Thursday, June 4, 2015

Contact Lens Bummer



I tried last year to transition from 2-week lenses to daily wear without success.  I paid $75 for a fitting fee, which also included whatever lenses I used during the trial period.  Daily wear lenses seemed to be the most appropriate choice because I have a high level of protein build up (due to my kidney condition where my body doesn't filter the protein properly).  This way, each day, I start fresh.  It would also cut down on the cost of cleaning solution (I use alot).  Well, daily lenses are also not as durable....since they are only designed to be use for a shorter amount of time.  I found them very dry, and within 4 hours, I was using rewetting drops, and by 8 hours (for me, that is about 3pm), my eyes were getting red and itchy.  The "premium" lenses sounded like a better idea for comfort, but at $920 for the year (OUCH!!), they were way out of the price range (I did the math, subtracting out the cost of all the cleaning solution...yeah...still no). I decided to just chalk it up to a failed experiment for the time being and went back to my usual lenses.


I needed to order new contact lenses.  I really should have ordered them awhile ago, but it was a "low" priority.  Well, like any consumable product (I currently wear 2-week lenses)...eventually you are going to run out.  I wear an older style lens, and unfortunately, the maker is in the process of phasing out the line.  Make way for supposedly newer and better. I was still able to get a year-worth of lenses, but next year....I will probably need something else.

The manufacturer has repackaged the lenses into larger quantities (my guess is to try and get rid of as much product at one time), so I was able to order the same quantity of lenses, but in less boxes (24 in a box vs 6 in a box).  I have always ordered my lenses on line.  There are so many places to order from, so between coupon codes, free shipping, new customer discounts....I typically paid $130-$140 for a year-worth.

The manufacturer has now set a "set" price for the lenses, and coupon codes are not eligible.  I tried several sites (all had the same price for the actual product), and coupon codes were a no-go each time.  Additionally, they jacked up the price!!  Where I used to pay about $20 a box (or $80 for the year, per eye), the lenses are now $110 per eye (that is 37.5% higher!). 

My order still qualified for free shipping, but my order came to $221.95 (thank you handling fee).  Way more than I have been paying.  But I was down to my last pair, and now is not the time to pay another fitting fee and having to go back to the optical office multiple times if lenses aren't working out (I think I went back 4 times last year before I gave up).  I sucked it up and paid it....and the receipt has already gone to our FSA, so by next week we will receive the reimbursement.  And they already shipped (same day!) so they should be here early next week.

I have debated wearing my glasses full time, which would require getting new lenses, as the prescription changed a little.  Per the dr, the small change isn't worth the expense of the lenses if I am only wearing my glasses for a short time (for me...it is about an hour in the morning, and about 1.5 hrs in the evening). But I found out that yes indeed, I would need to change the lenses if I went this route full time.  I wore my glasses for several days in a row, and my eyes fatigued and caused headaches.  So there would still be an expense there (but at least I don't need new frames....I got these last year....my first new pair of glasses in 9 years!).  But for me, I really just don't feel comfortable in my glasses all the time.  I like them enough in general, but to commit to this 365 days a year....I don't want to do it.

So I guess next year I will start all over again in trying to find new lenses.  I will try dailies again, but may just need to find new 2-week wear.  Or find an additional $700+ dollars in the budget for the premium ones (uh, no.  Just on principle alone....almost $1,000 for lenses is insane).


21 comments:

  1. I wear dailies as well due to my being prone to eye infections. My brand is CooperVision and they have worked out well - I wear my contacts a good ten to twelve hours per day since my glasses are woefully weak (haven't gotten new ones in five plus years!).
    One thing I noticed at my office - which may or may not be connected to your story about the amount of lenses - is that they didn't offer me different amounts to purchase. In past years, they asked if I wanted to order a three month, six month, or year supply at a time. Now it's a year, end of story! The office did the same thing to my 16 year old daughter just last month when she began wearing contacts as well!

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    1. I order my lenses on line, not at the optical dept. When I had my checkup, they were the ones who told me about the changes from the manufacturer. My contacts are still available but over half the line has already been discontinued.

      I have read good things about CooperVision. Glad to hear from a real user.

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  2. I am a little confused by something you said. Do I understand correctly that you only need to wear your glasses an hour in the morning and and hour and a half in the evening?

    If this is true, why would you need or want contacts, which would stay in all day? I'm asking this as someone who only wears glasses for driving (NEED them for driving at night, benefit during the day) and maybe if I want to see movies or TV better or anything in the distance, but otherwise would never think of wearing them - they'd bug the heck out of me.

    If you only need them a few hours a day, isn't glasses the best and cheapest idea?

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    1. I have horrible vision and need to wear corrective lenses during all waking hrs. So I get up at 6am and wear my glasses while getting kids ready for school.....then put my contacts in when I get ready for work. Wear those until about 9pm, take them out and wear glasses until bedtime.

      I am nearsighted, so anything past arm length is a complete blur without some type of lenses.

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    2. Yeah, I misunderstood. I thought you meant you only need correction for a few hours, like for driving. My eyes have been getting worse in all directions over the years, so I understand. I really think I ruined my distance vision by doing too much close-up work, though (eye muscle fatigue.)

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    3. My eyes have gotten worse over time and I wa told that now that I crossed into the 40+....I may eventually need more of a bifocal. I am no where close to that now but it is something that may happen in the future. That would probably result in contacts in general, and then glasses for reading.

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  3. Your story sounds familiar. I have been wearing Acuvue Oasys for a number of years. They discontinued the 6 packs sometime in 2014 and now they are only available in 12 & 24 packs. I went to the optometrist in April and he explained that prices were basically fixed now and they would be $110 per box for a 24 pack no matter where I went (I always just got them from the optometrist anyway). It was more expensive to buy them in 12 packs, so I just went with the 24 packs. It aggravates me that I can't get a 6 pack b/c a 24 pack is NOT 52 weeks worth and therefore NOT a years supply! Invariably, I get a few dud contacts per year or wind up having to throw out a contact early ... and now my only option is to order a 24 weeks supply when the original supply runs out before my year is up!

    We have three in contacts: DH wears dailies and DD13 wears one month contacts for astigmatism. It gets expensive! And I'm sure my DD11 will want to ditch her glasses for contacts soon.

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    1. Exactly! I wear the Oasys as well. I used to wear the Advance up until 2 years ago...which is one that is now gone.

      And I hear ya....24 lenses is not a year....best case scenario is 48 weeks. ..but as you said....there is always a few that don't make it the full 2 weeks.

      I was 13 when I started wearing contacts...10 when I started needing corrective lenses full time.

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  4. So glad I don't need glasses or contacts. My husband has terrible eye sight though so we pay a lot for contacts. His benefits only cover every other year and wouldn't you know last year his eyes changed drastically within 8 weeks of getting $800 worth of contacts and new glasses. His eye sight changed so much that the optometrist was alarmed and needed other dr's to confirm it. Needless to say, we had to fork out more $$ for new contacts and glass lenses. Talk about depressing!!!! My husband likes to put things into perspective for me by saying "well, I need to see to work!!" Touche.

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    1. Oh my...that had to be scary for hubby. I hope it was all ok.

      I am the only one at the moment in contacts. G-man got his first pair of glasses at 40...but he doesn't wear them as consistently as he should.

      Like I said....I wear SOMETHING during all waking hrs.....so 6am until 10:30pm. So I have to pay for something one way or another.

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    2. Everything was fine, just a fluke that his sight changed so drastically 2 months after deciding to get new glasses. Murphy's Law at it's finest :).

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  5. I have a similar situation. I have horrid vision. I wear contacts about 12 hours/ day, glasses at night. When I switched to a multi focal lens, the only place I could get the ones which worked was via the optometrist, and only 24 pairs! That's 48 weeks, but insurance covers f80 percent of a full prescription every year,...not 80 percent of 48 weeks...so who is keeping the difference? ( Lenses/ contacts every year, frames every two.) I used to order online, or from Costco, as it USED to be cheaper. That not an option with my multifocals. And they are not cheap. But, when I get that odd "dud" lens, I march myself right into the optoelectronic to have them replace it....that's not something I could do when I ordered online or even at Costco. Maybe its petty of me, but there it is! I really dislike what I feel is the nickel and diming of the 24 pair orders.

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  6. Just read back my post. I have no idea what an "optoelectronic" is. Stupid autocorrect! Any changes in the house? I do so hope you can move before school starts.

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    1. LOL.

      Nothing new to report on the house front, but thanks for asking!

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  7. If I was in so much debt and trying to move my life to another state I might just wear glasses fulltime for now and forego paying for contact lenses since they are really a want and not a necessity.
    But that's just me.....

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    1. Since the lenses in my glasses would need to be replaced at a cost of $150 since the script changed, I am spending about $70 more to have the ease of contacts. It is worth it to me. But to each their own.

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  8. Well Mysti I feel your pain, but I had corrective surgery and I am so happy with it. I wore hard contacts for about 30 years. Now I am facing a 7th eye surgery, that is getting old fast, but I have never regretted the lasik.

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    1. Too scared to do Lasik! I don't even think my insurance would cover it anyway. Lol

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  9. I hate to say it, but just like it's been said over on "that other blog," it was a boring post, being just about glasses. YET, I completely understand that to people who struggle with this issue, it may have been relevant and interesting. Obviously it was relevant to you or you would not have posted it. I tried to chime in and my attempt was lame, not having much to say about it. I realize many of my blog posts are incredibly unsatisfying for others to read (judging from the low number of comments.)

    Are you going to post again soon? Personally, I'm hoping the pool comes down (if that's what has to happen) and the house can get sold and the move can be made. It's a long time to be in limbo, living in two different states.

    I think you handled the interloping and the "other blog" gracefully, btw. I've been criticized thoroughly by a number of people, and since they don't live within my four walls, I guess they can just say what they want, and I'll try to have a sense of humor about it. I wonder who the person was who chimed in there with the "sack lunch" dialogue. I had some fun with that, and even wrote on my blog about starting the same (food tracker is going to make for NO lunches out, so lots of "sack lunches" so to speak.)

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    1. Sorry you found it boring. Not everything can be a circus!

      I know my posting has been sporatic. I have very little time in general so I squeeze in what I can.

      As for the pool...like I said, the pool will be coming down at the end of the summer as that is the first chance G-man will have to come back. There are too many pieces to the whole thing for me to do alone, and too high of a chance that I won't have the physical strength for parts....remember it isn't just the pool we have to deal with.

      The other blog...that is her right to say what she wants over there. It is also my right to not publish hee comments...and hers are the only comments I don't publish (beside obvious spam). I will also say that I have not commented over there....she seems to think I have but it isn't me. I own my comments.

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    2. One time I posted extensively about my daughter's glasses, and that's undoubtedly more boring to a greater number of people. I'm afraid I'll have to post about it again, with only one pair left, put together from spare parts, and an eye exam coming up. Those things cost $400 by the time they're done! Lenses and frames, added together, of course. Not looking forward to it!

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