As people spend more time looking at screens or performing other tasks that entail a large amount of eye strain, more and more people are turning to corrective lenses to maintain the efficacy of their vision. The CDC even estimates that around 45 million Americans make use of contact lenses, with even more having prescription glasses.
Unfortunately for many people, their prescription shifts over time meaning that they must get examined repeatedly and potentially incurring costs into the hundreds of dollars for these repeated eye exams. This cost expands for those who use contact lenses, as the price for these exams can commonly reach over $150.
Related: Top 12 Places Where You Can Get an Eye Exam
How Much is Eye Exam Price at BJ’s?
You can get your eye exams done at BJ’s without a membership. A regular eye exam costs between $60 to $70, and an exam for contact lenses will cost around $110 to $130. BJ’s accept various insurance so you can call ahead to verify if your insurance is excepted by them.
Membership is not required to get an eye exam at BJ’s, but if you want to buy products such as an eye care kit, glasses, or contact lens, you will need a membership. There are a few options for this club program on offer, and a discount offered to veterans.
The contact lens exam is more expensive than the traditional eye exam, but you receive a glasses and contact prescription afterward, so you don’t need to pay for two exams.
Paying for the exams is also easy, as a variety of insurance providers such as Medicare and Medicaid are compatible with the services offered by BJ’s. Calling ahead is wise however if you are unsure if your plan is covered as the list on their site is not very comprehensive, though they do state compatibility with most major carriers.
What is Included in the Eye Exam
The process of discerning what prescription best suits someone has become relatively standardized in both procedures performed and equipment used, and since BJ’s employs licensed, independent optometrists and ophthalmologists in their optical centers, the procedure should be like ones performed at a traditional eye doctor’s office.
The procedures performed will include the doctor asking you about the health of your eye or if you’re suffering from any irritation or other irregularities, examining your current prescription, as well as using a refraction assessment device and other tools.
The refraction assessment device places the lens in front of your eyes while the doctor asks which ones look better to you, allowing them to gauge what lens might work best for you. They may also have you read letters aloud from a chart, with these letters decreasing in size the further down the chart.
Dilation of the pupils is typically not performed at BJ’s centers unless necessary or requested, and the dilation services increase the charge of the exam by about ten dollars due to the special dilation fluid used. As the purpose of the BJ’s center is mainly to ascertain prescriptions, dilation tends to not be necessary. If a severe problem with your vision/eyes is uncovered you may be referred to a more traditional eye care practice to receive care in a more appropriate setting.
Contact Lens Exam
The price of the contact lens exam costs between $50-70 dollars more depending on the location due to the more robust nature of the testing. Since contacts are classified legally as medical devices, more factors about your eyes and their health need to be noted by the doctor before they can be prescribed.
These factors include tear production, cornea shape, as well as measuring the size of your eye. As these services take more time and require more specialized equipment, the price is increased accordingly. As a bonus you do receive an updated glasses prescription as well once the contact lens exam is complete, meaning you don’t need to pay for two exams if you want contacts as well as glasses.
This will also allow you to purchase your glasses elsewhere if you don’t see a frame you like at your BJ’s location.
Insurance
While the tests offered by BJ’s are less expensive than going to a traditional optometry office, they can still empty your wallet if you require them frequently.
Fortunately, BJ’s optometry services are compatible with a variety of insurance providers, though this is dependent on location as the service is provided through a licensed, independent optometrist and thus may refuse certain forms of insurance for one reason or another.
BJ’s does list several providers that are accepted without exception, and these are Spectera, Davis Vision, and Superior Vision, alongside Medicare and Medicaid.
Membership
Membership is not required to have your eye exam done at BJ’s. However, if you want to buy products, you will need a membership.
There are two levels of this plan for individuals, and two more for businesses.
BJ’s Inner Circle Membership
The first plan is known as the ‘Inner Circle’ membership and costs $55 a year. With this membership, you are offered exclusive coupons, complimentary second membership for one family member, as well as the ability to add up to 3 more family members for $30 each.
BJ’s Perks Rewards Membership
The second tier of the club membership is known as the ‘Perks Rewards’ membership includes all the benefits of the previous tier and allows for 2% cash back on most purchases, potentially two or three times as much cash back during special events, exclusive shopping events throughout the year, and access to BJ’s travel benefits. These benefits include 5% cash back on qualifying cruises, villa rentals, or another vacation spending, multiple opportunities to win gift cards, as well as a price match guarantee for travel services.
Bj’s Business Plans
The business plans have the same cost and title as the previous two plans, with the only addition being the ability to make tax-exempt purchases as well as gaining the right to perform resale services with merchandise bought from BJ’s. Eight people can also be added to the plan at a discounted rate like the ‘Inner Circle’ plan. Veterans also get a special deal when it comes to memberships, receiving a 25% discount on their membership fee as well as a 10% coupon for their next purchase.
Hours and Contact Information
While hours of operation may vary from location to location, most BJ’s locations open at 10 a.m. at the earliest and 11 a.m. at the latest on weekdays, and close at 8 p.m. on Mondays, while closing at 7 p.m. during the other weekdays, 6 p.m. on Saturday, and 4 p.m. on Sunday.
The contact email for general help with the optical services offered by BJ’s is OpticalSupport@bjs.com. There is no standard phone number listed, so this is likely to vary by location, but can be easily found on BJ’s website so you can seek more information.
BJ’s Eye Exam Price Comparison
BJ’s offers eye exams within the $60-$70 price range for glasses prescriptions, and between $110-130 for contact lens prescription exams. These services can be performed at a BJ’s with an optical service center.
| Store Name | Eye Exam Cost |
| Costco Optical | $70 |
| America’s Best Contact and Glasses | $50 |
| Pearle Vision | $89 |
| Walmart Vision Center | $79 |
| Vision Source | $75 |
| Lenscrafters | $73 |
| Warby Parker | $75 |
| Sam’s Club Eye Clinic | $61 |
| Bj’s Optical | $65 |
| CVS | $79 |
| Target Optical | $70 |
