How Much Are Prescription Sunglasses? Cost, Lens Options and Ordering Online
How much are prescription sunglasses? The price is the frame plus the lenses, and the lenses usually account for more of it. Lens material, which depends on how strong your prescription is, and polarization move the total the most. Tint and coatings move it less. Below, we break down both parts with real prices.
Prescription sunglasses are one of those purchases where the price range online is wide enough to feel confusing, and the confusion is understandable. Prescription sunglasses cost is shaped by several choices stacked on top of each other: your prescription strength, the lens material, the tint, polarization and any coatings. Once you know which of those you need, you stop reacting to price tags and start deciding where your money does the most work. This guide walks through what moves the number, what our own frames and lenses cost, how to order a pair online, and how to choose a tint that suits the way you actually wear them.
Why Prescription Sunglasses Cost More Than Regular Sunglasses
Every pair of prescription sunglasses is made to order. The lenses are cut and finished to your prescription and your pupillary distance before any tint or polarizing layer goes on, so you're paying for customization before you've chosen a single style detail. A regular pair of sunglasses comes off a shelf with its lenses already fitted.
That's also why a prescription pair takes longer to arrive and why it's usually final sale. The lens has been made for one person's eyes, so it can't be resold to anyone else. What you get in return is a pair of sunglasses that corrects your vision, protects your eyes and doesn't require contacts or a second pair of glasses to wear outdoors. For anyone who wears glasses every day, that trade is usually worth the cost.
How Much Are Prescription Sunglasses? Our Frame and Lens Prices
We price prescription sunglasses in two parts, the frame and the lens, so you can see exactly where the money goes.
Frames in our prescription sunglasses collection are listed from $70 to $175, depending on the style. Many of them are the same frames as our regular sunglasses, from classic aviators to bold acetate rectangles, set up to take prescription lenses.
Our single vision prescription sun lenses are listed at:
• Polycarbonate, tinted: $160
• Polycarbonate, polarized: $235
• 1.67 high index, tinted: $240
• 1.67 high index, polarized: $315
For reference, a clear single vision polycarbonate lens for everyday glasses is $140, and our thinnest option, the 1.74 ultra high index clear lens, is $370. Every lens includes anti-reflective coating, scratch resistance, an anti-smudge treatment and 100% UVA/UVB protection, so there are no extra charges for those.
[CONFIRM WITH QUAY: that the frame price and the lens price combine at checkout as described here, whether 1.74 high index is offered as a sun lens online, and whether any tint carries a different lens price.]
The Factors That Drive Prescription Sunglasses Cost
Prescription strength and lens material. This is the biggest variable. Polycarbonate is lightweight and impact resistant and suits mild to moderate prescriptions up to +/- 4.00. Stronger prescriptions call for high index lenses, 1.67 or 1.74, which bend light more efficiently so the lens can be thinner and lighter for the same power. They cost more, but for a strong prescription they're what keeps the finished pair from looking thick and feeling heavy.
Single vision or progressive. We make single vision prescription sunglasses online. Progressive lenses, which handle distance and near vision in one lens, are available in some of our stores, and they generally cost more because the viewing zones take more precision to make.
Polarization. A polarized lens adds a filter that blocks reflected glare from water, roads and snow. In our lens pricing it adds $75 over a tinted lens in polycarbonate, and the same in 1.67 high index. For anyone who drives a lot or spends time near water, it's usually the most noticeable upgrade you can buy. Our post on whether polarized sunglasses are right for you covers the trade-offs.
Tint and coatings. Tint changes the look and the comfort of your lenses more than the price. Because anti-reflective, anti-scratch and anti-smudge coatings come standard on every prescription lens we make, they don't add to the cost at all.
How to Order Prescription Sunglasses Online
Ordering takes a few minutes once you have your prescription in hand.
1. Choose your frame. Pick a style from our prescription sunglasses collection and check its frame width, bridge width and arm length against a pair that already fits.
2. Select sunglasses lenses. Choose sunglasses rather than clear lenses, then pick your lens material and your tint, including polarized options.
3. Add your prescription. You'll need a valid, unexpired glasses prescription with all required values. You can upload the document, and if it lists more than one prescription, the first single vision prescription on the page is used. Contact lens prescriptions can't be used.
4. Add your pupillary distance. Your PD is the distance in millimeters between the centers of your pupils, and it's what lines the lenses up with your eyes.
If you don't have a copy of your prescription, ask your eye doctor. Under the FTC's Eyeglass Rule, prescribers must give patients a copy of their prescription after a refractive eye exam, whether or not the patient asks. Pupillary distance isn't always included, since that depends on state law, but your optometrist can usually provide it or you can measure it with an online tool. Our step-by-step guide to prescription glasses goes through each screen in more detail.
Once your order is placed, prescription sunglasses arrive within about three weeks, and it can take up to two weeks to receive a shipping confirmation because every pair is made to order. Prescription sunglasses are final sale, but we'll replace lenses that arrive scratched if you contact us within 30 days, and we offer one complimentary lens remake within 30 days of delivery if your doctor updates your prescription.
How to Choose the Best Tint for Prescription Sunglasses
Tint is where personal style and practical performance meet, and the best tint for prescription sunglasses is the one that suits how you actually spend time in them. UV protection isn't part of the decision: every lens we make blocks 100% of UVA and UVB rays, and that protection is built into the lens itself rather than coming from how dark the tint is. Dark tint is a comfort and style choice.
Gray and smoke lenses darken the whole view evenly without shifting color, which keeps the world looking like itself. They suit driving, city days and beach weekends alike. Brown lenses trade some color neutrality for contrast, which helps with depth perception on trails, bikes and overcast drives. Green sits between the two, managing glare while keeping colors balanced.
Gradient lenses, darker at the top and lighter at the bottom, handle overhead sun while keeping near vision clear, and they let people see your eyes in conversation. Lighter fashion tints, like the light blue, pink and purple options on our prescription frames, are best for style and softer light rather than hard midday sun.
In high-glare conditions, pairing gray or brown with polarization gives the most complete comfort on open water, snow and long drives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are prescription sunglasses worth it?
Yes, prescription sunglasses are worth it for most people who wear glasses daily. They correct your vision and protect your eyes in one pair, so you don't need contacts or clip-ons outdoors. They're especially worth it if you drive a lot, spend time near water or snow, or find switching between glasses and sunglasses inconvenient.
Can I buy sunglasses with my prescription?
Yes. At Quay, you can buy single vision prescription sunglasses online by choosing a frame, selecting sunglasses lenses and uploading a valid, unexpired glasses prescription with your pupillary distance. Progressive prescription lenses are available in select Quay stores. Contact lens prescriptions can't be used to order prescription sunglasses.
How much does it cost to put a prescription lens in sunglasses?
At Quay, single vision prescription sun lenses are listed from $160 for tinted polycarbonate to $315 for polarized 1.67 high index, fitted to a Quay prescription frame. Quay doesn't fit lenses into frames from other brands, so for a pair you already own, an optician or optometrist near you is the place to ask.
Do prescription sunglasses cost more than regular prescription glasses?
Usually, yes, because the lens needs a tint or a polarizing filter on top of your prescription. At Quay, a clear single vision polycarbonate lens is listed at $140, compared with $160 for a tinted one and $235 for a polarized one. Coatings like anti-reflective and anti-scratch are standard on both, so they don't widen the gap.
Are tinted lenses more expensive than clear lenses?
Yes, but for a solid tint the difference is modest. At Quay, a tinted single vision polycarbonate lens is listed at $160, against $140 for clear. The bigger price jumps come from polarization and from moving to high index lenses for stronger prescriptions, which matter more to the total than the tint you choose.
Prescription sunglasses don't have to be a separate, duller category from the sunglasses you'd choose anyway. Start with the lens your prescription needs, decide whether polarization earns its place for how you spend your days, and then choose the frame purely on style. Our prescription frames in every shape carry many of the same silhouettes as our non-prescription sunglasses. Each one lists its measurements and lens options, so you can compare styles before you add a prescription. If you need progressive lenses, which we offer in select stores, find a Quay store near you.
