I want contact lenses?!


Question: I want contact lenses?
I don't know anything about contact lenses, but I want to get some instead of using glasses. I am nearsighted and my vision is pretty bad, around 20/60 or 20/70. I also don't want to spend a lot of money on them, should I go to an eye doctor or will any type from a store work?

Answers:

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Cheapest place to go is Walmart for an optical exam and contacts.

looking about 80 dollars for the exam, you have to get a special eye exam that cost more than the regular. then the cheapest boxes of contacts are about 20 dollars, acuvue

since your eyes are different you will have to buy two boxes, but it will last longer.

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Also different walmarts, the cost is a little different. But pretty cheap. i just moved from the east coast to the west and just had this done. It was like 15 dollars in difference.



It is illegal in the US to supply lenses without a fitting from an optician. Its not just your perscription but the fitting of the lenses. Now some places are cheaper than others but lenses if they are to be safe are NOT cheap and you need to have constant checkups. Lenses do come in most perscriptions and are really good so you should be able to wear them, but don't try and cut corners . you can't buy a new pair of eyes from Wallmart.



contacts can be annoying at times. at first its real hard to get them in, dosent look as easy then u think



If you are an adult, or at least 16 years old and you and/or your parents can afford them, by all means, get them. I wore contacts for over 30 years, having worn the hard, semi-soft and soft fold-able. Before that I wore glasses, and hated it in the winter when they would fog over when going indoors from the cold. (I live in the VERY cold part of the Midwest.)

My vision is 20/800+ (I'm legally blind without any corrective lens) and my vision was corrected to 20/20. So your vision certainly is correctable, unless there is some other vision problem. Even astigmatism can be corrected with contact lenses.

I'd recommend you go to an ophthalmologist for a thorough exam before getting the contacts, especially if you haven't had an exam from an ophthalmologist in the last 3 years. He can write a prescription for the contacts and order them through his office. You have the right, however, to get the prescription from him and take it elsewhere.

Before going to the ophthalmologist, though, if you are only nearsighted and don't also have astigmatism, call other "Big Box" stores and check out the price for the exam to get contact lenses and the cost of the contacts. Even the ophthalmologist will charge separately for the exam and the prescription, although some reduce the cost of the exam if you get your contacts through them. I think you may find that the additional cost of seeing an ophthalmologist may be worth it. Don't forget to ask what specific exams are done so that you are comparing apples to apples. Some doctors are more thorough than others. Google "What to expect at a thorough eye exam."

I've always gone to an ophthalmologist, having worn glasses since I was 8 years old and now being a Senior Citizen. However, my 33 yo son goes to a "Big Box" store and is very satisfied with both the exam and the contacts. Neither of us have ordered contacts on-line.

I think you'll enjoy wearing contacts if you can physically handle them, insert them and remove them. It takes some people awhile to get used to handling them. My older son can't wear them because he can't stop blinking as soon as something gets close to his eye! He can't get them in, even though he really, really wants to wear them!!!!

Ask the ophthalmologist or "Big Box" optometrist for a "trial" pair. Those lenses will be clear. They will give you instructions as to how to insert them. Having a trial pair to practice with will let you know if you'll be okay handling them, inserting them, wearing them, and removing them. The trial pair SHOULD be free. They are given to ophthalmolgist's offices free from the manufacturers. You could insert them, wear them with your glasses for awhile, and see how you like them.

The ONLY negative I've found in all these years is the wind can blow dirt, etc. in my eyes and irritate them, requiring the removal and cleaning of the contact lens, failing deliberate tearing to wash out the debris. Sometimes this happens at a most unopportune time! However, I invested in wrap around sun glasses that I wear to address the blowing dirt/sand issues, and have not had an occurence since.

Good Luck!




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