Plano Color Contacts Outside Your Doctor's Office

R2D2 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-22-2008, 03:37 PM

I know that buying color contact lenses, even plano ones with out a doctor's prescription is a bad idea and even a dangerous one, but is it actually illegal?

shalexih · #2 (**permalink**) 11-10-2008, 03:53 AM

its illegal for them to sell to you without a prescription.

R2D2 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-15-2009, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shalexih

its illegal for them to sell to you without a prescription.

Okay, so the person selling the contact lenses without a prescription--even plano contact lenses--is the one breaking the law, not the person buying them? Do I have that right?

CousinMuscles · #4 (**permalink**) 12-29-2011, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R2D2

Okay, so the person selling the contact lenses without a prescription--even plano contact lenses--is the one breaking the law, not the person buying them? Do I have that right?

Buying the lenses without a prescription is also illegal. All About Vision says:

"Contact lenses are classified as medical devices by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and cannot be purchased legally in the United States without a prescription written by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist.

So there is no U.S. location where you can legitimately buy contact lenses with no prescription."

It goes on to say "a contact lens is a medical device. If it's not prescribed properly, you may not see well. More importantly, a poorly fitting lens — or one made from a material not well-suited to your eyes — can mean discomfort, inflammation, swelling, abrasion, or another problem that could, in rare cases, result in permanent eye tissue damage."