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One of the surprising perks of a Costco membership is that you can use Costco for many of your everyday healthcare needs, like prescription drugs and vaccinations from the Costco Pharmacy, and annual eye checkups from Costco Optical. But is Costco really the best place to buy glasses?

As a longtime glasses-wearer and 20-year Costco member, I have a surprising take on this question: Costco is not the best place to buy eyeglasses. I never do, even though I get my eye exams there every year.

Let’s look at the biggest reasons why you shouldn’t buy glasses at Costco.

1. Costco eye exams have no obligation to buy glasses

Costco typically offers its members access to an in-house independent doctor of optometry (eye doctor) who sets up shop inside the Costco warehouse location. But this eye doctor is independent of Costco — they don’t care if you buy glasses at Costco, buy online, or buy from some other specialty optical shop down the street.

This lack of sales pressure makes it easier to not buy glasses at Costco. Just get your new eyeglass prescription and go on with your day. No one from the Costco Optical department is going to be lurking outside the door of the eye doctor’s office, trying to upsell you on a pair of glasses.

But whether you get your eye exams or buy glasses at Costco (or both), you might want to pay with a Costco credit card. Click here to learn more about the best Costco credit cards that help you earn 2% to 3% (or more) cash back on Costco purchases.

I actually love my Costco eye doctor — he’s friendly and thorough, and the eye exam costs are affordable for a self-employed person with no vision insurance. I’ve been getting my eye exams and eyeglass prescriptions at Costco for years. But just because you get your vision checked at Costco doesn’t mean you have to buy glasses at Costco.

And that’s a good thing, because…

2. Costco eyeglasses aren’t always the most stylish

Everyone has their own sense of style when buying eyeglasses. Perhaps you’ll find that Costco’s selection of frames are perfect for what you need. But for me, I have finicky preferences for the shape, style, and color of my eyeglass frames. There’s one designer brand of eyeglasses that I like to buy, and Costco doesn’t offer it — Costco’s eyeglass designs tend to be a little more plain, and they’re mostly offered in gray, brown, and black.

If you want eyeglasses with a bolder design, more vivid colors, or that make a more powerful, creative fashion statement, Costco Optical might not have what you’re looking for. And that’s OK! If you buy eyeglasses somewhere else, you can still wear them at Costco without feeling guilty. That’s because…

3. Costco will fix other stores’ eyeglasses for free

Here’s another nice perk of Costco Optical, along with the affordable eye exams: Costco will provide free adjustments to any eyeglasses, whether you bought them at Costco or not. I took advantage of this great perk last year, without knowing it was available — I had a pair of eyeglasses I bought online from a non-Costco retailer, and the frames had gotten slightly bent and the glasses weren’t fitting right.

The friendly staff at Costco Optical quickly adjusted my eyeglass frames, and helped me make sure the fit was right. Even though I didn’t spend a dollar buying glasses from them, Costco solved my problem. This is another example of how Costco memberships can offer surprising added value.

Bottom line

Getting eye exams at Costco is another great way to maximize the rewards of your Costco membership. But don’t assume that you have to buy eyeglasses from Costco, too. Costco’s eyewear designs might be a little too plain and conventional for your personal fashion sense.

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