Regulation Of Contact Lenses In The United States

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulate sales of contact lenses in the U.S

. The FDA advises consumers to be prudent. You have to obtain a legitimate prescription to buy contacts from several sources. The most common are optical shops and online retailers. When you buy contacts, these are the things that you have to keep in mind:

The lens prescription should be updated which means it has been issued by an accredited eye care expert within the current year.

Make sure that you have gone through a check up performed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist during the last two years. There may be some problems with your eyes that you are not even aware of. Contact lenses may not be able to correct the disorder if the doctor has not performed any examination.

State governments normally regulate the expiration date for lens prescriptions. Some states set a one-year renewal while others require two years. Federal law prescribes one full year unless the eye care doctor recommends a medical reason to fix it at less than one year.

Avoid using a prescription that has expired or is about to expire. It is always safe to be examined by the eye care professional.

The prescription must contain accurate and complete information which includes full name of the patient, examination date, exact date the patient was issued the prescription and expiration date. It should also contain the doctors name, address, and contact numbers. Other facts required in the prescription are the material of the lens, manufacturer, base curve, trade name of private label, and trademark of equivalent brand.

You cannot order contact lenses online without the legitimate prescription. While there is no legal restriction if you buy the lenses without prescription, the company that sells the device violates the law. This is not an over-the-counter commodity so it labels the brand incorrectly. The seller infringes FTC policies by selling you the product without the written directions of the doctor. Order your contact lens from a supplier who is prominent and has a good background as distributor of this product. Ask for the written patient information for your lenses from the manufacturer. It will give you important risk-benefit information as well as instructions for use. Be careful of attempts to substitute a different brand than what you are using at present. These may prove damaging to your eyes.

If you intend to buy contact lenses such as air optix contacts, make sure that you have a current and valid prescription. It should have been given by a licensed eye doctor not more than one month ago. This is imperative especially if you have a progressive eye problem. Prescriptions are still considered valid after a month but if you know there have been changes with your vision, you need to see an eye care professional. Remember that wearing these medical devices can be an effective mode of correcting poor vision and maintain an active schedule.

by: Rob S. Fort

POST COMMENT

Wear Prescription Contact Lenses Dealing With Problems Caused By Contact Lenses Complications From Contact Lenses Contact Lenses For Astigmatism Disorders Low Cost Contact Lenses For All Occasions Must Follow Tips To Successful Use Of Acuvue Contact Lenses Top Reasons For Using 1 Day Acuvue Trueye Lenses What Should You Avoid While Using Purevision Contact Lenses? Ecp Prescriptions For Contact Lenses Functions Of Contact Lenses Wellbeing & Convenience Contact Lenses: Best Replacement For Eyeglasses About Contact Lenses Valuable Factors About Contact Lenses