Contact lens prescriptions expire after one year even when vision hasn't changed

Federal law (the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act) mandates that contact lens prescriptions expire after one year, forcing patients to pay $100-250 for an annual exam even when their prescription has been stable for a decade. Unlike eyeglass prescriptions, which last two years in most states, contact lens prescriptions have a shorter expiration specifically because the AOSA and AOA lobbied for annual exams as a recurring revenue stream for optometry practices. A patient who has worn the same -3.50 daily lenses for five years must still pay for a contact lens fitting fee ($50-100 on top of the exam) every twelve months. The medical justification — monitoring for corneal ulcers — does not hold up to evidence: a 2022 Cochrane review found no difference in serious adverse events between annual and biennial contact lens check-ups for established wearers.