Even with such marvels as contact lenses and LASIK surgery, prescription glasses are a necessity for many people today. Fortunately, there's one online retailer that's ready to target that broad audience and provide fashionable eyewear at a great price.

Naming their business after two characters written by Jack Kerouac, four graduates of the Wharton School in Philadelphia started Warby Parker out of a shared commitment to provide quality eyewear at a reasonable price. Their initial targeted demographic was people who needed a good pair of glasses, but couldn't afford them.

To keep their prices low, the Warby Parker team designs its own eyewear and sells directly to their customers through the Web. Whereas a pair of glasses being sold at a high-end boutique might cost hundreds of dollars, Warby Parker glasses will usually sell for an average of $95.

All Warby Parker glasses come with polycarbonate lens that have an anti-reflective and anti-scratch coating. Buyers can also order their glasses to feature polarized lens and increased UV protection. They provide stylish frames for both men and women, available for all prescriptions and in such colors as black, silver, green, blue, gray, violet, burgundy, and two-tone.

You won't want to miss out on their sunglasses either. Whether you're into aviator sunglasses or an oversized frame like the kind Hollywood starlets used to wear, you'll always be guaranteed to look fashionable while shielding your eyes from the sun's glare. And just to set themselves further apart, Warby Parker is also one of the few retailers to still offer an authentic monocle. Available in a color known as "whiskey tortoise," the folks at Warby Parker say the Colonel Monocle is perfect for "robber barons, post-colonial tyrants, and super villains." We suppose it's also fair to say that this accessory is good for when you need to read something quickly and don't want to throw on a pair of glasses every time.

In an age where you can buy almost anything online, Warby Parker seems to be the right kind of business to show up, filling a niche for the many people around the world who need eyewear of some kind in their daily lives. While they might be an online business, their system of providing sample kits of eyewear for their customers (known as "Home Try-On") is a real hit. You can get up to 5 pairs of glasses in any style you choose and send them back before you decide to place an order for what you want. It's a very accessible way of doing business and a great way to get eyewear outside of traditional boutiques and optometrists.

You can learn more about Warby Parker and browse its selection of glasses at the official website. They have retail outlets and showrooms in major US cities like New York, Boston, and Los Angeles.

Image by Barry Pousman on Flickr