Contact Lenses Discussion Area

foxylady_4

Re University guinea pigs
This is not really suitable if you work full time. You need to be available course time / term time.

MisterT2

Just wanted to say that I heartily agree with slazman - 3 posts above.

I had a terrible experience with D & A who got both my and my son's prescriptions wrong. Mine was for glasses and his was for contacts. They are so pushy at trying to get you to shell out your hard earned cash and give you loads of tosh as to why you can't have your prescription. It has to be said that the prescription wasn't worth the paper it was written on.

Went to Costco in the end - got the right prescription at a third of the price for the same lens manufacturer. How do I know - cause I can see properly now - its not a lot to ask is it?

System

I used to get my contacts through D&A by post until I realised how I was being vastly overcharged!  For B&L soflens dailies they charged me £30 per month whereas on the internet I can buy them for £219 equating to £18 per month.  Out of order.

I still go to them for the check up as I think the chap I see is very thorough and good - they charge me £25 per check up but also insist that I have a normal sight check in addition (got round this by using this free eye test voucher... might help someone out... http://womansworld.atalink.co.uk/bauschvoucher.pdf).

Although I needed spare set of specs I ignored their attempt to sell me some at D&A and took my prescription home with me to order off https://www.glassesdirect.co.uk - got a decent pair for £52 including high index lenses.

The following websites all do my lenses for around £219
https://www.getlenses.com (but £5 off with cd wow code)
https://www.cluboptique.com (who do 13 months for £234)
https://www.simplylenses.com (who give you perfume )
https://www.postoptics.co.uk (I'm waiting to hear if any freebies )

If you are looking for your lenses on the net, make sure you check lots of different websites as they vary in price like mad.

Hope this might help someone in the same boat.

ps if you are with d&a by post, you might be interested to know that when I phoned up to cancel, they offered to let me have them for significantly less each month, can't remember exactly how much, but it may be worth ringing up to moan about their uncompetitive prices compared with buying online >:(

pps oh and I will also get a large proportion of my contact lenses purchase reimbursed thanks to my foresters cash plan as recommended by Martin on this very website
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1087155733,58569,

This website is an absolute godsend ;D

keef_2

I'm completely new to all this. Got checked up a few weeks ago and was told that although I don't strictly speaking "need" specs (i'm bang on the driving eyesight limit) the benefit would be huge. So i've got some just for around home and so i can actually read ceefax apart from the large type headline!

Next step anyone? I know i need a contact lenses test first. Is there anything i should be weary of? any questions i should ask? obligation to buy, etc? Recommended/ avoided companies?

I would love to be able to go watch the footy on a saturday and actually see what's going on but I'm too vain to wear specs, I hate them. So I'm basically very keen to get contacts but would appreciate some guidance through the vision maze.

Thanks in advance everyone!

poochel

keef-

There are a million different types of contacts- its really best to talk to your optician who can recommend what's best to suit your needs and your pocket! It sounds like monthly or daily disposable soft lenses would be best for you- you could get a months trial supply of dailies (for free?!) and they would last you months if you only used a few of pairs a month for the footie. Cheeky, I know, but quite moneysaving! Generally, daily disposables are more expensive than monthlies but you don't have to shell out for solutions on top of that and may be more practical for your lifestyle!

Also, when looking at your options you should factor in the cost of solutions into the price- it may be that your optician will offer you solutions included in the price which, although a bit more expensive, may work out better in the long run. I normally end up paying an extra tenner every 6 weeks for my solution from boots. doesn't sound much but if you add that up over the course of a year....

Although you said you're too vain to wear glasses you should bear in mind that some girls find blokes in glasses (as long as they're a decent pair) really sexy! Like you're really intelligent and need glasses after having spent too much time reading books in a candle-lit garret (or squinting at the playstation, as the case may be!) But maybe that;s not the image you want to have when you're at the football!

George_Bray

This thread is interesting. I've been wearing soft contact lens for over 20 years and believe I pay less per year for my lens and solutions than most people do per month, from what I've read here.

Until disposable lens came along, my 'standard' soft lens were about the only soft option. I was told they should last two years but each pair has lasted about five years in practice. So at a lens/consultation cost of about £100 (today's prices) that's £1.67 per month for the lens. I use Ciba 10/10 2 stage hydrogen peroxide based solution but don't change the solution or clean the lens every day; only every 3 - 5 days. I've never had an eye infection or any trouble. So my solution cost is very low too. I never use saline solution and only use protein remover about once a year.

I have always viewed disposable lens as a marketing trick to maximise the income stream. Why not change your furniture, car or mobile phone every day, too? It simply isn't necessary.

Regards
George

System

I would say you're very fortunate George Wearing the same lenses for five years and having no infections despite not cleaning for 3 days at at time must be pretty rare.

Like you I used to have standard lenses, then switched to monthly disposables - cleaned them religiously every day. Even so I used to get eye infections regularly, hence moving to dailies.

Since then, nearly 4 years ago now, not one infection - touch wood.

Everyone's different, but certainly for me disposables are imo far more comfortable, certainly more hygienic and whilst I think they are expensive, the health of my eyes is what is most important to me rather than the dent in my pocket.

fairy_godmother

I wear dailies and now wear them for 2 days, storing them in cleaner overnite, so far so good no probs at all - but would stop at the first sign of trouble
Have also got a years worth of month wear lenses which I can't stand wearing anymore, ok to start with, but boy do they get uncomfortable towards the end of the month - been spoilt with dailies I suppose ::)

George_Bray

Maridley - yes, I wouldn't necessarily recommend my procedure to others but it works for me. Interestingly, the original idea of the 3 day cleaning cycle came from my fully qualified optician. She has never withdrawn the advice, either.

You may consider I take chances with solutions but I am very careful in other regards. I scrub my hands, for a start. I think, biologically, there's not much chance of bugs developing in a cleaning solution within 3 days. On many occasions, though it stretches to 5 or even 7 days, but by that time the solution looks full of dust and stuff, so I change it.

Another factor is how much protein is present in your tears. I guess my protein content must be low, because I can go over a year between using protein remover tablets.

Neither does the plastic go yellow or anything.

Regards
George

keef_2

thanks for the info poochel, I know some girls like specs (my girlfriend loves them) but i don't. I definitely want to get lenses.

Getting to the point, does anyone know any good free trials anywhere? best i've found is a free contact lenses and free (1monthly set or 5 sets of dailies) trial with D&A. But after reading here I'm not too keen on them!

Is there anything to stop people repeatedly using free trials in a similar way to using interest free credit card offers?