LensShopper - Contact lens price comparison
Wherever you choose to shop your contact lenses from, be sure to look for the overall value and keep your eye health in mind. Buying contacts online is very easy and convenient and only takes a few clicks of your mouse.
But there are lots of contact lens resellers out there and it is not always easy to find the perfect fit for your needs. In this article we will try to give you some good advice regarding the different steps you need to take to make sure you get the best value for your money and effort.
What do I need to think about when I order contacts online? Follow these three steps!
Are you insured? Does your health insurance plan include coverage for visual care? It is worth your while to check if any benefits are provided for contact lenses. Usually you have two options, you get a percentage discount at your participating regular contact lens store or you can mail-order a lens retailer that is owned by the insurance plan provider or has a close partnership with them. Make sure to check if the prices you are offered from the insurance plan really are better than what is available elsewhere.
When you compare online contact lens sellers, stock size and store reputation matters. A large contact lens store usually has more lenses in stock which make them better equipped to ship your order quickly. Large resellers may also be more stable companies which is an important part of the equation when you consider that you might have to return a product or follow up a credit card transaction. It doesn’t hurt to do a little research with a consumer advocacy group before ordering. Remember that you will be providing private information online, including your prescription and credit card information. Be sure you are transmitting to a reliable source. Make sure the company has a secure server.
This advice doesn't mean that there aren't any good smaller shops to find, it is just a factor to bear in mind. Also remember that even large contact lens resellers cannot keep all kinds of contact lenses in stock, especially if you have a less common prescription. Contact lenses come in thousands of combinations of power, curvature and diameter which makes keeping a complete stock impossible.
Look for a company that has e-mail and phone support. Some companies may provide 24-hour support. Also, check the company’s return policy. Ideally, the company will take returns if your prescription changes, or if the lenses are damaged when you receive them.
When you are done comparing the shops for customer service and reliability, you just have to find the best possible price for your contact lenses. Online contact lens prices are often cheaper than in-store prices, since there is usually less overhead and higher volume, you should try to take advantage of the fact that you are buying over the Internet. Look at a few different contact lens sellers and compare their prices. This might seem an easy task but there are many things to consider. Prices may or may not include rebates and shipping costs can vary a lot between the different contact lens vendors. To help you sort things out we encourage you to follow these steps:
Because the product range is wide, in addition to the fact that you can order products around the clock, availability is an advantageous feature of purchasing via the internet. Prices' are generally, significantly cheaper than those offered by opticians.
The reason for this is that retailers often maintain larger stocks of lenses, and thereby can deliver more quickly to customers than any other type of outlet. In addition, many internet retailers have lower premises costs than traditional opticians and sell primarily only lenses as opposed to opticians, who also sell spectacles.
Any careful examination indicates that the customer makes greater savings on the Internet than with a traditional optician. That said, it is essential that the customer when considering a particular product takes careful note of the delivery fee, prior to actually ordering.
Even if a customer should purchase their lenses on the Internet it is to be recommended that they maintain regular contact with an optician as eye capacity is subject to ongoing change. Different retailers' also have different rules as to whether a customer requires an opticians prescription so as to be permitted to order lenses or not. Regardless of the terms and conditions set by the retailer it is recommended that customers have their eyes tested on a regular basis.
Because eyes are extremely sensitive, the customer should always follow the recommendations of a certified optician. Should you develop irritation, pain or running eyes you should contact an optician or eye doctor immediately.