Buying contacts online has been very accessible to the public and has revolutionized the contact lens industry. Before you purchase your contact lenses, a proper fitting with your eyecare professional is very important. During a contact lens fitting, your eyecare professional will prescribe the material, curvature, fit, and appropriate material oxygen permeability for your unique needs. “One size fits all” does not apply to contact lenses. I also recommend an annual eye health check to ensure that your eyes are healthy to continue to wear contact lenses.
Once the fitting has been finalized, the doctor’s prescription will include the base curve, your lens power, diameter, and brand. At this point, you may choose to order your prescribed lenses from lens retailers, including those with online stores.
One common misconception is that lens power in glasses prescriptions and contact lens prescriptions are always the same. A contact lens prescription often differs from a glasses prescription in lens power, especially in cases where the glasses prescription that is higher than -4.00DS or +4.00 or of you have astigmatism. This is due to the change in effective power of a lens sitting on your eye versus 12-14 mm off your eye as well as the way lenses position on your eye.
What are the benefits of buying online?
1. Order them 24hrs/day
2. Shipped to your door within couple days
What are risks?
1. Lenses from overseas may be counterfeit. Some internet sites do not ensure that the only source of lenses are directly from the manufacturers in North America.
2. Some brands are not approved by Health Canada (especially cosmetic contact lenses)
At Avenue Eyecare, we can help determine the best contact lenses for your eyes and help ensure your eyes stay healthy for life. We also ensure the quality of your lenses. If your contact lenses ever rip or tear, we will replace it free of charge. With our rebates, our prices are very competitive compared to online.
Here is a video clip of Dr. Tung talking about purchasing contact lenses online
http://bcdoctorsofoptometry.com/?p=1426
Dr. Sherman Tung, OD FAAO drtung@avenueeyecare.com
