Buying
Contact Lenses Online
FDA Advice:
Buying Contact Lenses on
the Internet, by Phone, or by Mail: Questions and Answers
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.
To check our
selection of contact lenses, please
click here.
Thank you.
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