A lens is an optical device with perfect axial symmetry that refracts light, converging or diverging the light. In the case of eyeglasses or contact lenses, the lens corrects a problem with the human eye’s natural ability to refract the light to the visual sensors in the back of the eye.

How do you buy lenses or where can you buy lenses? Buying a lens is easy. Whether you want to buy a new lens for your glasses or contact lenses, or you want to buy or sell used camera lenses, the process involved is simple.

One solution is to search for a lens store. A lens store is just that, a store that sells lenses. Stores that sell camera lenses may even buy your slightly used camera lenses to sell for a profit.

If you are looking for eyeglass lenses or a new contact lens, then you will need to look for a store that specializes in eyeglass lenses or contact lenses. Some stores that have an ophthalmologist may be able to have your lens special ordered. Or you might be able to select a lens they have in stock for a discount. After your eye exam, you can select a pair of eyeglass frames or let the doctor select some contact lenses that match your prescription. Then you walk out of the store with your new contact lenses or eyeglasses.

Once you have your prescription for eyeglass lenses or especially contact lenses, then you have another option for buying lenses without having to go to the store. You can order your lenses online and have them shipped to you. Ordering your lenses online may offer a discount over the price it’s sold for in the store. A discount on your online order can help with the costs of buying new contact lenses from a store.

There are lots of options of which types of contact lenses to buy in the store or online, which we’ll look at on the following page. The same is true for ordering new or used camera lenses online or in the store as well, which we’ll also visit later.