The company uses polycarbonate lenses, but these can be upgraded to 1.67 high-index lenses for an additional fee.
You’ll be asked to either upload a copy of your prescription or provide contact information for your optometrist.
Warby Parker accepts virtually all vision insurance and HSA/FSA payments. If you order two pairs of glasses at the same time (one of which can be prescription sunglasses), you get an automatic 15% discount. And for every pair of prescription eyewear purchased, Warby Parker donates a pair to someone in need. All glasses come with a 30-day guarantee and can be returned or exchanged for any reason during this period.
What do I need to order prescription glasses online?
Regardless of where you shop, you’ll need:
- A current eyeglass prescription (less than one year old) from an optometrist. If you don’t have a copy of your prescription, be prepared to share your optometrist’s contact information.
- Your pupillary distance (PD) measurement. This something your optometrist can provide, or you can measure it yourself. The Zenni website offers a Custom Dual PD ruler that you can download and print for free.
- Your vision insurance information.
Types of lenses include single-vision, bi-focals (sometimes called multi-focals), or progressives. These lenses can be made from optical glass, CR-39 plastic or polycarbonate. There are several types of optional lens materials that impact their thickness, weight, clarity, reflection resistance and the level of protection they offer.
Once you pick a lens type, you’ll typically move on to optional lens coatings or treatments — think scratch resistance, an anti-reflective coating, UV blocking, a blue-light filter, tinting, polarization, or a light-responsive filter. Those options usually affect the cost.
What happens if the glasses don’t fit or the prescription is incorrect?
Virtually all sellers, including those featured in this roundup, offer a 14- or 30-day exchange or return policy. If the frames don’t fit, or your child can’t see clearly, you can return the glasses for a full refund or have the glasses remade. After the return or exchange period, many of the online sellers offer at least a six-month to one-year “no scratch” guarantee, which means the company will repair or replace the lenses if they get accidentally scratched.
In some cases, you can purchase an extended warrantee, which will cover any damage to the frames or lenses during a predefined period. These extended warranty plans do not cover the glasses if they’re lost or stolen.
What if my kids lose their eyeglasses?
If your child has a habit of leaving their prescription eyewear lying around and forgetting where they’ve been left, we recommend attaching a low-cost Bluetooth tracker to their eyeglass case. The tracker can then be paired with a parent’s smartphone, making the glasses easier to locate.
For iPhone users, we recommend using an Apple AirTag. This tracker can anonymously tap the entire network of iPhone users around the globe to help find missing items that have an AirTag attached. A single AirTag costs under $30, but they often go on sale on Amazon.
Another Bluetooth tracker option that works with iPhone and Android smartphones is the Tile Mate ($18 on Amazon). For Android smartphone users, the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 ($22) is a viable option for keeping tabs on items that tend to be misplaced frequently. For $50, there’s also the Dolphin Eyewear Finder that slips onto the arm of any eyeglasses. It can be located using any iPhone if the glasses get lost.
How to choose the best frame for your child
Beyond ensuring that the eyeglasses you provide to your children have the best possible prescription to ensure crystal-clear eyesight, you want to select frames that properly fit their face. Choosing a frame design should be based on the shape of your child’s face. Whenever possible, we recommend using a website’s virtual try-on feature or a company’s home try-on feature to ensure a comfortable fit and to make sure the frames you choose will look great on the person who will be wearing them.
Here are some basic recommendations from the folks at Jonas Paul Eyewear when it comes to matching face shape with eyeglass frames:
- Round faces – For someone with soft angles, a lightly curved jawline and a slightly narrower forehead, consider frames with a rectangular, square or rounded shape.
- Oval faces – For someone with well-balanced proportions, high cheekbones, or a chin that’s a bit narrower than their forehead, rectangular or square frames will likely look the best.
- Heart faces – Rectangular or square frames also often look the best on people with high cheekbones, along with a wider forehead that narrows down to a smaller, well-defined chin and a tapered jawline.
- Square faces – Rounded, cat-eye or oval frames typically look the best on people with angular features, including a strong jawline and cheeckbones that are about the same width as their forehead.
Of course, these are general guidelines. Since everyone’s face is different and people have unique personal taste when it comes to eyewear, we highly suggest you provide your child with the opportunity to participate in the eyeglass selection process.
For more help finding and buying prescription eyewear, be sure to check out our coverage of the six best places to buy prescription glasses online in 2024, the best prescription sunglasses for 2024, the best places to buy cheap prescription sunglasses online, the best back-to-school deals on prescription glasses from GlassesUSA and the best places to buy cheap prescription glasses online.
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Former Israeli hostages released in truce 1 year ago call for action to release those still held
Former Israeli hostages who were freed from Hamas captivity during a week-long humanitarian pause in fighting exactly one year ago Sunday called for immediate action to secure a deal for the release of those still held.
The only truce in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war on Nov. 24, 2023 – fewer than two months after fighting began – led to the release of 80 Israelis held by militants in Gaza. They were freed in exchange for 240 Palestinians detained in Israeli jails.
Repeated efforts since then by mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the United States to secure another truce and hostage release have failed. Qatar early this month said it was suspending its mediation role until the warring sides show “seriousness.”
Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images
Gabriella Leimberg was kidnapped during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack and was released along with her daughter, Mia, and sister Clara.
“For 53 days, the one thing that kept me going is that we, the people of Israel, the Jewish people, sanctify life — we don’t leave anyone behind,” she said.
Leimberg added: “Everything has already been said and now action is required. We don’t have any more time.”
Around 100 hostages are still in Gaza, and at least a third are believed to be dead.
“I survived and I was fortunate to get my entire family back,” Leimberg said. “I want and demand this for all the families of the hostages.”
Hamas wants Israel to end the war and withdraw all troops from Gaza. Israel has offered only to pause its offensive.
The Palestinian death toll from the war surpassed 44,000 this week, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count.
Maya Alleruzzo / AP
Danielle Aloni, who was kidnapped with her five-year-old daughter, Emelia, and freed after 49 days, spoke at the ceremony of the “increasing danger” those still being held face every day.
She said those still in captivity “suffer physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, their identity and dignity crushed anew each day”.
“It took the Israeli government about two months to secure a deal for me and 80 other Israeli hostages. Why is it taking over a year to reach another deal to free them from this hell?” asked Aloni, whose brother-in-law, David Cunio, and his brother, Ariel Cunio, are still being held.
She emphasized that, even though she and the other hostages gained their freedom a year ago, “we haven’t really left the tunnels,” — referring to Hamas’ underground tunnels where many of the hostages were held.
“The feeling of suffocation, the terrible humidity, the stench — these sensations still envelop us,” Aloni said.
“If people could truly understand what it means to be held in subhuman conditions in tunnels, surrounded by terrorists for 54 days — there’s no way they would allow hostages to remain there for 415 days!” said Raz Ben Ami, who was released in the deal a year ago.
Her husband, Ohad, is still among those being held.
Ben Ami called for a ceasefire to “bring back all the hostages as quickly as possible”.
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Couple charged for allegedly stealing $1 million from Lululemon in convoluted retail theft scheme
A couple from Connecticut faces charges for allegedly taking part in an intricate retail theft operation targeting the apparel company Lululemon that may have amounted to $1 million worth of stolen items, according to a criminal complaint.
The couple, Jadion Anthony Richards, 44, and Akwele Nickeisha Lawes-Richards, 45, were arrested Nov. 14 in Woodbury, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis-St. Paul. Richards and Lawes-Richards have been charged with one count each of organized retail theft, which is a felony, the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office said. They are from Danbury, Connecticut.
The alleged operation impacted Lululemon stores in multiple states, including Minnesota.
“Because of the outstanding work of the Roseville Police investigators — including their new Retail Crime Unit — as well as other law enforcement agencies, these individuals accused of this massive retail theft operation have been caught,” a spokesperson for the attorney’s office said in a statement on Nov. 18. “We will do everything in our power to hold these defendants accountable and continue to work with our law enforcement partners and retail merchants to put a stop to retail theft in our community.”
Both Richards and Lawes-Richards have posted bond as of Sunday and agreed to the terms of a court-ordered conditional release, according to the county attorney. For Richards, the court had set bail at $100,000 with conditional release, including weekly check-ins, or $600,000 with unconditional release. For Lawes-Richards, bail was set at $30,000 with conditional release and weekly check-ins or $200,000 with unconditional release. They are scheduled to appear again in court Dec. 16.
Prosecutors had asked for $1 million bond to be placed on each half of the couple, the attorney’s office said.
Richards and Lawes-Richards are accused by authorities of orchestrating a convoluted retail theft scheme that dates back to at least September. Their joint arrests came one day after the couple allegedly set off store alarms while trying to leave a Lululemon in Roseville, Minnesota, and an organized retail crime investigator, identified in charging documents by the initials R.P., recognized them.
The couple were allowed to leave the Roseville store. But the investigator later told an officer who responded to the incident that Richards and Lawes-Richards were seasoned shoplifters, who apparently stole close to $5,000 worth of Lululemon items just that day and were potentially “responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in loss to the store across the country,” according to the complaint. That number was eventually estimated by an investigator for the brand to be even higher, with the criminal complaint placing it at as much as $1 million.
Richards and Lawes-Richards allegedly involved other individuals in their shoplifting pursuits, but none were identified by name in the complaint. Authorities said they were able to successfully pull off the thefts by distracting store employees and later committing fraudulent returns with the stolen items at different Lululemon stores.
“Between October 29, 2024 and October 30, 2024, RP documented eight theft incidents in Colorado involving Richards and Lawes-Richards and an unidentified woman,” authorities wrote in the complaint, describing an example of how the operation would allegedly unfold.
“The group worked together using specific organized retail crime tactics such as blocking and distraction of associates to commit large thefts,” the complaint said. “They selected coats and jackets and held them up as if they were looking at them in a manner that blocked the view of staff and other guests while they selected and concealed items. They removed security sensors using a tool of some sort at multiple stores.”
CBS News contacted Lululemon for comment but did not receive an immediate reply.
CBS News
Former Trump national security adviser says next couple months are “really critical” for Ukraine
Washington — Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, a former national security adviser to Donald Trump, said Sunday that the upcoming months will be “really critical” in determining the “next phase” of the war in Ukraine as the president-elect is expected to work to force a negotiated settlement when he enters office.
McMaster, a CBS News contributor, said on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that Russia and Ukraine are both incentivized to make “as many gains on the battlefield as they can before the new Trump administration comes in” as the two countries seek leverage in negotiations.
With an eye toward strengthening Ukraine’s standing before President-elect Donald Trump returns to office in the new year, the Biden administration agreed in recent days to provide anti-personnel land mines for use, while lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s use of U.S.-made longer range missiles to strike within Russian territory. The moves come as Ukraine marked more than 1,000 days since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Meanwhile, many of Trump’s key selection for top posts in his administration — Rep. Mike Waltz for national security adviser and Sens. Marco Rubio for secretary of state and JD Vance for Vice President — haven’t been supportive of providing continued assistance to Ukraine, or have advocated for a negotiated end to the war.
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McMaster said the dynamic is “a real problem” and delivers a “psychological blow to the Ukrainians.”
“Ukrainians are struggling to generate the manpower that they need and to sustain their defensive efforts, and it’s important that they get the weapons they need and the training that they need, but also they have to have the confidence that they can prevail,” he said. “And any sort of messages that we might reduce our aid are quite damaging to them from a moral perspective.”
McMaster said he’s hopeful that Trump’s picks, and the president-elect himself, will “begin to see the quite obvious connections between the war in Ukraine and this axis of aggressors that are doing everything they can to tear down the existing international order.” He cited the North Korean soldiers fighting on European soil in the first major war in Europe since World War II, the efforts China is taking to “sustain Russia’s war-making machine,” and the drones and missiles Iran has provided as part of the broader picture.
“So I think what’s happened is so many people have taken such a myopic view of Ukraine, and they’ve misunderstood Putin’s intentions and how consequential the war is to our interests across the world,” McMaster said.
On Trump’s selections for top national security and defense posts, McMaster stressed the importance of the Senate’s advice and consent role in making sure “the best people are in those positions.”
McMaster outlined that based on his experience, Trump listens to advice and learns from those around him. And he argued that the nominees for director of national intelligence and defense secretary should be asked key questions like how they will “reconcile peace through strength,” and what they think “motivates, drives and constrains” Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump has tapped former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence, who has been criticized for her views on Russia and other U.S. adversaries. McMaster said Sunday that Gabbard has a “fundamental misunderstanding” about what motivates Putin.
More broadly, McMaster said he “can’t understand” the Republicans who “tend to parrot Vladimir Putin’s talking points,” saying “they’ve got to disabuse themselves of this strange affection for Vladimir Putin.”
Meanwhile, when asked about Trump’s recent selection of Sebastian Gorka as senior director for counterterrorism and deputy assistant to the president, McMaster said he doesn’t think Gorka is a good person to advise the president-elect on national security. But he noted that “the president, others who are working with him, will probably determine that pretty quickly.”
