contact lens discussion thread (merged)

Bean_Counter

I'm £13 per month with Specsavers. Checkups etc free - don't even need to make an appointment as they squeeze you in.

There are cheaper places to get contact lenses by mail. However if it is your first time, I think it is better to pay a little more and take advantage of the aftersales services that you get free through these bigger companies to start with. You can always go change once you are happy wearing lenses.

Why take chances with your eyesight?

Fruity1

I paid £20 for fitting and check up and pay £13 a month for monthly ones at an independent optician. My monthly fee includes the solution and an insurance if I loose/damage a lens.

robwend

cant beat specsavers, there the best:D

mountainofdebt

I'm on the Specsavers 3 monthly lens scheme where they send you a supply of lenses every quarter but you pay monthly, if you get my drift.

Whilst at the opticians, the optician mentioned that she didn't think it was worth me being on this scheme as I very rarely wear my lenses. So my MSE plan is to get my prescription and buy them on the internet.

So, my question is, if I had my last set of lenses back in June when should my last payment be to Specsavers - the girl on the counter was unsure.

custardy

ah now i had this issue before.they said i was paying in arrears but i was sure i was paying in advance.
in the end they seemed to agree with my thoughts when i ended it.
but again seemed unsure

borderlakland

think you will find it will be the august payment.you can get the amount of lenses you recieve dropped to as few as 12(i think) pairs a month.you will still recieve all the free checkups,cheaper glasses,and the option to change the type of lenses you use if your needs change,and you can suspend your agreement for a quarter(i did this as had got a backlog)i know its up to indevidual choice but i would be wary about buying over the internet as you don't benefit from the backup you would get from specsavers

tylerboyo

hello all
i have a feq questions.
first of all, where is the cheapest place to get a contact lens eye test?
ive been wearing glasses for about 9years, and im sick of them, but cant get laser eye surgery for another 12-18months. im 19.

can you choose between daily weekly or monthly lenses? i dont think i really want daily ones. can you choose or do they tell you whats suitable?

what prices am i looking at? ive browsed this thread a bit, but havent read every post. i guess i should wait until ive been for a test to get this question answered really?

cheers

wishiwasarichgirl

tylerboyo wrote: »

hello all
i have a feq questions.
first of all, where is the cheapest place to get a contact lens eye test?
ive been wearing glasses for about 9years, and im sick of them, but cant get laser eye surgery for another 12-18months. im 19.

can you choose between daily weekly or monthly lenses? i dont think i really want daily ones. can you choose or do they tell you whats suitable?

what prices am i looking at? ive browsed this thread a bit, but havent read every post. i guess i should wait until ive been for a test to get this question answered really?

cheers

First thing you need is an up-to-date (preferably less than 1 year old) sight test prescription. I think Martins Money Tips email mentioned D&A are offering free sight tests, or if you have a HC2 form you will get it free anyway. The optician MUST give you a copy of your prescription after the sight test, even if you don't buy anything there.

At the sight test there is no harm asking the optician if you are suitable for contacts, there are lots of different types eg dailies, 2-weeklies, monthlies, continuous wear(which you can sleep in). Depending on your eyes and prescription you may only be suitable for certain types.

Don't feel pressured to make an appointment to try their lenses, even if they offer you a free trial, they will probably try to persuede you to sign up to their contact lenses by post, and there may be better deals on offer, ask around local opticians.

A lot of places will offer you a free contact lens trial if you ask, however they do not have to issue you your contact lens prescription after a trial, they can ask you to come back up to 3 months later for a check-up, which basically means you will have to buy some lenses from them.

Make sure you ask if there is any charge for the initial fitting or follow up appointments, and if you have to sign up for a minimum period.

Can't give you any definate info on prices as it depends what your prescription is and what lenses you go for.

Hotspur

tylerboyo wrote: »

hello all
i have a feq questions.

can you choose between daily weekly or monthly lenses? i dont think i really want daily ones. can you choose or do they tell you whats suitable?

what prices am i looking at? ive browsed this thread a bit, but havent read every post. i guess i should wait until ive been for a test to get this question answered really?

cheers

The optician will suggest which lenses are suitable for your eyes. Monthly lenses may work out cheapest but require daily cleaning/disinfection (not too much hastle). Dailies are very convenient at a cost and can be more suitable to occassional wear. I've worn monthly soft lenses for about 20 years and prefer them to dailies but eyes are different and what suits me may not suit you.

Have a look at the Postoptics web site www.postoptics.co.uk or www.contactlenses.co.uk which will give you an idea of the cost for different types of lenses and solutions.

susan10

Hi
:j
I work at an opticians and I have to tell that all we think about is ripping off Patients. All of you have the right to know your prescription and own it on a stamped and signed paper, even if it is an old prescription. An annual cl check up is reasonable though a waste of time and money for you. We never caught anyone with problems, they are very rare. An annual cl check up is a good opportunity for u to ask for free trial cls of all type.
Even if you are a moneysaver you should not wear your lenses for more than 10 hours a day and longer than 30 days if you do not want to get blind.
Always shop around for contactlenses. We prescribe particular type of lenses because the big CL companies pay for optometrists to prescribe their expensive lenses.Less expensive ones are fine as well.
All of these online cl orderings are ok. I have tested them. Does not matter if they are online or offline, opticians always want to rip you off, so I do not think that online colleagues will check the prescription thoroughly.Opticians are well known for their casual laziness. I have worked at many high street opticians and never got a call from internet colleagues for a prescription check.

Spectacles: Onlines are fine as well. They use the same lenses and frames as we but they are ok with less profit.
Spectacles are expensive because opticians work as a cartel together and maximised the prices on the UK market.We work with 400 % profit on every pair of glasses.
Example: we buy a pair of N...n lenses for 1 pound (I signed the invoices) and sell it for 400 pounds = 399 pounds profit
we buy a Pr..a designer frame for 10 pounds and sell it for 200 pounds.

All these designer frames are made in the same factory as the cheap ones and of the same material. You guys only pay for the brand, not the quality.

XXX

:j :money: :T :rotfl: :A