Renewing your eyewear prescription online

Monday, August 27, 2018

Advances in telehealth technology now allow individuals to have their eyes examined online for the purpose of renewing eyeglass and contact lens prescriptions. These online prescription renewal services can be safe, convenient, and less costly than in-person exams.

Online eye exams do not replace the need for periodic in-person exams by a licensed eyecare professional, such as an ophthalmologist or optometrist, but they can be useful for renewing a recent prescription given to you by one of those professionals between required exams. If you’re experiencing discomfort, redness, or dry eyes, or have a pre-existing eye or medical condition that can affect your sight, visit an eye doctor for a full eye exam.

Contact lens and glasses prescriptions are good only for a certain amount of time—this time frame is usually a matter of state law. (Most contact lens prescriptions expire between 1 to 2 years after your eye exam or contact lens fitting.) However, for most healthy adults, full eye exams are not needed every year.

So when your prescription expires, you may be able to take an online vision exam reviewed by an eye doctor and receive a prescription renewal. Online eye exams currently are available in the following states: AL, CA, CO, CT, FL, HI, IA, IL, KS, KY, MA, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, or WY.

Just a few of the companies offering online eyewear prescription renewal exams include Essilor, 1800 Contacts, Simple Contacts, Opternative, Lens.com and GlassesOn.

Consumer Action has selected some articles to help you decide if online prescription renewal is right for you. Just remember, online prescription renewal is NOT a replacement for a regular medical eye exam.

• The Difference between an Ophthalmologist, Optometrist and Optician (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)
• This Is What Happened When I Tried An Online Eye Exam (Prevention Magazine)
• You can get eyeglass and contact prescriptions online now, but should you? (USA Today)
• Why An Online Eye Test Can't Replace Your Eye Doctor (AllAboutVision.com)
• How long is my prescription good for? (1800 Contacts)

To learn more about online eyewear prescription renewal tests, visit Consumer Action's Vision Action Center. There you can view several videos about your eyecare and eyewear rights.