<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-09-06</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001050122</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>1 800 CONTACTS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CTAC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001332451</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Murray John Robert</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>66 EAST WADSWORTH PARK DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DRAPER</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>UT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>84020</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Information Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-09-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>31812</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-09-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>31812</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>24.25</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Disposed of in connection with the merger (the &quot;merger&quot;) of Alta Acquisition Corp. (&quot;Acquisition&quot;) with and into the issuer, with the issuer as the surviving corporation, effective September 6, 2007, pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 3, 2007, among Alta Parent Corp. (&quot;Parent&quot;), Acquisition and the issuer.  These shares of common stock were exchanged for equity interests in the ultimate parent of Parent having an aggregate value of $24.25 per share merger consideration multiplied by the number of shares exchanged.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Disposed of in connection with the merger in exchange for the right to receive $24.25 per share merger consideration with respect to (i) 2,812 shares of common stock, (ii) 14,427 shares of restricted stock that vested upon completion of the merger, pursuant to the amended restricted stock agreements, dated as of September 5, 2007 (the &quot;amended restricted stock agreements&quot;), between the reporting person and the issuer, and (iii) 14,573 shares of restricted stock that will be paid in six equal quarterly installments beginning on June 6, 2008 pursuant to the amended restricted stock agreements.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>John R. Murray</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-09-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
