Should You Buy Contact Lenses Without a Prescription?

Can you buy contact lenses without a prescription? In the age of the internet this question has a simple answer. Yes. If you want something then someone, somewhere in the world, will sell you it. A better question to ask yourself is “should you buy contacts without a prescription?”

In many countries it is illegal to sell contact lenses to people who do not have evidence of a current prescription. Note that this is not the same thing as it being illegal to buy them. The internet will find you people who will sell you lenses but before rushing into this, stop and think for a minute.

Why do so many countries make it necessary to have a current lens prescription before you can buy your contacts? Although it often seems that laws are just made to make life difficult for us, there is a good reason. The eye is a very delicate organ and complications in the eye could lead to blindness which is something to take very seriously.

Having your eyes tested regularly is not just about finding out what strength lenses you need. Your optician will also be able to pick up on any problems in your eyes which might need treatment. That’s why you usually need a current prescription before you can buy lenses. Your eyes may have been suitable for wearing contact lenses once but this could have changed. It’s no good relying on out of date information, however convenient it might be. And when you consider that your eyesight is at stake, why would you want to?

So although you definitely can buy contact lenses without a prescription, have a think about why the law usually insists on you having a current prescription. You only have one pair of eyes so it’s better to stick to the rules.

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