one, he didn''t think they were available from any other source," "and two, he had heard they weren''t as highly controlled as those lens dispensed through doctors."neither assertion is true. got on the internet and found her lenses on several web sites for $35.95 for a box of six pairs. (her doctor was charging $50 a box.) says her doctor told her that lenses offered by places like may have failed manufacturers'' quality checks. bausch contacts sfx and other lensmakers say theatrical there''s no difference in quality between the lenses sold through doctors and those sold directly to consumers. red states crack down. attorneys general in 32 states have sued the american rim optometric association and two of the top contact-lens manufacturers (vistakon, a division of contacts, and bausch), alleging that the aoa tried to get manufacturers to agree to selllenses only through optometrists or other eye-care professionals. the attorneys general say they also have evidence that mirror doctors agreed to withhold prescriptions from people who sought to buy lenses from other sources, despite the fact that at least 22 states have laws requiring contact eye doctors to give out contact-lens lens prescriptions upon request.although the aoa says patients should be able to buy their sfx lenses anywhere, the organization has reservations about mail-order purchases. "the difficulty when someone goes through mail order is that they don''t come back for regular checkups," says aoa president dr. harvey hanlen.

one, he didn''t think they were available from any other source," "and two, he had heard they weren''t as highly controlled as those lens dispensed through doctors."neither assertion is true. got on the internet and found her lenses on several web sites for $35.95 for a box of six pairs. (her doctor was charging $50 a box.) says her doctor told her that lenses offered by places like may have failed manufacturers'' quality checks. bausch contacts sfx and other lensmakers say theatrical there''s no difference in quality between the lenses sold through doctors and those sold directly to consumers. red states crack down. attorneys general in 32 states have sued the american rim optometric association and two of the top contact-lens manufacturers (vistakon, a division of contacts, and bausch), alleging that the aoa tried to get manufacturers to agree to selllenses only through optometrists or other eye-care professionals. the attorneys general say they also have evidence that mirror doctors agreed to withhold prescriptions from people who sought to buy lenses from other sources, despite the fact that at least 22 states have laws requiring contact eye doctors to give out contact-lens lens prescriptions upon request.although the aoa says patients should be able to buy their sfx lenses anywhere, the organization has reservations about mail-order purchases. "the difficulty when someone goes through mail order is that they don''t come back for regular checkups," says aoa president dr. harvey hanlen.

(lenses made from polycarbonate, the same theatrical type of plastic used for the space shuttle windshield, are about 50 times stronger than other lens materials.) also, people at risk of receiving electric shock should avoid red metal frames.people employed in certain occupations may be prohibited from wearing contact, or may be required to wear safety eyewear over the contact. rim some occupations, such as construction or auto repair, may require safety lenses and safety frames. physicians and employers should be consulted for recommendations. description eyes are examined by optometrists (o.d.) or by ophthalmologists (m.d. or d.o.--doctor of osteopathy). prescriptions, if necessary, are then given to patients for glasses. the glasses are generally made by an optician. a separate lenses-fitting exam is necessary if the mirror patient wants contact contact, because an lenses prescription is not the same as a lenses prescription.