There is considerable discussion and concern among eyecare practitioners about mail order contact lens services. There are some significant issues that contact lens wearers should understand when considering the purchase of new contact lenses.
* Contact lens wearers are replacing lenses without necessary check-ups.
Some contact lens wearers are replacing lenses without regular follow-up care. There are a significant number of reported instances where people have acquired lenses from mail order firms for years without check ups. Some have suffered vision-impairing damage to their eyes which would likely not have occurred with regular professional care. Besides verifying lens fit and optical powers, contact lens check ups include a microscopic evaluation of the cornea which looks for signs of damage to the tissue. Personal contact with the eye doctor also facilitates the exchange of information between the wearer and professional. The wearer may have some concerns about comfort or vision quality which may be addressed by reviewing lens care and handling techniques or perhaps utilizing new materials or technology. Lens care products and lens materials and technology are always changing. Sometimes it is a good idea to move up to new products. How do you know what you might be missing? By having regular check ups with your eyecare practitioner.
*Contact lens wearers are loosing sight of the fact that contact lenses have risks, as well as benefits.
Many doctors believe that the public needs to perceive contact lenses as the medical device they are and not as simple commodities like a toothbrush or shampoo. Promoting that concept is critical to the well-being of contact lens wearers and to the issue of professional eye care. The need for routine follow-up care can not be overstated.
*Some mail-order companies operate with questionable business practices.
Some mail-order firms have dispensed lenses without valid
prescriptions.
This, it appears, occurs all too frequently. This is an issue of ethics
and responsibility, for both the mail-order company and the wearer, a
lately
one of legal challenges as well. In the U.S.A, there are federal and
some state laws that govern the dispensing of contact lenses.
Laws and regulations exist that attempt to address the problem of
contact lenses being dispensed without prescription and patients rights
to their contact lens prescription.
*Eye doctors often provide lenses at reasonable cost with important value-added services
I believe there should be easy, cost effective availability of contact lenses. If eyecare practitioners would charge a reasonable fee for their contact lenses and associate lens costs with value-added professional services (like on-the-eye verification of the newly dispensed lens and a consultation), there would be less need for mail-order contact lens dispensers! Many eye doctors do indeed dispense contact lenses for nearly the same price as mail-order (taking into account the real bottom line costs). And if your lenses should end up costing a few dollars more from your doctor, consider the value of the professional care you receive there. Additionally, there are some people who, for various reasons should not use mail-order for contact lens replacements. This includes people whose contact lenses do not always provide ideal maintaince of eye health (and need frequent check-ups), those people who do not take proper care of their lenses (increasing the risks of infection and injury ) and those who require frequent adjustments to the lens fitting or optical powers.
*Mail-order may be the right thing for some people
I do feel there is a place for mail order lens services, especially
those
that provide their service ethically and professionally, and, under
conditions
as outlined above. Some people just desire spares or back-ups for those
lenses that have been determined to be a safe and healthy fit . For
others,
getting to the eye doctor's office to pick up replacement contact
lenses
other than at the time of a check-up is a hardship. Perhaps the wearer
lives
many miles from the doctor's office. For those people who prefer to use
mail-order, you might ask your practitioner if he/she offers such a
service.