Where To Find Free Contact Lenses
The following stores offer free contact lenses, but you have to visit the eye care specialist partner nearest to you.
Most of the time, a pair of contact lenses and an eye exam are both free, as long as you have a certificate printed out and ready at the in-store clinics. In some cases, you might need to pay for the exam, but a lot of doctors will give you some trial contacts to let you test them out.
Free Online Exams And Telehealth Appointments
Until recently, all eye examinations were conducted during in-person visits to an optometrist or ophthalmologist. But more and more vision-care practices offer online exams as the reach of telehealth grows, particular as the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic warranted new protocols at all healthcare facilities.
Online eye exams, though still limited, offer greater convenience and a faster way of identifying vision abnormalities such as astigmatism and color blindness.
ZEISS.com, FinestGlass.com and DiscountContactLenses.com are some of the sites that offer free online exams.
If the idea of online eye exams appeals to you, call your doctors office to learn what might be available for you. Secondary resources for information are your medical insurance provider and your local health department.
Schedule Your Eye Exam Today!
What Happens At Your Eye Exam
During a comprehensive eye exam for contact lenses, your eye care professional can tell you if contacts are right for you. When scheduling your appointment, be sure to mention the following points so you book the correct appointment:
- Your vision history Describe any new issues youre experiencing and let them know if you currently wear glasses or contact lenses.
- You want contact lenses Let them know youre interested in contacts and be sure to specify that you want a contact lens fitting appointment.
- Your current contact lenses or eye glasses prescription, if you have them.
- Your vision insurance card information, if you have that.
At your appointment, your doctor will ask you questions about your hobbies, activities, and lifestyle to determine the best types of contacts for you.
Then, your doctor will take measurements to determine the diameter, curvature, and health of your eyes.
Next, youll discuss the types of contact lenses that may be right for you. Once youve been fitted, theyll check your vision once more.
Finally, youll learn how to care for lenses. Youll be taught how to put in, take out, and properly care for your contacts. You most likely will have to put them in and remove them before you leave.
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How An Online Eye Exam Works
Once you answer a few basic health questions, youll begin the exam on your computer, where youll be given a link and access code to connect to the exam through your phone. Your phone acts as a remote control to select your answers.
If you already have contacts or glasses, youll wear them and provide your current prescription. Depending on your vision , your questions may be different than mine. The exam begins with a color vision test, which you take from a regular seating distance from the computer.
After that, youll be asked an unusual question for an eye exam: Whats your shoe size? This is how youll know how many steps you need to take away from your computer .
At this point, the exam will feel like a typical eye exam, minus the pressure to give the right answer.
To test your distance vision, the tests asks you to identify the X in a row of increasingly smaller Os. For astigmatism , youll go through a series of questions that ask you to choose the square that appears clearest. During each, youll cover your right eye, and then your left, moving through the questions once on each side.
Overall, the test is simple, easy to understand and gives you encouraging notes throughout like, Remember to breathe! andYoure doing great! which I didnt realize I needed during an eye exam until now.
How Youll Receive Your Free Contacts
Youll get your lens samples one of two ways. Thatll be either in the mail with free shipping or else for pickup at your eye doctors office.
Expect them to take a week or so. Sometimes, your eye doctor might have some free sample lenses available at their Dispensary and you might get them right away. That will depend on how common your prescription is and depend on how many they keep in stock.
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% Off* Your First Contacts Order Use Code: Hello25
*Discount applied on the current website price at the time of order. Offer only valid for new customer first contacts order over $10. Maximum discount of $100. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Promotions are subject to change without notice. We reserve the right to cancel orders that are in breach of the terms and conditions of this offer.
Free Eye Exams Vs Paid Exams
An eye exam can differ in cost based on many factors, including whether the exam is done by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist, where you live, where the exam is conducted , and the type of tests that are performed.
Free eye exams may be performed more often by optometrists and may not be as comprehensive as an exam done by an ophthalmologist using the latest technology and testing procedures. It can cost more for some procedures, such as pupil dilation or retinal photos. Tests related to contact lens fitting and prescriptions may require additional procedures therefore, they often cost extra.
Check what is included in your eye exam. At the very least, a comprehensive eye exam should include the following:
- Review of your personal and family eye health and medical history
- Use of an eye chart to evaluate distance vision
- Testing to evaluate close vision
- Diagnostic testing to evaluate for myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, and astigmatism
- Testing to check that the eyes work properly together
- Examination of the optic nerve and an eye pressure test to check for glaucoma
- Interior and front of the eye examination to check for cataracts, macular degeneration, and other possible issues
- A pupil response test by shining a bright light and testing for reactivity
Your eye doctor may also conduct supplementary specialized imaging tests to check for eye diseases and other issues.
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Who Is Eligible For The Online Vision Test
The online vision test is intended for use by people between the ages of 18-55 located in an available US State between the prescriptiverange of -12 to +6 sphere, less than -5.0 cylinder, and less than +4 add power. Patients with underlying medical conditions or medicationimpacting their vision are not eligible for the online vision test.
Children’s Health Insurance Program
The Children’s Health Insurance Program is a state and federal partnership. It provides low-cost health insurance for children.
The Children’s Health Insurance Program covers eye exams for schoolchildren who are not eligible for Medicaid.
States have considerable flexibility to establish income eligibility rules for CHIP. In most cases, eligible families cannot afford private health insurance but do not qualify for Medicaid.
Children enrolled in the program must be otherwise uninsured. Preventive care is free, but premiums and other cost-sharing may apply for other services.
In most states, children enrolled in the program are eligible for free eye exams. To find out if your children are eligible for CHIP or Medicaid coverage, visit the CHIP/Children’s Medicaid website.
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How Much Will An Eye Exam Cost
The cost of an eye exam will vary depending on what exactly you need to have done, your eye doctor and your vision insurance but eye exams typically cost between $50 to $150 plus the cost of contacts. This is all dependent upon your vision coverage, what contact lenses youll need, and your eye doctor. Remember to bring your voucher for Free Trial Contact Lenses* and be sure to sign up for MyACUVUE® Rewards to get up to $200 back!
What Are The Limitations Of The Online Vision Test
The online vision test is used to assess elements of visual acuity in order for a doctor to be able to review and renew your preexistinglens prescription. It does not perform or replace an initial or comprehensive eye examination and does not assess eye health. If there isindication that your prescription has changed or that you exhibit underlying eye health conditions the online vision test will recommendthat you visit an in-person doctor.
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What Is An Online Vision Test
You can use the online vision test to renew an expired contacts prescription. It is a self-guided, online service taken withyour computer and smartphone that is used to assess elements of visual acuity. When completed, your test data is sent to a licensed eyecare provider who, after review, will provide you with your results within 24 hours.
How Does An Online Eye Exam Compare To A Traditional Eye Exam
An online eye exam is not the same as a traditional visit to an eye doctor. Instead of a comprehensive examination, youll receive a brief vision test that checks the accuracy of your current prescription.
When I visited my local optometrist, he said that online screenings work best for people who have a simple prescription.
I think that online screen exams are not a bad thing, but you cannot make treatment decisions based on them. You have to see whats going on with the patient, said Dr. David Blandford of the Kentucky Eye Institute.
That means a regular visit to your optometrist is still very necessary for your eye health.
After having an in-person eye exam and taking the online eye exam at 1 800 Contacts, I noticed these major differences:
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How To Get A Free Online Eye Exam
Back to School shopping for supplies and new clothes are done, now it’s time for parents to schedule appointments for dental cleanings, physicals, and eye exams to make sure their kids are ready to thrive in class. As pandemic protocols lesson, Telehealth visits are still a great option, and now 1800 Contacts is even offering a free online eye exam.
1800 Contacts Deal:New customers save 20% on their first order of $150 or more
The Express Exam is an ophthalmologist-reviewed eye exam, open to contact lens wearers who need to get their prescription renewed. After four simple steps, including a board-certified eye doctor looking over images of your eyes for signs of concern, you can have a new prescription for contact lenses. The 1800 Contacts Express Exam is not the same as a comprehensive exam its purpose is to determine how well you can see, not the overall health of your eyes.
Who Can Take Online Vision Tests
Online vision tests are meant for healthy adults ages 18 to 39 who:
- Already have a prescription for eyeglasses and itâs not very strong
- Have already had a complete eye exam and know their eyes are healthy
- Have no risks for eye disease, like diabetes or high blood pressure
Even if you are the right age and healthy enough to take an online vision test, you should still get regular eye exams as often as your eye doctor recommends.
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Hour Flash Sale 15% Off* On All Contacts Use Code: Holiday15
*Offer only valid on your contact lens order on OptiContacts.com on December 13th and 14th, 2021 until 11:59pm . Discount applied on the current website price at the time of order. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Promotions are subject to change without notice. We reserve the right to cancel orders that are in breach of the terms and conditions of this offer.
Free Trial Contact Lenses For Astigmatism
If you have astigmatism, that means you need toric lenses. They have small weights in the bottom so they settle in the right position on your eye. That way, the lenses line up correctly in the right position to provide the vision correction you need across your pupils.
People with astigmatism can get free samples and they, in fact need to. Its even more important for them to get free samples because the settings of the prescription might need to be adjusted in order to line up correctly. Very rarely is this done correctly the first time. Youll need to go through 2-5 trial lenses before finding the right settings for your eyes. Youll get the trials, wear them and then go in to see your eye doctor to get the prescription adjusted until they work perfectly for you.
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Places That Giveaway Free Contact Lenses
If you spend about $400 a year for contact lenses, you can cut this expense in half if you avail of free contact lenses. You just need to know where to look both online and offline.
Note that because the FDA classifies contact lenses as medical devices, many of the resources below would require you to have a prescription. Serious eye health problems may occur as a result of sharing contact lenses or using them without prescription.
Children’s Eye Exams Covered By Medicaid
Medicaid is a federal-state U.S. public health program administered by the states.
In general, Medicaid coverage is available in every state for children in low-income families. Medicaid pays for a number of services for eligible children, including:
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Preventive care
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Screening and treatment of health conditions
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Physician and hospital visits
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Vision and dental care
Each state has its own eligibility rules and benefits. Contact the Medicaid office in your state for details.
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How Do Online Eye Exams Work
Also known as vision tests, or prescription checkups, online eye exams do not require an actual examination. Instead, online eye exams are designed for the renewal of pre-existing prescriptions for glasses or contacts, eliminating the need to physically see an optometrist.
Online eye exams are more geared towards refraction, astigmatism, and color blindness tests.
To conduct an online vision test, you will need a computer and a few feet of space. Several exams require a smartphone as well for the purpose of downloading an app. You will also need to wear your existing prescription for some parts of the exam.
Some online exam providers only offer simple check-up tests, suggesting that if your results are problematic, a doctor should be consulted. They are important for maintaining up-to-date information about your eyesight.
A cheaper option, these exams are also helpful when you are in a financial bind. After the online eye exam has been completed, which only takes about five minutes, a licensed optometrist examines the test results. In one or two business days, if no issues arise, your prescription is renewed.
While eye exams done online are convenient, they do not replace the need to see an optometrist occasionally in-person. Online eye exams are not capable of measuring each and every aspect of your field of vision, whereas a licensed optometrist will have the knowledge and resources to fully assist you.
Customer Reviews And Brand Reputation
1-800 Contacts has been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since 1995 and holds an A+ rating with the organization. However, out of 61 customer reviews with the BBB, it only averages 1.93 out of a possible 5 stars. According to the BBB there have been 59 complaints closed in the last 3 years and 29 in the last 12 months.
Out of 218 customer ratings on Trustpilot, 1-800 Contacts average 2.3 out of 5 stars or a poor rating.
1-800 Contacts have also been involved in some court battles over advertising and competitive keyword ads. The FTC has had some blistering things to say about 1-800 Contacts advertising practices and has even gone so far as to sue the company over their agreements with rival online contact lens sellers.
Once you have a valid prescription, ordering contacts from 1-800 Contacts is quick and easy.
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