Buying contacts isn’t the same as buying glasses for reading. You can’t simply walk into a department store and try on a few pair and decide what works best for you. Contact lenses are medical devices, which require wearers to follow a prescribed process to get them.
The good news…? Buying contacts is very easy, requiring little of your time—just a simple visit to your eye doctor.
Here’s how it works:
How can I get contact lenses?
To walk you through the entire process, let’s assume you don’t have glasses. Let’s also assume that you need contacts to correct blurry vision—such as you’re having trouble reading text or you’re experiencing nearsightedness and objects in the distance are blurry.
Wait, I need glasses? Help!
First, relax. Our vision changes as we age. This is normal. Trying to ignore this change in your vision and pretending you don’t need glasses or contact lenses could lead to headaches and struggling more and more to get through you day. Who needs that?
Buying contact lenses can help you enjoy life more since you’ll be able to see clearly—and, unlike buying glasses, no one will be the wiser should you decide to keep your new contacts a secret.
Use our find an eye doctor tool
Call for an eye exam
If you’re unsure which optometrist you should call, look around on review sites and ask your friends. If you’d like a more pointers in finding the eye doctor who’s right for you, check out our article for tips on finding an eye doctor.
Think about the right contact lenses for you
While your optometrist must make the final decision on which contact lenses are the right fit, your opinion counts, too! Before you head out for your eye exam, think about how often you’d like to replace your contacts with new ones. Daily contact lenses offer you a fresh new pair every day. That means no daily cleanings with no need to buy contact lens solution, making this option extremely convenient.
What happens in an eye exam for contact lenses?
Having an eye exam is easy; it’s also something you should have once a year. In general, you can expect your eye doctor to examine the health of your eyes and ask a few questions. Check out our article for a more detailed breakdown of eye exams for contact lenses.
Where to buy contact lenses?
After you have your contact lens prescription and contact lens trial, you’re ready to buy your contacts. But where to purchase them..? Should you buy contact lenses online or at the eye doctor’s office? That’s up to you. Purchasing them at your optometrist’s office may make things easier, since he or she knows your needs. You are free to price shop online, however.
Stick to established sources. Everyone likes to save, but don’t let the promise of cheap contact lenses lure you into online auction sites with dubious sources. Trying to save a few pennies isn’t worth it when you’re dealing with the health of your eyes.
Wearing contact lenses for the first time
After you start wearing your contact lenses, be sure to keep up with your eye doctor’s advice regarding them. Sticking to the prescribed cleaning and replacement schedule is very important. And of course, you’ll need to learn how to insert contact lenses and remove them. (Watch our video for how to put on contact lenses to make things easy.)
While buying contact lenses involves a few more steps than a milk and bread run to your local supermarket, it’s easy and painless. And once you get new contact lenses, you’re going to love seeing the world around you clearly without sacrificing any personal freedom.