Sat 3 Nov 2007
My wife has been putting off replacing her contact lenses because not only will she need to pay for new contacts, but she’ll have to pay for a new eye exam (I’ve said to go ahead and do it, but I guess she figures she can live with her old contacts a little longer). Can anybody out there explain why she can’t just get new contacts with the same prescription without paying someone to say “yup, you need this prescription”?
Sure, her eyes may have changed slightly. But so what? If she’s satisfied with how well she can see with her current prescription, how is it anybody else’s business to tell her that she can’t keep using it? Nobody smashes my glasses every year to force me to get updated lenses — I decide on my own whether I can see well enough with what I’ve got, or whether I want an adjustment. (Okay — that’s not 100% true — when I moved to Nebraska, the local DMV did check to ensure that I can see well enough to drive with my old lenses, which I could, but they’re the only one’s who’ve checked.)
Is there some eye health issue here? Even if there is, which would be worse — continuing to wear a pair of contacts long beyond their intended “expriation” date, or getting a new pair of the same model, even if it’s not exactly perfect?
It seems pretty clear that not allowing people to buy contacts with a prescription over a year old is nothing more than the industry’s way of squeezing more money out of the consumer. It makes me want to file a class action lawsuit.
December 14th, 2007 at 4:25 am
Antone, add me to your list when you do the class action lawsuit. I just had a battle with Walmart Vision on that same issue. They denied selling me another supply of my contacts because my prescription was two days over the expiration date. I asked the lady if my eyes had gotten so bad for the past two days that it I can no longer use the same grade of contacts? She said, maybe, that’s why I need to get an eye exam. It is the law, said she. I almost lost it and had to hang up the phone before i say something my mother shouldn’t hear. Anyway, I am fed up with our government controlling every aspect of our lives. Did our country just become communist while I was sleeping? Oh maybe that’s not too bad, because you don’t need to have prescription to get glasses or eye contact in China. Seriously, I understand that a prescription is needed if you want to increase grade, but staying with your grade should be your right - not some do-gooder governnment who wants to be your doctor. Let’s start a grass root to repel this idiotic law
December 31st, 2007 at 1:34 am
Funny, we can order prescription painkillers online, but not contacts. Whatever, jerk politician that spearheaded the contact prescription campaign needs a swift kick to the groin. God forbid a politician should put any work towards making things simpler for the people they represent. The FDA argument is that people will use contacts irresponsibly if the don’t see a doctor… What a frikin’ joke… What about the millions of contact users that can’t afford to pay double the price (contacts+doctor’s visit) for contacts? Is it safe for them to wear contacts twice is long while they save up money?
Nestor/Antone - you said it.
April 4th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
it makes even less sense when you consider most people wear disposable lenses and therefor replace them every couple weeks. and then, miraculously, one year later, you may need a new prescription. it’s a life or death matter. feel free to pick up a pair of reading glass for a couple bucks at the drug store, no prescription needed. thanks uncle sam. can anyone say “optometry lobby”?
April 17th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
So I need to see - I like contacts because they don’t give me headaches like glasses do.
1. Go to the doctor to get a prescription for contacts. My choice = $100
2. Buy the contacts $50 for both eyes. My choice.
3. One year passes and then I need to go back to the doctor. Forced choice = $100
4. Buy the same contacts again.
5. Another year passes. Go to the doctor to get the same RX. Forced choice = $100.
SO the pattern continues, each year spending $100+. Thank you law makers for creating the very health care problem you say needs fixed. What’s next? Will the government require I get a physical every time I need new shoes? I might not be smart enough to tell if my feet have grown!!!
July 3rd, 2008 at 7:52 pm
Technically, the contact seller does not need to verify the prescription. It must only *try* to verify the prescription and if it cannot contact the doctor, it can assume the prescription is correct (this is called “passive” verification. I used to just supply incorrect doctor’s information online to get my contacts, but now it seems like vendors are becoming more strict. I suspect there is some very aggressive optometrist trade association that wants to make sure you have to go to an optometrist every year for no good reason. Add me to the list of pissed off consumers.
July 16th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
You need to have a contact exam every year because you are wearing a medical device on your eye. The risks for infections, ulcers, inflammation for contact lens wearers is over double that of someone that does not wear contacts. It’s not as much a concern for the prescription for contacts as it is for the health of the eye. Contact overwear and abuse can do long term damage to the eye and that is why there are regulations. By the way, you could not refill your painkiller prescription on line with an expired prescription either!
October 1st, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Mandy, you’re wrong.
I could list a dozen sites online where I can order virtually any medication I wish, WITHOUT a prescription, so to claim that you can’t is a serious oversight on your part.
My wife has been wearing the same set of disposable contacts for like 6 months now, because, due to an injury to her left eye when she was a teenage, it’s difficult to find a doctor that is even comfortable prescribing her contacts. Their fear is that the contact will damage her remaining good eye. When we moved to Arizona at the first of the year, she lost her longtime eye doctor who would.
Now her prescription is expired, she can’t order online, and has been wearing the same set of extended wear for 6 months, simply because she hasn’t yet been able to FIND a doctor who will prescribe them.
Which do YOU think is doing more damage?