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> Folks cannot buy contacts / glasses on their own

That's news to me.

Yeah, in the US, customers need permission from an optometrist.

Edit: When buying for nearsightedness.

Some eyeglasses do not require permission (prescription) in the US, including bifocal and progressive lenses.

I know that's true for reading glasses, but is that also the case for distance?

I don't know: I've never needed a lens that "un-magnifies".