Meta's latest Ray-Ban smart glasses target prescription lens wearers with two new models priced at $499 each. The Ray-Ban Meta Blayzer Optics and Scriber Optics represent a strategic push into mainstream eyewear channels rather than just tech retail.
Both models are available for pre-order now with sales beginning April 14. They cost $120 more than the standard Wayfarer Gen 2 model that starts at $379.
Prescription lenses add another $200 to $300 or more depending on specifications. The new frames feature slimmer designs with swappable nosepads and adjustable temple tips for better fit. According to EssilorLuxottica (Ray-Ban's parent company), these adjustments make the glasses easier to personalize for all-day wear.
Meta plans to sell these smart glasses through traditional optical retailers including LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, Salmoiraghi & Viganò, Apollo, Grand Vision Optical, and Vision Express. This distribution strategy marks a departure from previous tech-focused sales channels.
Technical upgrades include support for the Wi-Fi 6 UNII-4 band, a feature absent in current models. The Blayzer model comes in Standard and Large sizes, while the Scriber appears to come in a single size.
Both styles maintain the core smart features of earlier models: a 12MP camera for photos and videos, built-in speakers for calls and music, and hands-free voice control through Meta's app. New software additions include translation support for Japanese, Mandarin, and Arabic languages.
"Billions of people wear glasses or contacts for vision correction. And I think that we're at a moment similar to when smartphones arrived... It's hard to imagine a world in several years where most glasses that people wear aren't AI glasses."
Mark Zuckerberg framed the prescription focus during a recent earnings call. The optics lineup will be available in various colors including translucent options when sales begin next month.
