Should I purchase Contact Lenses Online?

Online shopping is becoming more and more common. So the obvious question arises: Is it safe to buy contacts online?

Disadvantages of Buying Contact Lenses Online

There are many reasons not to buy online, and to instead get your contact lenses from an eyecare professional.

Quality issues: Contacts ordered online are far more likely to have some sort of quality issue, such as the wrong power, than those purchased directly from an eye care professional.

Lack of professional assistance: Optometrists are trained specifically to fit contact lenses properly and to assist you in choosing what is right for you. The fitting process in particular is extremely important in making sure your contact lenses fit properly and remain comfortable for you to wear. Even more problematic, improperly fit contacts can lead to discomfort and even infection. Lenses purchased online cannot be as precisely fit to your eyes as lenses bought in a physical location can be.

False Promises: There may be times when you think you are ordering one thing but actually receive something completely different. Suppose that you ordered a lens made out of a certain material and received something entirely different.

Zero Education: When buying contacts from an optometrist, you'll receive proper eyewear education, such as how to put them on and take them off properly. Without proper education, online buyers are vulnerable to health issues like poor hygiene and improper storage.

Ultimately, the most important thing for patients to understand is that online activities are generally not controlled or supervised by regulations or laws. In the absence of professional eye care, you simply cannot guarantee the quality of the contact lenses you'll receive. This puts your vision at risk.

Major online contact lens company fined $3.5 million: The Department of Justice ordered an online contact lens company, Hubble contacts, to pay $3.5 million for selling contact lenses online without verifying the subscriber’s prescription, improperly substituting Hubble’s own brand of contact lenses for those prescribed by consumers’ eye care practitioners, and procuring what was falsely portrayed as independent consumer reviews. When buying contact lenses it is important to know that the person selling to you is first and foremost concerned about your health and vision and only second profit.

Beware Online Prescriptions

The prescription for your lenses is the most important thing to have to make sure you get safe lenses that provide the vision correction you need. Even the most advanced systems for online prescriptions cannot provide for you what a visit to an eye care professional can, and they cannot be relied upon.

Improperly fit contact lenses are not just a problem with vision, they also can lead to infections and in extreme cases more serious harm to your eyes and vision. It is critical that you have a contact lens evaluation with an eye doctor to receive your prescription for contact lenses

Summary

We do much of our shopping online nowadays, and, for many, this applies to contact lenses as well. While you can find quality lenses online, you need to make sure that the vendor is properly certified, and ensure that you have received a proper contact lens prescription (following both an eye exam and a contact lens fitting) from an eye care professional beforehand.

Contact lenses are first and foremost a medical device that is regulated by the FDA, it is always important to visit your eye doctor to get a prescription and ensure that the best contact lenses are what you receive. Furthermore, getting contact lenses from your eye doctor ensures that you receive education and fitting, as well as quality control.

If you have any additional questions, or if you would like to schedule an appointment for an eye exam or a contact lens fitting, you can contact Amplify EyeCare of Greater Long Beach at (562) 925-6591.

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Testimonials

I haven't actually used the optometrist side, so my review is limited to the vision therapy offered. This office was recommended by my occupational therapist for the treatment of my double vision following a stroke.

Claire A.

Love this location. I had a brain injury accident from day one one. All the team make you feel you still important and hope in the horizon after when the medical system fell you miserably. Dr. Ikeda very professional and very understanding about your issue. Two tombs up.

Jim K.

My husband and I were immediately impressed with Dr Ikeda. I was hit by a car while cycling which caused broken bones and three brain injuries. The brain injuries caused double vision. Dr. Ikeda examined my eyes and got me started on vision therapy with his occupational therapist who specializes in vision therapy. She (Chris) is absolutely great. I am impressed with the array of tools used to help recover my binocular vision. I am doing things I never thought were possible (balance boards etc). Chris pushes me and keeps me motivated. I really enjoy my sessions with her. The office staff is always friendly and they have a wonderful appointment reminder tool that makes it easy to keep my calendar up to date. I am happy the rehab center at Little Co. of Mary recommended them!!

Teresa S.

The Vision Therapy is handled in a separate office through a different door from the shared waiting room. Chris, the vision therapist, has a wide and varied assortment of tools, equipment and resources to best evaluate and treat most vision issues. After just a few visits, my double vision became easier to control, using exercises developed during the therapy process. It was time well-spent.

Joe M.

I have been coming here since I can remember. I love it here. The staff is so amazing and nice. They explain everything they gonna do and never make you feel rushed. Dr. Ikeda has always been my doctor and I would never want another one. He is the doctor for my whole family and is always asking how everyone is doing. I am also so crazy about picking out my frames and have to try so many and each person who helps me take the time and lets me try them all on. I would never want to go anywhere else! I definitely would recommend this office to anyone looking for a great eye doctor.

Kayla W.

This is not for the eye exam but for the frames selection portion. I brought my prescription from Kaiser here with my VSP insurance. The reception staff was very polite and professional. Manny helped me to pick out frames and explain my coverage. Very helpful and patient not like the individual at the other place I rated here on Yelp. I was running late and he still helped me and was not bothered at all. I am so glad I came here ..........very pleased.

Very professional staff and pleasant.