ULPT: How to order contact lenses without valid prescription
Posted by Eemiz@reddit | UnethicalLifeProTips | View on Reddit | 65 comments
Someone I know needs new contacts but doesn’t have the exam covered by insurance and can’t afford the $150 or however much it is. They have one that’s from last year—how could they, hypothetically, get new lenses without getting a new exam?
jrhicks84@reddit
I use ezcontacts.com. They run great specials all of the time. If you know your Contact lens RX Google free online vision test and you can do a free vision test from your phone. Just enter your last RX and in a few hours they will send you a new valid RX that you can use anywhere to purchase new lenses. It only works if you don't need a new/different RX. Good luck
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
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UnethicalLifeProTips-ModTeam@reddit
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AcanthisittaOk3874@reddit
If your budget is tight or you’re down on funds its better to go for online vision exam! they are far better if you want to update your prescription! It’s not going to be super comprehensive but gets the job done
also its free if you buy lenses from them, and their lenses are quite affordable too. I personally use this option as well.
talon1580@reddit
What in the American exceptionalism is this? In most countries you just buy them off the shelf
since_the_floods@reddit
I'm sorry - what?!? I've had poor vision all my life. The concept that you can buy contacts off the shelf in other places just legit blew my mind. There's a whole vision INDUSTRY in this country!
talon1580@reddit
My sample size is 4 countries.
UK - I live here, I get mine off the internet for about £10-15 for a box of 30 daily lenses.
Once you have your prescription - which is often free - you just type it in on the website or bring it to any optician you like.
Under 18s and over 60s get free eye tests, and many high street opticians will offer free tests to get you through the door.
I've also bought lenses in HK, Indonesia and India while backpacking, in person
Rareandvintage@reddit
You know they gotta squeeze every dime worth having out of us over here 😭
mermaid_called_Luna@reddit
A pair of contacts that's supposed to last a month costs 10€ in Germany (not the most amazing quality, but still decent)
https://www.dm.de/gesundheit/kontaktlinsen-lesebrillen-und-zubehoer/monatslinsen
chicken_sammich051@reddit
America is a dystopia. It's too late for me. Please do not let this come to your country or die trying.
akulowaty@reddit
freedom!
Donita123@reddit
This is the best year to do it, just change the 5 in 2025 to a 6. Easy peasy.
ITGCYS@reddit
1-800 contacts has a virtual exam with no insurqnce needed. If you start the process, it will have you enter your info and tell you it's $20.
Close the window and don't complete the process. In a day or two, they will email you a "get your exam free!" link.
Just do the "exam" and you have a legit prescription!
cutie_k_nnj@reddit
In nj ours work for 3 years now. Used to only be for one.
SaltyCarpet@reddit
Some people have had luck just photoshopping the date on their old prescription but I’m not sure if it still works. I just used https://www.lens.com/vision-test/?srsltid=AfmBOop9NUPsdVCXH-pUQdhvPOqsYGQgtZOwbBvAg9xGeP3OxSpV06LR and it’s $15.99!
Fabulous-Educator447@reddit
This is what I would do. Just change the date and order the lenses. I’ve also seen people post on the buy nothing type groups and people with same rx that have extras they don’t use anymore donate them.
ktdidit@reddit
I actually tried this and my comment was not approved bc you can't post asking for illegal items and since contacts are by Rx only, it's illegal to share. Different groups may be more lenient tho.
atetoomuchacid@reddit
How does this work with the contacts size and stuff? I have my old prescription but they didn't include the base curve and other dimensions just the +/- and have an astigmatism in one eye
SaltyCarpet@reddit
My old prescription had included the numbers so I just used those. If you have an old box of contacts it may say on the box? Otherwise, I’d try calling the old prescription place and see if they can pull up that information and tell you
jatguy@reddit
Does it have a brand listed? If so, typically there's only one base curve, etc., for the entire line. (Referring to one day/week/month disposables - I don't think that's the case with the older daily wear.
diablodeldragoon@reddit
They're required to give you the info. It's considered medical info and your entitled to it.
januaryemberr@reddit
Are you sure it's a contact rx and not for glasses? They are different. You could always ask where you bought contacts from what you ordered last.
ixamnis@reddit
A lot of lenses only come in one base curve and one diameter. If the lens is available in more than one, it is required on the prescription. If it only comes in one, often it is left off. If there isn’t a BC or a Dia on the Rx, likely it’s not needed.
Ehrlichs-Reagent@reddit
It still works. I did that one time when I was out of state. My prescription hasn't changed in a decade so it was fine.
Was nervous af doing it though and I think you can get in pretty deep trouble if you get caught. I imagine there's less scrutiny on something like that vs like trying to get a prescription for painkillers or Adderall though.
In any case be careful OP if you do that. I would also recommend going to the place that's selling the contacts at a time when the place that issued the prescription with the changed date is closed if possible.
A more legal way might be to go to Mexico if you're close to the border. They might give you a new scrip for very cheap.
SaltyCarpet@reddit
Also i used contact lens king to buy the lenses, but buy both boxes separately to avoid the processing fees. For example one box of acuve oasis moist is $32 shipped, so $64 total when bought in two transactions. If I put both boxes in the same order, the total goes up to $111. Was the cheapest option at time of purchase - quite a few places advertise low prices then slap on the crazy processing fees, but CLK only applies it if it’s over 1 box since most people buy one box per eye
gorebullwarming@reddit
https://www.contactlenses.co.uk They are in the UK, and ship to the US no problem.
fivefoottwelve@reddit
I've never had to provide my scrip for online ordering. They've never called the phone number I provided (friend's number). They're not interested in making a sale difficult, they're just worried about losing their license if they get caught. Give them enough plausible deniability that they can claim good faith and they'll sell you lenses.
Calendar-Careless@reddit
Getting the script hacked doesn’t check if you had eye disease like glaucoma.
baby_blobby@reddit
Sorry I thought this was a tongue in cheek comment that because you have glaucoma, that you couldn’t see it wasn’t a valid script
LouLouAnsi@reddit
I empathize with your friend's situation, because I used to be in the same boat! For 3 years, I had really crappy health insurance with zero coverage for a contact lens exam and zero payment for contact lenses. Plus, it was pricey for what it did cover!
Desperate times call for desperate measures, as they say...During those 3 years, I bought contact lenses on eBay, and once on Bonanza. Sellers aren't "technically" supposed to sell lenses on auction sites, but there's a few who do. Sometimes the lenses are purposely misspelled (for instance, I wore Oasys lenses, but on eBay they were listed as Oasis lens). So, be prepared to be creative when searching. Also, if the lenses they're selling match your friend's RX, and the price is reasonable, buy them ASAP. Because, it's fairly common that they'll either be bought by someone else, or the Seller may pull the auction. You may not find lenses that match her RX, for days or weeks, too....but for me, it worked.
BTW, I never once got screwed over by an eBay seller, during my 3 years of buying "illicit" contacts. They matched my old RX, and the online ad.
The USA is one of the few countries that require yearly prescriptions. Personally, I think requiring a yearly RX is more a moneymaker for opto Dr's, than anything else. After the age of 21, contact RX's rarely change, up until you're around 40ish, when aging requires reading glasses.
Last thing that you should tell your friend: call the Lion's Club nearest to you!. Right before I switched my health insurance to one with eye exam coverage, I was told the Lion's Club would cover most or all of an eye exam. So I got an application. I would've qualified for 100% exam costs, paid by the Lion's Club. But I wound up not needing it, since I switched health insurance policies. Definitely worth checking out.
bunnyvillainmf@reddit
Just buy online and put in a random doc name and date then set up subscription
akulowaty@reddit
OMG you need a prescription to buy contact lenses? In my country they’re on a shelf in beauty stores. TIL I guess
Brilliant55000@reddit
1800 contacts has a service where you pay $20 bucks for a new prescription. You can cheat through it and it works great. I've used it for a few years now and get my contacts that way.
script-o-gram@reddit
Optician here. People don't realize that you are playing roulette with your health if you never see an eye doctor, especially if you are going to insert plastic discs directly into your eye. It's better to get glasses and only wear those if you are not able to keep up with health checks. Sounds preachy I know, but have seen some things.
Eemiz@reddit (OP)
This person’s prescription is a year and a few months old. The real scam is not having contact lens exams on your typical work covered vision insurance. And requiring it EVERY YEAR.
script-o-gram@reddit
Agreed. It's pretty outrageous.
VixenTraffic@reddit
This is not medical advice, I’m not a doctor, not a lawyer, and not advising anyone tow break the law.
Do you have an old copy of your prescription?
As long as it hasn’t changed, just white out the expiration date and print a blank page with a new date on it, cut out the new date and tape it on with clear non shiny tape, then scan the copy and print it out.
Scan the “new” prescription and upload it to any website and place your order.
crash866@reddit
A glasses prescription is different than a drug prescription. For glasses it is just a measurement of what you need.
Many stores you don’t need one if you know what yours is however if you order the wrong ones they have no warranty and if you get the wrong strength they don’t have to take them back.
I have walked into an optical store and got glasses for other people who knew what the numbers were and walked out with glasses for them and they lived in a different country and have never seen an optician in my country.
superb-0wl@reddit
Daysoft! I get mine there for cheap and have never been asked to upload a prescription
HausWife88@reddit
Theres sites you can order without a script. Just got some for my daughter
Kwaliakwa@reddit
I’ve ordered contacts online without a prescription easily. Just search for places online.
BenefitAppropriate@reddit
Hear me out, Vision Insurance. It'll be $15ish a month. It will cover the cost of the exam and part of the lenses. It took less than 15 minutes to set up.
guiltandgrief@reddit
My vision insurance is only $2.87/paycheck. So many people when starting turn it down, actively wearing glasses, and I'm like it will cover your glasses/contacts, the exam, and an extra pair of safety glasses if you want it, just do it!
Rareandvintage@reddit
The only insurance actually does what it’s supposed to tbh
Velvet74sub@reddit
I used 1 800 contacts and they had an option to do the sure exam for you.
You had to set your phone up somewhere were you could stand back 10 feet and then it displayed letters that you had to read or loud. You also had to let the camera see your eyes while you looked up down left and right so it could examine the whites. There were also some questions to answer. That's where the unethical party came in for me, I had to lie and say I took them out every night.
It did cost but it was waaaaaaay cheaper than seeing a doctor and was added to the cost of the contacts.
CraftyNicky@reddit
zenni might be able to help.
Firm_Baseball_37@reddit
I don't wear contacts, but I do wear glasses. I buy them from Zenni.com. When I order on the website, there's a step where I enter my prescription. I don't believe it asks for the date, but in any case all the info is user-provided. I put in the prescription. They sell me the prescription I put in. Done.
I don't know if they do contacts, but I'm sure there's some online contact-ordering website that does if they don't. And I can't see how this is unethical. I tell you want I want to buy and you sell it to me. Who cares when the prescription was from?
ClassBShareHolder@reddit
No need to be unethical. Order online. There’s several places that do not need a prescription.
hycarumba@reddit
I don't know if Zenni does contacts, but on that site you don't scan your prescription, you input the numbers yourself. I would imagine contact sites are similar. Just put in whatever date you want.
francesinthewind@reddit
opti contacts lets you order without a current prescription. i found it on some old reddit post. i was skeptical but i got my order in like 3 days and everything worked out fine.
sfdsquid@reddit
Where I am prescriptions are good for 2 years. I thought that was standard but it must not be.
Cmonster9@reddit
It highly depends on the eye doctor.
ekkidee@reddit
They generally confirm dates and specs with the opthalmologist.
Quirky-Invite7664@reddit
Warby Parker doesn’t
IAm2Legit2Sit@reddit
If they ordered last year, tell them to reorder from the same online account. The online places will attempt to connect with the dr office to validate the prescription but might auto ship if they get no response. I think the prescriptions may be valid for two years as well.
Cmonster9@reddit
Yep, you have to have used a big chain for your contacts. Basically, they will use an automated system to call the doctors office and that automated system will get stuck in the phone system. After a few attempts they will just ship it.
IAm2Legit2Sit@reddit
The worse they can tell you is no they won't fill it.
Imgonnaneedagood1@reddit
Zenni is a legit online store and does not check. Also they are cheap.
Unknown4everandever@reddit
Sav on lens - no prescription needed
PmMeAnnaKendrick@reddit
Opticontacts doesn't require a prescription.
tonyims@reddit
1800 contacts do exam for 20$. Sometimes free during promos.
CosmicFelineFoliage@reddit
EZcontacts.com is where I have ordered from for years. You’ll get an email asking to upload your RX. You don’t need to. They will ship it.
cousin-maeby@reddit
It seems Costco doesn’t check. I mistakenly ordered a box of -1.75 contacts on the website (i’m +1.75) attached my rx and received it in the mail. For months i thought it was a delivery problem until i clicked reorder and it was -1.75 again… and they were about to ship it until i caught it early enough.
Possible_Juice_3170@reddit
Ethical option- call the local Lions club and ask for help.
ElectriCole@reddit
Just buy them anywhere? They’re not a controlled substance. If they know their prescription they can just buy them