The industry of glasses in US is different from the rest of the world.
In order to have glasses or contacts, patients need a prescription from a doctor with eye examination within a year (glasses examination costs $40-$175, contacts costs $120-$200, insurance might or might not cover). In a store which sells glasses, there is one doctor, one optometrist, and several "fashion" designers.
I visited New England College of Optometry (NECO) Center for Eye Care and some local glasses stores to collect these information. I also talked with some experienced optometrists on whether they think the policy of regulating the glasses industry benefits their business.
Here are some opinions:
1) The requirement of examination do protect the patients who have medical insurance and can afford the payment in providing professional diagnosis and right glasses/contacts.
2) Glasses are treated not as a necessity. Contacts are not common goods for everyone.
3) Contacts from unauthorized or illegal sources might cause infection or serious medical problems.
4) The high requirements of entering the business might benefit the doctor and protect the business in US.
5) The costs of obtaining glasses include: examination (two types, additional charges), glasses (different types of glasses with different covers), the frame of glasses (different designs). The costs of obtaining contacts include: examination, training lessons on how to use, contacts (daily, weekly, monthly, half year, one year).
6) Chains to sell glasses: vision world, ... (still under research)
My thoughts about the poor: it is hard to the poor to visit and obtain the basic eye exams to improve the quality of their life which might worsen their everyday productivity and create a bad circle.
It's UNCLEAR to me about the two different mechanisms of operation in the glasses business when globalization emerges and what would happen in the near future?
In order to have glasses or contacts, patients need a prescription from a doctor with eye examination within a year (glasses examination costs $40-$175, contacts costs $120-$200, insurance might or might not cover). In a store which sells glasses, there is one doctor, one optometrist, and several "fashion" designers.
I visited New England College of Optometry (NECO) Center for Eye Care and some local glasses stores to collect these information. I also talked with some experienced optometrists on whether they think the policy of regulating the glasses industry benefits their business.
Here are some opinions:
1) The requirement of examination do protect the patients who have medical insurance and can afford the payment in providing professional diagnosis and right glasses/contacts.
2) Glasses are treated not as a necessity. Contacts are not common goods for everyone.
3) Contacts from unauthorized or illegal sources might cause infection or serious medical problems.
4) The high requirements of entering the business might benefit the doctor and protect the business in US.
5) The costs of obtaining glasses include: examination (two types, additional charges), glasses (different types of glasses with different covers), the frame of glasses (different designs). The costs of obtaining contacts include: examination, training lessons on how to use, contacts (daily, weekly, monthly, half year, one year).
6) Chains to sell glasses: vision world, ... (still under research)
My thoughts about the poor: it is hard to the poor to visit and obtain the basic eye exams to improve the quality of their life which might worsen their everyday productivity and create a bad circle.
It's UNCLEAR to me about the two different mechanisms of operation in the glasses business when globalization emerges and what would happen in the near future?