Vision · Guide
Annual Supply of Contacts: The Box Math, by Lens Type
An "annual supply" is simply a year's worth of lenses — but the box count depends entirely on your modality. Here is the exact math for dailies, two-week, and monthly lenses, and how to tell whether the annual-supply discount is real.
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The short version
Do the modality math first, then judge the discount
Sellers love the annual supply because it locks in a year of your business — which is exactly why they discount it. The discount is real when the per-box price beats smaller quantities all-in. But the box count is pure arithmetic from your modality; anyone quoting you a different number is upselling.
The box math by modality
Daily disposables: 2 lenses per day × 365 = 730 lenses per year. In 90-packs: 8.1 boxes per eye — so 8–9 boxes per eye (16–18 total). In 30-packs: 24–25 boxes per eye. Two-week lenses: 26 pairs per year per eye = 4–5 boxes of 6 per eye (most two-week lenses come in 6-packs). Monthly lenses: 12 pairs per year per eye; in 6-packs that is 2 boxes per eye, 4 total. Part-time wearers: scale by days worn, not calendar — 3 days a week of dailies is roughly 7 boxes of 90 per year total, not 16.
Why sellers push the annual supply
Three reasons: it is efficient to ship once, it locks you in as a customer for a year, and — frankly — many buyers over-order and waste lenses when prescriptions change. The discount they offer (often framed as a free box, a rebate tier, or a percentage off) is funded by that lock-in. None of this makes it a bad deal; it makes it a deal to verify with arithmetic.
How to verify the discount is real
Get the all-in annual-supply price: box price × box count, plus shipping, minus any manufacturer rebate at that quantity tier. Then price the same quantity as smaller buys (e.g. quarterly) from the same seller. The annual supply wins when its per-box price is lower after shipping and rebates — not before. Watch for "free" boxes that require rebate forms with short claim windows; a rebate you forget to file is not a discount.
If your prescription just changed or you are trialing a new brand, buy small first. A year's supply of lenses your eyes reject is the most expensive "discount" there is. Stock up once the fit is proven.
Rebates and the annual supply
Manufacturer rebates are frequently tiered by quantity — the top tier usually is the annual supply. A $100 rebate on an annual supply versus $20 on a 3-month buy can swing the comparison by more than the per-box discount does. Check the current rebate terms before you choose a quantity; they change through the year.
Common questions
How many boxes is an annual supply of dailies?
For full-time wear in 90-packs: about 8 boxes per eye, 16 total. Part-time wearers need proportionally fewer — scale by actual days worn.
Is the annual supply always cheaper?
Not always. Verify all-in: box price times quantity, plus shipping, minus rebates at that tier, versus smaller quantities. The discount is real most of the time but not by law.
What if my prescription changes mid-year?
That is the risk of stocking up. Most sellers will not take back opened boxes. This is why you buy the annual supply only once the prescription and the brand are settled.
Do rebates really pay out?
Manufacturer rebates from the major brands do pay, but they are usually prepaid cards with claim windows and proof-of-purchase requirements. File promptly and keep copies.
Ready to stock up?
Count boxes, compare all-in prices
Work out your modality's annual box count, get all-in quotes (price plus shipping, minus rebates) for that quantity versus smaller buys, and let the arithmetic — not the banner ad — decide.