Unless the website business is operating outside the US, then you must send
or fax a copy to them of the Rx, or provide the phone number of the OD so
they can verify. But there are some websites that are outside of the US that
will make any pair of lenses you want without an Rx. I don't know about
contacts, but I would bet you could order whatever you want from some
places.

Even though they will ship to the US, it probably is illegal to do so, just
like it is technically illegal to purchase drugs from Canada and have them
shipped to the US. But I doubt that the customs services has stopped very
many of these shipments of lenses.

You can readily get prescription glasses for any Rx you want to invent
using the pull-down menus on the web sites.  It must be legal since the
sites are easy to find.  Contacts are a different story.  I happen to
agree with you that people should we within their rights to experiment
with their own eyeballs if they so choose, but it's not currently
legal.  If you try hard enough, you can find sites to sell you contacts
with no Rx though.

--

No, I didn't say that people should be legally required to have an
initial refraction done. I just meant that it would probably be a good
idea. And I also believe that refractions should only be done by
licensed professionals. However, I also think that it should be fine
for anyone to buy any pair of glasses or contacts without a
prescription, just like we can buy shoes.

If you agree that everyone should get an initial refraction done
professionally, how are your going to enforce only allowing someone to only
make an minor adjustment to the initial Rx? Either all refractions have be
done by a licensed OD/MD, or none of them would have to be.

One could argue about how long a refraction should be valid for before it
expires, and in some states a Rx for contacts expires one year after the
exam date, and in other states it is two years or longer. But expiration of
a professionally done refraction is different than coming up with a new Rx
on your own.

But (if you really, really want to) there is always Photoshop.

I can see why prescriptions are required for drugs, because those can
be easily abused or sold in the black market. But to me, eye
prescriptions don't seem that critical.

My analogy is shoes. You could probably mess up your
feet/knees/legs/back by wearing the wrong size or type of shoes, or
improper inserts long term. Yet a shoe prescription from a podiatrist
is not required for people to buy shoes.

Of course, everyone should get an initial refraction done
professionally. But what's wrong with buying disposable contacts that
are a little higher or lower than your prescription to see how they
perform? You're not going to be seriously injured. Maybe get some
headaches or eyestrain, that's all. And if you do have problems, then
go see the optometrist (just like you'd see a podiatrist if shoes were
giving you problems).