What’s the fastest way to get an eye exam?

Walk-in eye exams are hard to come by, but they do exist. You’re most likely to find walk-ins available at retail chains and big-box vision centers.

But choosing a walk-in exam could potentially come at a cost: long wait times and even a rushed appointment, depending on how busy that location is. Before you head to the store or office, you might want to consider looking for a same-day appointment instead.

How can I find a same-day eye exam?

While some locations do offer walk-in eye exams, the convenience of walking in may not balance out the time you’ll wait to be seen or the potentially rushed exam.

And even for eye doctors who don’t directly offer walk-ins, there’s an alternative that could save you a lot of time in the waiting room and hopefully ensure a more thorough exam: a same-day appointment.

Same-day or next-day eye appointments can often be found locally, even for a routine exam. And checking availability is particularly straightforward with practices that offer online scheduling — you’re a few clicks or taps away from finding the next open time slot.

This is especially true with retail chains and the big-box vision centers attached to supermarkets.

Take the nationwide chain America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, for example. Their online FAQ explains that, while they do allow walk-ins, “it’s always best to schedule an appointment.” Sure enough, a few same-day time slots were available when we checked their online scheduling system.

The same was true for many LensCrafters, Target Optical and Visionworks locations we checked. In the event that no same-day appointments were available, almost all had availability the following day.