ordering contacts with an "expired" prescription

[annsteere]

Is there anywhere on the net you can order contacts even though your prescription is expired?

DD, a poor college student, had a complete eye exam a year ago at Christmas. She went to order fresh lenses at 1 800 contacts but the eye doctor blocked the sale saying her scrip is expired.

I called and asked if she could get an extension and just order one box to get her through graduation but they said no because "she might have something in her eye and then we'd be legally liable."

The doc confirmed that if she had called in an order the day before her scrip expired, she could have ordered a 5 year supply without any problem. So this seems like a "gotcha" to me.

I'm a good mom, on a very tight budget. I'm not trying to let DD go blind. She'll see her eye doctor in August. But how do I get lenses for her to use right now?

 

[WDWHo]

Is there anywhere on the net you can order contacts even though your prescription is expired?

DD, a poor college student, had a complete eye exam a year ago at Christmas. She went to order fresh lenses at 1 800 contacts but the eye doctor blocked the sale saying her scrip is expired.

I called and asked if she could get an extension and just order one box to get her through graduation but they said no because "she might have something in her eye and then we'd be legally liable."

The doc confirmed that if she had called in an order the day before her scrip expired, she could have ordered a 5 year supply without any problem. So this seems like a "gotcha" to me.

I'm a good mom, on a very tight budget. I'm not trying to let DD go blind. She'll see her eye doctor in August. But how do I get lenses for her to use right now?

Ok here is what you do. Find out your doctors schedule. If they are closed Sat and Sun then call 1800 contacts on Friday night late. The doctors office has to call within 48 hours. If not they ship. Dont mention your prescription is expired. I do it ALL the time. Never had a problem.

Good luck!

 

[knw6883]

I tried this myself (without even realizing my prescription had an expiration) and 1-800 contacts did the same thing to me. I think most reputable online dealers probably won't do it because of the potential legal issue of not being able to verify the prescription. She could have ordered the day before it expired and gotten five years...but no one would have been liable because the scrip was still valid at that time when they filled it. So it's kind of CYA for the doctors and the online dealers both.

The only thing I could think of would be to visit CostCo or WalMart's optical centers because I think they'll do an eye exam in the $50-$75 range (if you have to pay it out of pocket). You could use that prescription in the meantime to order online.

 

[Missy1961]

Ok here is what you do. Find out your doctors schedule. If they are closed Sat and Sun then call 1800 contacts on Friday night late. The doctors office has to call within 48 hours. If not they ship. Dont mention your prescription is expired. I do it ALL the time. Never had a problem.

Good luck!

I once ordered late on a Friday of a holiday weekend--and my sale was blocked because of an expired perscription. So that may not always work.

 

[lyzziesmom]

I went through this a few years ago. If your Rx is expired, it is expired and nobody will honor it, just like if it was a medical drug Rx that was expired. Legally an expired prescription can not be filled. Your DD will need to get a new eye exam. Maybe there is somewhere on campus where she can get one cheap?

 

[malibuconlee]

Try calling the doctor who does her exams and explain the situation. Maybe they'll call in a one time refill until she can get in over the summer vacation.

 

[BostonTink85]

Contact the doctor and see when they have an appointment as soon as possible, are they booked all the way to August if so try to get on a cancellation waiting list. If she is on her last pair, ask if she can just get a "sample pair" for the time being (just the single contacts that they have in the office shouldn't cost you anything - I've done this before). Other than that there's no way that I know of to get contacts with an expired prescription it wouldn't be legal.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

Call her OD. Explain that she is away at college and can't get home right away. She needs a refill, is wearing old lenses, etc. Ask if (s)he can mail your DD a pair of "trial lenses" in her prescription. If (s)he wants to keep your DD as a patient, it should not be a problem, especially if you make an appointment to see the doctor while you're on the phone.

That won't be enough to get your DD by until August but it will give her maybe a month to get an exam and updated prescription. No eye doctor is going to renew a script without seeing the patient first. That would be negligent on their part. It's been almost 18 months since your DD's last exam and contact lens exams should be done yearly since there is more at stake than just visual accuity.

 

[pweyl36]

I work for a dr(not eye dr) there are reason for eye exams.We have pt all the time asking for scripts.When they are way over due they must be seen,pts must understand that its not about the money its about liabilty. Every body is sue happy.Also your ins.co. does ramdom chart reviews to see if the dr is do things by the book.If not they could lose that contract with the ins.co.Just go to walmart they are very reasonable,and most of the time you can get in that same day.

 

[flying_babyb]

Shopko will on ocation and in emergency (such as graduation) situations take a script if its not too expired (my Dsis had one expire and went the next week and they let her get contacts)

 

[maggiew]

I tried this myself (without even realizing my prescription had an expiration) and 1-800 contacts did the same thing to me. I think most reputable online dealers probably won't do it because of the potential legal issue of not being able to verify the prescription. She could have ordered the day before it expired and gotten five years...but no one would have been liable because the scrip was still valid at that time when they filled it. So it's kind of CYA for the doctors and the online dealers both.

The only thing I could think of would be to visit CostCo or WalMart's optical centers because I think they'll do an eye exam in the $50-$75 range (if you have to pay it out of pocket). You could use that prescription in the meantime to order online.

I will also vouch that this is true. I get my exam done at Lenscrafters but buy the contacts from 1800contacts. One time, I ordered a prescription for DD and I got a call from 1800contacts that the prescription was expired. So, I called up Lenscrafters and tried to get an appointment for DD. They couldn't find her file because it had been put in the "not active" area. DD's last appointment was 2 years ago!!!! I know I should have realized this, but you know how time flies. It seemed like yesterday. Anyway, when I called 1800contacts back, I asked them how they were filling the prescription for nearly a year on an expired prescription. She said that they call the doctor and request verification. If they do not respond within 48 hours, they ship the contacts out. So, apparently Lenscrafters had not been returning their calls for a year!! She did say if you want to avoid this in the future, you can send them a copy of the prescription and they would not need to call the doctor each time.

I know this probably won't help the OP though.

Is there an opthomology college (??) nearby that might have students "practice" on patients in exchange for a cheap exam? I know they do this with dental schools and hair salon schools.

Maggie

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

I agree with some previous posters..my eye doc will usually give me a pair of trial lenses until my new appt. esp. if he can't get me in right away. I do go to Walmart and pay about $70 for an contact eye exam. I actually have an appt. tommarrow for new lenses, glasses and all. But I don't buy my lenses through them. I think 800 contacts is cheaper.

 

[lyzziesmom]

One warning: You do have to be careful with the pricing at 1-800-contacts. I was about to order online from them - I wear daily disposables - because I saw that they were significantly less money than I usually spend at Sam's Club or my eye care provider. Then I noticed that the QUANTITY was much less at 1-800-contacts. Through Sam's Club I get a box of 90 contacts (a 3 month supply) for about $35.00. 1-800-contacts had a box listed for about $25.00. Upon closer inspection I saw it was a box of 30 contacts, only a one month supply - a 30-ct box is not even available through my eye dr. or through Sam's Club. So the same amount as I get at Sam's for $35.00 - one 90-ct box - would have cost me $75.00 - three 30-ct boxes - through 1-800-contacts. And that's only for one eye! You just have to be really careful if you order disposables because they will just list it as "box" but not until the end do they tell you how many are IN the box and it may not be the same amount that you are used to elsewhere. I suppose if you are ordering a single pair it's much easier to compare prices.

This did happen a couple years ago, so I'm hoping they would have changed the way they display quantities since then, because it was very misleading.

 

[huskies90]

This post just came up in a search I did because the same thing happened to me today. My insurance only pays for an exam once every two years. I am not a poor college student so, I will go for the exam and pay oop. But two things I wanted to mention: First, I have worn the same lenses and prescription for 12 years. Other doctors, I have worked with have had no problems ordering more lens when my prescription expires knowing I'll be in for an exam when the year ends and my insurance will pay for it. The doctor I have now is refusing. Second when I said to my new doctor that I am just going to wear the same contacts I have in now for the rest of the year and I'll make an appointment in January, he didn't even bat an eye. So in other words, he is more concerned about his liability than the health my eyes as wearing the same lenses for six months is much more dangerous than giving me a refill. I think that is sad...

 

[mamalle]

I have my contact lens RX right in front of me and its good for two years. Our insurance does pay for yearly exams but that was news to me that the contact script was good for more then a year. I also get a $200 year allowance for contact lenses and fittings so I always use that up first before I go and buy my contacts elsewhere. Costco is the cheepest for my accuvue Oasys. I also have a pair of glasses for my just in case emergencies..plus I take mine out every night. I would just send her over to walmart, etc and get her taken care of. doesnt seem like there is any other choice.. best of luck

 

[Shagley]

Second when I said to my new doctor that I am just going to wear the same contacts I have in now for the rest of the year and I'll make an appointment in January, he didn't even bat an eye. So in other words, he is more concerned about his liability than the health my eyes as wearing the same lenses for six months is much more dangerous than giving me a refill. I think that is sad...

Wearing the same lenses for six months is more dangerous for YOU, but he can't be held responsible for that. Giving you a refill on an expired prescription is more dangerous for HIM, and like anyone else, he is protecting himself. I can see that this would be a frustrating situation, but not really the doctors fault.

 

[summerrluvv]

www.visiondirect.com and www.coastalcontacts.com both allow orders to go through without verifying the RX.

 

[littleeyz]

All online contact lens companies are now required to verify contact lens Rx's. A FEDERAL law was passed in 2004 making it the law that a contact lens RX is only good for one year. All lenses must be verified, subject to a $10,000 fine for filling or writing an RX for more that one year. And the 48 hour rule is business hours, so holidays and after hours doesn't count.

 

[summerrluvv]

All online contact lens companies are now required to verify contact lens Rx's. A FEDERAL law was passed in 2004 making it the law that a contact lens RX is only good for one year. All lenses must be verified, subject to a $10,000 fine for filling or writing an RX for more that one year. And the 48 hour rule is business hours, so holidays and after hours doesn't count.

Well, apparently not all companies are following that because I've ordered them numerous times without a current RX since 2004. I have a current one now, but I didn't.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

vision direct denied my order last time I tried, after just filling the "reorders" for years. I've never tried to coastal place.


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