My question is, wouldn’t you want to get an eye exam every so often, maybe every two years at least, to make sure you still see as good as possible and also check your cornea health? I’d bet a Coke that you have cornea neovascularization if you are still wearing a contact lens with a material that has 14-year-old-plus technology.

The less oxygen that gets to your cornea, the more likely that your cornea will get hypoxic, a condition which stimulates new blood vessels to grow onto your cornea. This is very common with old contact lens materials. If it goes unchecked it will cause problems.

Also, I can’t tell you how many people come in for a routine check up, say everything’s fine- just need more contacts, but they only see 20/30 with their current Rx! I update it, and they leave seeing 20/20+ again.

Long story short – my question, I guess, is – is it against the law for 1-800 to fill my RX without checking it once in a while?

The libertarian in me agrees with that sentiment, but I’m still going to expire my Rx’s every two years like Utah law demands. The problem with doctors relinquishing control to the patient is that generally the patient doesn’t know what they don’t know. Also, if ceejay can produce malpractice tort reform, then it would be less risk to the doctor to give more control back to the patient.

So by this logic it would be even better to require citizens to meet with doctors ever 2 weeks. It will cost quite a bit, but then we won’t miss discovering cancer and other ailments early.

Or we could just let people do what they want. I don’t understand why there is any expiration date on contact lenses. If I can’t see clearly then of course I’ll go see a doctor that helps people see better. I don’t need an expiration date to force me.

This is all about control. People should control themselves; we don’t need doctors doing it.

Since I’m required by law in the state of Utah to make my prescriptions 2 years on healthy eyes, my most common recommendation is:
“Your prescription is good for two years. Most associations recommend yearly eye exams. You should return again at least every two years or sooner if any problems or changes occur in your vision.”

The law changed how I practice. Plus Canadian studies say 2 years is over-utilization of the system.

But I really wish everyone would check yearly, see clearly, live another year. It should be like changing your oil. My exam price at Wal-Mart is almost as cheap as an oil change, so I don’t think people have an excuse to not get a yearly eye exam.

Do you routinely recommend re-examination of your non-contact lens wearing patients every 12 months? If not, why not?