Explore Beijing / Buying Prescription Glasses and Contact Lenses in Beijing: Eye Exams, Same-Day Lenses, Prices
Buying Prescription Glasses and Contact Lenses in Beijing: Eye Exams, Same-Day Lenses, Prices
Beijing is one of the world's best places to buy cheap, fast, well-made prescription eyewear. Here's how the eye exam works, where to go, and what you should pay.
5 min read · KOULING's Beijing Travel Guide
If your glasses break mid-trip or you've simply heard that China makes excellent frames for a fraction of Western prices, Beijing is a great place to sort out your vision. Neighborhood optical shops offer free or cheap eye exams and can cut single-vision lenses in under an hour; larger chains and hospital eye departments handle complex prescriptions. Bring your current prescription (or your glasses themselves) and expect to pay a fraction of what you would in the US, UK, or EU.
How the Eye Exam Works
A standard refraction test (验光, yànguāng) takes 15–30 minutes and usually costs nothing if you buy glasses, or around CNY 20–50 (US$3–7) on its own. Staff may speak little English, so bring a written copy of your prescription with values in the standard format (sphere, cylinder, axis, pupil distance). If you need a full English-language exam, large private clinics can help [verify before travel]. Optometrists in China are typically technicians rather than degree-holding optometrists, so for anything beyond a straightforward prescription — sudden vision changes, eye pain, glaucoma history — go to a hospital ophthalmology department instead.
Bring your old prescription or glasses — Staff can measure your existing lenses with a lensmeter and duplicate them, which sidesteps any language barrier.
Know your PD (pupil distance) — Often omitted on Western prescriptions. Shops will measure it, but a written PD (in mm) makes online reorders easy.
Ask for the prescription in writing — You are entitled to a written copy. Say 'gěi wǒ yī fèn yànguāng dān' (给我一份验光单) or show this phrase.
Where to Go
Beijing's eyewear shopping clusters around two areas: the mall-style optical markets near Beijing Railway Station, and chain stores scattered through every shopping center. Market shops offer the lowest prices and the widest frame selection; chains offer a calmer, fixed-price experience with less haggling. Hospital optical departments are reliable but less geared to walk-in tourists.
Optical markets — Multi-floor buildings of hundreds of small glasses stalls. Prices are negotiable; get a written quote before committing.
National chains — Bright, standardized stores in malls with clear price lists — a good choice if you dislike bargaining.
Hospital eye departments — Best for complex prescriptions or medical concerns; expect queues and a registration step [verify before travel].
Beijing Glasses City (眼镜城)
The famous multi-storey optical market near Beijing Railway Station, packed with hundreds of independent stalls selling frames, lenses, sunglasses, and contact lenses. Single-vision glasses including a basic frame and lenses routinely run CNY 200–600 (US$30–85) versus US$200+ back home. Quality varies by stall, so check Google or Dianping reviews for specific shops, and confirm the final price in writing before the lenses are cut. Haggling is expected — start around half the first quote [verify before travel].
Metro
Beijing Railway Station area — confirm the current line and station on the subway map before you go
Opening hours
Mostly 09:00–18:00 daily; individual stalls vary [verify before travel]
Tickets
Free entry; glasses roughly CNY 200–600 (US$30–85) for single-vision [verify before travel]
How long
1–2 hours including exam and frame selection
Bright Eye (Puzhuren / 瞳亮 or similar national chains)
Mall-based chains found across Beijing offer fixed prices, cleaner environments, and often a basic free refraction test. Expect branded frames at CNY 500–1,500 (US$70–210) with lenses, plus house-brand frames from around CNY 300 (US$42). Some locations can finish simple single-vision lenses the same day. English is limited at most branches, so bring your prescription written down [verify before travel].
Metro
Branches in most major shopping malls — pick the one nearest your hotel and confirm hours
Opening hours
Typically 10:00–21:00, matching mall hours [verify before travel]
Tickets
Free or low-cost exam with purchase; glasses from ~CNY 300–500 (US$42–70) [verify before travel]
How long
1–1.5 hours; same-day pickup possible for simple prescriptions
Contact Lenses
Daily and monthly disposables from major brands (Acuvue, Bausch + Lomb, Alcon) are widely available at optical shops, supermarkets, and online. Expect roughly CNY 100–250 (US$15–35) per box of 30 dailies, cheaper than many Western prices. Many Chinese opticians sell contact lenses over the counter without verifying a fitting, but a proper contact-lens fitting (measuring base curve and diameter) is worth requesting if you're a first-time wearer. If you wear toric or multifocal lenses, bring your exact parameters — not all powers are stocked in-store and may need a few days' ordering [verify before travel].
Metro
Available citywide at optical shops and pharmacies
Opening hours
Shop hours vary; pharmacies often open later [verify before travel]
Tickets
CNY 100–250 (US$15–35) per box of 30 daily disposables [verify before travel]
How long
30 minutes if in stock; several days for special orders
A Realistic Glasses-Buying Morning
09:30
Arrive at the optical market or chain storeGo early to beat crowds and allow time for a second stall visit if the first quote feels high.
09:45
Eye exam (验光)15–30 minutes. Bring your old prescription or glasses; ask for the results in writing.
10:30
Choose frames and lensesGet the total (frames + lenses + coatings) in writing before committing. Anti-reflective coating is usually CNY 50–150 (US$7–21) extra.
11:00
Pay and waitSimple single-vision lenses are often ready in 1–2 hours; progressive or high-index lenses may take 1–3 days [verify before travel].
13:00
Collection and fit checkAsk for free adjustment — nose pads and temple bends are normally tuned on the spot at no charge.
Practical Tips
Payment — Cash and WeChat Pay/Alipay are standard; foreign Visa/Mastercard acceptance is patchy at small stalls, so carry cash or set up Alipay's international card link [verify before travel].
VAT and receipts — Small market stalls may not offer formal invoices. If you want a receipt (发票, fāpiào), ask before paying.
Quality check — Ask to try the finished glasses in-store and look at a distant sign. Reputable shops will redo lenses free if the prescription is wrong — get that promise up front.
Sunglasses and prescription sunglasses — Also excellent value here — tinted or polarized prescription sunglasses often run CNY 300–800 (US$42–115) [verify before travel].
Avoid buying on your last day — Allow 1–3 days for anything beyond basic single-vision lenses, plus buffer for a re-fit.
