Job Discussion Forums

Kimura · Joined: 08 Oct 2004 Posts: 22 Location: Toronto, ON

This is going out to anybody who can offer any insight. The other day I went to go and buy some contact lenses. I brought along my prescription and the gentlemen who was helping me told me that I have to see a doctor first before they can sell me any contacts. Has anybody ever had this problem? Any suggestions?

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Yes. Prescriptions are not transferable from country to country. The man at the store was right. YOu have to see a Japanese eye doctor to get a Japanese prescription filled.... Which, BTW is expensive.... Have you considered the price of getting lenses shipped? That's what I do... My lenses aren't even sold in Japan (not allowed). They are Focus Night&Days which means I can leave them in for up to 30 days at time safely without removing them.

When I had to see a Japanese eye doctor once about a scratched cornea and I told him that I didn't remove my lenses every day he just about cracked the plaster! He insisted that I MUST remove my lenses every evening... I gave him the "hai, hai, wakarimashta" treatment and moved on.... No doctor is gonna tell me how to wear lenses that he himself has never even heard of...

easyasabc · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 179 Location: Japan

I had no trouble getting my contact lenses without seeing a Japanese eye doctor. Mine are pretty standard one-day disposable ones and I basically just walked in with the box of lenses I had bought in Australia and asked for the same ones. They were certainly cheaper in Japan than Australia too. Very Happy

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Kimura,
I don't know about Canada, but I suspect it has the same system for vision prescriptions as the USA, where I'm from. That is, perfect is rated as 20-20.

Unfortunately, in Japan, they use a different system, so the optometrist probably couldn't even understand what prescription you have, let alone make anything for you.

Kimura · Joined: 08 Oct 2004 Posts: 22 Location: Toronto, ON

Thank you very much for the advice. Since I am running out of contact lenses I will have to see a Japanese optometrist and just fork up the cash.

kevinyam · Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 31

Do you guys know of any good stores that have english service?

abufletcher · Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2005 10:50 am Post subject:

I don't wear contact lenses but I did go into a regular "megane" store to get a pair of prescription glasses made. To my surprise they not only didn't need to see a perscription, they were able to do an eye exam right on the spot for free. It took aboout 5 minutes. I found the exam to be very professional and the glasses (blended bifocals + correction for astigmatism) were ready about 10 days later and were perfect. Cost was about the same as at Lenscrafters back in the US.

The only thing that was a little weird was when the clerk asked me (a 49 year old male) if I wanted a little heart done in pink rhinestones in the corner of the lens! Another option was to have your name in kanji or katakana inscribed on the earpiece which was slightly more appealing. Smile

Perpetual Traveller · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 651 Location: In the Kak, Japan

Abufletcher, I'm sure it wasn't a slur on your masculinity! Maybe it was just her standard upsell, you know like the cashiers in MacDonalds asking if you'd 'like fries with that'. Regardless, I'm sure a little pink heart would have looked very fetching on you... Razz

PT

abufletcher · Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2005 3:00 pm Post subject:

Yeah I know she was just running down a list of options but you would have thought after I said no to the rhinestone heart she might have figured I wasn't going to go for the pink tint either.

On the other hand in a country where even ATM cards have little pink cartoon characters who knows what the well-dressed professor is wearing nowadays. Laughing

abufletcher · Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2005 3:04 pm Post subject:

Not that I'm knocking pink mind you. I've seen some pretty fearsome looking Sikh men dressed head to toe in pink. And, for that matter, I'm about as pink as human beings come.

Hmmm...maybe I should give those tinted glasses a second thought...

nawlinsgurl · Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 11:42 pm Post subject:

Try 1800contacts. They rock! If you have a copy of your prescription you can scan it and email it to you. They take a bit longer for shipping to Japan, but the price is pretty low and usually they give a first time free shipping discount. I was screwed when I first came here and wore the same pair of lenses for 8 weeks, b/c I was too cheap to buy lenses for the Japanese shop. I had a nasty infection after that....so definitly don't play with your eyes! Embarassed