contact lens discussion thread (merged)

hemophobic

Started a new thread then saw this thread so copied and pasted.

I've started wearing contacts (monthly) a few months ago and I signed up to the boots direct debit. I pay about £40 per 3 months about which includes solution. They are the boots monthly premium which I think is the Cibavision Air Optix.

I have 3 months supply at the moment and my DD starts in Oct for my lenses to arrive in December.

I haven't really been wearing them as much as I thought so I would prefer to go for dailies as I think this would be cheaper for me. I have my prescription, and I think I can probably get them cheaper than I do from Boots. Can anyone recommend me a good place to get some?

I am thinking I will wait til I have used my supply then order from daysoft.

I have a general question - I wear contacts for short sight -0.75 in both eyes. I am wondering if I should remove them before spending a lot of time on the pc? (so far I have been).

watchingthepennies_2

Hi,
Can anyone help with finding a suitable solution which is cheaper? At the moment I use monthly lenses and soak in an all in one solution from Tesco, I have tried other brands in the past but this one seems to suit me best as others have iritated me before.

The cost of the Tesco's one has really rocketed so I want to see if I can switch to a similar but cheaper option. Paid £4.70 today for 250ml. Does anyone know who makes the Tesco solutions and are they available anywhere else in a different brand? Or does anyone have recommendation on an alternative allinone solution?
Thanks in advance
WTP

ry111

Can anyone please recommend where i can get a cheap eye exam so i can buy contacts online, i usualy buy CIBA Visio nAIR OPTIX from tescos, pay around £50 for 6 pairs??
Thanks in advance

willihe_2

hemophobic wrote: »

Started a new thread then saw this thread so copied and pasted.

I've started wearing contacts (monthly) a few months ago and I signed up to the boots direct debit. I pay about £40 per 3 months about which includes solution. They are the boots monthly premium which I think is the Cibavision Air Optix.

I have 3 months supply at the moment and my DD starts in Oct for my lenses to arrive in December.

I haven't really been wearing them as much as I thought so I would prefer to go for dailies as I think this would be cheaper for me. I have my prescription, and I think I can probably get them cheaper than I do from Boots. Can anyone recommend me a good place to get some?

I am thinking I will wait til I have used my supply then order from daysoft.

I have a general question - I wear contacts for short sight -0.75 in both eyes. I am wondering if I should remove them before spending a lot of time on the pc? (so far I have been).

I've recently joined the Boots Scheme, having previously been with an independent optician. I use dailies 'Ciba Vision Aqua Comfort Plus' = 'Boots Premium Plus'. I used to wear contacts every day, but have now reduced to 2 or 3 days per week, and so my Boots order is for 10 pairs a month. It's probably possible to get the lenses a bit cheaper, but the Boots scheme includes the After Care and sight test, discount on glasses and some other bonuses, so not too bad.

On your general question, your prescription is a very weak correction, so you shouldn't have a problem keeping the lenses in for middle distance and reading - it shouldn't make any noticeable difference. My prescription is -3.25 and -3.75 which can be a bit of a strain for small print in low light, but is still no problem for PC use.

petergavinblack

hemophobic wrote: »

Started a new thread then saw this thread so copied and pasted.

I've started wearing contacts (monthly) a few months ago and I signed up to the boots direct debit. I pay about £40 per 3 months about which includes solution. They are the boots monthly premium which I think is the Cibavision Air Optix.

I have 3 months supply at the moment and my DD starts in Oct for my lenses to arrive in December.

I haven't really been wearing them as much as I thought so I would prefer to go for dailies as I think this would be cheaper for me. I have my prescription, and I think I can probably get them cheaper than I do from Boots. Can anyone recommend me a good place to get some?

I am thinking I will wait til I have used my supply then order from daysoft.

I have a general question - I wear contacts for short sight -0.75 in both eyes. I am wondering if I should remove them before spending a lot of time on the pc? (so far I have been).

If you want dailies you need to be re-fitted by a contact lens practitioner and a new prescription issued. Daysoft are breaking the law offering these lenses without a proper prescription - they let through about a third of the oxygen of a silicone hydrogel lens like Air Optix so may not be as healthy for your eyes or worn for as long comfortably.

You may find you are in a contract with Boots too. If you want to change to daily disposables let them know and the consultation may well be free if you agree to stay with them.

Contact lenses are a prescription only medical device, and in the same way you can get viagra without a prescription you can get lenses too but it is not a wise thing to do. People who order online are known to be at a much greater risk of potentially blinding eye infections because they do not comply with the correct regime for their lenses and don't seek regular eyecare. When you factor in the cost of eyecare often it is cheaper to get your lenses from a proper opticians.

In any case I'd stick with your opticians until you are fully experienced and understand what you are doing. For example you should be able to wear your lenses all day including the PC unless you need a separate prescription for presbyopia. When using a PC however it is important to remember to blink regularly to keep the lenses lubricated if you are new to lenses, and you may find comfort drops (dry eye drops) help. TALK TO YOUR OPTICIAN.

petergavinblack

willihe wrote: »

I've recently joined the Boots Scheme, having previously been with an independent optician. I use dailies 'Ciba Vision Aqua Comfort Plus' = 'Boots Premium Plus'. I used to wear contacts every day, but have now reduced to 2 or 3 days per week, and so my Boots order is for 10 pairs a month. It's probably possible to get the lenses a bit cheaper, but the Boots scheme includes the After Care and sight test, discount on glasses and some other bonuses, so not too bad.

On your general question, your prescription is a very weak correction, so you shouldn't have a problem keeping the lenses in for middle distance and reading - it shouldn't make any noticeable difference. My prescription is -3.25 and -3.75 which can be a bit of a strain for small print in low light, but is still no problem for PC use.

The problem with close work depends on your age - if you are over 40ish and presbyopic you will need additional help for reading over and above your general purpoase distance prescription. Until that stage the eye "accommodates" to focus close up. If you've worn standard "distance" contact lenses and now find you have to hold close things further away or you are strugling in poor light and need extra help for reading then ask your optician about contact lenses for presbyopia - multifocals. There are now dozens of designs including four daily disposables so they're sure to be able to help.

Shazaaym

Hi all.

Just finished a 2 week trial of Toric lenses at Specsavers. They told me when i was fitted with them that they wouldn't give me my prescription until my trial was over in case i wasn't suitable for lenses. Today they said that if i wanted my prescription without ordering lenses from them (£54 upfront payment now (3 months = 3 sets of lenses), then £18 pm from next month??, far cry from the £12pm in their leaflets!!) then i would have to pay them £20 for my consultation, even though i'm on benefits. This is the first time any charge has been mentioned.

Surely this can't be right? Or can they just makes the rules up themselves?

Shazaaym

panther wrote: »

If an optician refuses to supply a written contact lens prescription report them to the General Optical Council. Taken from the GOC website: http://www.optical.org

The contact lens (specification) rules 1989

The General Optical Council, in exercise of their powers under section 31(1)(e) of the Opticians Act 1958, hereby make the following rules:-

Citation and commencement
1. These rules may be cited as the Contact Lens (Specification) Rules 1989 and shall come into force on the 1st day of June 1989.

Duty to provide specification
2. An optician who fits a person with a contact lens shall on completing the fitting give to him a written statement of the particulars necessary to enable the lens to be replicated.

Jurisdiction
The Council deals with concerns about registrants who have:
· been convicted of a criminal offence;
· been guilty of serious professional misconduct;
· breached a rule regarding professional activities by, for example
◦ producing inappropriate publicity,
◦ not supplying a contact lens specification,
◦ failing to refer to a general medical practitioner when appropriate to do so.

Just seen this, thank you!

NaughtySpot

Shazaaym wrote: »

Hi all.

Just finished a 2 week trial of Toric lenses at Specsavers. They told me when i was fitted with them that they wouldn't give me my prescription until my trial was over in case i wasn't suitable for lenses. Today they said that if i wanted my prescription without ordering lenses from them (£54 upfront payment now (3 months = 3 sets of lenses), then £18 pm from next month??, far cry from the £12pm in their leaflets!!) then i would have to pay them £20 for my consultation, even though i'm on benefits. This is the first time any charge has been mentioned.

Surely this can't be right? Or can they just makes the rules up themselves?

I don't think the issue is that they won't give you your contact lens prescription (they legally have to do this once the practitioner is happy with it as you have found), I think the issue is that if you're not putting business their way then you should pay for their professional time, which is only fair don't you think? The NHS won't pay for contact lens appointment but you can use your voucher towards the supply of lenses. And £20 for professional time isn't a lot of money compared to what you'll save for the lenses online.

chuckley

Shazaaym wrote: »

Hi all.

Just finished a 2 week trial of Toric lenses at Specsavers. They told me when i was fitted with them that they wouldn't give me my prescription until my trial was over in case i wasn't suitable for lenses. Today they said that if i wanted my prescription without ordering lenses from them (£54 upfront payment now (3 months = 3 sets of lenses), then £18 pm from next month??, far cry from the £12pm in their leaflets!!) then i would have to pay them £20 for my consultation, even though i'm on benefits. This is the first time any charge has been mentioned.

Surely this can't be right? Or can they just makes the rules up themselves?

u should've used a deal for the consultation. I was lucky to find a free one at the time I went in. also the leaflets are a guide on the level of ur eyes. and ur on the same plan as me. I have astigmatism so I can't use the basic ones. You would have been told that at ur test so when you tried them you would know the cost from there on out.

They dont care about ur benefits. But if u have the HC1 I think it's a waste as £32 (basic) only gets you so far. better to use it on their 241 glasses and pay contacts as you go.

I do think £18 a month is expensive though, but such is life.