Hellobee Boards

I've had one twice. The very first time I got contacts, and then when I moved to Austria and saw the eye doc for the first time. I probably had at least 6 different providers in the US and never had to have a fitting other than the first time.

My provider requires one every year and my insurance doesn't cover it either. I think it's BS and it's one of the reasons I exclusively wear glasses now.

@Mrs. Jump Rope: It's legit. The contact lens fitting fee is always a separate fee from the eye exam they do for your glasses Rx. In most states, a contact lens Rx is good for 1 year (some states it's two) and then if you want to reorder contacts and your Rx is out of date, you have to get another contact lens fitting and pay the fee again. I have worn contacts forever, and even though I just got new glasses and contacts a couple of months ago, I can't remember what the fee was for my contact lens exam but I think that fee is in line with what most practitioners charge. I also used to work for a medical device company and sold contact lenses so I called on ODs all day, and I specifically remember the private docs getting all pissed that Costco and WM and places that had discount vision centers would do contact lens exams for like $50 so I think if you're going to a private OD with better equipment than those places (for a more accurate fit and Rx) then $85 sounds normal from what I can remember. They probably even take photos of your eye to check for inner eye issues that contact lenses can cause and you're not even aware of, so you are probably getting very thorough eyeball care, fwiw, if you're going to a private OD (optometrist).....

@Mrs. Jump Rope: I have never had a different contact lens Rx than my glasses Rx....Truthfully, it's because optometrists are businesses just like any other business, and it has always been an industry standard that generates profit for them. Also the 1 year expiration for contact lens exams - this was voted on and passed by a board of eye practitioners themselves- like the American Optometry Something or Other, and it's how they force you to come in for an exam and have to pay for it so they can stay in business. Otherwise, no one would ever ever go to the eye doctor unless they had a problem. I certainly wouldn't!

But my best friend is an OD in private practice and so I definitely see the business side of things. If they didn't have rules like that, all of the private guys would be out of business and we'd all be sitting at Wal Marts and Costcos getting eye exams on sub-par equipment.

I had to pay for one every year. Insurance covered the medical part of the exam but the "contact fitting" was a separate charge every time.

I don't know if it varies by state, but my doctor will write the RX, even though they have a boutique in the office.

If you have the box, you have your prescription. It's really easy to order online, you put in your doc, they "verify" but if the doc doesn't respond, they still sell you the lenses.

@Mrs. Jump Rope: me too, lol.

When you get your fitting, does your doc give you a sample? I have 6 pairs sitting in my bathroom vanity.

Every eye shape is different and if the contact does not rest properly on the eye then it will ruin your vision. The contact fitting ensures that the contacts you will be wearing fit perfectly on your eye. The contact fitting is to also ensure that you are getting 20/20 vision. My astigmatism was so bad that I had to go through four fittings to be able to get the right measurements to get me perfect vision. I think it's a good idea to get it this round, especially if you haven't had it done in a while. I would maybe save the arguing for next year or the year after. My insurance didn't cover everything and I spent about $500 OOP to get my lenses.

I've never heard of contact and glasses having the same exam. I always switch back and forth one year I get fitted for contacts the next for glasses. I tried to get warby Parker glasses one year when Id only had the contact exam and they wouldn't fill the prescription. I've also tried to order contacts online after the prescription expired (12 months in my state). They checked with the eye dr and then wouldn't fill the order bc I didn't have a valid prescription.

I had to get it and pay extra as well when I moved and changed provider, and I also did change the kinda/brand of contacts I was wearing.

@Mrs. Jump Rope: As long as I 've been an adult, on my own insurance (about a decade now), I've always had to pay a contact fitting. At my optometrist, they do give you a sample pair though (identical to the disposables I use.)

I'm always charged a fee for contact fitting. Even though I've been wearing contacts for more than half my life and I don't need a tech TEACHING ME HOW. BOGUS.

Thankfully it's covered by our insurance. I think my eye place charges a higher exam fee (covers both glasses/contacts prescriptions), dilation (if I get it), contact fitting fee (1x a year).

Then there's a dollar amount every year I can apply to contacts or glasses/lenses. It's never enough to cover the glasses or a years' worth of contacts, but at least it's something?