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Cheap Deals on Contact Lenses
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I wish to shop around for a good deal
- which lenses should I ask about ?
Your first step should be to find an appropriate optometrist. You could
ask your doctor to recommend one. Alternatively ask friends who are successful
lens wearers. What sort of aftercare do they have? How regularly are they
seen? Don't consider price in isolation - 'deals' that look too good to
be true probably are! Remember, material costs are not the most expensive
part of contact lens fees - fees also cover the professional time that
a practitioner devotes to ensuring the lenses fit safely and well. The
best deal must be the one that safeguards the health of your eyes. In
short, choose an optometrist you can feel confident will safeguard your
most precious asset - your sight.
What can I expect from an optometrist?
He should have access to a variety of lens designs to meet each patient's
clinical needs. He can advise you on which material (water content, wetting
angle, durability) will suit both your clinical requirements and lifestyle.
What does a fitting involve?
A full eye examination, contact lens fitting consultation and tolerance
trial are carried out first - you need to know in advance exactly what is
involved, and this includes wearing, for a morning or afternoon, a pair
of trial lenses close to your final lens specification. You are then given
a full appraisal in the light of the tests - whether contact lenses are
recommended and, if so, which material and design is advocated for your
particular needs.
At this practice you are not committed at an initial
visit. Should you decide, or be advised, that contact lenses are not
for you, only a fee commensurate with the time taken will be charged.
Because we hold very large banks of lenses on the premises, it is possible
that you may be able to take your precise lenses away with you at the
end of a successful trial . You will first be taught how to handle and
care for the lenses and be given a wearing schedule. Further checks are
made (usually after a week) when you are achieving daily wearing times
of around ten hours.
Can I buy over the internet?
Are there cheap deals to be had over the Internet? Yes and no - as the saying
goes, it is all done with smoke and mirrors! The cost of your
lenses at a registered optometrist covers the manufacturers
price, his overheads plus a significant subsidy towards the
costs involved in supplying you with contact lens aftercare.
At this practice we have made it easy for you to compare our
prices with internet suppliers. Click here
to check our contact lens prices - and be prepared for a
pleasant surprise!
"I don't need much aftercare. I will come and ask
for aftercare if I feel I need it."
When it comes to damaging the eyes the extreme comfort of soft lenses are
their downfall - a lens fitting which is no longer suitable will probably
not cause discomfort until considerable damage has occurred.
Buy over the Internet and you will avoid the aftercare subsidy element,
so you will pay less. But aftercare, to put it bluntly, is all that stands
between you and potentially serious eye damage. If you wear lenses on a
daily basis then two aftercare visits a year are vital.
A registered optometrist undertaking your aftercare is obliged by law to
ensure the fitting is safe and will not damage your eyes. He will
have invested in state-of-the-art equipment to check your corneal health.
If you decide to separate your supply from the professional aftercare, expect
to pay the unsubsidised rate of around £50 or more from your optometrist
for each aftercare consultation.
Online sellers add an element to cover postal charges so, once
you add your aftercare fees to the online lens prices, you may
well find that you would be financially better off by not
splitting your aftercare and supply.
A final thought. If you still think aftercare can be regarded as an optional
extra, just ask any eye surgeon. It is sobering to realise that every day
Moorfields Eye Hospital sees contact lens wearers who have 'managed without'
aftercare. Some are able to go back to lenses, some are not. Most
of them regain the same standard of vision they had before contact lenses...
Don't be a shortsighted statistic - you owe it to yourself to protect
your sight. |
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