Contact lens advice please

Sammysmiths

Sammysmiths

Well-known member
As my eyes have deteriorated so much since working from home, and im pretty much wearing glasses from the minute i get out of bed, Ive been contemplating contact lenses.
I wear varifocal glasses and currenly have a pair of varifocals for general wear, a pair of single vison glasses for laptop work (fixed disctance) and a pair of single vision fixed long distance sunglasses in the car.

I need glasses for seeing close up (long sighted) but also to help with driving.

Can i get contact lenses that will do the same job, and if so, what type and subscriptions are out ther?
Do you just wear them for one day and dispose?
Can you get lenses that last for days on end?
Are there hard and soft lenses.

Can someone give me a good starting point and what to expect to pay for a subscription.

Thanks.
 
Sammysmiths said:
As my eyes have deteriorated so much since working from home, and im pretty much wearing glasses from the minute i get out of bed, Ive been contemplating contact lenses.
I wear varifocal glasses and currenly have a pair of varifocals for general wear, a pair of single vison glasses for laptop work (fixed disctance) and a pair of single vision fixed long distance sunglasses in the car.

I need glasses for seeing close up (long sighted) but also to help with driving.

Can i get contact lenses that will do the same job, and if so, what type and subscriptions are out ther?
Do you just wear them for one day and dispose?
Can you get lenses that last for days on end?
Are there hard and soft lenses.

Can someone give me a good starting point and what to expect to pay for a subscription.

Thanks.
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My Mrs wears daily varifocal contact lenses, so they’re possible, not sure what the cost is but I’m guessing not cheap. I do know there was a bit of trial and error getting the right prescriptio.
 
I havent wore lenses for about 18 month now but plan to go back to them. I used to use these and just order as I needed them. Much much cheaper than the likes of Specsavers and did the job just as well.

www.daysoft.com

Daysoft.com

Daysoft.com
www.daysoft.com www.daysoft.com
 
I couldn't get away with Vari Focal glasses so had to carry 2 pairs of glasses, one for reading and other for distance. For years now I've had Varifocal lenses and keep them in 24/7 foe 1 month (take out occassional for a clean and straight back in). Get mine on contract from Boots, present lenses are Bausch & Lomb PureVision2, costs £23 per month all in.
 
I have one distance and one “ reading” lens, your eyes adjust. Gas permiable, £160 with a lifespan of about 1 year to 18 months. Solutions about £4 every 2 month from any supermarket.
Lens‘s from an independent optician in Manchester.
Boots offer trials and are very good apparently, Specsavers in the boro were very good when I lived there but as a franchise I lost faith in there service when I moved.
Independentscwill try to offer you hugely expensive glasses alongside your lenses, just stay strong.
I found specsaver ok price wise, as said it was just local service I didn’t like.
Once you have your prescription you can shop around.
 
I tried contact lenses, but couldn't actually get them in my eyes :(

They (specsavers) wouldn't let me out with them until I could get them into my eyes and out 3 times within an hour - I couldn't and so walked out without them.
 
Sammysmiths said:
Thanks so far. It’s the shopping around bit and the different options that’s a minefield.
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You’ve just got to take the plunge, Boots or specsavers are good choices, you can always change your mind at any time and go elsewhere
 
I have varifocal contacts - Daily disposable. By far the best as no maintenance required to keep clean etc. Put them in on a morning and bin them on a night. I've had normal daily contacts for short sight for years but in the last couple of years took to wearing reading geggs over the top, I mentioned this at my last eye test and the optician varifocal lenses, I didn't even know they existed.

Get any glasses I need at better than 50% discount too because I'm on the scheme.

Specsavers in Boro, can't remember if I get 15 or 20 pairs a month but I pay £30 pm
 
The_Lizards_Jumpers said:
I tried contact lenses, but couldn't actually get them in my eyes :(

They (specsavers) wouldn't let me out with them until I could get them into my eyes and out 3 times within an hour - I couldn't and so walked out without them.
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I think this will be my issue. I tried a few weeks ago and I could remove them but struggled to get them in. I have another session on Wednesday. If I can't get them in then I'll give up. If anyone has any tips for putting them in I'd much appreciate them.
 
I’ve wore lenses for 40 years but could not get away with soft lenses, got them in, just could not get them out. My lenses are gas permiable , they are more rigid than soft lenses
 
SmallTown said:
I think this will be my issue. I tried a few weeks ago and I could remove them but struggled to get them in. I have another session on Wednesday. If I can't get them in then I'll give up. If anyone has any tips for putting them in I'd much appreciate them.
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I had two 1 x hour sessions, in that time I got one in and out and so figured I'd give up. I reckon I could do it at home if I didn't have someone watching over me, and so may look for online retailers who don't require you to pass the test.
 
The_Lizards_Jumpers said:
I had two 1 x hour sessions, in that time I got one in and out and so figured I'd give up. I reckon I could do it at home if I didn't have someone watching over me, and so may look for online retailers who don't require you to pass the test.
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I had this issue. Fortunately I had a fairly patient staff member with me.

Might be worth looking at a few videos on YouTube before you go back. The hardest bit was pinning the eye lids back at that time which I dont do anymore. Now I try to dab the lense straight onto the eye ball while looking beyond it. Difficult to teach I think, just practice.

Certainly the first month I found it took me ages to get them in. Now a year later it is seconds.
 
It’s only natural to move your eye away from your finger but soft lenses are like liquid, and there is a technique to it, let a Pro teach you, I wouldn’t like to think I had to teach myself!
 
Cambsred said:
I had this issue. Fortunately I had a fairly patient staff member with me.

Might be worth looking at a few videos on YouTube before you go back. The hardest bit was pinning the eye lids back at that time which I dont do anymore. Now I try to dab the lense straight onto the eye ball while looking beyond it. Difficult to teach I think, just practice.

Certainly the first month I found it took me ages to get them in. Now a year later it is seconds.
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Thanks. This was my thinking. It's unnatural and really difficult to try at first but I reckon if I can get used to it it'll get easier with time.
 
Like Osboro, I have one lens for "seeing", one for "reading" though as I've got older my distance viewing has improved quite a bit. One set of lens per month, it's £13 with Specsavers, and that includes the solutions, cases, lenses and you get some money off pairs of glasses as well. When I first get them (I think I was in my late 20s) I walked with my head tipped back for a while, frightened they were going to drop out, but you soon get used to it.
 
The_Lizards_Jumpers said:
I had two 1 x hour sessions, in that time I got one in and out and so figured I'd give up. I reckon I could do it at home if I didn't have someone watching over me, and so may look for online retailers who don't require you to pass the test.
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it took me 3 years with an appointment each year to be able to do it, now it’s second nature. The idea of touching my eyes grossed me out

avoid anywhere that doesn’t need a prescription / eye test - but get that done free as part of a consultation then just go online and order - they legally have to give you your prescription.
 
Ingleby_Flash said:
My Mrs wears daily varifocal contact lenses, so they’re possible, not sure what the cost is but I’m guessing not cheap. I do know there was a bit of trial and error getting the right prescriptio.
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You can get monthly disposable ones as well as daily ones. Bit of a faff to keep clean. Cheaper that daily ones. If you wear them a lot.
 
I don't wear lenses every day, but I've found the 2 week disposable lenses are pretty economical. I can use them about 15 -25 times and they still work fine.

Daily disposables are very flimsy and hard to manipulate. They are ok for someone used to putting lenses in and taking them out, but are a real faff for someone less experienced.

Until you get used to handling them, coloured lenses are quite good. They usually come printed with a letter on them, so you can tell which is the right way round.

I'd avoid a contract (especially for daily lenses) unless you feel confident that your prescription won't change, and that you can handle and wear them without any issue.
 
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