Are eye exams cheaper at chains or independent stores?

Question

I need a contact eye exam and walmart cost $80, Thats the only one i've called so far. Is this too much, I don't remember paying this much last year.

Answer 1

That's dirt cheap, but you're getting a Wally World eye exam, so you get what you pay for.

Answer 2

I just paid 65 dollars for my eye exam and my husband (who went some other place) paid 75. So I guess that must be about right. MY glasses cost me over 300 dollars. and my husband's was around 500!!! I almost fell over when he told me. I had a headache all day after that!.........Poppy

Answer 3

it also depends on your insurance, where in the state you go.

some private dr's will work with you.  call more places b4 deciding to just go.

Answer 4

To help make your decision it really depends on if you are using insurance or not. If you are paying out of pocket I would seek a chain store like Wal-Mart or Sam's Club.Somtimes, each Wal-Mart may have a different eye exam price because they are all independent and set up their own fee based on the area. Call around, but I think that is very reasonable for a CL exam.

Also, I have to disagree with some of the other people who answered "you get what you pay for". There is a complete myth about going to stores like this. This is just a gimmick to try and make you think that you need to shell out  alot of cash to get a quality exam. I have worked this industry for years and two of my best friends are eye doctors. Let me tell you this. My one eye doctor friend works at three different locations. At one (an actual private office), her exam is $130 for an eyeglass exam (not even CL exam). The second is an eyeglass chain, there her exam is $125 and her third location is a Sam's Club where you would see her for $43. Do you know why there is a difference? Because at many locations like Crown or Clarkson or even private offices they are payed a wage by the office and make a "cut" of what is charged. Also, those places tell the doctors to sell, sell, sell. A place like Wal-Mart they charge less but get 100% of the fee charged. So go see her at a private office for $130 or get smart and go to your Wal-Mart and see her for $43 for an eyeglass exam. These doctors ALL go to the same optometry school and then get to CHOOSE where they work and what works best for them. So my advice is go to your local Wal-Mart, Sam's, Costco, or Target Optical. Find a doctor you are comfortable with and have faith that you are getting a great doctor at a fraction of the cost of those willing to buy into "the more expensive the better" myth.

Answer 5

I TOTALLY AGREE with the optomestrist who said "you get what you pay for."  I get $1 eye exams and $50 contact exams at Dr. Bizer's for years, and just realized, these are my eyes, and these ppl are pushing me through like I'm on a conveyor belt.  

Cough up the extra 20 bucks.  When you consider you only have one set of eyes, 20 dollars isn't a whole lot!

I went to my 1st "real" optometrist a few months ago, and...WOW.  Be cheap when it comes to paper towels, not your eyes :)

Oh, and, if you're having medical issues at the time of your visit, you can count it as a medical co-pay, which for me was 10 bucks instead of 75.  (it was allergy season and my eyes were on fire!)