How to Purchase Contact Lenses & Solutions

Contact lenses are lightweight lenses designed to fit directly onto the eye and can be used for vision correction or cosmetic purposes. Contact lens solution is used to clean and store lenses. You can purchase contact lenses and solution from a variety of online and offline retailers.

Instructions

1. Get a valid prescription from your eye doctor. You must have a current prescription that is less than one year old to buy corrective contact lenses. No prescription is required for cosmetic or special-effects lenses but you still need to be fitted by an optometrist so that you can order the correct size.

2. Decide whether you want to buy your lenses online or from a retail location. You can buy prescription contacts from an optometrist's office as well as on sites like CoastalContacts.com and 1800Contacts.com. You can find special-effects lenses on sites like 9mmSFX.com and CustomContacts.com; these are not typically carried at offline stores.

3. Purchase your lenses. If you buy lenses from your doctor's office, you can often take them home that same day. If you choose to buy your lenses online, you will need to email, fax or mail a copy of your prescription to the company before they can ship your order. Ordering online can be less expensive than purchasing them from your doctor, but you may have to wait two to three weeks to receive your shipment.

4. Purchase contact solution for your lenses. You can buy contact solution at most retail locations and from websites that carry contact lenses. A multipurpose contact solution is fine for most types of soft contact lenses. If you only replace your contacts once or twice per year, you may need an enzymatic cleaner to remove protein build-up.

References

• VampFangs Special Effects Lenses - Info on FDA Requirements

Resources

• Coastal Contacts
• 1-800-CONTACTS
• 9mm Special Effects Custom Theatrical Contact Lenses