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I need to get and fill contact lens prescription. Having recently moved to NC, I am told that I need to have new prescription every year. Is Costco a better deal to go and get this done, or should I look into retail opticians such as Lenscrafters, Pearle, etc? My Blue Cross Blue Shield policy does not cover this.
I'm not sure about the cost of getting the eye exam, but I purchase my contacts online for a lot less than my eye doc had them. And a friend of mine purchased online without needing a new scrip. Worth checking out. Just google.
best,
toodie
Just so you know, the prices and places that JK Gourmet quoted above are all for optometrists. I do not know whether the fees listed are for any patient that is ordering contacts or whether it is for a patient that is brand new to wearing contact lenses or is changing contacts for whatever reason. The visual acuity exam is not just checking your vision, it is looking at the overall health of your eye. The contact lens fitting fee is a separate fee, usually charged when you do an initial fitting or are making significant changes to the contacts (brand, power, other parameters) to make sure that it fits appropriately. I suspect that Costco may charge you each time given the 2 different prices for contact lens fitting but I'm not sure. Worth it to ask.
Just so you know, ophthalmologists (medical eye doctors and surgeons) will also often fit contact lenses. If you are someone who currently wears contact lenses, is happy with your vision, and your eyes are healthy, the ophthalmologist will most likely simply write you a prescription to renew your contacts and not charge a fitting fee unless there are significant changes that need to be made. Bonus if you have a current pair that the doctor can see you in to make sure it fits well. A new patient exam to the ophthalmologist might cost a little more (typically $125-$150) but in subsequent years, the exam fee is cheaper (down to $75-100) once you are an "established" patient with that doctor or practice. BCBS won't cover "vision" exams for near-sightedness or far-sightedness but if you have any other medical conditions related to your eye, BCBS will cover the cost of the visit.
Hm, just realized that it's possible that the "visual acuity exam" might mostly be a charge to check your prescription (or refraction) in addition to a brief exam. Ophthalmologists may charge an additional refraction fee that you pay out of pocket if you don't have vision insurance.
As for the yearly prescription, it's a federal law that contact lens prescriptions are only good for a year because, believe it or not, contacts are considered a "medical device" since you are putting something in your eye and it can potentially cause problems. So you need to be seen yearly.
It does pay to shop around for your contacts. Some places might have a lots of rebates for certain lenses. Other places have deals with the contact lens makers. For instance, Costco gets a phenomenal price on Acuvue 2 contact lenses that almost no one can compete with.
Consider calling up some other local doctor offices and optical shops to get quotes. Some will have good deals, others will not.
I went to the optometrist located at the Durham Costco in August. Since I just wanted my existing contact lens prescription renewed, the fee was $100 total. The optometrist found that the eyeglass prescription I got the year before at an ophthalmologist office in Cary was WRONG, and I basically wasted $175 on glasses that didn't work very well (never mind using them for a year). The new prescription she gave me is 100% better.
I wound up going back to her the next week because I wasn't that happy with my existing contact lenses after all, and she had me try on several different pairs and I found one that was great. This wound up being an extra $20. Maybe I just had bad luck at the ophthalmologist I went to, but I didn't find the exam I got there to be any more thorough than an optometrist one, but there was a lot more waiting involved! I should mention that the ophthalmologist didn't actually do my vision test, or contact lens fitting - both of those were done by other staff in the office. I only saw the ophthalmologist for a few minutes.
Anyhow, I highly recommend the O.D. at the Durham Costco for eye exams. The office may not be a lot to look at, but I was very happy with the end result. I also find both the contact lens and glasses prices at the Costco itself to be very reasonable.
As for the yearly prescription, it's a federal law that contact lens prescriptions are only good for a year because, believe it or not, contacts are considered a "medical device" since you are putting something in your eye and it can potentially cause problems. So you need to be seen yearly.
This variesby state - if state law allows for two years, the state law takes precedent over the federal one.
Location: River's Edge Inn, Todd NC, and Lorgues France
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mskb
As for the yearly prescription, it's a federal law that contact lens prescriptions are only good for a year because, believe it or not, contacts are considered a "medical device" since you are putting something in your eye and it can potentially cause problems. So you need to be seen yearly.
Sounds like the optometrist lobby was active on this law. There are many online contact lens sites that do not check for a prescription --- even if they ask you for the name of your optometrist.
1 year in NC for contacts. Glasses prescriptions are good for 2 years for adults.
And generally federal law trumps state law.
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