What if my prescription is expired

After a visit to the eye doctor, you will get a prescription if you need corrective lenses. The prescription will only be valid for a fixed time; eyeglass prescription expiration periods vary but are usually one to two years. The expiration date is the last day that your prescription can legally be used by optical shops and labs to make glasses or provide contact lenses.

With contacts, doctors will only provide enough lenses to get you through that date. The date is not an indication of when the lenses physically expire. Contact lens expiration dates are printed on the packaging and are unrelated to the prescription expiration, and eyeglass lenses can last indefinitely, as long as the lens is carefully protected.

Rather, the expiration on your prescription indicates that your eyes may have changed in that time. Wellness Articles. Plus, learn about what you should do with expired medications. You can call or message your doctor to request a renewal.

You can call your pharmacy and ask them to send a request to your doctor for a renewal. Can you take expired medications? You should be wary of anyone willing to sell you corrective lenses without a valid prescription. No, contact lens prescriptions are different than eyeglass prescriptions. The reason is that contacts sit on your eyes, while eyeglass lenses rest a short distance in front of them. That throws off the requirements for your corrective lenses.

After the prescription expires, the pharmacist must obtain authorization from your Doctor. This can vary from state to state. Many prescriptions can be refilled for up to 18 months after it has been dropped off at your local pharmacy as long as there are refills available. Controlled medications can only be refilled for up to one year. Unfortunately, the answer to this question is no. Your doctor cannot write you a prescription for an indefinite amount of time. Even if you have refills on your prescription you will only be able to refill the prescription for up to 18 months or 1 year depending on the medication.

This time frame begins from the day it was brought to the pharmacy. This limit, although frustrating, is for your own protection. Any quality medical practice will make sure they book a consultation with you for further evaluation prior to writing out another prescription. Prescriptions can be written to avoid unnecessary trips to the pharmacy and if you have a long term condition which requires a daily program of medication, for instance; high cholesterol, your doctor can write you a prescription for 90 days on each fill.