Buying Contact Lenses on the Internet:
Questions and Answers
Brought to you by Cheap Contacts Guide.com
The FDA wants you to be a wise consumer if you buy contact lenses,
an FDA-regulated product, on the Internet, over the phone or by
mail. While such purchases are often a convenient and economical
way to get lenses, Internet, phone, or mail orders require consumers
to exercise some caution. The following questions and answers should
help you take simple precautions to make your Internet, phone or
mail purchase safe and effective for you.What do I need to consider
when buying contact lenses on the Internet, by phone or by mail?
- Is my contact lens prescription current? You should always
have a current, correct prescription when you order contact lenses.
- If you have not had a check-up in the last one to two years,
you may have problems with your eyes that you are not aware of,
or your contact lenses may not correct your vision well.
- The expiration date for your prescription is currently set
by your state. Some require a one-year renewal, some a two-year
renewal, while other states leave it to your doctor to decide.
- Never order lenses with a prescription that has expired.
What does a valid contact lens prescription include?
- This depends on the state where your doctor practices. State
laws often define a prescription’s requirements. In states
without a legal definition, the prescribing doctor includes some
minimum elements.
- The minimum elements usually include your name and the doctor’s
name along with the contact lens brand name and material. Also,
lens measurements such as power, diameter and base curve are included.
- More detailed prescriptions will include directions for safe
use such as wearing schedule, whether lenses are for daily or
extended wear, the number of refills, whether lens material substitutions
are allowed and an expiration date.
- Some Internet sites ask for information about your doctor so
that they may check the prescription with your doctor. State laws
vary greatly concerning the kind of verification that is required.
Internet sites should comply with applicable State requirements
concerning verification of prescriptions for contact lenses.
Will I get in legal trouble if I buy my contact lenses on the Internet,
by phone or by mail if I don’t have a copy of my prescription?
- You won’t break any laws, but the company is selling you
a prescription device as if it were an over-the-counter device.
In legal terms, this misbrands the device. Often, the company
will say that they will check back with your doctor to confirm
the prescription and expiration date; however, that may not always
happen.
- Some Internet sites will allow you to fill out a chart with
the ordering information about your contact lenses and ask you
to fill in your doctor’s name and phone number. The site
may or may not ask for an actual copy of your prescription, but
they should comply with applicable State law concerning contact
lens prescription verification.
- Since individual states have different licensing requirements
for optical dispensers, enforcement of prescription device sales
has usually been left to State authorities.
What harm can be done if I don’t have regular check-ups with
my doctor or I order lenses without a valid prescription?
- At your check-up, your eye doctor will re-evaluate the fit
of your contact lenses and observe any changes in your cornea
caused by your lenses. You will benefit by having a correct, current
prescription and you may avoid serious problems, especially if
you wear your lenses on an extended or overnight schedule.
- Though infections of the cornea are rare, severe cases can
cause loss of vision and even blindness. During regularly
scheduled visits, your eye doctor looks for irregularities that,
if left untreated, may lead to severe problems. These irregularities
often have no symptoms and you may be totally unaware of them.
- Contact lens wear causes many changes to cells and tissues
of the eye, and sometimes wearing contact lenses can damage the
cornea (the clear window of the eye). Even if you are currently
experiencing no problems, the lenses may be causing damage to
your eyes. Regular check-ups will reduce the likelihood of
damage going undetected.
- Contact lenses that are not properly fitted by an eye doctor
might not work well, or even worse, may harm your eyes.
- Ask your eye doctor how often to have a check-up.
Will regular check-ups help prevent me from having problems with my
contact lenses?
- Anyone wearing contact lenses runs an increased risk of corneal
infection. Regular check-ups will help reduce your chances of
having a problem. At your check-up, your doctor may find something
that requires refitting with a new lens or requires modifying
your wearing schedule.
What can I do to avoid serious problems with my contact lenses?
- Ask your eye doctor how often you should have a check-up and
see the doctor according to the recommended schedule.
- You run a greater risk of developing serious eye problems such
as infection if you wear lenses overnight.
- Order your contact lenses from a supplier you are familiar
with and know is reliable. Contact lenses are often more complex
than they appear.
- Request the manufacturer’s written patient information
for your contact lenses. It will give you important risk/benefit
information, as well as instructions for use.
- Beware of attempts to substitute a different brand than you
presently have. While this may be acceptable in some situations,
there are differences in the water content and shape between different
brands. The correct choice of which lens is right for you should
only be made based on examination by your doctor, not over the
phone.
- Carefully check to make sure the company gives you
- the exact brand,
- lens name,
- power,
- sphere,
- cylinder, if any,
- axis, if any,
- diameter,
- base curve, and
- peripheral curves, if any.
- If you think you have gotten an incorrect lens, check with
your eye doctor. Don’t accept a substitution unless your
doctor approves it.
Where can I report problems that I have with my contact lenses?
- You can report a serious eye problem associated with your contact
lenses with FDA’s MedWatch reporting form at: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Also, contact your health professional for medical advice.
- If you do not get the exact lenses that you ordered, you should
report the problem directly to the company that supplied them.
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