Optician? red ring around eyes

pinpin

I've worn daily contact lenses for about 15 years.
For the last 6 years or so, I've just been getting my contact lenses for cheap online rather than through the opticians. I don't think i'm on their system as a patient/customer.

Recently, I have a red ring around my eye when I wear my contacts.
I don't have any glasses so am walking around like a blind man whilst the redness disappears.

Do I book an appointment with an opticians like Boots or someone to have a look at my eyes? Or my GP?

Is there an opticians where i can get a free appointment that will do it for free as I don't really have much money?

And should I wear my lenses if I get an appointment with an optician?(otherwise won't be able to see where i'm going)

theoretica

Optician rather than GP. And glasses can be really cheap if you have a simple prescription.

I don't know if this will cover contact lenses:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/cheap-glasses-discounts

I got some glasses for under £10 from:
http://www.selectspecs.com/cheap-glasses/

pinpin

Thanks, Theoretica.
So, opticians rather than GP.
Ideally glasses rather than wearing contacts to any appointment
(I DO have a pair of glasses somewhere that I bought when I first went to an opticians at teh very beginning. Too weak now, but better than being basically blind!)

regarding whether some of these free tests 'cover' contact lenses:
Does it actually matter? Won't they look at teh health of my eyes either way and then tell me what wrong and what I need to do? (different brand of lenses/refitting etc?)

theoretica

I don't know what the various free and cheap appointments include, but better to ask around and pay maybe £15 for a test that does what you want than have a free test that tells you not to wear contact lenses again until you have had a £25 refitting... (Boots have a money off voucher on their website too.)

My contact lens tests are longer than the eye tests alone were - examining the surface of the eye for scratches, looking at the tear film etc.

sillyvixen

pinpin wrote: »

regarding whether some of these free tests 'cover' contact lenses:
Does it actually matter? Won't they look at teh health of my eyes either way and then tell me what wrong and what I need to do? (different brand of lenses/refitting etc?)

how long is it since you had a contact lens check and a eye sight test? if we are talking years then it is time for both. they eye test and the contact lens test look at different parts of the eye, the contact lens check looks at your corrected vision in the lenses and a more detailed examination of the frount surface of the eye, while the sight check spends more time looking at the structures at the back of the eye and checking your vision for glasses. the offers you may find will generally be for eye sight tests and not cover the contact lens checks. expect to pay £30 - £40 for a lens check, and you will need to wear your lenses for a few hours (optician cant diagnose a reason for the redness if it's not there) also you will need to provide details of the exact lenses you are wearing (take the packaging or a delivery note for the lenses).

Remember you only have one pair of eyes and they need looking after even if it costs to get it done.

pinpin

sillyvixen wrote: »

how long is it since you had a contact lens check and a eye sight test? if we are talking years then it is time for both. they eye test and the contact lens test look at different parts of the eye, the contact lens check looks at your corrected vision in the lenses and a more detailed examination of the frount surface of the eye, while the sight check spends more time looking at the structures at the back of the eye and checking your vision for glasses. the offers you may find will generally be for eye sight tests and not cover the contact lens checks. expect to pay £30 - £40 for a lens check, and you will need to wear your lenses for a few hours (optician cant diagnose a reason for the redness if it's not there) also you will need to provide details of the exact lenses you are wearing (take the packaging or a delivery note for the lenses).

Remember you only have one pair of eyes and they need looking after even if it costs to get it done.

I've not had a test in about 8 years I think.
They're going to hate me!!
Hopefully they don't say that my eyes are so damaged that I can never wear any lenses again.
Part of the reason I didn't go is I because suffer badly from anxiety.

As you say, you only get one pair of eyes so i'm gonna bite the bullet and book an appointment for both tests.
I was supposed to be out for a friends birthday tonight, but I can't afford the eye tests and that, so i've stayed in.

Fingers crossed it's not something really bad and they don't berate me too much!

System

If the cause of the redness appears to be the contact lenses you would need to find an optician. You may be entitled to an NHS sight test if you haven't had one for 2 years (or more). The optician (as someone who specialises in eyes/optical care) will have more knowledge and experience of eye problems than a GP.

sillyvixen

pinpin wrote: »

I've not had a test in about 8 years I think.
They're going to hate me!!
Hopefully they don't say that my eyes are so damaged that I can never wear any lenses again.
Part of the reason I didn't go is I because suffer badly from anxiety.

As you say, you only get one pair of eyes so i'm gonna bite the bullet and book an appointment for both tests.
I was supposed to be out for a friends birthday tonight, but I can't afford the eye tests and that, so i've stayed in.

Fingers crossed it's not something really bad and they don't berate me too much!

dont panic - it may just be a case of the lenses suitable 8 years ago are not as suitable now, your eyes may be drier now, lens materials have changed in the last 8 years and there may be a better alternative lens for you. it may be eyestrain as the prescription is wrong, it may be over wear. the fact the the redness disappears when you don't wear lenses is a good sign, and maybe you need to reduce your lens wear.

hopefully you will not be berated - after all is it not your fault your lens supplier has not insisted on a lens check in 8 years!

hope is all well and you are not getting too stressed by the whole thing.

pinpin

Thanks, SillyVixen.

If I had to guess, I think I suffer from dry eye - probably due to wearing lenses every day for the past 15 years.
I think that dry eye is now aggravated by the lenses
Maybe the lenses also aren't allowing enough oxygen to the eye, too.

Assuming that they say I CAN carry on wearing lenses, but a different kind, I'm concerned that they'll be too expensive for me, as the ones I've been wearing for the last 8 years are really cheap in comparison to most daily lenses I see online.
(cross that bridge if/when we get there, I guess)

And Thanks for your concern regarding my stress levels!
I've got alot on my mind at the moment, and this is just one more thing.
Bit like if you're in a casino and have just lost your life savings, you don't get too stressed when the waiter spills wine on your shoes....

nedmundo

The lenses you wear are cheap for a reason and are being supplied to you illegally, as they are not insisting you obtain up to date eyecare.

If cost is such an issue, just get a cheap pair of specs (which is the safest and most economical option) and be done with it.

Horace

Go to the hospital and see them in the eye department, a red ring around the eye when wearing contacts is a sign that something isn't right. It could be that your eyes are becoming ulcerated or that you have scarring on your eye from wearing contacts. Better to be safe than sorry. You only have one pair of eyes and you need to preserve them.

No self diagnosis either as that is bad.