contact lens discussion thread (merged)

mark_dumpleton

I've seen a lot of things on the internet saying that Daily Wear lenses are best for occasional use. Are they actually OK to wear normally, ie. during the day? Or are they bad for you if you wear them, say, 10hrs a day?
Thanks, MkD

CelticStar

Just wondered if anyone can advise me on my contact lens prescription. I've been wearing lenses for 18 years and it's my understanding that your contact lens prescription is different from your glasses prescription so that if I go and get an eye test from my local optician then I can't use that prescription for my contact lenses. I've recently come to the end of my contact lens supply (I buy from the internet) and need to have an eye test to check my prescription and forward it to the online company but in the past I have had difficulty getting a contact lens prescription unless I am signed up to the opticians' own scheme - whereas they have to give you your sight test subscription. On my current boxes of lenses it gives the measurements for the lenses (you know, the spherical whatnots) it's just the strength that I want to check, is there any way of doing this from my normal eye test or do I have to have a contact lens test?

Thanks for your help.
CS

wishiwasarichgirl

CelticStar,

Legally, you must have an up-to-date sight test prescription AND contact lens prescription to order contact lenses, so you will need a sight test and a contact lens check up if they have both expired.

If you still have a pair of lenses then book both appointments for the same time if possible, go in wearing your lenses and bring the packaging so the optician knows what lenses they are checking, you can then take your lenses out and have the sight test, and the optician will be able to give you the prescription for both your sight test and contact lenses.

They will usually charge you for both appointments unless you get lenses from them.

Converse225

Not sure if this is the right place, but has anyone found anything cheaper than ASDA for Focus Dailys? They have them at £18 for 60 lenses - http://www.asda-contactlenses.co.uk/dailies.jsp.

I thought Vision Direct might be cheaper, but they're £25 (http://www.visiondirect.co.uk/product.php?xProd=12). Do you think someone like Tesco might undercut them or shall I just go for it?

barrieh2

Hi all, I dont know if I am missing something here but I have just read the contact lenses article in todays newsletter and it said cheapest monthly for 12 months was £199, now I know maths is not my strong point but I pay, from specsavers for monthly lenses + solution + cases + delivery + aftercare + up to 2 pair a year(free) if I lose or tear a lens, £12 per month, if I am correct thats £144 per year or as I started with am I missing something!!?

ScoobieGirl

wishiwasarichgirl wrote: »

B&L Purevision lenses are made of Silicon Hydrogel

Is it definitly Silicon and not Silicone? I had a very confusing conversation about Silicon vs Silicone with my optician. I thought he had made a mistake, but maybe it was me.

wishiwasarichgirl

Yup, it should say silicone hydrogel - i always spell that wrong! What was your confusing conversation about?

ScoobieGirl

wishiwasarichgirl wrote: »

Yup, it should say silicone hydrogel - i always spell that wrong! What was your confusing conversation about?

He was insistant it was silicon not silicone and I know how brittle (and opaque!) silicon is compared with silicone and I was very confused as to how they made lenses out of silicon. Now I know they don't

The lenses are very good though! Very comfy.

vanilla8

Just wondering if anyone can tell me the cost of a contact lens fitting at all the high street opticians.

Ive heard specsavers are £20?

cereal42

Hi,

I am a newcomer to both this site and contact lenses! As such, I am tempted to buy my lenses from a high street optician (rather than online) as I would require more aftercare as a first time user (and stand-alone aftercare is quite expensive and does not come with most online deals). The cheapest provider for the type of lens I want (monthly disposables) seems to be Specsavers. They offer an all-inclusive package (inc. free trial and fitting, lenses, solutions, aftercare, cases, one free replacement pair a year for damaged lenses) all delivered direct to your door from a minimum of £8 per month.

This seems incredibly cheap considering how online offers (inc. lenses and solution) would probably amount to this without any aftercare. I was wondering if I am missing an obvious catch (apart from the fact that the lens trial comes at a charge of £20 if you do not go ahead with your order) and whether anyone has had any experience with Specsavers Standard Monthly lenses? Are they of good quality/ estimated wear times etc.?

Also, does anybody know a cheap place to get new lenses (single vision) put into existing glasses frames. I don't want new frames but need to update my prescription.

Thanks a lot for any help in advance. Sorry about the long post!

TC