Frequently Asked Questions

LensLlama is a US-only network that connects independent eyecare practices with independent optical labs — for prescription lens orders, transparent price comparison, and fast lab payouts. We're built for the folks the big platforms forgot about: independent practices and independent labs. That's it. That's the whole thing.

Two big differences. First, LensLlama is built FOR independents (not sold to them by a competitor). Second, we don't handle patient information — no names, DOB, insurance, or medical history flows through our system. Just prescription values and random order IDs. Faster, safer, less overhead.

US only — coast to coast, all 50 states. We work with any independent lab that fabricates prescription lenses, and any independent eyecare practice that orders them. No international coverage right now.

Nope — by design. We use random order numbers (like LL-XXXXXX) and prescription values only. No patient names, no dates of birth, no insurance info, no medical history. This means less HIPAA overhead for you, less risk for everyone, and a much lighter architecture. See our Trust page for the full commitment.

An eyecare practice enters a prescription in LensLlama, our platform compares available labs on price + turnaround + rating, the practice picks the best fit (or accepts our "Best Match" suggestion), and the order goes straight to the lab. The lab fabricates, we generate the shipping label, the lab ships, the practice receives. Payment settles to the lab within 1-2 business days — no net-30, no waiting.

Every order is scored by our "Best Match" algorithm: 40% price, 40% total time (lab turnaround + shipping to your door), 20% lab rating. You always see the full ranked list and can pick any lab — Best Match is a suggestion, not a lock. Two details we'd rather you hear from us: labs too new to have a rating are scored on price and time only (a missing rating never counts against them), and when two labs tie exactly, the tie breaks toward a founding lab. A tie-break never outranks a better deal. Transparency first.

Turnaround times vary by lab, lens type, and shipping location. Most orders are completed within several business days, and participating labs provide estimated turnaround times. You'll see the estimate for each lab in the comparison view before you choose — real ETAs, not marketing claims.

If you believe an order requires a remake, contact contact@lensllama.net. We'll review the issue with the lab and help coordinate the appropriate next steps. LensLlama's validation guardrails also catch most Rx entry errors before the order ever reaches the lab — fewer problems to sort out in the first place.

Head to our sign-up page and choose "Eyecare Professional." You'll add a payment method at signup and your subscription starts right away — full access to compare labs and place orders from day one. The first 15 founding practices lock a permanent founding rate. Standard rate applies after that. Ready when you are.

Head to our sign-up page and choose "Lab." Fill out your onboarding wizard (turnaround, service capabilities, address), and our team reviews your application by hand — usually within one business day. Once you're approved, you'll connect your carrier + payment accounts and start receiving orders. The founding lab rate applies to the first 15 labs to go live — approved, with payment and carrier connected. If you're in that first 15, your rate is locked permanently.

Not much. Eyecare practices need a business email, practice name, and a payment method (added at signup). Labs need business email, lab name, service capabilities you fabricate, and eventually your FedEx or UPS account number + a bank account for payouts. Everything's collected during signup — no long form up front.

Type your question in the box below and hit Send — a real human (currently our founder) will reply within a few hours during US business hours. Prefer to use your own email? Reach us at contact@lensllama.net.