Ordering your contact lenses or prescription glasses online may sound easy and convenient, the advertisements may even think you can save a few bucks, but unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.
Recently a Judge called the advertising practices of a major online contact distributor harmful to the public.
In a recent statement by the American Optometric Association, “The AOA will continue to stand up for our patients and advocate 24/7/365 against any abusive or unlawful practice we see connected to online contact lens retail.”
“These actions had the purpose, capacity, tendency and likely effect of restraining competition unreasonably and injuring consumers,” Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says, in a number of ways, including:
• Unreasonably restraining price competition in certain search advertising auctions;
• Distorting prices in, and undermining the efficiency of, certain search advertising auctions;
• Depriving consumers of truthful and non-misleading information about the prices, products and services offered by online sellers of contact lenses;
• Depriving consumers of the benefits of vigorous price and service competition among online sellers of contact lenses; and,
• Causing at least some consumers to pay higher prices for contact lenses than they would pay absent the agreements, acts and practices of 1-800 Contacts.
There have also been many Red Flags raised for online eye exams.
The convenience of online eye exams has put the American public eye care at risk, even threatening the patient’s health. A recent investigation by Good Morning America, revealed a prominent online vision test missed important signs of potentially serious eye conditions, such as an elevated intraocular pressure, an increased risk factor for glaucoma.
The American Optometric Association reported on the conclusion of the ABC news affiliate:
- “[The producer’s] visit to the eye doctor takes about the same amount of time as her online eye exam but yields vastly different results.
- ‘We determined that she was a little bit farsighted and had a little bit of astigmatism, and I believe her online analysis suggested she might have been a little nearsighted—the opposite of what our outcome was,’ [the eye doctor] said.
- And [the eye doctor] doesn’t think [the producer] needs glasses.
- Which once again is different from the online exam which 24 hours later sent [the producer] a prescription for nearsightedness … Had [the producer] filled her online prescription, it may have done her more harm than good—the doctor said the eyes have to work harder.”
Don’t compromise on the health of your vision!
The fact is, your vision is too important to take for granted. Online eye exams and contact lenses may not be the best choice when it comes to eye care.
At Lake Nona Eye Care your vision health is our propriety! An accurate prescription and the right frames and contacts are essential.
Lake Nona Eye Care offers affordable eye exams, as well as contact lenses and glasses all at a great price!