<p>I had problems with vision some four or five years ago, but now it's enough. I cannot see people's faces from far away and usually feel stupid, when I misrecognise someone. The problem is that I am a bit short-sighted. So here are my questions:</p>
<p>1) I think that the best way is to go to Walmart vision center: how much is it going to cost for a consultation? Is there any other option? See, I am an international student and insurance is not going to pay for this kind of medical treatment.</p>
<p>2) If I decide to have some kind of vision aids, what do you recommend -- glasses or contact lenses? How much are they going to cost?</p>
<p>Wal-Mart's pretty cheap I think. I'm not sure if you even need an insurance thingy.</p>
<p>I recommend contacts, but it's really all about personal preference. I had glasses for years, and got sick of them and switched to contacts and refused to go back to glasses ever since. Contacts can run about $16 per a pack of 6 (at least at the Wal-Mart I went to)</p>
<p>I'm not really sure how long contacts are supposed to last. I've gone 4-5 weeks, Wal-Mart says to change them every 3 weeks, and I've even heard 2 weeks.</p>
<p>An eye-check should be part of a routine physical exam in the US (which your insurance should pay for). You can also see about going to your Student Health center -- they may give you a free check up. Some eyewear vendors will also check your eyes for free, hoping for your business.</p>
<p>I'm guessing that an eye exam probably will cost around $40. Call Walmart and ask. It also may be covered by your health insurance. Check your insurance.</p>
<p>If you end up being nearsighted or farsighted, getting eyeglasses would probably be cheaper than contacts because getting contacts requires an extra exam, contact lense solution and you also have to use new contacts ranging from once a day to once a month depending on the brand.</p>
<p>I'm guessing that a cheap pair of glasses would cost about $50 including the lenses. Sounds like you have basically good vision, so wouldn't need to pay the megabucks that people like me who are extremely nearsighted have to pay in order to get glasses that they can see out of and wear without having the glasses be too heavy. Sears, Pearle and some other stores often run coupons in Sunday newspapers that allow you to get their glasses at a discount.</p>
<p>It's also not a good idea at all to wear contacts longer than is recommended. That can lead to eye infections and other problems that can risk your vision and cost you lots of money for medical care.</p>