# contact lens question



## noahlowryfan (Nov 13, 2008)

Can I purchase contact lens online without it having to verified the prescription through a doctor? I know that 1-800 Contacts needs a doctor's verification. I want a site that doesn't need that. Only a prescription.


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## ZoZo (Nov 13, 2008)

Me too???


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## noahlowryfan (Nov 13, 2008)

has anyone ever order from discountcontactlenses.com before? how is their service?


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## AimeeL (Nov 14, 2008)

I'm pretty sure you can't order something like that without a doctors word on it.


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## *KT* (Nov 16, 2008)

Every online pharmacy company I've dealt with has required either the original handwritten prescription mailed to them or direct communication with the doctor (via fax or phone).  

Contact lenses are considered medical devices and I'd be suprised if anyone would sell them to you without one of the above.  They're just trying to cover their butts in case there's a problem.


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## COBI (Nov 16, 2008)

Are you looking for prescription lenses or just for show (such as colors and pther cosmetic/fantasy lenses) without prescriptions?

I was surprised (and not really happy about it) to find that a local tattoo/piercing studio does sell "cosmetic" lenses because I have always been under the impression that in my state you can NOT get lenses without a prescription (which in NH is only good for one year while a prescription for glasses is good for two.)


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## banjobama (Nov 16, 2008)

I get mine from 1800contacts.com and I have a prescription, and they fax the doctor to verify it, however if the doctor doesn't fax back saying it's incorrect within maybe two or three days, they just ship it anyway.


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## MzzRach (Nov 16, 2008)

I don't think anyone should be dispensing contact lenses without a prescription.  They are medical devices.


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## ohnna-lee (Nov 16, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by **KT** 

 
_Every online pharmacy company I've dealt with has required either the original handwritten prescription mailed to them or direct communication with the doctor (via fax or phone). 

Contact lenses are considered medical devices and I'd be suprised if anyone would sell them to you without one of the above. They're just trying to cover their butts in case there's a problem._

 
An owner of a mineral make up line just tried selling lens and we ran her out of the MySpace make up forums. NOT COOL! You only have two eyeballs people, protect them. Do this the right way because it could cost you your sight.


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## banjobama (Nov 16, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *MzzRach* 

 
_I don't think anyone should be dispensing contact lenses without a prescription.  They are medical devices._

 
I agree, and you need to get the right fit for your eyes. If you have a prescription why would getting the doctor's verification be a problem?


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## noahlowryfan (Nov 16, 2008)

i know my prescription and i haven't seen my doctor in 2 years and might not be seeing her anymore because she won't allow her patients to buy contact lens  from other sources besides her. also, i don't have insurance so seeing a doctor is expensive. the only thing i need to do is order contacts.


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## COBI (Nov 16, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *noahlowryfan* 

 
_i know my prescription and i haven't seen my doctor in 2 years and might not be seeing her anymore because she won't allow her patients to buy contact lens from other sources besides her. also, i don't have insurance so seeing a doctor is expensive. the only thing i need to do is order contacts._

 
I would recommend seeing another doctor.  There was another thread recently and most posters (including myself) paid about $80-$150 for an eye exam including the contact fitting.

I have never heard of an eye doctor refusing to provide you with a written prescription, but either way, if that's how your most recent doctor feels, I wouldn't want to go them anyway.  I wonder if that's even legal; the prescription is why you pay for the eye exam and contact fitting.

That being said, I have found that Walmart Vision Centers sell contacts for the lowest prices that I've found (of course, they do require a prescription.)  

I would be very surprised if you find anyone reputable that is willing to dispense prescription lenses without a valid prescription.


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## juicygirl (Nov 16, 2008)

actually it is legal for the doctor to not release a contact lens prescription to their patient. at my office, the doctors always release the presecription to the patient but only after it has been finalized. even though it's legal, i think that it's just bad business to force the patient to buy contacts only from you. but please get an eye exam every year even if you think your eyes are fine!! a contact lens wearer might not even know that they are developing a potentially dangerous infiltrate or scleritis until it turns into a full blown case of an ulcer where you could potentially lose the eye. not worth it in my opinion.


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## macymnm (Nov 16, 2008)

According to the site Contact Lenses - An overview it is illegal to obatain and distribute contact lenses without a prescription. I tried discountcontactlenses.com and hated their service. They sent me the wrong prescription and took forever getting them to send a replacement. I have been going to wal-mart or ordering from 1800contacts


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## COBI (Nov 16, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *juicygirl* 

 
_actually it is legal for the doctor to not release a contact lens prescription to their patient. at my office, the doctors always release the presecription to the patient but only after it has been finalized. even though it's legal, i think that it's just bad business to force the patient to buy contacts only from you. but please get an eye exam every year even if you think your eyes are fine!! a contact lens wearer might not even know that they are developing a potentially dangerous infiltrate or scleritis until it turns into a full blown case of an ulcer where you could potentially lose the eye. not worth it in my opinion._

 
According to 1800contacts (and I've never bought from them):
Eye care providers are required by law to give contact lens prescriptions to patients when the fitting process is complete. This requirement is generally understood, but recognize there can be bad actors in any industry. While this situation can be perplexing, the reason is simple: unlike your family doctor, most eye doctors sell what they prescribe (see chart). Therefore, some believe withholding your prescription will force you to purchase contact lenses from them. 


>Then under the sub-heading "Know the Law":
The Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act was signed by President Bush on December 6th, 2003 with an effective date of February 4th, 2004. It was written to protect you from the conflict of interest where eye doctors both prescribe and sell lenses. Here are your new rights under this law:

Right to Your Prescription
You have a right to your prescription automatically and unconditionally. Once your contact lens fitting is done, your eye doctor must give you a copy of your prescription -- whether you ask for it or not - and without an extra fee or the need to sign a waiver or form.

You Don't Have to Buy Your Initial Box of Lenses from Your Doctor
When your eye doctor prescribes new lenses, he or she will generally have you wear a trial pair to test their fit. Once the doctor determines the fitting is complete the federal law requires that you receive your prescription immediately. You are then free to buy your *initial* boxes of lenses, as well as your replacement lenses, from any vendor you choose whether that be your doctor, or 1-800 CONTACTS.

Right to Have Your Prescription Verified
Whenever you want to buy your lenses from a retailer such as 1-800 CONTACTS, your doctor must cooperate. If your eye doctor does not respond to our request for verification within eight business hours, the prescription is considered verified, and you will receive your lenses.

Protection Against Expensive "Private Label" Lenses
You may have been prescribed private label, or store brand, lenses available only through your eye doctor's office. Under the new law, we can provide you with identical lenses made by the same manufacturer, regardless of the brand name on your prescription.

Protection Against Unreasonably Short Prescription Lengths
The law requires that your prescription be valid for at least one year. An eye doctor may only write a prescription for less than one year if justified by your medical health.



A google search for "Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act" brings up a lot of information.


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## TamiChoi (Nov 17, 2008)

Prescriptions are a must!


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## fadesired (Nov 30, 2008)

Hello! Actually you don't need a prescription, and I have been buying lenses off net.

Anyway, I am not sure whether have you guys heard of korean geo lenses, they have amazing contact lenses line. What's more they are about 12 per pair and you can wear them for a year~!!

PM for details!


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## candicenoelle (Nov 30, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *noahlowryfan* 

 
_i know my prescription and i haven't seen my doctor in 2 years and might not be seeing her anymore because she won't allow her patients to buy contact lens  from other sources besides her. also, i don't have insurance so seeing a doctor is expensive. the only thing i need to do is order contacts._

 
Do you have a Costco nearby? You can visit their Optometry department and make an appointment with their optometrist. I don't have vision insurance either and it only cost me about $75 to get my eyes checked and a prescription. A box of Acuvues is only about $13 too.


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## Vixen (Nov 30, 2008)

You dont need a prescription for visiondirect.com
Prior to getting laser eye surgery, I ordered all of my contacts off of that site.


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## COBI (Nov 30, 2008)

Even if someone is willing you to sell you contacts without a prescription, please keep in mind that there are valid safety reasons (and we are talking about your eyes/vision) for having a proper fitting and exam.


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## iadoremac (Nov 30, 2008)

Actually you can. I just got to the U.K and I got my prescription from Nigeria, realy dont want to go through the stress of going to a doctor again so i found a site, if you are in the u.k too send me a PM and I would give you the details.


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## mafalda (Nov 30, 2008)

Wow, that's interesting. With all the medication you can get OTC in the States that you could never get without a prescription anywhere else in the world - and then you really need a prescription for contacts, which is something you can even buy off ebay in Europe? Mhm. Interesting. Thanks for sharing!


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## fadesired (Nov 30, 2008)

In Singapore, we don't need prescriptions at all. We just tell our optician which brand we want, and what degrees. 

It's just like specs IMO, it wouldn't cause much health issues unless you really don't take care of your eyes. 

Anyway, I am one of the people who buy cosmetics lens to make my eyes look bigger and brighter. And I get them at cheap rates too!


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## COBI (Nov 30, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *fadesired* 

 
_In Singapore, we don't need prescriptions at all. We just tell our optician which brand we want, and what degrees. 

It's just like specs IMO, it wouldn't cause much health issues unless you really don't take care of your eyes. _

 
Specs don't go *in* your eyes.  Risks of eye injuries include infection and corneal ulcers to name two.  

In my state (in the US), specs prescriptions are valid for two years, and contact prescriptions are valid for one year.  Even for non-corrective lenses, you are supposed to have a valid prescription.  My prescription is only valid for the *specific* lenses in the prescription (I get 2 lens prescriptions every time, one for colors and one for clear lenses); it costs the same for my exam/fitting regardless of how many scrips I get. 

How does the average person know what "degrees" they need?


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## fadesired (Nov 30, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *COBI* 

 
_Specs don't go *in* your eyes.  Risks of eye injuries include infection and corneal ulcers to name two.  

In my state (in the US), specs prescriptions are valid for two years, and contact prescriptions are valid for one year.  Even for non-corrective lenses, you are supposed to have a valid prescription.  My prescription is only valid for the *specific* lenses in the prescription (I get 2 lens prescriptions every time, one for colors and one for clear lenses); it costs the same for my exam/fitting regardless of how many scrips I get. 

How does the average person know what "degrees" they need?_

 
Oh, our opticians are trained so those people who are selling us specs and contact lenses knows all the diagnostics and will tell us the results. 
If we forgot our degrees, we can always ask them for a free checkup.

Yep, I agree there have been loads of careless people who do stupid things with their lenses. 

Wow, I didn't expect the differences to be so big between countries. Even for specs, we don't need prescpt.


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## noahlowryfan (Nov 30, 2008)

yes i do have a costco near by. does all costco have an optometry department and do you have to be a Costco member to see their doctor?

 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *candicenoelle* 

 
_Do you have a Costco nearby? You can visit their Optometry department and make an appointment with their optometrist. I don't have vision insurance either and it only cost me about $75 to get my eyes checked and a prescription. A box of Acuvues is only about $13 too._

 
thanks to all. I'm planning to see the eye doctor next year and need a good recommendation. anyone living in San Francisco, can you please tell me who is your eye doctor and is he/she any good.


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## candicenoelle (Nov 30, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *noahlowryfan* 

 
_yes i do have a costco near by. does all costco have an optometry department and do you have to be a Costco member to see their doctor?_

 
Most Costco's have an optometry department. Call your local store and ask to be sure. You don't need a Costco card to see their doctors. But you do need a Costco card to purchase contacts through them. You can always bring a relative/friend to help purchase them for you.


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## supastar99 (Dec 4, 2008)

i originally started buying my contact lenses from the optometrist however, when i searched online i realised just how much he was ripping me off he charges almost twice as much for them! so what i do is i only order a small supply from him (like enough to last 3 months) then i get it online so i still get my eyes checked but i havent told him that i get them online. The website i get them from doesnt ask for a prescription its called netoptical and it has really good service.


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