# Buying Contact Lense w/o Prescription (USA) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 29, 2014, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-contact-lense-w-o-prescription-usa/705865 "2014-11-29T01:49:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BaldDudePeekskill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@BaldDudePeekskill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaldDudePeekskill)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-contact-lense-w-o-prescription-usa/705865/21 "2014-12-01T23:05:22Z")
I don’t thinks it’s necessarily bad to have an eye exam every year after a certain age. And contact lens prescriptions differ slightly from eyeglass prescriptions (generally .25 diopter weaker, due to the better refractive power of the lenses). However my eye doctor charges 40$ extra for that prescription, in addition to the eyeglass refraction exam cost, so I’m calling BS on this practice. The opticians wouldn’t release the contact prescription to me as the front staff said they wanted to check the fit of the lenses (which I’ve worn for the last 35 years, so I’ll be the first to to notice a problem. The consumer will be squeezed whenever possible. Despite what one poster thinks, contacts are not necessarily a luxury. They offer superior correction to standard eyeglasses and are a lot cheaper, IMHO. My husband’s last pair of glasses was $400 dollars, with our insurance…and no, they were not designer frames. Even the clunky looking glasses set you back close to $200 in the NYC area ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-contact-lense-w-o-prescription-usa/705865/22 "2014-12-01T23:44:49Z")
> [@BaldDudePeekskill](#): > > The opticians wouldn’t release the contact prescription to me as the front staff said they wanted to check the fit of the lenses Opticians can’t release prescriptions because they aren’t licensed prescribers. Only the optometrist or ophthalmologist can do that. And if the doctor doesn’t release a current prescription for any reason other than the exam being unpaid, they’re in violation of the federal eyeglass rule. Technically you’re not even supposed to have to ask. They’re supposed to just hand it to you the same way your regular medical doctor would. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-contact-lense-w-o-prescription-usa/705865/23 "2014-12-02T00:37:48Z")
> [@bump](#): > > You know, if you’re that strapped for cash, you could avoid the potential problems with contact AND save money in the process by just getting glasses. > > Contacts seem like a HUGE luxury to me, if you’re stuck buying one pair of super-cheap shoes a year. Glasses are cheaper, last longer, and don’t require periodic replacement if your prescription doesn’t change. Contacts are a luxury, but they are responsible for a huge improvement in my quality of life because they let me have a more active lifestyle. I would give up so many things before I gave up contacts. I also tend to stock up on contacts and get an eye exam every few years. Yes, I’m sure I’m taking some risk with my health, but I don’t buy the idea that a slightly longer delay between appointments is a substantial risk. Is there actually any evidence that one year is the optimal period? Neither my prescription nor the contact/brand design has changed in 8+ years. When I go in, my doctor basically just asks me if I’m happy with the fit of my lenses, and I say yes, and she writes the prescription. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-contact-lense-w-o-prescription-usa/705865.md?page=1)