Q: Can I purchase lenses from Lexington Eye Associates if I am not an existing patient?
A: You would need to schedule an exam with one of our ophthalmologists or optometrists in order to purchase contact lenses from us.

Q: How long does a fitting take, and is it part of an eye exam?
A: A first fit takes about an hour and is not part of a regular eye exam. However, we can schedule both an eye exam and a contact lens fitting on the same day.

Q: What if I have been fitted elsewhere, and I am coming to see you for the first time?
A: If you are coming for the first time for an eye exam and already wear contact lenses, the best thing to do is to bring any information you have from your previous doctor. If we have the prescription for your contacts, we can often order them from that prescription and have the contact lens department see you to check and make sure they fit properly and that you are seeing well. In some cases, such as if you wear gas permeable lenses or have a difficult prescription, the doctor may recommend a contact lens visit before ordering new lenses. If you do not have the prescription for your contact lenses, we will need to do a refit.

Q: How often do I need to be seen by the doctor?
A: If you are a contact lens wearer, we require an eye exam every two years by an ophthamologist and a contact lens visit in the year between exams. In some cases the doctor may want you to have an eye exam every year. You can usually update your contact lenses from an eye exam. If you wear gas permeable lenses or have a large change in your prescription, the doctor may want you to see someone in the contact lens department before updating your lenses.

Q: What if I want a prescription to purchase lenses elsewhere?
A: We would need to see you for the initial fit and follow-up visit. We recommend getting at least the initial lenses from us in case there is a problem. However, we can give you a prescription as long as we have seen you for a follow-up after the initial fitting while wearing the lenses. Most places will only honor a contact lens prescription for a year, so you would need to be seen every year by the doctor to update your prescription, if you fill it elsewhere.

Q: Is a contact lens fitting covered by my insurance?
A: Contact lens fittings are not covered by most insurance plans. They are considered a cosmetic item. There are a few vision plans that will cover some of the visit and a few that give a discount on the lenses themselves. The best thing to do is check with your insurance company to see what kind of coverage you have.

Q: What if I get fitted and then decide I don't want to purchase contact lenses?
A: We charge one fee that includes the initial fitting and follow-up visits. If you come in for only one visit and then decide not to purchase lenses, we will reimburse you for part of the fitting fee.

Q: What if I have a problem with the lenses? Are they returnable?
A: With most lenses there is a 60-day period in which we can return lenses if they are defective. With disposable lenses we are given trial lenses with which to fit you, so you won't have to buy a supply until we are sure they are correct. If you have a single lens in a box that is defective, we can get a single trial lens to replace it. If for some reason you need to exchange a disposable lens box, we can do that as long as the box is unopened.

Q: Can my contact lens order be mailed to me?
A: Yes, we charge a $4 mailing fee to ship regular mail. If you prefer overnight delivery, there is a $20 shipping fee.

Q: What forms of payment do you accept?
A: We accept cash, debit card, check, Visa, Master Card, and American Express.