Inexpensive contact lenses: Are they a myth?

If you have problems with your vision and have been wearing eyeglasses for most of your life, finally switching to contact lenses is a big and daunting step. Contact lenses will give you more freedom in terms of movement and may even enhance your appearance, calling attention to the natural features of your face that was once hidden by the eyeglasses you wore.

However, this switch can be daunting because most people think that contact lenses are way more expensive compared to eyeglasses. This is a valid assumption—you cannot use a single pair of contact lenses for the rest of your natural life, and there are the regular eye exams and lens care products like disinfecting and saline solutions, lens cases, and rewetting drops that you will need to carry around with you in case your contact lenses dry out in the middle of the day. Eyeglasses often do not need to be replaced unless the frames are out of style or broken, or if you need a stronger prescription.

A visit to the eye doctor’s office and you will really think that contact lenses are very expensive. But think of it this way: the price that the doctor’s office offers already includes the eye exam and the lens care products that will get you started on your life with contact lenses. Typically, it is recommended to buy your first pair of contact lenses from the doctor’s office, so you will not have a difficult time scouring the town for your prescription lenses. Also, the doctor’s office usually carries the brand that was prescribed to you, as well as the compatible solutions and care products. But there is nothing in the prescription stating that you have to buy your contact lenses exclusively from the doctor’s office—once you have your prescription, you can take your business anywhere, even to stores and sellers that offer your brand at significantly lower prices.

Typically, a contact lens seller who maintains a brick-and-mortar store tends to charge more for their products. They have to pay for the rent and utilities, as well as the employees—which often include an optometrist—to provide their services. However, due to tight market competition, some of these sellers will offer attractive packages and deals to entice you to bring your business to them.

Buying in bulk will definitely save you both time and money—and while contact lenses and lens care products have expiry dates, they are not as perishable as say, food items. Big outlet stores usually sell the major brand of contact lenses—you would not have a difficult time in locating good deals in these stores.

But if you are looking for the most inexpensive contact lenses, going online should end your quest. Just do a search on Yahoo! or Google (or any search engine that you prefer) and you will immediately summon hundreds of results. From here, you can find better deals and discounts than you would from an actual optical store.

Price comparison sites are also a great way to make your online “window shopping” easier. Through these sites, you do not have to sift through search engine results—you immediately see the prices listed by hundreds of contact lens sellers across the country, or the world even. However, before you settle for a cheaper brand or type of contact lenses, you might want to consult first with your eye doctor whether he or she recommends the use of that brand.

Finally, to really determine whether the lenses you are ordering online are cheap, check the shipping and handling fees. There are a lot of sellers who offer shipping services for free or for minimal fees.

Deepak Khanna
Discount Contact Lenses