Senior Advocate: Oklahoma Senior Citizens Need Affordable Eye Care Options
Advocate: Oklahoma senior citizens need affordable eye care options
By John Kusel
Vision loss is a fact of life for many as we get older, increasing the need for regular eye exams and eyewear purchases. For seniors in Oklahoma, these costs can add up quickly because of old laws that make vision care more expensive and less convenient. Fortunately, we may have the power to change this at the voting booth in 2018.
Oklahoma is one of three states with laws that prevent people from getting general vision care in retail stores like Target, Costco or Walmart. These stores typically provide more affordable options to patients when it comes to glasses and contact lenses, and are a convenient way to see an eye doctor or fill a prescription.
While millions of seniors across the country have the option of stepping into a retail store for an exam or to buy new glasses at lower prices, those of us in Oklahoma are shut out from this marketplace because of laws that make no sense.
It’s time for a change, and that change could come next year. A recently proposed ballot initiative would give Oklahomans the chance to vote to allow retailers to offer vision care services and bring our laws in line with nearly every other state.