1-800 contacts

[coda]

I presume most of the contact dispensing Os on the board will be happy to read the following. Buy a Rolex at the 99 cent store and you get what you pay for.

COUNTERFEIT PROCLEAR COMPATIBLES FOUND IN US CooperVision, Inc. announced that it has discovered counterfeit Proclear Compatibles product in the US market. The counterfeit product is believed to be limited to 1-800 Contacts, which CooperVision describes as "an unauthorized distributor of Proclear Compatibles." According to the company, CooperVision became aware of the problem after two patients complained to CooperVision about the quality of their Proclear Compatibles lenses. To date, no other consumers or distributors, authorized or unauthorized, have contacted CooperVision regarding counterfeit lenses in their possession. Both CooperVision and 1-800 Contacts are working with the FDA to monitor and correct the situation.

CooperVision takes this situation very seriously and is reassuring its customers that Proclear Compatibles purchased from authorized sources are not a concern. Further, CooperVision strongly advises US practitioners, and by extension the public, to only purchase CooperVision products from authorized sources. CooperVision currently does not authorize any internet reseller to distribute Proclear Compatibles.

[Joann Raytar]

1800Contacts is fighting back. Not by explaining the counterfeit lenses but by hammering the manufacturer.

http://www.1800contacts.com/product.aspx?itm=000735
We stock all major brands of contact lenses, including Proclear Compatibles, and are happy to provide you with these contact lenses or any other lenses your doctor prescribes and you choose to purchase. However, we want to make you aware of the business practices of the manufacturer of Proclear Compatibles and the effect their policies could have on you and your eye care provider.

The manufacturer of Proclear Compatibles maintains a sales policy that these lenses only be sold to eye care providers so that wearers will not be able to buy them anywhere but from prescribing eye care providers. Our cost (and as a result yours as well) for these lenses is higher because of this doctor-exclusive distribution policy.

Believing that they are the sole source for the Proclear Compatibles lens, some eye care providers may prescribe Proclear Compatibles to prevent their patients from shopping around and getting the best price on their contacts. The question for you, the patient, is whether you were prescribed this lens because it is the best lens for you or because your eye care provider believed that prescribing it would guarantee him/her all future sales of your contact lenses.

If you are interested in wearing a contact lens that does not carry this potential conflict of interest and is available any place you choose to shop, you might consider requesting a prescription for a different brand during your next exam. In addition, if your eye care provider is prescribing a contact lens that he/she believes you can not buy anywhere else, you might consider finding a new eye care provider as well - one that offers you the major brands of contacts and lets you choose where you purchase them.

I would have a great deal more respect for them if the dealt with the situation more professionally.

I wonder if the rumours are true about 1800 passing off their own rebates as manufacturers' rebates. We were wondering how 1800 could offer high rebates on certain lenses when someone explained that those weren't only manufacturers' rebates. They were a combined manufacturer/1800 in-house rebate.

[paw]

Mail order has a long history of illegal sales. This is the latest strategy for 1-800. This company makes me ill.

[Joann Raytar]

It wouldn't be so bad if they were really interested in the consumers' well being like they keep stating. When it comes down to it, they are looking to keep their profits high and the stockholders happy.