The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: Rural on August 08, 2016, 05:07:45 AM
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So, for about the last 25 years, I've been wearing glasses rather than the contacts I once preferred because about then my astigmatism got too bad for soft lenses to correct. But technology now, I've just learned, has gotten good enough that soft lenses for me are no big deal, and this week I've been enjoying peripheral vision for the first time in decades. :-)
So, where can I find good prices on contact lenses? In the intervening time, they've also become disposable, it seems - the ones I have are monthly. I can get them from Walmart for $58 for three months, but I have no idea where to start online. I've been happily using Zenni Optical for glasses for years, but I think they don't do contacts.
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I get mine through Costco optical.
I have a slight astigmatism in one of my eyes. A year's supply for both eyes with tax came to ~$220.
I know the astigmatism set costs more than the straight soft lens I get for the other eye.
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I get mine through Costco optical.
I have a slight astigmatism in one of my eyes. A year's supply for both eyes with tax came to ~$220.
I know the astigmatism set costs more than the straight soft lens I get for the other eye.
Yeah, spherical lenses are a lot cheaper. I buy mine from wherever they're cheapest - last time I used OptiContacts. The eye doctor's office told me that Acuvue fixes pricing so I wouldn't be able to find anywhere cheaper than buying through them...well, I went home and ordered them online for $100 less. Pft.
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In the US we've used 1-800-contacts several times - their prices are pretty competitive, especially if you order in bulk (which for me is a 3-4 month supply). Most of the time the contacts would arrive in about 2-3 days.
In Canada we've used contactsexpress.ca. Interesting it was even cheaper to place an order with them. Only drawback I suffered was my contacts were on backorder and I had to wait about 14 days to get them... and I wasn't informed they were on backorder until the day after I placed the order.
FWIW my SO uses Acuvue 1-day; I use Biofinity and Biofinity Toric lenses.
Agree with JLee - Acuvue and Biofinity wereabout half the price online.
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I get mine through Costco optical.
I have a slight astigmatism in one of my eyes. A year's supply for both eyes with tax came to ~$220.
I know the astigmatism set costs more than the straight soft lens I get for the other eye.
Yeah, spherical lenses are a lot cheaper. I buy mine from wherever they're cheapest - last time I used OptiContacts. The eye doctor's office told me that Acuvue fixes pricing so I wouldn't be able to find anywhere cheaper than buying through them...well, I went home and ordered them online for $100 less. Pft.
This is good to know. I've spent way too much money on contacts (though admittedly the last supply I bought was "I took a new job and have to blow $450 in an FSA" spending) and have wondered if I can get contacts online.
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I wear gas permeables and have gone years without buying a new pair. When I tried the soft lenses for one year, my prescription actually got worse. They may not be for everyone, but I'm definitely a believer.
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I get mine through Costco optical.
I have a slight astigmatism in one of my eyes. A year's supply for both eyes with tax came to ~$220.
I know the astigmatism set costs more than the straight soft lens I get for the other eye.
Yeah, spherical lenses are a lot cheaper. I buy mine from wherever they're cheapest - last time I used OptiContacts. The eye doctor's office told me that Acuvue fixes pricing so I wouldn't be able to find anywhere cheaper than buying through them...well, I went home and ordered them online for $100 less. Pft.
When I bought them last year even Costco told me the price fixing was true, but since Costco couldn't discount the price itself they gave a store gift card for 10% of the price.
Glad to hear that the price fixing may be gone this year.
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I was trying to figure this out the other day and came across this thread (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/ultra-cheap-contact-lenses-from-the-uk-no-prescription-verification-needed!/) and this thread (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/cheap-online-contact-lenses/).
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I was trying to figure this out the other day and came across this thread (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/ultra-cheap-contact-lenses-from-the-uk-no-prescription-verification-needed!/) and this thread (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/cheap-online-contact-lenses/).
Ordering from the UK might work out extra nicely right now!
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Someone's UK order came with gummy bears. This really speaks to my heart. (I'm half kidding, I wouldn't order contacts from a place just because my order came with gummy bears. I understand I can just go to the store any buy gummy bears. But I do love gummy bears.)
I was going to suggest checking if your employer has vision coverage. Mine does and getting $200 worth of contact lens benefit by paying the really small subsidized premium works really well for me.
Also, I sometimes wear my one-day disposables for ~2 weeks. My doctor okayed this- you just need to clean and store properly. I'm on the same 90 day supply I got in 2014... (I also sometimes wear them for one day, say, if traveling and didn't pack solution/case/etc.) I usually wear my glasses a couple days a week, too. I like to have options. When exercising, contacts are highly preferred. At work, it doesn't matter as much.
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I use Contactsprice.com (http://Contactsprice.com) - it compares prices from all stores with coupons and all surcharges. Works good for me!
For an eye exam for contacts Americasbest ($79 or $33/per year if you join eyecare club for $99) or Walmart ($100) but they are very expensive to buy contacts - so it's better to get prescription and buy your contacts online.
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Someone's UK order came with gummy bears. This really speaks to my heart. (I'm half kidding, I wouldn't order contacts from a place just because my order came with gummy bears. I understand I can just go to the store any buy gummy bears. But I do love gummy bears.)
I was going to suggest checking if your employer has vision coverage. Mine does and getting $200 worth of contact lens benefit by paying the really small subsidized premium works really well for me.
Also, I sometimes wear my one-day disposables for ~2 weeks. My doctor okayed this- you just need to clean and store properly. I'm on the same 90 day supply I got in 2014... (I also sometimes wear them for one day, say, if traveling and didn't pack solution/case/etc.) I usually wear my glasses a couple days a week, too. I like to have options. When exercising, contacts are highly preferred. At work, it doesn't matter as much.
1) I love gummy bears too!
2) I had no idea you could rewear the disposables. I seriously love my daily contacts though, mostly because I just ditch them at night. But maybe I will try wearing them again. Even if I only did two days instead of one, I could save decent money. Those dailies are expensive!
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2) I had no idea you could rewear the disposables. I seriously love my daily contacts though, mostly because I just ditch them at night. But maybe I will try wearing them again. Even if I only did two days instead of one, I could save decent money. Those dailies are expensive!
Yup- my doc did say that you have to be meticulous with contact lens hygiene, if you are going to re-wear. And don't try this if you've are susceptible to problems with contacts in the past- whether its infection or dryness. Re-wear works well for me, I've been doing it for years w/o issue.
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Thanks, all. I've found them for considerably less than the Walmart price, going to do some comparison shopping, Google Shopping helps with price comparisons.
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Always check out walgreens. With coupon code, we can get 2 24 packs for 180 or less
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For several years running, I've ordered through 1800contacts. They are never the lowest price at first, but they score high on reliability. So, I do my internet shopping, find the lowest price, and call and talk with a representative from 1800 contacts. They do their own research, verify the price I gave them, and then honor it.
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1-800 contacts is reliable but not always the cheapest. I have been known to google the exact type of lens- I've been wearing contacts for 20 years. Currently I wear some kind of Acuvue 1-day contacts and I got a 1 year supply for $369 through my eye doctor/eye insurance.
Previously I wore monthly Biofinity contacts, and those were super cheap. I think I used webeyestore.com and they came with no issues.
Check your health insurance to see if they offer a discount- periodically Aetna has offered them in the past.
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I get my contacts and glasses at Costco optical. I recently got a 6 month supply for $68, which I felt was very inexpensive. I primarily wear glasses, so a 6 month supply lasts me much longer, sometimes up to 2 years. I find if I wear contact too often my vision gets worse, my eyes get dry and irritated, etc so I save them for when I'm exercising, hiking, biking, etc