Coastal Renews Normal Course Issuer Bid

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 24, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coastal Contacts
Inc. (TSX:COA) (Stockholm:COA) ("Coastal Contacts" or the "Company") announced
today that the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") has accepted Coastal
Contacts' notice of intention to make a normal course issuer bid (the "NCIB")
for its common shares through the facilities of the Exchange. On December 30,
2009, Coastal Contacts may commence making purchases of up to a maximum of
3,797,468 common shares, which represents approximately ten (10%) percent of
the 37,974,679 common shares of Coastal Contacts held by persons other than
senior officers, directors and principal shareholders of Coastal Contacts. Any
shares acquired will be purchased at the market price up to a maximum of 28,475
common shares per day thereafter for the duration of the NCIB, subject to the
block purchase exemption. All shares acquired by Coastal pursuant to the NCIB
will be cancelled following purchase. 

Under a normal course issuer bid which began on December 19, 2008 and expired
on December 18, 2009, the company purchased a total of 1,416,924 common shares
at an average price of $0.83 per common share, out of the 3,634,369 common
shares approved for purchase. 

The normal course issuer bid will terminate on the earlier date determined by
Coastal Contacts or December 29, 2010. Coastal Contacts has 56,901,719 issued
and outstanding common shares as at the date hereof. 

About Coastal Contacts:

Coastal Contacts Inc. is the world's leading direct-to-consumer vision products
company which designs, produces and distributes a diversified offering of
contact lenses and eyeglasses. The Company's unique combination of branded and
private label products represent quality, value and above all, service. Coastal
sells into more than 150 countries through proprietary web properties which
reflect the culture and consumer preference of the target market. As new
markets for eyeglasses and contact lenses evolve, the Company is positioned to
become the vision product consumer's retailer of choice owing to its compelling
value proposition combining value and service. A leader in many of its markets,
Coastal is rapidly advancing toward its goal of becoming the "World's Optical
Store". 

Forward Looking Statements

All statements made in this news release, other than statements of historical
fact, are forward-looking statements. The words "may", "would", "could",
"will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect",
"goal", "target", "should," "likely," "potential," "continue," "project,"
"forecast," "prospects," and similar expressions typically are used to identify
forward-looking statements. 

Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs,
assumptions, estimates and forecasts about our business and the industry and
markets in which we operate. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of
future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are
difficult to predict. 

Persons reading this news release are cautioned that forward-looking statements
or information are only predictions, and that our actual future results or
performance may be materially different due to a number of factors. Reference
should also be made to the section entitled "Risk Factors" contained in our
most recently filed Annual Information Form dated January 29, 2009 and in the
NASDAQ OMX Stockholm listing prospectus dated October 14, 2009, as filed on
Sedar and with the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority, for a detailed
description of the risks and uncertainties relating to our business. These
risks, as well as others, could cause actual results and events to vary
significantly. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements and information, which are qualified in their
entirety by this cautionary statement. These forward-looking statements are
made as of the date of this news release and we expressly disclaim any intent
or obligation to update these forward-looking statements, unless we
specifically state otherwise and except as required by applicable law. 

CONTACT:  Coastal Contacts Inc.
          Terry Vanderkruyk, Vice President, Corporate Development
          604-676-4498
          terryv@coastalcontacts.com