Bad vision can be more than just a nuisance, it can become a literal financial headache. Working the cost of an optometrist visit and new glasses or contacts into your budget can be a real pain. It’s often one of those annual expenses that can fall right through the cracks when you set your budget.
That being said, there are some things you can do to keep the costs down.
[See: Your Month-to-Month Guide to Savings.]
Optometrist
Make sure you understand what you actually need from your visit. Places like LensCafters are the Jiffy Lube of eye care. You can get what you need done, but they are all about the upsell. Make sure you clarify what is included in the exam. Some tests like pupil dilation (where they put eye drops in your eyes) or retinal photos can be an additional fee.
Retinal photos are not always necessary. If you have no additional health factors and are under 60, the eye doctor can get most of the information they need from the dilation of your eyes, so if money is really tight, you can skip these and just do them every couple of years.
That said, you should not skip both the pupil dilation and the retinal photos if there are additional fees for each. They are both the best way for an eye doctor to see the inner workings of your eye.
The biggest upsell danger is in what brand of eyeglass lens or contacts the eye doctor prescribes. They often get kickbacks from brands for promoting their products, which doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the best brand for you. They’ll also often really push their own stock rather than just giving you a prescription for glasses or contacts. If you request a prescription, though, they do have to give it to you.
[See: 6 Ways to Treat Yourself on a Budget.]
Glasses
Online retailers have really cut down the cost of eyewear. Companies like Coastal let you buy glasses with lenses for less than $20 including shipping. If you’ve been buying yours full price at the eye doctor for years, you know what kind of crazy savings those can be.
There is a catch: You don’t have a chance to try them on. This can absolutely be a deal breaker for some, but if you’re a devout wearer of contacts who just throws on glasses at home, this can equal some real savings.
If not trying them on is a deal breaker, you can still f ind deals on frames through stores like Warby Parker. These glasses start at $95 with lenses, but there’s a return policy (which Coastal does not have). You can also order five frames to try for five days at home with free shipping both ways. With such a variety of styles to choose from, this can definitely ease the purchase pressure.
[See: 12 Shopping Tricks to Keep You Under Budget.]
Contacts
If your prescription has been holding steady for years, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t use the prescription from your recent eye exam at the beginning of the year and again at the end to reorder your contact lenses.
If you notice anything weird happening with your vision or start getting a lot of headaches, you shouldn’t even consider skipping your eye exam for the year, but if things never seem to change and you feel fine, prescriptions for contact lenses are good for one year. So you could order online right after your visit to the optometrist and then again right before the prescription expires.
Buying contacts online has long been a way to save, although if this is your first time switching to contacts, it’s wiser to get them through your eye doctor. You can try out several brands to ensure you get the most comfortable pair. Once you know what brand you’re loyal to, all bets are off. You’ll find the most significant savings through online contact lens retailers.
Finally, don’t forget to just ask for discounts on eye exams, glasses and contact lenses! AARP and AAA are commonly accepted discounts at places like LensCrafters. Sometimes a simple question can knock 10 percent or more off your bill.
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How to Save Big on Eye Care originally appeared on usnews.com
