How to Get the Best Deals on Eye Care

Posted on Thursday, September 10th, 2009 at 5:23 pm in Financial Planning

Most of us end up requiring glasses or contact lenses at some point in our lives. Depending on how you choose to shop for your eye exams and eye wear, you can spend a lot or a little on keeping your eyes in good health.

Start off by going to an eye doctor for regular vision checkups. If you have health insurance, you won’t need to pay the whole cost of the exam as long as the doctor is a member of your insurance plan. There are also health discount cards that offer eye exams as part of their package.

Once your eyes have been checked and you’ve received a prescription you’ll have to decide if you want glasses or contact lenses – or possibly both for convenience. Glasses may or may not be cheaper to buy, depending on the frames you pick, but they won’t cost you anything to maintain. You can get cheap, basic frames or a fancy, designer model to suit your personal style.

If you don’t like you way you look in glasses, go for contact lenses instead. Contact lenses can be used by almost everyone, including people with astigmatism. You can also get contacts that change the color of your eyes, although they are more expensive than the regular type.

Your eye doctor will probably sell glasses and contact lenses in addition to conducting eye examinations. However, it would probably cost you more to shop there than at one of the discount eyewear stores that have sprung up all over the country. You can even have your eyes checked there before selecting from a wide range of frames and lenses. As their prices are already low, these stores normally don’t offer coupons or discounts.

You can check your local Sunday newspaper for money-saving coupons from some of the big mainstream eyewear chains such as LensCrafters and Pearl Vision Center. In addition you can find coupons online – just do a search for what you need. Look out for package deals such as a 25% discount on eyewear when you get an eye exam, or buy one, get one free offers. You’ll also find special prices on contact lenses and cleaning solutions.

If you really have your heart set on a pair of expensive frames from a fancy retailer, why not buy them there, and then take them to a discount outlet to have the lenses fitted. That way you’ll save some money, at least.

With contact lenses, you can also save a lot by ordering them online. Just make sure you order exactly the right type, and check whether shipping is included in the price. It can be convenient and economical to get your lens cleaning solution delivered at the same time. Many contact lens producers offer rebates where you mail in a form and wait for them to send you a check. Be sure to take advantage of all these opportunities to save cash on your essential eyewear needs.