contact lens discussion thread (merged)

sillyvixen

the care scheme will cost you 45 pounds and would give you 40 pounds discount off your lenses and any subsequent lenses and aftercare appointments you need in the time you are in the scheme.. payment covers a 12 month period - and does not cover sight tests, also you would get a discount on any solutions you buy from D&A. i cant say why you have never recieved any reminders (was your address correct) or were not advised at the appointment as to the benifits of the scheme. the staff members lack of knowledge of the scheme or stating that it is run by head office could be an indication that the branch you attended was a franchise (they are a law unto themselves!!).

fizzlebottom

Thank you Sillyvixen. .There does seem to be a change of staff since my last visit, I suspect it is a franchise now which would answer quite a few questions. Regards

jordie_tart

nali77 wrote: »

i overwore my lenses. ow
is there a cure and when can i wear cls again?

I wear monthly extended wear disposables - you just pop them in at the start of the month, don't touch them for a whole month (even sleep in them), then at the end of the month take them out and chuck them away - I ten d to have 24 hours without any lens, then start again.

I love them, I can see day and night and no nasty infections because you don't handle your lens, and you don't have to rely on bottles of fluid when you go away .

If I ever can't wear these lens then I'll think about laser (but I'm chickensh1t, so I don't think I'll go that route).

fizzlebottom

Yes have been in to D&A and they have now become a franchise. Didn't want to know when I asked why they hadn't sent me a reminder to pay for care scheme or mentioned it to me on Saturday in order that I could rejoin and save money. Also I had to ring them at 4pm to see if my lens had turned up, they were there but no one had bothered to ring and let me know, so all and all I got both my prescriptions written out and will be looking for someone else next time. Franchise = Get as Much Money Out of Customer as Possible - Customer Service Don't Bother.

auntie_c

the 6monthly aftercare checks are for the health of the eye and not to check on the prescription as such. that is what the 2year eye test does.the aftercare will pick up on any problems before they get out of hand and cant be fixed. remember this is a foreign object which is in your eye and if taken care of correctly will be of great benefit. if not monitored you could develop eye problems that you are not aware of until there is nothing that can be done. these are mega important checks and must not be ignored. £25 is the average and if ur paying more its a rip off as it is usually just a 15 min appointment to check your eyes with your lenses in to see that the eye is reacting correctly to the lenses and that the fit and oxygen content of the lens is suitable for the wearer, also the lens prescription may change from time to time and at the check this will be picked up.the type of lens required may change from time to time especially if you are a long term wearer. as you get older and if you wear the lenses for long hours you need a lens that allows more oxygen through to the eye. the optician needs to know how long you require to wear them in a day to assess this correctly as overwearing can damage the eyes. a better lens worn for a longer period of time can prevent this problem. this does not neccessarily mean a lot more expense but you would not wear the wrong shoes or clothes for a specific task so why risk you vision with the wrong lenses? most places will supply lenses and aftercare in a package. nowadays they are usually in line with the internet prices and if they are not, move to someone who is. it costs nothing to ask. take up to date prescription and/or pack from lenses with you. the pack has the details of your lens type, prescription and some fitting details. ask how much a contact lens aftercare will cost then you can decide who to go to. try local private opticians they give best service and are not the most expensive contrary to belief. many of the private opticians will supply you the details for the internet companies if you tell them in advance that you wish to get the lenses from internet and not from them. just ask. I have worn lenses for years and worked in the industry so i have some knowledge in the field. hope this helps!

HC_2

Great post, auntie c, but it would be so much easier to read if you could use paragraphs. Many people won't read the excellent stuff you've posted because it's too much like hard work.

mean

Hi
Some opticians will take longer and others will be faster. A trainee or someone who doesn't regularly deal with contact lenses may take longer and an experienced optician could be very fast, or vice versa. You just never know.
My advice would be not to just chase the best deals or longest test times but bear in mind that your optician probably knows your history, the lenses which have worked, which sizes have been tried etc..and think about overall service. Many multiples provide a good service as do many private practices.

Hope this helps:j

want2bmortgage3

the last few years i've worn continuous/extended wear contacts, where i can leave them in 24/7 for a month before changing pairs. it costs about £11 something a month from the cheapest internet retailer, they are focus night and day lenses.

the last couple of times i've put in the right contact lense it has irritated me and after a few hours or so i've had to take it out, i've tried a new lense but the same thing happened.

its not really a problem at all, because my left eye seems to do all the work. even if i have got both lenses in then its my left eye which sees everything. for example if i cover my right eye then the image i get remains the same. if i cover my left eye then the image shifts, as my right eye has to do the looking. its only a slight problem if i'm looking far to the right as it is slightly blurry without a lense in.

i am tempted to just carry on wearing one lense, this will also save me money.. does anyone think this is a problem or should i go to an optician? i should also mention i havent been to the optician for a couple of years and i have just been buying my lenses online from places which dont need a prescription...

would be interesting if someone else has the same thing as me having one stronger eye which seems to do all the work.. i've never been told i have a condition or anything but to me it sounds a bit like lazy eye although i'm not sure if thats the same.

Bargain_Rzl

Sorry if this is a stupid question (after all, you've been wearing contact lenses for a long time and it's a bit of a novice numpty mistake to make) but when you put in your right lens, are you sure you're not getting it inside out?

Ishtar

Might be worth having your eyes checked - think they recommend an eye test every two years anyway. Perhaps your prescription has changed slightly? I'm only guessing, but perhaps the size or shape of your eye has changed and the lens in your right eye doesn't fit as well any more. As I understand it once you've got your prescription you're under no obligation to buy from that optician and can continue to buy online.

If it were me, I'd be concerned about one eye working harder than the other and would probably get it checked out.

Take care
D.