You found a two-year-old prescription in a drawer. Can you still use it? The answer is different for glasses and for contacts, and some of what you read online about Georgia law is simply wrong. Here is what we could verify.
Eyeglass prescriptions
We could not find a Georgia statute or board rule that sets a fixed expiration date for eyeglass prescriptions. In practice, the eye doctor who writes the prescription sets an expiration, typically one to two years, based on your age and eye health. Most opticians and online retailers will not fill a prescription past the date on it.
Why the limit exists: a prescription is a snapshot. Eyes change, and the exam also screens for conditions that have nothing to do with how clearly you see. A prescription that is more than two years old is a good reason to book an exam, not a reason to panic.
Contact lens prescriptions
Contacts are stricter, because they sit on the eye. Georgia's optometry rules require a contact lens prescription to carry an expiration of at least one year, unless there is a documented medical reason for a shorter period. The same rule bars refilling lenses from prescription data that is more than three years old. Federal law (the FTC Contact Lens Rule) also sets a one-year minimum.
Your rights to the prescription itself
- Under the FTC Eyeglass Rule, your eye doctor must hand you a copy of your glasses prescription at the end of the exam, without being asked, and cannot charge for it or make you sign a waiver.
- Under the FTC Contact Lens Rule, you get a copy of your contact lens prescription once the fitting is complete, and any seller must verify it with your prescriber before shipping.
If your glasses prescription has expired
- You need new glasses with the same prescription: a Georgia-licensed optician can duplicate the lenses in your current glasses without a prescription. That is explicitly allowed under state law. See lens replacement.
- Your vision has changed: book an exam. At Best Chance Optical exams start at $45.
- You wear contacts: you will need a current contact lens exam. Online sellers cannot legally ship against an expired prescription.