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Mar 14, 2025

The Best Reading Glasses 2025 - Forbes Vetted

As a team of editors who work mostly on screens all day, Forbes Vetted has a lot of firsthand experience wearing glasses. To find the best reading glasses, I was particularly eager to dive into the

As a team of editors who work mostly on screens all day, Forbes Vetted has a lot of firsthand experience wearing glasses. To find the best reading glasses, I was particularly eager to dive into the research, having recently acquired my first pair. My top pick overall: GlassesUSA, which offers the widest range of reader lens strengths—starting at +0.25 and going up to +4.0—along with hundreds of frames and helpful add-on features (anti-glare, blue-light protection, scratch-resistant coatings). For a great budget pick, I recommend Peepers, where you can shop high-quality options at drugstore-level prices.

The best reading glasses have modern-looking frames and include comfortable lenses.

Since you typically don’t need a prescription to buy reading glasses (unless you have a higher prescription or eye-health concerns), it’s easy and convenient to shop online where you’ll get a ton of variety at your fingertips. Below, our guide to the best reading glasses out there, depending on your specific eyewear needs, style preferences and budget.

GlassesUSA

Turnaround time: 7 to 10 business days | Return policy: 14 days, no questions asked | Insurance accepted: Yes, as well as HSA/FSA | Virtual try-on: Yes | Virtual Rx renewal: Yes

If you want a lot of variety and customization, GlassesUSA has one of the most extensive inventories out there. This also means the site can be overwhelming to shop (I highly recommend using the sorting feature to narrow your selection). Prices are very reasonable and readers start at +0.25 strength and extend up to +4.0. Lenses can also be upgraded from the free basic option to include UV, anti-glare and scratch-proof protection (for $39). Standard shipping is always free and the brand often offers discounts and sales, so you can usually find a deal.

The pair I tested came in a sturdy hardshell case with a cleaning cloth included, which is a nice perk. The frames were sleek and streamlined, and I specifically searched for narrow-sized frames. While the pair I received had the perfect width, the arms were quite long so they stuck out a bit behind my ears.

Peepers by PeeperSpecs

Forbes Vetted readers get 20% off on all purchases at Peepers by entering code FORBES20 at checkout.

Turnaround time: 1 to 2 business days | Return policy: 90 days | Insurance accepted: Yes, as well as HSA/FSA | Virtual try-on: Yes | Virtual Rx renewal: Yes

Peepers is a brand that’s almost entirely devoted to reading glasses, which keeps the cost low and also means you get the benefits of deep expertise. You can shop bestsellers and picks selected by Oprah, as well as more niche items, like reading sunglasses. The site is also built out with helpful features to mimic the in-person shopping experience, including a “perfect pair finder" quiz, virtual try-ons and a vision test chart so you can determine your prescription on your own.

I loved the quality of the pair I tested—the hinges on the side were flexible and spring-y, so the frame fit comfortably on my face and it was easy to pull the glasses on and off. I just wish the lenses were offered in lower strengths, since I wanted +0.75 but had to settle for +1.0.

Caddis

Turnaround time: 1+ business days | Return policy: 60 days | Insurance accepted: No, but HSA/FSA is accepted | Virtual try-on: Yes | Virtual Rx renewal: No

Caddis proves that reading glasses can be cool. The boutique-like brand carries modern, geometric frames, which according to the brand, their certified opticians hand-measure and inspect for a perfect fit. You can shop readers along with progressives, and the virtual try-on feature is the easiest among all those I tried. You can customize the lens tint and material, frame size and other aspects, which creates a very personalized pair. Prices are on the high end, so keep that in mind.

The packaging was beautiful on the pair I received and the glasses were chic and bold—definitely a statement look but not too over the top. The fit was also very comfortable to wear. For the price, though, I would have liked to see a case and cleaning cloth included.

LOOK OPTIC

Turnaround time: 1 to 5 business days | Return policy: 90 days, no questions asked | Insurance accepted: Not listed | Virtual try-on: Yes | Virtual Rx renewal: No

Look Optics is a favorite of celebrities, including Eva Mendes and Diane Keaton (both of whom designed their own collections of frames). The brand specializes in all types of readers and you can shop the styles with a 90-day trial—just send back any pair you’re not satisfied with, no questions asked. Shipping is not free, unfortunately, but the overall prices are reasonable. It’s also easy to sort and filter the frames by color, shape and size, and you can easily try on pairs in the “virtual mirror.”

These are the reading glasses I’d wear even if I didn’t actually need readers; I choose a subtly cool blue-black shade with a beautiful matte finish. They were also super comfortable, with soft, flexible hinges. All pairs come with a somewhat thin cloth case, which wasn’t the most stylish but I was willing to overlook that.

Warby Parker

Turnaround time: 7 to 10 business days | Return policy: 30 days | Insurance accepted: Yes, as well as HSA/FSA | Virtual try-on: Yes | Virtual Rx renewal: Yes

If you love Warby Parker for their regular prescription glasses, their readers are equally stylish and well-made. Many of their bestselling frames can be outfitted with reader lenses, which come standard with UV-blocking, scratch-resistance and anti-reflective coatings built-in (features you often have to pay for with other brands). More than 200 frames are also available for home try-on, so you can sample up to five options at a time. You can also add clip-on sunglasses to certain pairs, and the brand releases new styles if you like to keep your readers fresh and on-trend.

I wasn’t surprised that I loved the pair I tested: The frames were sophisticated, high-quality and stylish. For an extra $15, I opted for the “Clean My Lenses Kit,” which includes an anti-fog lens spray, microfiber cloth and a microfiber lens pouch. The only negative I experienced: The arms on the frames are very stiff, so I probably need to go into the store to have them adjusted.

The Forbes Vetted team has researched, written and published a large catalog of eyewear stories, focusing on high-quality glasses that fit the day-to-day needs of a variety of readers.