Eye exam question

[dirty ethel rackham]

So my glasses broke and I wanted to replace them.  I do have a backup pair (correct prescription - just don't like the frames as much.)  I went to Costco where I bought them, but they won't sell me new glasses since my prescription is "expired" from 2022.  I'm not having any vision issues ... I just need to get another pair of glasses.  (I like going to Costco because they are half the price of anywhere else for my progressive lenses.  

I had cataract surgery - the last one was in 2022, which means I have artificial lenses.  Mine are multifocal lenses.  My "arms length" vision is perfect, but I do need some correction for distance but more correction for close vision.  

I tried to get in at the eye clinic where I went for my surgery and aftercare, but I can't get in for a month. Do you think an exam at Costco would be OK or should I just wait until for my eye clinic appointment?  Should it matter?  

What say the hive?  

[marbel]

I had a vision exam at Costco last year and bought glasses and contacts. Recently I had to see an opthalmologist for a separate issue but they did do a vision test and said it is was great, the prescription was fine. 

I wouldn't regularly go to Costco because it's not a complete exam (no dilation, etc) but it was fine for the purpose of getting new glasses and contacts. 

[klmama]

Unless you need to see an ophthalmologist, seeing an optometrist at Costco should be fine.  On the other hand, you already trust the doctor at your usual clinic.  I guess if it were me, I'd wear the glasses I didn't like as much for a month until I was seen by someone I already trusted.  But I'd use that month to shop around and find frames I really liked.

[Arcadia]

I would wait just because I prefer to see the same eye doctor so that I don't need to repeat medical history, in my case strabismus, astigmatism, photosensitive eyes.

I have changed frames and kept my old lenses at LensCrafters before.

What I understand is that prescription for a new pair of glasses has to be less than 24 months old. So we usually use one prescription for three pair of glasses since my husband and I don't like to go to the ophthalmologist that often.

Edited May 2 by Arcadia
Caffeine deficit typo 🤦‍♀️

[gardenmom5]

I have to many issues with my eyes to ever trust a costco optometrist.  I feel your pain - 

[katilac]

My Costco optometrist used to be my local optometrist, so yes, definitely I'd use Costco, lol - but not if I'd be going to my regular eye clinic anyway, I'd just wear my backup glasses. 

1 hour ago, Arcadia said:

 What I understand is that prescription for a new pair of glasses has to be less than 48 months old.  

I have definitely never had a prescription for glasses that was good for four years, I wonder if it's regulated by each state? 

2 hours ago, marbel said:

 I wouldn't regularly go to Costco because it's not a complete exam (no dilation, etc) but it was fine for the purpose of getting new glasses and contacts. 

You can get your eyes dilated at Costco; mine offers it every time I go in. An optometrist can do dilations. My eye exams are the same whether I'm at Costco or anywhere else (but I don't have difficult issues and I don't know what your "etc" might include). 

[Arcadia]

1 minute ago, katilac said:

I have definitely never had a prescription for glasses that was good for four years, I wonder if it's regulated by each state?

Oops. I meant 24 months 🤦‍♀️

[katilac]

2 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

Oops. I meant 24 months 🤦‍♀️

48 months seemed really long! I really wanted to know where you were getting the magic prescriptions. 

[Arcadia]

3 minutes ago, katilac said:

48 months seemed really long! I really wanted to know where you were getting the magic prescriptions. 

Where I am from, there isn’t any rules on  optical prescriptions so I can use the same prescription for a decade or more. Insurance also don’t cover eyeglasses there. 
https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/buying-prescription-glasses-or-contact-lenses-your-rights

“State law determines when your prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses will expire. Eyeglass prescriptions usually are good for a year or two, but state laws vary. The Contact Lens Rule says that contact lens prescriptions must be good for at least a year, unless your eye care professional has a medical reason for making it shorter.” 

[prairiewindmomma]

I would wear your backups and go to your normal doctor. You had cataract surgery and I’d want someone with my existing medical records taking a peek at my eyeballs every year. A month isnt a long wait.

 

Edited May 2 by prairiewindmomma

[Pawz4me]

In my state ophthalmologists don't do vision exams for the purpose of prescribing glasses or contacts. Only optometrists do that. DH has had multiple issues requiring treatment (including a few surgeries) by an ophthalmologist, but has been consistently directed by the ophthalmologist to go to our optometrist for vision exams/new lens prescriptions afterwards. Of course the ophthalmologist does a cursory vision exam, but for a prescription for glasses or contacts one has to go to an optometrist here. And optometrists in my state can perform a fairly wide range of services themselves--they dilate, they treat eye issues like infections and corneal tears and a variety of other issues.

All that to say -- I see going to a different optometrist as being somewhat similar to going to a new primary care provider. Do you like the one you have? If yes, then I'd wait a month for the appointment. If not, then I'd give Costco a try. The only downside (to me) is that you'll have to go through all the new patient questions, give your health history, etc.

 

[Starr]

Remember when you could white out a date , change it and make a copy and you couldn’t tell? 🤣

[Arcadia]

3 hours ago, Starr said:

Remember when you could white out a date , change it and make a copy and you couldn’t tell? 🤣

It is still very easy to do that, take a picture using a cellphone, white out the year and alter, print on a laser printer. My prescriptions look like something I can type in Word easily. 

[SKL]

I think that having a somewhat unusual eye history, I'd wait and go to my usual doc.

I always take both of my kids to their developmental optometrist each year, because they've had a history of issues other than just myopia/astigmatism.

[dirty ethel rackham]

14 hours ago, Starr said:

Remember when you could white out a date , change it and make a copy and you couldn’t tell? 🤣

😅Unfortunately, I didn't have the prescription with me but they had it on file.  Couldn't fool them there.  

[dirty ethel rackham]

Thanks for the feedback.  I decided to wait it out and go with the eye clinic where I had the surgery done.  I like their optometrists ... most of the people they work with have more complicated histories.