Buying contact lenses should be effortless. You should be able to log into TA-TO.com, click on re-order, confirm your information, and then click finish. It should take about 2 minutes, maybe 3 with a slow internet connection.

However, an expired prescription can complicate things.

Instead of receiving an order confirmation email, you might get an email explaining why we can't ship your order, typically due to an expired prescription. We understand how frustrating this can be. Most contact lens wearers have been there and asked the same question, "Why do I need a prescription for contacts anyway?"

Fortunately, we're here to explain and help you navigate what to do if you have an expired prescription.

First and foremost, you need a prescription for contacts. You cannot purchase medical-grade contact lenses without first having an eye exam and receiving a valid prescription.

Your eye care professional conducts various tests to determine precisely what your eyes need for perfect vision. Ideally, you'd only need to do this once and be on your way. Unfortunately, the world isn't perfect, as evidenced by our imperfect vision.

As you may know, your vision can naturally change over time, especially as you age into your 50s and 60s. Without a new prescription and exam, you might end up wearing incorrect lenses, which can potentially cause headaches or discomfort.

Your eye doctor not only prescribes lenses based on your vision measurements but also selects a brand. The brand ensures that you get a contact lens made from a material perfect for your eye health needs and ensures an exact fit to avoid discomfort.

Your brand is determined during the contact lens fitting you undergo during the exam with your eye doctor. They take measurements and determine which brand matches the size and shape of your eye. Afterward, they typically have you wear the lens for a couple of weeks before returning to their office for the final prescription.

It's essential for both your vision correction measurements and brand information to be up-to-date when ordering your contacts. If either are off or out of date, you may experience discomfort with your lenses. We want to avoid that, and we're sure you do too.

Breaking Down the Myth: Eyeglass Prescriptions vs. Contact Lens Prescriptions Eyeglass prescriptions and contact lens prescriptions serve different purposes and contain distinct measurements.

While some might assume they can use their eyeglass prescription for contact lenses, this is not the case. Contact lens prescriptions include specific measurements like base curve and diameter, which are crucial for ensuring the proper fit and comfort of the lenses on your eyeball—a consideration irrelevant to glasses, which sit away from the eye.

Moreover, a glasses prescription typically does not include information about the brand of contact lenses, which is essential for purchasing the right type of contacts.

We take eye health seriously and advocate for regular visits to eye care providers, especially for those with pre-existing eye conditions or concerns. However, we also recognize the challenges of balancing busy schedules with healthcare needs.