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Ever since I started wearing glasses in grade school, I went to one doctor who checked my eyes, and another place to buy the glasses/contacts. I would pay a co-pay for my exam, and then whatever the contacts/glasses cost.
8 years ago my eye doctor retired, and I moved to one of his backups, and things were pretty much the same, except in the last few years I've not only paid a copay, but insurance no longer covered one of the tests so I've been paying about $110 for a yearly exam.
About 5 years ago, the glasses company started to charge a $35 fitting fee, which seemed more than fair considering how much time he spent with me. I bought all my contacts/glasses and supplies from him.
A couple of years ago, he semi-retired and merged with another company. The new company does both eye exams and sells products. I ordered contacts from them a few times and they messed up my order all but one time.
As luck would have it, the second eye doctor announced his retirement this year. They've already moved me to another doctor in the practice, but I honestly don't really like the practice (it's a larger local chain with all types of doctors)
I thought this would be a good time to find a new doctor a little closer. But I've found out that now everyone charges $100 or more for a contact fitting even if I am not buying contacts from them - it's the only way I can get a script! One of them said it was a state law (the fitting). I actually have an appointment for next week but my total cost may be over $300 for the exam and fitting.
Is this normal these days? Was I just stuck in a time warp with these great old timers? I even called Costco and they are a bit less at $240 total but they were careful to note that the exam "starts at" $135, plus fitting.
I also think I may get burned at the place I've used the past few years with a new doctor - they don't sell product so they don't do fittings but he used to give me a script in the correct format. Now that he is gone and his business is part of a chain, I don't know how that's going to be handled. I suppose that's a call for Monday.
I've been ordering my contacts online since the fall because the new shop messed up my orders so much, so getting the script is pretty important. Costco is an option though I'd need to buy a membership to buy contacts (unless it's legal to do it under a friends)
Sounds about average nowadays. Although I don’t do the CL fittings and just order from somewhere who doesn’t need a script. These usually cost more for the contacts though.
Sounds about average nowadays. Although I don’t do the CL fittings and just order from somewhere who doesn’t need a script. These usually cost more for the contacts though.
I'm sure it all averages out. Is it a place online? I think all the ones I've looked at want a script - maybe it's state dependent.
After calling around last week and actually making appointments with 2 new places, I decided to go back to the old place since I was having some problems seeing. I asked them about fittings when I made the appointment and they were a little vague. What I didn't know is that since I've last been, they moved their eyeglass place in there so guess what? Now there are fitting fees. I almost think the only way to get around it is to find a stand alone eye doctor but they all seem to have glasses centers attached to them around here.
I made a fitting appointment just because I want to see if there is a different type of contact I should be using, for that that it's worth it (for now). But more interesting what when I was leaving, the worker asked them for my script to give to me, and was told something like since I was coming in for the fitting I would get it then, didn't make sense to give it to me now. They refused to release it into my chart. So I think I'm going to have to push to get it - I want both the glasses and contact script.
Ever since I started wearing glasses in grade school, I went to one doctor who checked my eyes, and another place to buy the glasses/contacts.
My eye doctor orders my glasses and my contacts. Every year my glasses prescription changes, but for two years my contacts didn't change. This year I absolutely need new contacts because I'm having trouble reading with them, so all I have to do is text them and get them to order them.
My insurance pays for one or the other (either glasses or contacts). This year I bought cheaper frames thinking I would save money since I still had last year's contacts order (I only wear them on weekends). Now I wish I had put the contacts on the insurance and paid cash for the frames. Ah well. You live and learn.
OP, do you wear rigid lenses or soft ones? My husband has had RGP (rigid gas permeable) lenses all his life and finding someone who can do the exam to fit those is exorbitant. We found the best value at - get ready - Walmart, though we have to go over the state line because none of the Walmarts in our state have an optical center. I really like the doctor there, and when I have to go I call to find out which store he's working from. I've never had a problem with the glasses I get (trifocals) and if you buy your own frame elsewhere, they charge a small fee to scan it for shaping the lens. I have no insurance to cover any of it, so this is the best medical value I've found since ever.
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