Why do I need a prescription for my contacts?

Austin Brewer
Jan 9, 2023

Buying contact lenses should be a breeze. You should be able to simply log into 1-800 Contacts, click re-order, confirm your information, and then click finish. That takes about 2 minutes, maybe 3 with a slow internet connection.  

Unfortunately, an expired prescription can get in the way.  

Instead of receiving an order confirmation email, you’ll get an email that explains why we can’t ship your order. It’s typically due to an expired prescription. It’s frustrating, we totally get it. Most contact lens wearers have been there, and have asked the same question, “Why do I even need a prescription for contacts?” 

Luckily, we’re here to explain and help you figure out what to do if you have an expired prescription.  

Your prescription’s strength and fit.

First and foremost, you need a prescription for contacts. You cannot purchase medical grade contact lenses without first having an eye exam and receiving a valid prescription.  

Your eye care professional goes to great lengths with many different tests to figure out exactly what your eyes need for perfect vision. Ideally, you’d only need to have this done once and be on your way. Sadly, the world isn’t perfect as evidenced by, if nothing else, our imperfect vision. 

As you know, your vision can naturally change over time. Especially as you age into your 50’s and 60’s. Without a new prescription and exam, you might be stuck wearing incorrect lenses which can potentially cause headaches or discomfort.  

Not only does your eye doctor write a prescription with your vision measurements, but they also include a brand. The brand is there to guarantee you get a contact that uses a material perfect for your eye health needs and make sure the fit is exact, to avoid any discomfort.  

Your brand is the result of the contact lens fitting you undergo during the exam with your eye doctor. They’ll take measurements and determine which brand matches the size and shape of your eye. From there, they’ll usually have you wear the lens for a couple weeks then you’ll return to their office for the final prescription.  

It’s important for both your vision correction measurements and brand information to be up to date when ordering your contacts. If either are off or out of date, you may experience discomfort with your lenses. We don’t want that. You don’t want that. No one wants that. 

The legal stuff.

Now that you know the medical reasoning behind prescriptions, let’s cover the legality of it all.  

We’re bound by law to only sell contacts to customers with valid prescriptions. It’s part The Contact Lens Consumer Act passed in 2003 to protect consumers and their rights. This way we can guarantee your eye doctor will release a prescription to you, giving you the legal right to buy your contacts anywhere. 

Contact lenses are also considered medical devices by the FDA which means you must have a valid prescription to purchase them. Almost every prescription has an expiration date and contact lenses are no exception. Most contact lens prescriptions are good for up to a year, but it ultimately depends on the state in which the prescription was issued.  

The lucky two-year states

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It’s important to point out that in some states your prescription is valid for up to two years, instead of the usual one-year limit. Keep an eye on your prescription expiration dates to make sure you’re taking advantage of this time-saving tip.

Can’t I just use my eyeglass prescription? 

Unfortunately, no. Contact lens prescriptions have specific measurements that you cannot find or decode from a glasses’ prescription. Measurements like base curve and diameter are associated with the size and shape of your eye which is irrelevant to glasses since they sit away from your eyeball.  

A glasses prescription will also not feature a brand, which is required for purchasing contact lenses.  

ExpressExam changed the game 

With ExpressExam we’re able to make getting your contacts when you need them a breeze. Instead of saying you shoulda, coulda, woulda – we just did it. Now our customers can get their contacts on their own terms.  

We take eye health seriously and want to encourage everyone, especially those with pre-existing eye conditions or concerns, to visit their eye care provider regularly. We also understand life can get busy and a vision exam doesn’t always fit into your schedule. Having good vision shouldn’t be a hassle so we invented ExpressExam to make renewing your prescription easier. 

ExpessExam is not a comprehensive eye exam and is not a replacement for regular eye exams. You can learn more about ExpressExam and see if you qualify here.   

Original published date: 3/23/2020

Updated: 1/9/2023