contact lens discussion thread (merged)

inor1406

Specsavers Edinburgh West end Will do an annual check for £20 and no push to buy from them, very friendly and helpful but be aware as they are all franchise's and may differ in service

treliac

Jayne08 wrote: »

Hello all,

I need to save money on my contact lenses - I currently pay £36 for a box of 30 Accuvue Dailies from my local optician which I think is expensive. As I buy them "as and when" I need them (as I don't wear them every day) and I am not on one of their direct debit schemes, I also have to pay £20 each time I have a check up.

I have looked on the net and found Daysoft lenses which are much cheaper. Does anyone else have experience of these lenses, are they ok? and will an optician still give you a check up even if you are not getting your lenses from them?

Thanks for reading my post.

I have found Daysoft to be fine. Also like New Day very much.

My branch of Specsavers definitely made me feel uncomfortable about not buying from them and I have since bought online.

Tesco and ASDA often seem to be offering free eye tests (see other thread) and, I think, just a small charge for CL check.

As inor says, Specsavers branches vary in their attitude as they operate franchises. I may try another branch as I can't find Tesco or ASDA selling New Day. I'd like to be fitted for them and seem to need a slightly stronger New Day lens than in other brands.

didan_2

hi,

i had the same problem some years back and asked this question to an optician at tesco when i went.


the tesco all in one is a renu solution and some people apparently have a reaction to it.

i was put on optifree express and have had no problems!

nedmundo

travel_freak wrote: »

Hi,

I wear contact lenses but have had some discomfort/irritation in my eyes and went for a check up today and was told I may be having a slight allergic reaction to the contact lens solution I am using.

It was suggested that I use Bausch and Lomb's "Renu".

I used to use Tesco's multi-purpose solution and at the moment have a supply of Specsavers "Easy Vision".

Just wondering if anyone knows if B&L make solution for any other non-brands, such as Tesco etc., that might be cheaper than Renu.

Or can an optician recommend any other solution which is similar to Renu?

ALSO, I was prescribed some antibiotic eye drops, "Exocin" but have just noticed the packaging says "should not be used by soft contact lens wearers" - does this just mean I shouldn't use the drops and wear the lenses at the same time? I forgot to ask the doctor this when I saw him and only read the label when I got home...!

Many thanks in advance for any advice.

The drops contain a preservative which would be absorbed into a soft contact lens material. When enough accumulates, the preservative will trigger an adverse reaction.

Therefore do not use drops and CLs at the same time.

nedmundo

treliac wrote: »

I have found Daysoft to be fine. Also like New Day very much.

My branch of Specsavers definitely made me feel uncomfortable about not buying from them and I have since bought online.

Tesco and ASDA often seem to be offering free eye tests (see other thread) and, I think, just a small charge for CL check.

As inor says, Specsavers branches vary in their attitude as they operate franchises. I may try another branch as I can't find Tesco or ASDA selling New Day. I'd like to be fitted for them and seem to need a slightly stronger New Day lens than in other brands.

Hi Treliac,
Is that an admission that the vision and therefore prescription required varies from one make of lens to another that I see?

Only jesting.

Ned.

treliac

nedmundo wrote: »

Hi Treliac,
Is that an admission that the vision and therefore prescription required varies from one make of lens to another that I see?

Only jesting.

Ned.

Hi Ned

Point taken Yes, I will have to make an appointment soon. My concern is, as mentioned, I didn't like the attitude at the Specsavers branch I used before. So I've got to find myself somewhere else.

Wonder how far away you are from me - only joking too!

I suspect that, with the New Day, it is to do with the fact that the lenses are aspheric rather than spheric as it's only been this make out of the half dozen or so that I've tried, that I seem to need a slightly different spec. But I want to persevere as I really like them.

Please note, though, I do intend to be properly checked and fitted.

t x

nedmundo

That's the way to do it.



I don't do Sauflon lenses myself - I don't agree with their anti-competitive stance! How far are you from sunny Norfolk? I'm intigued to see these lenses in action.

Ned.

wishiwasarichgirl

treliac wrote: »

Hi Ned

Point taken Yes, I will have to make an appointment soon. My concern is, as mentioned, I didn't like the attitude at the Specsavers branch I used before. So I've got to find myself somewhere else.

Wonder how far away you are from me - only joking too!

I suspect that, with the New Day, it is to do with the fact that the lenses are aspheric rather than spheric as it's only been this make out of the half dozen or so that I've tried, that I seem to need a slightly different spec. But I want to persevere as I really like them.

Please note, though, I do intend to be properly checked and fitted.

t x

if you are up-front about what you want generally they will be fine, I work for Specsavers and if I have a new px come in who wants to buy online thats fine, if they tell us up-front we tell them what details they need to bring with them and how much it will cost for the check up.

It is the ones who are cagey about where they buy their lenses that are a nuisance, mainly cos they can't actually tell us what they are wearing, in which case we have no idea what we are checking :rolleyes:

treliac

nedmundo wrote: »

That's the way to do it.

I don't do Sauflon lenses myself - I don't agree with their anti-competitive stance! How far are you from sunny Norfolk? I'm intigued to see these lenses in action.

Ned.

Thanks Ned

I really do like the Sauflon New Day though, so have to find somewhere I can get them. My vision is so much better than with any other I've tried, especially in artificial light and for driving.

Think I know what you mean re their approach as a company. Having read their website info, they pride themselves on supplying a very slightly different spec to other popular CLs and promote the idea that this will keep business with the professional as they don't like to sell online. Obviously, it is possible to get them online though - where there's a will ....

That is the attitude that highlights some of the wrongs in the business, as you say. However, their lenses do seem to suit me so well.

As regards location, I'm not a huge distance from Norfolk, on the other side of Cambridge. But not exactly on your doorstep sadly. If I do get over that way, I'll bear you in mind. I've got a little while yet, though, before running out of supplies; and I'm not quite due an eye test.

treliac

treliac

wishiwasarichgirl wrote: »

if you are up-front about what you want generally they will be fine, I work for Specsavers and if I have a new px come in who wants to buy online thats fine, if they tell us up-front we tell them what details they need to bring with them and how much it will cost for the check up.

It is the ones who are cagey about where they buy their lenses that are a nuisance, mainly cos they can't actually tell us what they are wearing, in which case we have no idea what we are checking :rolleyes:

Can understand your response on this. Would you be operating a franchise, thereby the business being yours?

And do Specsavers branches generally/always offer Sauflon? The reason I didn't originally get mine from the company, apart from my discomfort with the branch I tried, was that they hadn't yet started to stock them and I was impatient to try them out.

So, I may try a different branch and will go along, confident that I have a good idea about what I want. I think they might provide a delivery service and, if all is okay, would be happy to sign up for it.

Is it your experience that these, aspheric lenses, require a slightly different diopter strength?

Thanks,
treliac