Ordering Contact Lenses Online


Defined Tag: Contact Lenses Online.

Introduction

With over 100 million contact lens wearers on the planet, and half of them in United States alone, it is not hard to imagine, that contact lenses online is a booming business. Although e-commerce may offer timesaving amenities, especially for those with hectic lifestyles, it is imperative to remember that contact lenses are a medical device that requires accurate fitting, wear and care. It is therefore vital that certain guidelines are followed, when ordering contact lenses online.

Timeline

Leonardo da Vinci, instigator of the concept for contact lenses, first proposed the idea of applying a corrective lens directly to the surface of the eye as early as 1508, but it was not until 1887 that a German artificial glass eyes maker, Adolf Eugen Fick, constructed the first successful contact lens. The first contact soft lens was introduced in 1971.

Contact lenses are very thin, optical discs, which are carefully designed to provide corrective vision to patients suffering from myopia (shortsightedness), hyperopia (long-sightedness), astigmatism (irregularly shaped cornea), and presbyopia (lost ability to focus).

Today, optics science and technology has rapidly evolved, and there are a wide variety of contact lenses online available, including cosmetic and colored lenses. The most common types of contact lenses online are soft disposable lenses, which come in monthly, weekly and even daily varieties, and gas permeable lenses.

Precautions

Before purchasing contact lenses online you should use the BBB or the Better Business Bureau's web site to research the vendor. Many analysts recommend sticking to sites that have impeccable credentials, such as Amazon, eBay, Yahoo! or other such well-known companies.

You may consider buying something relatively inexpensive to try out a new vendor or web site. But caveat emptor - there are publicity stunts, scams and questionable pricing. These web sites claim or shall we say allege, that they provide the same contact lenses online, as prescribed by your optometrist, at a fraction of the cost. They further require no membership fees, ‘guarantee’ their products and promise to deliver worldwide with online order tracking. But before you jump on the bandwagon, compare the purchase price of each item; then add shipping and handling fees for contact lenses online purchases. Read their terms of service carefully, to determine if a minimum purchase applies. A bargain price pales if you are obliged to buy a dozen contact lenses online!

Conclusion

If you do decide to purchase contact lenses online, remember to continue regular eye-check by a certified eye-care professional. Check and double-check the order for any typos before you actually order. Do not ask for a substitute for the prescribed lens without confirming with your practitioner.

Check the expiration date on the contact lenses online product immediately upon receiving. Make sure your prescription is current and has not expired. A genuine vendor will confirm your prescription with every order. And to sum up, if you encounter any problem, immediately visit your optometrist.