If you buy contact lenses, especially over the phone, by mail, or through the Internet, you have to know some important things to protect yourself and your money. While such purchases are often a convenient and economical way to get lenses, it's a wise decision to proceed with caution when purchasing items through these methods. The following questions and answers should help you take simple precautions to make your Internet, phone or mail purchase safe and effective for you.

When you buy contact lenses, first ask yourself if your contact lens prescription is current or updated. This is a must. Never buy or order contact lenses with an expired prescription. If you have not had a check-up in the last one to two years, you might have problems with your eyesight that you're not immediately aware of. In these cases, your contact lenses may not correct your vision well.

Ordering lenses without a updated and authentic prescription may cause serious complications to your eyesight. This also goes for the check-up. The fit of your contact lenses will be reevaluated, and any changes in the cornea from the contact lenses will be observed and taken care of if necessary. During regularly scheduled visits, your eye doctor looks for irregularities that, if left untreated, may lead to severe problems. Furthermore, contact lenses that haven't been fitted properly by a doctor will not work well, or worse, might do more damage to your eyesight.

A authentic prescription for contact lenses should include your name, the name of your doctor, and the brand and material of your contact lens. Lens measurements such as power, diameter and base curve are included. These are the minimum that should be in a prescription, but some detailed prescriptions also have directions for use, whether lenses are for daily or extended wear, the number of refills , and an expiration date. These all depend on the local laws of the state you're in, as state laws often define a prescription's requirements.

Some Internet sites ask for information about your doctor so that they may check the prescription with your doctor. If they receive a verbal okay, they comply with the Federal prescription device regulation. If the company does not check, then they have not obtained a authentic prescription. Some state laws require that a written prescription be presented.

You won't get into any legal trouble if you buy contact lenses by mail, phone, or through the Internet without a authentic prescription. This means, however, that the store is selling you those contact lenses as if they were an OTC (over the counter) product. This will be in violation of FDA regulations. Some Internet sites will allow you to fill out a chart with the ordering information about your contact lenses, your doctor's name and contact number.

Choose a reliable and well-established store when buying contact lenses. Get the manufacturer's written patient information for the lenses you buy, which will give you important risk/benefit information, as well as instructions for use. Be wary of stores where they attempt to exchange a different brand from the one you are using right now. There are differences in the water content and shape between different brands. When you get the lenses, check to see if the store gave you the exact brand, lens name, power, sphere, cylinder and axis (if any), diameter, base curve, and peripheral curve (if any). In cases where you received the incorrect lenses, contact your doctor immediately and get his approval first before using them.