What Makes Contact Lenses So Expensive?

Summary: Contact lenses, as you might know already, can cost you a pretty penny. Here are some factors that raise the price.

If you’re about to purchase contact lenses, you may be in for an expensive treat. After a visit to your local optometrist, he or she will recommend a specific type of contact lens and model that best suits your personal needs. However, this might also come with a pretty steep price tag. Here are some factors that might come into play that will make your contact lenses much more expensive.

Special Enhancements

Contact lenses that come with astigmatism correction are generally priced higher than those that only address nearsightedness or farsightedness. Soft contact lenses such as the Biofinity Energys or other models that correct astigmatism are called toric lenses. They can easily run close to around $600 and higher. Prices vary as astigmatism lenses are sold as either daily wear or extended wear.

Contact lenses that correct nearsightedness and farsightedness are typically priced less than those that correct special vision problems like astigmatism. However, if you suffer from dry eyes, you may need to pay more for the extra lubricant these models have. Moreover, these types of lenses come as disposable soft contact lenses and can be sold at around $30 and up for a box of six lenses.

Specialty Lenses

Specialty contact lenses, like colored contact lenses for example, will cost significantly more than your standard extended wear models. Tinted lenses are another type that enhances the color of the eye and can cost you more than double of what you originally paid for standard lenses. Anything that requires an enhancement to the lens itself will generally raise the price, so be prepared to pay an additional fee for this. You can also regularly shop around on various sites such as Lens.com for example, to check for the lowest prices and opt for the easier online shopping route instead.