This should have been disclosed ahead of time. Yes, sad to say, some Dr's will charge extra because you refuse to pay their high prices. Is there someplace else? Sam's Club? Costo etc. I wish you the best.

Yes, this is typical. After all they have to make a living too, and it's well worth the $30 to make sure your daughter will be appropriately fitted.
Perhaps, next time only order 1 pair of contacts, and maybe that will cover the fitting charge. Then order the rest online.

Where I am from it is illegal to charge a patient for a copy of their prescription. Where did you order your contacts from? Maybe they can help you sort it out with your doctor? In know that 1-800 CONTACTS will call the doctor and read them the law.

My DD was so upset a few years ago. Went in and got her exam (and paid for it) then got her contact perscription to send online to buy them. DD got charged $60 for the perscription!!! They sent her a bill in the mail for the $60. When she called and told them it must be a mistake, I paid the day I was there she was told "they have to charge that to protect themselves for writing the 'script!"
What a rip off! She swore she'd never go there again! The contact exam was not cheap to begin with and she was a single girl working two jobs at the time and still struggling!
I think she went to Walmart last year, I know they also gave her her prescription can't remember if she got the contacts there but I think so. NO charge for your prescription there!
DH went and got glasses there also (wallyworld) and got his perscription when he ordered the glasses there. They just gave it to him and he didn't request it.

Perhaps, next time only order 1 pair of contacts, and maybe that will cover the fitting charge. Then order the rest online. That sounds like a good idea.

I think I will ask at Walmart how much they charge for the same contacts and if they charge a refitting fee if I decide to order on line. They have a optometrist at our Walmart. I don't like the people that work at my eye doctors anyhow. They always act like you are ruining their day by coming in for an appointment and they seem so rushed all the time.

I did get my prescription without a fee from the same doctor when I wanted to buy my glasses at Walmart last year. BTW I'm very happy with the glasses I purchased there. They had a much larger selection of frames to choose from, good prices too.

Lydia, I looked at your profile at you say your live in "the midwest". You would be protected by US law. Contact a local consumer protection group to help you deal with those people.

Here is a helpful site that is published by the US government regarding the issue:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/business/health/bus63.shtm

Here is a copy of the legislation:

http://www.allaboutvision.com/buysmart/contacts-legislation.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: Law

Thanks Dilly Dally, but from what I understand they can charge a refitting fee if they want.
Taken from one of your links:
A prescriber may require payment of fees for an eye examination, fitting, and evaluation before the release of a contact lens prescription, but only if the prescriber requires immediate payment in the case of an examination that reveals no requirement for ophthalmic goods. For purposes of the preceding sentence, presentation of proof of insurance coverage for that service shall be deemed to be a payment.

My eye doctor used to charge $50 or $60 if you took your eyeglasses prescription somewhere else to fill it. But then a law was passed, and I can't remember if it was State or Federal, that prohibited that. So now you get your prescription for free.

Personally I think charging a fitting fee when they're not fitting the actual lenses, is a shady practice. Just like my optomitrist forcing me to purchase the prescription was shady. He said my exam didn't include actually writing the prescription.

Our eye doctors do not sell glasses at the office, so you can go anywhere. There is no places here, like Len's and Frames, if they are still in buiness, but I have found a nice Dr. that sells glasses and will take my pres. I have eye problems, so need an optimaliguist. No Sam's club or Coscto nearby.

is there an inexpensive place online to buy contacts? thanks for all the info...i buy my glasses at zennioptical online, and was pleased...but want to get contacts again too
thanx

I like getting my contacts from my eye doctor. He will see me ANYTIME if I have trouble. He says just call his house if it is a weekend.

DS just got contacts. He went through 3 pair of contacts in a week trying to get the right ones. The doctor DID have to fit his eyes. We kept trying until we found the right kind that would stay in.

For the exam and 6 months of disposables (I can't remember how many pair, but he keeps them for 2 weeks) was $150. The next 6 months will be less, since the exam won't be on there.

They will also work miracles on broken glasses. For the first year - total replacement is free. After that - they will do just about anything to fix them - also for free.

To me - it is worth supporting my eye doctor. He also supports our local sports teams, youth groups, etc.

DH wanted some contacts just to ski in. He doesn't wear them otherwise. Doc gave him 2 pair for free.

Your DD took up the time of the doc/staff twice, didn't she? Maybe what seems like an extra high fee for contacts from that doctor includes paying for the time for the 2nd appointment. Since you didn't pay that to him, thru buying the contacts, why shouldn't he charge for that slot of time? Time is money.

That said, it's too bad an additional fee wasn't made clear to you before hand. That would be their responsibility, since there is no way, before this happened to you, for you to even know to ask about it.

I am sorry this happen to your daughter. I get so aggravated at hidden cost. I wish they would state all charges up front so there would be no surprises.

Darleen (who counts every penny that leaves this home, LOL)

I go to Pearl Vision b/c they are convenient. I only go for the exam. They do sell glasses and contacts, but their frames are expensive designer frames. Last year when DS needed glasses, I got the exam there, checked the prices on frames, and no questions asked they gave the prescription and I took it to BJs to order the glasses for something like $89.

I wear disposable contact lenses. Pearl does the exam. I don't remember going for a refitting since the first time I got contacts when I was a teenager. But if I need the prescription during the year it is good, I can stop in and they will write it down for me no charge. I always buy my contacts at BJs b/c they are exactly half the price of Pearl. I cannot order one pair if I wanted to, they come in boxes of six. I happen to have the same scrip in both eyes, so that is 3 pair for me. There was a time when my eyes were not the same, I had to buy two different scrips, one box for each eye. I still usually buy two boxes at a time, they last about 3 months.

But, it seems to me either you're billed for a follow up refitting, or you're penalized for not ordering contacts through them. If you're billed for the time of the refitting, it should be disclosed upfront and be unrelated to ordering contacts from them. If you're penalized for not purchasing their product, you should go somewhere else. Why do they need to hide the cost of the office visit in the price of the contacts? Or, why do they only need to charge for the office time if you don't buy their other products?

No tricks, please. I repsect that their time needs to be compensated. Respect my intelligence enough to just be straight up from the beginning. If there is a refitting fee, say so, charge it, and don't pressure me to purchase the product that is much higher priced than elsewhere.

I had a small business reupholstering furniture. IF you bought your fabric from me, from one of the fabric lines I represented, you got a discount on my labor charge - because I made a small profit by selling you the fabric. I also had back-up from the manufacturer that the fabric was appropriate for the application. Thus, you got the warranty.

If you brought your own fabric, you paid the full labor charge, there was no warranty that you had purchased enough fabric,(so if you didn't - well, your bad, not mine, you buy more) and there was no warranty that the fabric you bought was suitable for the job.

The doctor is running a business. If you don't want to buy the contacts from him, fine, your business. But s/he needs to protect himself from lawsuits for contacts which don't fit properly. S/he is also running an office with people to be paid. Thus the fitting charge.

He should have stated it up front. Mine always has. I always did. My eye doctor does not charge for giving out the prescription for eyeglasses at all. She may for contacts, but I don't use them.

DD has been wearing the same contacts for over a year. The only difference was a slight prescription change in one eye... so there wouldn't have been a problem with the fit of the contacts.

I wouldn't have had a problem with the fitting fee had I paid it each time. No fitting fee was ever listed on the receipt... just contacts at an outrageous price.