Contact lenses are used to correct vision, change the color of your eyes, or as a therapy for certain eye conditions. They are a popular alternative to glasses which consist of thin lenses that are applied directly on top of your eye. The cost of contacts depend on the difficulty of your prescription, the type of contacts, and where you purchase your contacts. If you are a first time contact lens wearer your exam will cost more than if you are an established patient. If you are considering getting contacts, make sure to comparison shop by phone to get a quote on various exam and their fitting fees. There are two separate fees, and the fitting fee can be up to $275.00. Prices vary considerably and it is worth comparing prices.
There are four major manufactures of contacts that offer different brands to the public. They are Baush and Lomb, Ciba Vision (Alcon line), Cooper Vision (Biofinity and Pro Clear) and Vistakon Acuvue (part of Johnson and Johnson). The need to change your contacts is determined by the type you are wearing. There are daily wear contact lenses which are made to be used once and thrown out after one use, extended wear that are created to be worn overnight and up to a week before changing them, and continuous wear, which can be worn overnight and up to thirty days.
Rigid or hard contact lenses are now known as semi-rigid gas permeables. They are no longer made of glass or poly methacrylate. They were the original contacts on the market and did not allow oxygen to pass to the cornea. They are now made of a plastic-like material and are more breathable. The advantage to the semi-rigid gas permeable contact is they offer a sturdier lens that doesn’t rip or tear as easily as the soft contacts. The vision is crisp and clear with this type of lens. Taken care of properly, one pair can last up to a year. They are custom made for each person. The cost varies from $80.00 – $130.00 per pair on average.
Astigmatism contacts are called toric contacts and are used to treat astigmatism, an irregular shape of the cornea. Astigmatism causes blurry vision and is a common eye aliment. The cost of these contacts average $50.00 – $70.00 for six lenses. Monthly disposables cost $35.00-$65.00 per box. Four boxes are needed for an annual supply of the this type.
Daily disposable contacts to correct near-sighted or far-sighted conditions are soft contact lenses. These daily disposable contacts come in boxes of thirty lenses and cost $20.00 – $30.00 per box.
The extended wear contacts are made of silicone hydrogel and allow oxygen to reach the cornea easily. Hydrogel means they are composed of a great deal of water as well. This makes them very comfortable to wear. The cost of extended wear hydrogel contacts are $50.00 – $70.00 for a box of six lenses. Continuous wear contacts are typically $40.00 – $80.00 a box for six lenses.
Hybrid RGP soft lenses have a rigid center and a soft area around the center. They offer the crisp vision of hard lenses with the comfort of soft lenses. They cost about between $150.00 – $250.00 per lens. An annual supply would be four lenses.
Colored contacts are used to change the color of someone’s eyes. They have colors such as light blue, aqua blue, brown, violet and green. The cost is $37.00 – $47.00 for a box of six lenses. They are also made without power to the lenses although a prescription is still required to obtain colored lenses. They change the color of your eye without vision correction. Astigmatism colored contacts cost about $50.00 – $60.00 per box of six lenses.
Special effects contact lenses are also called theatrical lenses. They cover your entire eye including the white and are mostly used for costumes, movies or plays. The cost of these lenses varies considerable. Depending on the effect you are looking for expect to pay $60.00 – $150.00 per pair. These like all lenses need a prescription and a fitting. Lenses of any type are considered medical devices and require a doctor’s visit to insure proper fitting.
Determine if your health insurance covers eye care. If so, read the fine print to find out how often they will pay for an exam. If they cover portions of the exam, find out what percentage they pay.
Shop online and compare shipping rates. Large companies such as 1.800 Contacts and Lens.Com often provide the same lenses for less than the doctor’s office. Once you have your prescription then research to save money. Coastal Contacts online offers a 110% price match. If you find the same contacts for less they will beat the price by ten percent. Often discounts are given if you purchase an annual supply of contact lenses.
Contact lenses require liquid storage solutions and cleaners. You will need to add another $150.00 – $200.00 per year to cover the maintenance cost of lenses. Daily wear and Continuous wear contacts will save you money on solutions and cleaners compared to other types of lenses.
When you see a quote for contacts given as per box, that means you will get a box of six for the left eye. You need to purchase at least two boxes to get the left and right pair of contact lenses. Find out if there are any coupons or discounts for buying an annual supply. You don’t necessarily need to buy from the name brand companies. Often they spend a lot of money on advertising to get their name to stand out. Make sure to find a reputable one by calling and asking about return policies. Some reputable companies do not require payment until your lenses are delivered. Optometrist lenses are often manufactured by the big companies and just repackaged with a different name. You are entitled to use your prescription anywhere you like once you have had your fitting and exam. Use this to your advantage, and shop online.