There are few things we cannot purchase online these days. From groceries to furniture, you can simply click, order and receive your purchase in the comfort of your home. This rule also applies to buying contact lenses. Once you have a current prescription, you can bypass the trip to the optician's office for your renewals. You can get your new stock of contact lenses at home with as much ease as you get your Amazon.com purchases. That said, just like any other purchase you make online, you need to be cautious and wise. All online stores are not created equally. Most of these merchants are of good faith and have an impeccable reputation, but there are a few bad apples out there in the cyber world. The ideal scenario is for you to get a referral from a doctor or a friend, because at least you'll have a point of reference and you'll also be able to rely on the experience (good or bad) of someone else.

The following points should help you take simple precautions to make your Internet, phone or mail purchase safe and effective for you and your family.

Before buying your contact lenses…

* Make sure that your prescription is ALWAYS current and correct.

* Your last complete check up should be less than 24 months (2 years). Longer than that and you may not be aware of problems with your eyes. This means that your contact lenses won't correct your vision.

* Check your prescription's expiration date. Did you know that an expiration date for prescriptions is set by your state (for US residents)? For some states it's 12 months others 24 months, and some states leave it up to your optometrist.

* If you're prescription has expired, go see your doctor for a check-up and new prescription, don't order new lenses until that's done.

* If the merchant doesn't carry the contact lens brand prescribed by your doctor, don't (EVER) accept a substitute. Your doctor prescribed a specific brand for a specific reason.

* If you didn't get an order you paid for or if you're being given the run around or if an online merchant refuses to respond to your emails and phone calls, it's time for you to take some serious action. You should immediately report any problems that arise from your purchase from a US supplier to the FDA's MedWatch reporting form. You'll find more information by visiting their site at: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch .

There is little doubt that convenience is an incredible commodity, but you need to make sure you're not being tricked or duped when purchasing contact lenses online. Be vigilant, ask for referrals, ask questions and report any problems as soon as they arise. You might also want to contact your credit card company to ensure they freeze debits to unscrupulous merchants.