Illegal to buy contacts online??? So says an optometrist

[photon]

My wife's optometrist is telling her that it is illegal to buy contacts online, which seems stupid.

I can understand that people buying contacts without consulting an optometrist first, or ordering the wrong contacts might be a problem, but if you get the right kind from your optometrist and order the right kind, what's the problem?

Maybe they should lower the prices on their contacts if they're losing business to online vendors.

Anyone else been told this?

[mac_gurl]

My optometrist gave me a hell of a time when I asked for the prescription. He was trying to tell me that paying his prices (which were 3x as much) was much safer to do, cause i don't know that I'm buying the correct contacts online.

In all honesty, if I save $100, it is well worth it to me.

[underGRADFlame]

I buy mine online from Texas.... I saved $120.00 over my optometrists prices on a 6 month supply, and that was including shipping!

[@theCBE]

I haven't bought contacts from my optometrist in a while but she gave me a free pair when I got my new perscription. I went online to 1800contacts.com to price them out and two boxes (1 for each eye) still came out to about $80. Is that a good deal? I'm pretty sure thats what I used to pay at my optometrist.. but again is been a while so I can't really remember.

Are there better cheaper websites?

[photon]

This guy isn't 3x as much, maybe 50% more. But it does make the difference between being fully covered by insurance and having to pay out of pocket.

Asking my wife for the optometrist's name, though I don't want to rag on him if it is in fact illegal. I did find something about it being illegal but it looked like that was in the UK.

[photon]

Vision Direct is another one.. my wife's prescription is more complicated so they're a lot more than $80

[PsYcNeT]

I've always thought optometrists, like veternarians kind of have a conflict of interest, what with offering a medical service, and supply of medical materials (at extra cost of course).

The illegality of online contacts is complete baloney. Just like other medical supplies (Rx, prostetics, wheelchairs, etc.) they can be purchased from wherever you choose.

Just remember, the guy checking your eyes makes far more profit from frame and lens sales than annual checkups.

[chid]

I buy my contacts at either Wal Mart or Costco much cheaper than from my Optometrist

[Eagle Eye]

Costco is half the cost what my optometrist tries to charge me.

[RW99]

The person telling you it's illegal to buy online is the same one that stands to loose a source of income with a nice profit margin. Depending on where you are, it's illegal for the doctor to deny you a copy of your prescription.

I used to work for Vision Direct (5 years ago) and you get the exact same lenses as from the doctor. Yes, you should always make sure you are tested for an exact lens before using them. But don't let the Doctor try and force you into buying theirs. They are doing their best to discredit online sources, but there are reputable sellers such as Vision Direct (lensmart, lensquest), 1800 Contacts, Coastal Contacts, etc.

[Swarly]

Second time I went to buy new contacts from the optometrist they told me I cant buy a new box from them because it had been just over a year since i got my last checkup. Apparently they cant sell you contacts if you haven't had a checkup even if you want to buy the same prescription as last time. So they wanted me to pay another 100 for a checkup first. I went home bought them online for 1/2 the price and have done so ever since.

If you do a bit of shopping online and are willing to buy a year supply at once you can usually get quite a deal. IIRC I buy them for around $40/box. I get the 1 month night and day's so 160/for the year with free shipping and the sites I've gone to fed-ex them so they are there next day. Much better than the almost 500 my optometrist wanted.

[photon]

I don't mind the idea of requiring an eye exam every year or two and not filling a prescription for contacts if you don't have a current exam; making sure your eyes are healthy is important.

[Knut]

Once again I will weigh in as an Optometrist.

It is NOT illegal to buy contacts online... however, there are aspects about it which make it unsafe. For one, you can often keep on buying the contacts even without an up to date prescription. An Up to Date prescription is a way to ensure that you have had a full eye health check every 2 years. Personally, i do not care where you get your contacts/glasses as long as you get your eyes checked every 2 years (I cannot speak for others however). Secondly, ensuring a proper fit for the CL, and that there are no health concerns related to the lenses is important.

It is ILLEGAL for the website to dispense you the contacts without an up to date prescription. If they are doing this for you, it is sketchy and you should get them somewhere else.

Contacts ARE cheaper online for many brands. This is because they have the capability of buying in bulk. A place like 1800 contacts or Costco will be able to get a box of lenses from the manufacturer at half the price we as an independant optometrist can. However, these big box stores and online places will push certain brands, and often those brands may not be the best for you. You should get a good fitting done at an Optometrists office, where all brands are readily available. Personally, i will charge a 25 dollar refit fee if you want a new brand, and put that towards the purchase of contacts if you buy them through me. This is a way to offset the cost you being in my chair receiving my expertise on contact lenses, even if you take your prescription out of office.

Psycnet - There is a conflict of interest in our profession, but so is there in most other medical professions (eg. Dentistry). There are penalties from our self-regulating organization (Alberta college of optometry)if we do not put the patients health over and above financial issues. Admittedly though, there are some that do not follow this and it is tough to regulate.

I do not understand the Stigma with Optometry.... people will assume I am here to sell you products and nothing but. I am here to look after your eye health and also provide a service for optical correction. It amazes me that someone will complaint about paying 100 bucks every two years for an eye exam when your eye health is as stake.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

I've been using clearlycontacts.ca (or their US site costalcontacts.com when things were at par) as I've saved 50-75% off of what the optometrist wanted.

I still go to the optometrist for yearly checkups and what not to ensure eye health is there. I'm just royally PO'ed at what they are marking up glasses and contacts since glasses are considered "fashion" items, like a pair of Manolo Blanik shoes or some gucci handbag. Going through my optometrist's glasses, I was probably in a range of 500-650 for my high index 1.6 lenses and frames. Completely overkill since they are more of a backup pair for me to my contacts.

Coastal Contacts has glasses for as low as $38-$85 for a 1.6 index. No they're not all ugly. Hmmm $85 or $650....what to do....

Bottom line, if optometrists try and completely screw me on marked up pricing - you can bet I'll find somewhere cheaper to get glasses and contacts. I've even got Manulife to pay insurance on a CoastalContacts receipt.

[RW99]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Once again I will weigh in as an Optometrist...

Nice post, I would agree with everything.

Can I ask what are your thoughts on Focus Night & Day lenses?

I really wanted to get these and one Optometrist flat out refused to try them. The second doctor was OK with it, though he seemed reluctant. Do you think this is due to issues being reported by these lenses? Or is it more of them trying to sell the brands they carry?

As it stands, I've been using them for almost a year now and I love them.

[JimmytheT]

Originally Posted by fotze

Optometrists are in the same league as podiatrists and chiropractors, they're all quacks.

I'm hoping you are being sarcastic with this one.

Though an Optometrist is limited in a skill set relative to an Opthamologist, they certainly are not even close to the same quack league as Chiropractors, Podiatrists, Iridologists et al.

[Knut]

I put myself in the "reluctant to use" category. However i will fit them as a 30 day Extended Wear Contact lens (i.e. 30 days and nights straight with wear). The reason for some hesitancy is that there are no long-term studies on the health effects of them. As well, there is a very strong chance of abuse with the contacts as you get a false sense of security with them. For instance i often hear... "They feel great after 30 days, why not wear them longer". People will wear them for 2 or 3 months straight, often with serious eye health issues arising.

If you are not sleeping in them, there are better options.

PM if you want more info....

Originally Posted by RW99

Nice post, I would agree with everything.

Can I ask what are your thoughts on Focus Night & Day lenses?

I really wanted to get these and one Optometrist flat out refused to try them. The second doctor was OK with it, though he seemed reluctant. Do you think this is due to issues being reported by these lenses? Or is it more of them trying to sell the brands they carry?

As it stands, I've been using them for almost a year now and I love them.

[Buff]

I buy my contacts directly from my optometrist. When it comes to my eyes I don't mind paying more money as long as I know I'm being taken care of. I checked it out and I can save quite a bit by buying online. Tempting, but I think I'll still buy from my eye doctor.

My wife always went to Costco to get her contacts but she has changed here mind now. They told her that she had to get a different type of contact lenses because here eyes weren't breathing properly. She got the new type on a two week demo and had nothing but problems with eye irritation and fuzzy vision. She went back to them and said told them the problems. The guy told her that here eyes were going to get worse if she kept using the old lenses and assured her that she wouldn't have the problems with the new lenses.

A couple of weeks later, and this time with the purchased lenses, she was still having the same problems. She went back and demanded that she go back to her old type because she was having nothing but problems. She saw a different person this time and he could see that the lenses were not doing well for her and gladly got her back on the lenses she used to wear. My wife then went to her eye doctor (a specialist for whom she doesn't even have to pay due to some family history) and he checked out her eyes and there is no problem with her eyes or the lenses that she had always been wearing.

People at Costco or other lenses dispensers either believe so much in a particular product or in making money that they can become blind to their customers needs.

[PsYcNeT]

Quick question to anyone who knows:

I have a box for right eye and a box for left eye, but the labels fell off the boxes and I'm not sure which one goes where (monthlies I need to change very soon). My right eye is worse than my left. Is a lower number or a higher number on the box indicitave of a stronger prescription?

[photon]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Once again I will weigh in as an Optometrist.

I was hoping you would!

I agree with what you say, she just got her exam done, and she does it every year or two either way.

As for the fit, the optometrist recommended a specific kind and she bought the trial ones and she really likes them so that's what she's going to be ordering online. I also agree that changing to a different brand or whatever isn't something you should be doing on a whim yourself without consulting an expert.

And yeah, I wouldn't trust the sales drones at costco for any kind of advice.