What STATES collude with ophthalmologists, and optometrists to prevent
the low medical prices mentioned in medicalcountries.org. In Florida,
one can go to the Dollar Store and get reading glasses, for one
dollar. These dollar glasses have worked, for 20 years, just as well
as the glasses my father, an ophthalmologist, provided for me in my
youth. Please list separately, all the states that do and do not
prevent their citizens from buying, in general stores, both reading
glasses, and then separately list the states that allow the general
store purchase of distance glasses.

Dear Health777,

According to my research, reading glasses are readily available in
retail outlets without prescription. Reading glasses can be purchased
over the counter in drug stores and general stores nationwide. I did
not locate information regarding a State that prevents their citizens
from buying reading glasses in general stores.

?Persons with beginning presbyopia are at little risk in choosing
their own glasses except for the loss of money if they make a bad
choice. Anyone who needs one to three diopters of correction in order
to read clearly can choose reading glasses with the appropriate
magnification and purchase them without professional assistance.
Virtually no one is prevented from reading clearly because they don?t
want to see a professional, or because they are unable to afford
prescription reading glasses

The retail sale of reading glasses may provide some prediction for the
hearing aid field. In the vision-care industry, the majority of
eyeglasses are dispensed professionally, even though low-cost reading
glasses are readily available in retail outlets without prescription.?

FDA
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/03/Aug03/081203/03p-0362-cp00001-vol1.pdf

Over the Counter Reading Glasses (OTC)

?The demand for pre-made reading glasses is huge. The idea that you
could pick your own Over the Counter (OTC) reading glasses for a
fraction of the cost of those purchased through your doctor or
Optician is appealing for many presbyope. But are they worth it? For
many they are. But they are not without their limitations. OTC Reading
glasses do not take into account certain important factors such as
astigmatism, prescribed prism and anisometropia (a condition were the
refractive errors greatly differ for each eye). OTC readers are made
in what we call spherical power.?
Eye Topics
http://www.eyetopics.com/articles/106/1/Over-the-Counter-Reading-Glasses


?Over-the-counter or ?dime store? reading glasses, so called because
they were first sold in 5-&-10-cent stores, are inexpensive eyeglasses
that can be purchased in variety, drug, and discount store without a
prescription.?
Magnific's Inc
http://www.thephonemonocle.com/medical/DimeStoreReadingGlasses.htm



Distance glasses must be purchased at an Optical retailer as there are
no cheap store-bought eyeglasses for correcting distance vision.

?There are no cheap store-bought eyeglasses for correcting distance vision.?  
http://www.abledata.com/abledata_docs/NIRE_PD_Vision.txt

I hope the information provided is helpful!

Best regards,
Bobbie7

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Request for Answer Clarification by health777-ga on 04 Jun 2006 13:40 PDT

You say there are no States now collude with ophthalmologists, and
optometrists to prevent the sale of reading glasses in general stores
(otc) as they had been doing for over fifty years and continue to do
with distance reading glasses. That is change and good news. You
suggest, that this same collusion is going on in the hearing aid
business that went on in the reading glass business. You further say
that people who have different reading problems in one eye than the
other can not buy glasses at the Dollar Stores to aid them in reading.
This is not true. I need a 1.5 correction in my left eye and a 1.75 in
my right eye, so I buy two pares of glasses, both having the same
frame, and take the lens out one side of one pair and put them in the
other. This means I must spend $2.00 at the Dollar Store, but this is
much better than spending $300.00, as some people do. My
ophthalmologist father taught me that trick. Your vocabulary is
excellent in the medical field. Do you have relatives or loved ones
that are in that business? I do not understand why you are not more
resentful of doctors preventing the sale of distance glasses in
general stores. In China, you cannot only buy glasses but also hearing
aids in general stores for less than $30. Have I understood you and do
you agree that some people with different vision problems in each eye
can still get their reading glasses in the Dollar Stores? Your
research is excellent, as always!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

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Clarification of Answer by bobbie7-ga on 04 Jun 2006 14:42 PDT

Dear Health777,

"I need a 1.5 correction in my left eye and a 1.75 in
my right eye, so I buy two pares of glasses, both having the same
frame, and take the lens out one side of one pair and put them in the
other.This means I must spend $2.00 at the Dollar Store, but this is
much better than spending $300.00, as some people do. My
ophthalmologist father taught me that trick."
That's a good way to save money.

"Do you have relatives or loved ones that are in that business?"
No

"...do you agree that some people with different vision problems in
each eye can still get their reading glasses in the Dollar Stores?"
Yes, I agree as long as they are comfortable for the wearer.

Sincerely, 
Bobbie7

Bobbie-7 is a Genius. Her research is wonderful.

Dear Health777,

Thank you very much for the kind words, five stars and generous tip!

Sincerely, 
Bobbie7