Generally, eye exam costs can range from less than $50 (usually at a retail store or optical chain) to $100 or more (usually at a medical clinic or private eye doctor's office). Also, eye exams for contact lenses nearly always cost more than routine eye exams to update your eyeglasses prescription. When comparing how much an eye exam costs, be sure you are comparing apples to apples.. A comprehensive eye exam should include at least the following: