4 ms·

Yeah, if you consider the actual cost of visits, the end product has to subsidize the entire business. It took 3 visits for me to get contacts. The contacts wer

Yeah, if you consider the actual cost of visits, the end product has to subsidize the entire business. It took 3 visits for me to get contacts. The contacts were about $200 for a year's supply, and each visit was about $60.00. Each of the people involved has to make a part of that as their pay, and on top of that they have to rent an office, maintain stock, lease equipment, etc.. All to sell me some squishy bits of hydrogel for less than what a cell phone costs. I'm really surprised if they broke even on me.

jpatokal 8y ago
But why did it take you three visits to get contacts? It's also interesting that hard (RGP) contacts, which last essentially forever, are now virtually impossible to buy from high-street opticians. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigid_gas_permeable_lens https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigid_gas_permeable_lens
- andperseand 8y ago
  Contact lenses aren't always easy to fit. Especially if you are correcting for astigmatism. There's sizing, weighting, permeability and the unmeasured but distinct differences between brands. There's also the choice of changing the actual powers involved for different reasons. So people have to take them away, try them for comfort and such... Three visits is pretty normal. If you are a keratoconic then 3 visits would be a very easy case...
- jschwartzi 8y ago
  RGPs aren't nearly as gas-permeable as hydrogel lenses. They also break and they fall out, and they're not as hygienic because you're reusing them so much. A year's supply of monthly lenses is about $200, which is about what I would spend on glasses. As another poster said, you have to try different brands and make sure the prescription works and that they're comfortable. For example I couldn't stand having any of the Acuvue lenses in my eyes for more than a couple of hours, but the Biofinity lenses I use now are comfortable all day.

jpatokal 8y ago

But why did it take you three visits to get contacts? It's also interesting that hard (RGP) contacts, which last essentially forever, are now virtually impossible to buy from high-street opticians. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigid_gas_permeable_lens https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigid_gas_permeable_lens

andperseand 8y ago
Contact lenses aren't always easy to fit. Especially if you are correcting for astigmatism. There's sizing, weighting, permeability and the unmeasured but distinct differences between brands. There's also the choice of changing the actual powers involved for different reasons. So people have to take them away, try them for comfort and such... Three visits is pretty normal. If you are a keratoconic then 3 visits would be a very easy case...
jschwartzi 8y ago
RGPs aren't nearly as gas-permeable as hydrogel lenses. They also break and they fall out, and they're not as hygienic because you're reusing them so much. A year's supply of monthly lenses is about $200, which is about what I would spend on glasses. As another poster said, you have to try different brands and make sure the prescription works and that they're comfortable. For example I couldn't stand having any of the Acuvue lenses in my eyes for more than a couple of hours, but the Biofinity lenses I use now are comfortable all day.