Need disposable contacts. Have expired prescription.
May 11, 2019 8:37 AM Subscribe
Yesterday I got around to making an eye doctor appointment. They can't get me in until June 24th. My current supply of disposable contacts is going to run out next week. Contacts aren't optional for me, so I need to figure out how to get a month-and-a-half supply of contacts with an expired prescription.
I have a five diopter difference between the prescriptions in my left and right eye, which means that I don't see well with glasses. This is apparently called anisometropia. The problem stems from the fact that glasses lenses distort the size of the image, and so when I wear glasses, each eye perceives the image to be a different size. It causes problems with depth perception, as well as headaches and dizziness. Contact lenses don't distort the image size in the same way, so I wear contact lenses almost all the time. I don't think I can go a month without contacts without experiencing serious impairment.
My last prescription is from May 2017. (I know that's bad.) I don't want to get an eye exam from anyone but my eye doctor, because my eyes are complicated, and I don't trust the person at Lens Crafters to get it right. I just want two boxes of the contacts I'm currently wearing, and then I will get a new prescription in June. Is there any way to do this? 1-800-Contacts wants me to do an online eye exam, which is absolutely not happening.
When I scheduled the appointment, I explained the situation to the scheduler, and she said to leave a message explaining the situation and seeing if I could get some samples or something. I did that, and I got a really condescending message back about how contact lenses required prescriptions, so I should call and make an appointment for an eye exam. I already did that, asshole, but thanks. (I should have read them my prescription. A thing that happens to me a lot is that I raise this issue, am dismissed by doctors, optometrists, opticians, etc., and then they look at my prescription and say "oh, yeah, you're right, I see what you mean." 5 diopters is apparently a *really big* difference.) So apparently my eye doctor is not going to help with this, although I'm going to try again on Monday and see if I can actually talk to someone so I can explain the problem. Any other ideas? Am I going to have to go get a crappy exam at Lens Crafters?
I have a five diopter difference between the prescriptions in my left and right eye, which means that I don't see well with glasses. This is apparently called anisometropia. The problem stems from the fact that glasses lenses distort the size of the image, and so when I wear glasses, each eye perceives the image to be a different size. It causes problems with depth perception, as well as headaches and dizziness. Contact lenses don't distort the image size in the same way, so I wear contact lenses almost all the time. I don't think I can go a month without contacts without experiencing serious impairment.
My last prescription is from May 2017. (I know that's bad.) I don't want to get an eye exam from anyone but my eye doctor, because my eyes are complicated, and I don't trust the person at Lens Crafters to get it right. I just want two boxes of the contacts I'm currently wearing, and then I will get a new prescription in June. Is there any way to do this? 1-800-Contacts wants me to do an online eye exam, which is absolutely not happening.
When I scheduled the appointment, I explained the situation to the scheduler, and she said to leave a message explaining the situation and seeing if I could get some samples or something. I did that, and I got a really condescending message back about how contact lenses required prescriptions, so I should call and make an appointment for an eye exam. I already did that, asshole, but thanks. (I should have read them my prescription. A thing that happens to me a lot is that I raise this issue, am dismissed by doctors, optometrists, opticians, etc., and then they look at my prescription and say "oh, yeah, you're right, I see what you mean." 5 diopters is apparently a *really big* difference.) So apparently my eye doctor is not going to help with this, although I'm going to try again on Monday and see if I can actually talk to someone so I can explain the problem. Any other ideas? Am I going to have to go get a crappy exam at Lens Crafters?
It just sounds like the doctor's office didn't pass along full info, so the person responding to you didn't know you already have an appointment. I'd definitely call back next week and say "I have an appointment with you but I need more contacts to tide me over until then."
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:50 AM on May 11, 2019 [17 favorites]
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:50 AM on May 11, 2019 [17 favorites]
If it doesn't work out, you can get a crappy exam at Lens Crafters and bring your current prescription. Tell the optometrist there you only want to renew your current prescription for two weeks of contacts until you can see you your ophthalmologist. They will likely give you and exam anyway but should be able to help you from there.
posted by DarlingBri at 8:51 AM on May 11, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 8:51 AM on May 11, 2019 [3 favorites]
I've ordered contacts online without a prescription (that's in Canada). All the info you need should be on the package of your current contacts.
posted by bluefrog at 8:53 AM on May 11, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by bluefrog at 8:53 AM on May 11, 2019 [2 favorites]
Have you already tried asking your previous eye doctor for a short prescription?
And, yeah, if you just need an optometrist, try a different one. There are a lot of optometrists around, and one should have a sooner appointment.
posted by amtho at 9:01 AM on May 11, 2019
And, yeah, if you just need an optometrist, try a different one. There are a lot of optometrists around, and one should have a sooner appointment.
posted by amtho at 9:01 AM on May 11, 2019
Response by poster: Huh, it looks like I can order from Canada. US contact lens places require an up-to-date prescription (and it's hard to fudge, because they want a picture of it), but Canadian places don't.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 9:09 AM on May 11, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 9:09 AM on May 11, 2019 [5 favorites]
I’ve ordered from 1800-contacts for years with an expired prescription. They say they’ll check/confirm and never do so that might be an option as well.
posted by raccoon409 at 9:23 AM on May 11, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by raccoon409 at 9:23 AM on May 11, 2019 [3 favorites]
I've ordered without proof of prescription from Contact Lens King. It looks sleazy as hell but it worked just fine.
posted by theodolite at 10:18 AM on May 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by theodolite at 10:18 AM on May 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
Call your new eye doctor again during business hours (don't leave a message) and they will probably have enough in stock (with your old rx) to tide you over. Mine does this for free.
posted by nkknkk at 5:43 PM on May 13, 2019
posted by nkknkk at 5:43 PM on May 13, 2019
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posted by suncages at 8:41 AM on May 11, 2019