REVscene - Vancouver Automotive Forum

twitchyzero · 07-31-2011, 06:23 PM

okay I understand any sort of health related exams are really important and no one should ever cheap out on them. This is somewhat of a rant.

The last time I did them two years back was $75.

Now my doctor is charging $85..okay a bit of price hike over 2 years no biggie.

They asked me if I wanted contacts, then they said prescription for contact lenses will be $125.

WTF? It was always the same prescription regardless of glasses or contacts...so why's there an extra $40 now. It's not like they did any extra steps to see what contacts fit me better and I've been wearing em for many years.

Is this now standard practice for optometrist?

xmisstrinh · 07-31-2011, 09:08 PM

Is he giving you samples along with the eye exam? If not, then it should be no different. I got my eye exam done recently and it was only $85, plus my doc gave me three pairs of sample lenses. I can give you his contact info if you like =]

racerman88 · 07-31-2011, 10:33 PM

Who do you go to?

twitchyzero · 07-31-2011, 11:34 PM

it's an asian place by metrotown T&T and it's super busy...take a wild guess

LSF22 · 07-31-2011, 11:37 PM

^ C U vision?

v.Rossi · 08-01-2011, 07:58 AM

The standard price for eye exams is around ~$90 tax in. If you're paying anything over $100 you're being overcharged regardless of what optometrist office.

That's for the eye exam alone so you can get your prescription, so excluding anything to do with contact fitment and/or consultation. However, there office their ways can't really bargain on their price I'd just switch over. Some will even order you contact samples after, 1-2 week disposables free of charge.

I know for a fact IRIS optometry is overpriced.
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twitchyzero · 08-01-2011, 09:25 AM

not sure since I just said I'll opt out of the contact lenses prescription but I doubt it was the fitment session cause I did that when I first got contacts.

thanks for the heads up...I just thought it was a new procedure for optometrist where contact prescription is now somehow different from glasses prescription.

miss_crayon · 08-04-2011, 03:02 PM

I get my eyes checked at Costco's Optometry and it cost me..$75 for the eye exam. This includes those eye drops to check for eye disease and etc.

Don't know about the contacts fitting or anything though since the times I've gone has been free. This could however be due to the fact that we've known the guy for years.

twitchyzero · 08-06-2011, 02:32 PM

called D/T costco and it's only $70. thanks appt booked.

acurael · 08-08-2011, 09:53 PM

Clarification:

Eye exam includes health check and prescription for eyeglasses (refraction).

A contact lens prescription is not the same as your eyeglass prescription (although sometimes it can be similar). The only way to determine a contact lens prescription is to:
1. determine the fit of the lens (not all contact lenses fit the same, this means sticking a contact in your eye and having it evaluated)
2. determine the vision out of the contacts (often you have to adjust this from the glasses prescription)
3. determine the comfort and how the lens is reacting with your eye (usually a follow up is done in 1-2 weeks of wearing)

Remember that there are numerous contact lens brands, materials, base curves, diameters, wearing schedules (dailies, monthly lenses, 2 weeks), lenses that correct for astigmatism, multifocals etc. You want to get a trained eyecare professional to fit your lenses and evaluate them. Improperly fitted lenses can lead to blurriness, redness, irritation, even corneal ulcers and infections.

Many offices charge extra for a contact lens exam since it entails more testing than just your normal eye exam (non contact lens wearer).

Usually if the doctor is doing the contact lens fitting and evaluation there will be more of a charge.

Usually when there is an extra charge for a contact lens exam it includes trial lenses and no charge follow-ups as well. Hopefully this clarifies things a bit more. Main message is your glasses prescription is not the same as a contact lens prescription.

acurael · 08-08-2011, 09:58 PM

Also when comparing eye exam prices, some offices may charge more than others for the fact that they perform extra testing such as retinal photos (picture of the back of your eye) and visual field testing as part of their standard eye exam. Other offices may not have this technology and that is why their eye exam price is lower (or they may have it as an additional fee if you choose).

acurael · 08-08-2011, 10:08 PM

Also to OP i noticed that you posted another thread about having issues with your contact lenses

http://www.revscene.net/forums/64626...-contacts.html

Again another reason that you may need to be re-fitted into another contact lens or change to a different wearing schedule lens (daily etc). You would want to have the eye doctor evaluate your eyes and your current contact lens fit. If re-fit into a new lens then you would want to try this lens for 1-2 weeks and have a follow-up and go from there. Again this is the reason alot of offices will charge extra for contact lens wearers as additional testing and follow-up exams are needed. The doctor will figure out the reason you are having issues with your contact lenses. good luck

Helga · 08-09-2011, 01:30 AM

yea... usually they give u samples for comfort fitting... i tried like 3 different brands.....
the Acuvue MOIST was niace...
to figure out crappy contacts are the ones are rough on the outside edges....
some samples i tried... o my l0rd, outside edges jagged my eyes everytime i blinked.

but i highly recommend Acuvue MOIST.

btw i use daily 1-day Acuvue MOIST and sadly i reuse them and i havent experience any negative symptons for the past 2 years.... I dunno about the technology in contacts but yea i never see the difference between daily,weekly,monthly,yearly.... obv the comfort would change if u use daily ones but it never bothers me until i feel that i need to use new daily ones. good way to save money

twitchyzero · 08-09-2011, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acurael

Main message is your glasses prescription is not the same as a contact lens prescription.

Good to know...that's what I was basically asking. Just odd that all these years I've been going to the same doctor and always used the glasses prescription for getting contacts and the opticians never said anything.

Another optician on this board also PM'd me a week ago saying there is no difference in terms of the prescription and can be used interchangeably.

acurael · 08-09-2011, 02:45 PM

I would love to talk to that optician that msged you. Thats a false statement.

Heres some examples:
glasses prescription
-1.00-0.50X100
contacts prescription
-there is no such contact lens that is made with the above prescription. This prescription would have to be adjusted

glasses prescription
-5.00
contact lens prescription
-needs to be adjusted due to that fact that the contact lens is closer to your eye and any prescription over a plus or minus 4.00 has to be adjusted for this fact.

An optician or eye doctor can look at a glasses prescription and get a rough idea what the contact lens prescription will be. Now you fit that theoretical prescription after taking measurements of the corneal curvature and pick a base curve and diameter (shape of lens). Some contact lenses only come in one base curve and others with a few.

Alot of issues with contact lenses (irritation, redness, dryness) actually come down to a lens that either fits too tight or too loose. Of course you could get lucky and just randomly pick any contact lens base curve and diameter with your prescription and it can work. But on the other hand you could permanently damage your eyes.

If you wear contact lenses make sure someone is evaluating the fit of them and looking at them when they are in your eye with a microscope. If you go anywhere that doesn't or never has looked, you know something is wrong.

acurael · 08-09-2011, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helga

yea... usually they give u samples for comfort fitting... i tried like 3 different brands.....
the Acuvue MOIST was niace...
to figure out crappy contacts are the ones are rough on the outside edges....
some samples i tried... o my l0rd, outside edges jagged my eyes everytime i blinked.

but i highly recommend Acuvue MOIST.

btw i use daily 1-day Acuvue MOIST and sadly i reuse them and i havent experience any negative symptons for the past 2 years.... I dunno about the technology in contacts but yea i never see the difference between daily,weekly,monthly,yearly.... obv the comfort would change if u use daily ones but it never bothers me until i feel that i need to use new daily ones. good way to save money

There is a difference between the materials of contact lenses (dailies, monthly, biweekly). Millions of dollars goes into producing these contact lenses and research. Each lens is FDA approved for that type of wear. You should only wear a daily lens for one day.

Risks that you run when wearing a contact lens outside of its normal "wear schedule" include lack of oxygen to the eyes, increased risk of infection and corneal ulcers. All these things can lead to loss of vision.

Sure you have done it for 2 years with no issues but one day you might not be so lucky. Also you are decreasing the amount of years you will be able to wear contacts in the future as your eyes are likely being damaged over time. Its like you running across highway 1, sure you will make it to the other side plenty of times. But one day you are going to get hit.

Jeff89 · 09-22-2011, 12:43 AM

Sorry to bump this old thread, but aren't eye examination covered by the msp?

hamsup · 09-22-2011, 06:53 AM

No they are not. Eye exams are covered by your extended health if it is included in your work place's package. I dont get it

Spidey · 09-22-2011, 06:57 AM

also, it is called inflation... chiros, physios, EVERYWHERE you go, prices do not stay the same for anything after a couple of years.

acurael · 09-27-2011, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff89

Sorry to bump this old thread, but aren't eye examination covered by the msp?

Eye exams are covered/partially covered by MSP for children between the ages of 0-18, seniors (65 plus), and for certain medical conditions/eye conditions (ie diabetes, glaucoma, cataracts etc).
Children and seniors are covered/partially covered yearly.

twitchyzero · 09-27-2011, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueG2

also, it is called inflation... chiros, physios, EVERYWHERE you go, prices do not stay the same for anything after a couple of years.

if you read my initial post i already mentioned the price hike of $10 is nothing..the extra $40 on top however for contact prescription (not fitting) is NOT due to inflation...