When you guys go for your yearly checkup, do you get exams for both your contacts and glasses?
I have to get more contacts soon but I don't want to pay for everything:
- Contact lens eye exam
- Glasses eye exam
- New contacts
- New glasses lens
I can't afford to always pay for these every single year. Last year, even with insurance, it came out really pricey.

I mostly use contacts but wear glasses at home and SOMETIMES[rarely] when I go out.
Is it okay if I just get new contacts and NOT new glasses lens? Or do i absolutely have to get both?
What do you guys usually do? How often do you get your glasses lens replaced if you wear contacts?

i only get contacts. i was suppose to get glasses but the prices for both contacts and glasses added up to like 400+ dollars so i was like..drop the glasses ; plus the contacts i wear is purevision which allows me to have them on for long periods of time without cleaning them =) good for me because i always forget to take them out hahaha

i haven't had new glasses lens in like .. 4 years XD i rarely wear them.

i only get new glasses if my vision has changed considerably since my last prescription glasses, or if i break my glasses. this usually comes down to new glasses every 3 or 4 years for me. i also don't take two exams. just one to cover both glasses/contacts.

if your vision changes a lot over the year, it's recommended you get new glasses. in this case, ask if you can just get the lenses only and use the same frame as you did before. that should save you some.

It really depends. The optometrist (eye doctor) that works for our store chooses not to do contacts. So we have to book seperate appointments for contacts, and we hire a "contact lens fitter". So in that case, it's two seperate appointments. But I'm sure some places will cover both contacts and glasses in one appointment.

For most regular contacts, it's unhealthy to wear them too much. So if your eyes are pretty bad and can't see without them, I'd suggest you get glasses too (if your prescription changes a lot within a year). You're supposed to switch between glasses and contacts to keep your eyes healthy.

When I go in for my yearly check-up, my optometrist does both exams on me and it's all free because of free health care in Canada. If my prescription has changed a lot, then I'll get new glasses and/or contacts. I really only wear contacts while playing badminton right now, it doesn't really matter to me if I get contacts that are really accurate for my eyes.

How old are you?
If you're under 18, you can try applying for medacaid (sp?). I had it before, and It payed for my exams and a portion of my glasses.

My current optometrist, however, is my uncle's best friend, so I get free exams as well as discounts on my contacts/lens.
Good thing too, 'cause I have astigmatisms in both eyes, and eyecare for me otherwise would be extremely pricey.

It's free till your 19 or smthing, unless your a student and your school has a coverage...

any ways my optomertrist does my whole eye examination in one sitting. If i switch brands of contacts, i have to come back a week later for a follow up. The only time i get new glasses is when my frames are too small for my face. I get new contacts when my prescription changed dramatically.

I usually just get new contacts
I don't replace the lenses for my glasses until it's super hard to see with them, but I normally only wear them at night after I've taken my contacts out (or on the weekends)

I went to my optometrist to get my glasses updated and she said it would be THREE HUNDRED for my lenses! crazy. so my dad just took them with him to Korea when he had a business trip and got them done there for about thirty

When you get a "Contact Lens Exam", your doctor has to perform a basic eye exam first (which gets you your glasses prescription), and then fits you for contacts. It's kind of like, (metaphorically) you can't go to college without going to high school first - your optometrist must perform a basic eye exam before he/she can go on to the contact lens portion. So, when your exam is done, ask your doctor for both your glasses and contact lens prescriptions.

You are under absolutely no obligation to purchase glasses or contacts after getting your exam done. You can ask him/her if they would advise buying new glasses - if your prescription hasn't changed much, your doctor will more than likely say that you won't have to buy new glasses since it seems like you only wear it at night after taking off your contact lenses. If your prescription has changed dramatically, or it is apparent that your glasses are very old, they will usually suggest getting a new pair - but like I said, you (or your parent) make the final call on whether or not you get new glasses. As for contacts, you can shop around - big chains like CostCo and Sam's Club/Wal-Mart tend to have cheaper prices than normal optometrists' offices. The only downside is that these stores do not carry a huge selection of contacts, so you may be out of luck if you do not wear one of the common brands. You can also try online - places like 1800-Contacts are usually the place where you will find the cheapest contacts.

Ive never done contact exam before Usually I get my eyes checked for glasses then take off -.50 or so when I get contacts. Is this wrong? lol Ive been doing this for years now and my contacts are fine

I get everything done at the same time. I didn't know that you had to get eye exams every single year though, I thought it was only every two years.

Also, just getting a check-up would probably suffice unless you've had a real big change in your Px for your contacts or lenses. I always get glasses replaced if I get new strength contacts -- like this year my eyes got worse, so obviously I changed my glasses.

Ummm, also! If you're a college student, check with your campus and see if it's covered under your costs. At my school, we have an optometrist that is covered under the school health services fee as well as some other different kinds of doctors.

its ok to not get new lens for your glasses if you only wear them at home and dont need them for driving or anything.
eventually you'll need to get them replaced because it will gradually be harder for you to see with them.

How are you able to buy contacts without an actual contact lens prescription? O_o Even if you buy it online, they'll usually have to get in touch with your doctor's office to verify the Rx.

For my very first pair of contacts they got my eyes checked for me, then after...they stopped doing it? haha whenever I wanted to order more contacts they were just like 'ok' and just took off .50 from my glasses prescription.\

When I buy it online, they're always circle lens, so nope ^^ no doctor needed.

I get a yearly eye exam for both contacts and glasses. But I only get contacts every year. I don't change my glasses prescription because at this point, my eyes haven't changed that much and I don't wear glasses outside of my house.

i only get exams for my contacts because I don't drive with my glasses and for that reason, I'm not allow to drive with my glasses unless they're the same Px *shrugs* I always thought you can get one exam and it works for both contacts and glasses? o.o

wow, thats really not very smart. if you happen to get an infection or something in your eye, and are unable to wear contacts...u wont be able to see without glasses...unless you have a low prescription.

contacts have a LOT of associated risks + complications, so id really suggest getting glasses.


u can get a general eye exam to check the power of your eyes, and then from there work out your contact lens script. you only need to get a CL exam when ur actually getting fitted for contacts, else just get a prescription that is ~0.25D weaker than your glasses prescription if you're short sighted, and vice versa if you're long sighted[due to vertex distance from your eye]