When you visit your optometrist, or any health care practitioner, you are paying for his/her service. Most optometrists bulk bill through Medicare and so your regular eye exams (checking prescription and health of the eye) requires no out of pocket expense on your part.

However, the medicare schedule for contact lenses exams and contact lens fitting (10921 – 10930) have strict criteria and not all patients are eligible for this.

Example:

10921:  If the patient requires the prescription and fitting of contact lenses and have myopia of 5.0 dioptres or greater (spherical equivalent) in one eye, then the patient may be eligible for Item 10921

Note: this can be claimed once every 3 years.

Other details for medicare schedules can we found on the Australian Medicare website.

A “fitting fee” is charged by most optometrists to cover the time required to ensure you will be safe if you embark or continue to wear contact lenses.

The fitting fee is usually between $30 and $130, depending on where you go to have contact lenses fitted and whether you’ve worn contact lenses before. Some questions you may want to ask your optometrist of choice before handing over your money:

• What is involved in a contact lens fitting?
• Do I get to try the contact lenses before I buy them?
• Will you teach me how to use and care for my contact lenses?
• Will this fee cover me for future visits relating to contact lenses?
• Will I have to pay again if we change the contact lens type I wear?

Your optometrist is an ocean of knowledge when it comes to eye health and contact lenses. Some may balk at the idea of paying to see an optometrist but how much is your vision really worth?

The general rule is to check 3 things to ensure safe contact lens wear.

• Do I look good?
• Do I feel good?
• Do I see well?

Do I look good?

This means that when you are wearing contact lenses your eyes should be white and clear. If your eyes are red, bloodshot or lids are crusty, then contact lenses should be removed.

Do I feel good?

Are the contact lenses comfortable on the eye? Or do they irritate or burn? Contact lenses shouldn’t be uncomfortable. If your eyes don’t feel good, take your contact lenses out.

Do I see well?

The purpose of contact lens wear is to correct your vision so that you can see clearly. If your vision gets blurry with contact lenses on or you have noticed a change in your vision, you may need to update your contact lenses.

As always, you should check your eyes regularly with your optometrist. There may be changes to your eyes which can only be detected by the medical equipment used in an eye exam. Also, your optometrist can advise you on newer products which may be more appropriate for your contact lens needs.