[Closed] Contact Lenses. Talk to me!

I buy from Vision Direct; I love my opticians but they are hella expensive for contact lenses (although I'm happy to pay over the odds for their actual services).

Don't go for the cheapest contact lenses you can find. I've been wearing lenses a few days a week for nearly 30 years and have found daily disposables the most comfortable and least faff - I find Acuvue Oasys seem to be comfortable for longest and don't leave my eyes sore, but they're not cheap which is why buying from Vision Direct saves £££.

BUT that's just my experience. Visit a good optician, take their advice, be prepared to pay for their time and expertise, try out different kinds of lenses (they may well have samples they can give you) and see what you get on with. But be aware that once you've got a prescription and a preferred type of lens, there can be advantages to shopping around the online shops.

Biggest quality of life improvement available for any sportsperson, hands down. I'd rather ride a cheap 90s MTB in contacts than a bling modern superbike in glasses.

I just go to Specsavers, I pay £20/mo for extended wear lenses from a good manufacturer. Let them do the faffing about, you just get letters and lenses in a box in the post. You do need some sort of contract because you need regular check-ups on your eye health.

Extended wear lenses are great, you sleep in them and just take them out a few times a month overnight. They also don't dry out so they are as good at 1am as they are at 10am.

To be honest, to start with I would sign up with someone like Specsavers for a Contact Lens trial. This allows you to try contacts out and get used to them as well as checking whether the prescription will work. I think they call them Toric lenses if they address astigmatism but as far as I am aware, the astigmatism corrections in contact lenses are less tailored than normal lenses. My astigmatism is quite mild and is not fixed through toric lenses. However, for the most part I can live with them. Gets a bit trickier when trying to read small print, read print in muted lighting or totally clear focus when using a computer. For general, day to day activities they are fine. Depending on the lenses, if you go for monthlies then they cost about £35 pr eye for 3 months of lenses through Specsavers. I could get them cheaper on line I imagine if I tried but for now it doesn't seem wirth the hassle. I am also using their monthly plan which gives free eye tests and any adjustments as well as shipping the lenses to my door.
Like everything. I think most lenses are much of a muchness and it will come down to which ones suit your eyes. Specsavers rebadge most brands that they use so it will normally be during the trial that you will find the specific brand they will supply you with for your choice of lens - although I'm sure if you read the actual lens packaging closely enough you will find who the manufacturer is.

I also have astigmatism and wear contacts. I only have the astigmatism in one eye though.
I'd go to your local opticians and see what lenses work for you. I tried one brand with my astigmatism and they really didn't work. I think the current ones I have now are weighted in order to sit properly (unsure if I've made this up, but I am sure this is what the optician said). With going in to branch you can try a few few until you find some that suit you.
I use the one day Acuvue moist.

I used to go with specsavers on their monthly deal, but no use the lenstore.

Be aware that the astigmatism will mean that the lenses are more expensive and less immediately available. I can’t walk into an opticians and walk out with a box of lenses; I either need to get them ordered in or buy online, and the lenses are definitely not as cheap as the non-astigmatic ones.

That said, I wouldn’t even think about not wearing contacts for riding…

Extended wear lenses are great, you sleep in them and just take them out a few times a month overnight. They also don’t dry out so they are as good at 1am as they are at 10am

I've had these for years - they are the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Not sure they let you go straight into these, you may have to use normal ones for a while first.

Until I read the title of this thread, I had given absolutely zero thought to the idea that my vision was any less than perfect or that I do anything to fix it in a couple of weeks. Truly fit and forget.

Im just bog standard short sighted, (-5 prescription) the few times a month I take my lenses out and use glasses, I get exactly this:

I can’t use stairs with them on, everything has a 16:9 or widescreen effect, I can’t walk properly because what I’m see is distorted.

A few years back I cut my eyeball - yes its as bad as it sounds - I was jsut walking through a windy town centre and something sharp blew into my eye.
2-3 weeks without lenses, pains and aches, all sorts of eyedrops to put in. I gave up all sport and exercise for that time. MTB, running, and squash. They were pointless and dangerous for me in that condiditon.

Can confirm the price difference, about +£7 per box!

Is there anywhere online to buy quality lenses at a sensible cost?

I use the .eu version of the lens store site. There's an .uk version of the same site, but the difference is that the .eu site doesn't insist on a new 'script every couple of years...That's the easy bit. The hard bit is that lens to correct astigmatism aren't as cheap as regular lenses so budget £50.00 - 55.00 for 6 weeks worth.

I’m not sure if I said, but I’ve got a trial booked with Boots, but financially month schemes are off the table, if I can find what suits me then I’d be bulk buying. I know it’s not massive amounts each month, but if my insurance will pay for them, then that’s what it’s for.

The reading I’ve done suggests the tori lenses are “weighted” so the lens is readjusted with blinking to place the lens back on axis.

My slight reservation is because I also need reading glasses, wearing contacts all of the time I’m also going to be using reading glasses all of the time. I can get by without either most of the time.

When you buy in bulk online can you order whatever prescription you like? I'm trying to fine-tune mine but SS aren't particularly helpful with this aspect.

I use gas permeable lenses - what used to be called hard contact lenses until the marketing people thought that made them sound uncomfortable - which they aren't (unless you get gri in your eye).

They are not particularly expensive to buy and they last for many years - basically until you lose one or your prescription changes. You take the out every night, clean them and put them in a case. It's not a hassle, you can do it when drunk. In the long run they are way cheaper than disposable ones.

Reference the glasses and nauseous bit. I have astigmatism, but I can’t tolerate any correction in my glasses lenses. I therefore have no correction and am fine, if I have correction, I have exactly what you’ve described. My optician said it’s not common, but it’s not that unusual. When changing optician I have had some ‘debate’ on this topic, but I know what works for me! Might be worth trying with no correction.

Tried a few kinds over the years. Currently on biofinity silicone hydrogel monthly disposables. Next level comfort, never had any infection, can be left in overnight occasionally. Worn them every day for about five years without problem.

My slight reservation is because I also need reading glasses

I've got astigmatism and also need reading glasses, consequently I've got one lens for long sight and one for short sight, and my brain takes care of the rest! so I don't need reading glasses when I've got my lenses in, it's witchcraft

The reading I’ve done suggests the tori lenses are “weighted” so the lens is readjusted with blinking to place the lens back on axis.

Yes, and this is why I have a problem with mine when I wake up. Your eyes don't produce tears at night (unless you have some kind of infection) so they are dry, and they're usually not in the right place. I can't read my phone for 5 mins after I wake up for example.

Can you get varifocal contacts that also cope with astigmatism? Or do I just put up with being speccy four eyes forever?

I wear dailies comfort plus for astigmatism in both eyes.

I either buy from lens store or spec savers for around £30 for 39 lenses. I wear my glasses most of the time so 30 last quite a while

After wearing lenses for many years (thirty or more), my recommendation would be to go for daily disposables. I'm not really happy with the idea of extended wear ones. I'd sooner let my eyes breathe properly as often as I can. I eventually got to the point where I couldn't wear lenses for any length of time. I've since had laser treatment so no need for them any more.

Can you get varifocal contacts that also cope with astigmatism?

There's Accuvue and Bausch and Lomb that does them I think, really expensive though - think £70 type money for 6 lenses so £140.00 every few months

Wow I'd never heard of extended wear. They sound great. Though I struggle with indoor use so they'd probably dry my eyes out too.

I had similar problem that my prescription for astigmatism made me feel ill. So optician under corrected my prescription for astigmatism and my glasses are totally fine. This is a fairly normal problem according to my optician.

I wear my contact lenses for riding and looking sexy and glasses for everything else.

I had similar problem that my prescription for astigmatism made me feel ill. So optician under corrected my prescription for astigmatism and my glasses are totally fine.

Very interesting. I'm going through this right now... stuck with the new glasses since September... they keep making me feel ill. They have a stronger correction for my astigmatism than my old glasses. I'm going to dig the old ones out and try using them for a few days...

I use vision express, i have astigmatism in both eyes, bear in mind that not everyone can wear extended wear contacts.
I pay £22 a month, for monthly disposables, includes all solutions and no quibble insurance replacement if i lose or damage them.
They are life changing, literally, I would give a up quite a few other things before i gave contacts up.

Though I struggle with indoor use so they’d probably dry my eyes out too.

Traditional soft lenses are something like 90% water to transmit oxygen to your eye, so they suck the water out of your eyes late in the day. Extended wear ones are silicone (as well as some others) so they can't get dry even if your eyes do. My eyes are dry in the evening but they still move around to the correct orientation, mostly.

They are life changing, literally

Hell yes, before I got them my riding was severely impacted to the point of almost being a mild disability. I would either sweat on my glasses, or they'd steam up, or it'd rain on them so basically my vision was significantly impaired after the first 15 mins of riding in nearly any conditions.

Wore hard gas permeable for a few years, then back to glasses, then monthly disposable, then back to glasses. I figured I only really wore them for sport so switched to daily disposable and pop them in for extended events where glasses don’t fit under a visor. The beauty of daily disposable is their comfort for intermittent wear. Hard gas permeable needed to build up endurance. Dailies I can pop in whenever, which is very infrequently. I’m very long sighted with very different strength corrections. Vision with contacts is always better than glasses for me, with double astigmatism. I have yet to go varifocal contacts. I can’t use the one eye long and one short trick as my brain will short circuit!

I've used Specsavers Orba silicone hydrogel lenses for several years without a problem. Tried varifocal lenses but didn't get on with them. The contact lens practitioner at my local Specsavers has been there for years and has been really helpful when anything needs to change - recently he suggested changing to one lens for close reading and one for long distance - as per nickc above - which negated the need for reading glasses. Hence I would recommend using an optician rather going through an on-line company.

The biggest issue I have is I use the peroxide cleaning solution which becomes neutral supposedly after about 7 hours - however if you have a stong prescription, which I have in one lens, this neutralising can take longer and putting the lens in your eye can lead to a burning sensation. Also airlines won't let you take peroxide, so Specsavers will provide me with their other cleaning solution (I had a problem with this solution some years ago and was recommended peroxide as an alternative, but can cope with the non-peroxide for a couple of weeks). Anyway, the cleaning process and solution is also a consideration, especially if you take your lenses out at bedtime and expect to put them in when you get up 6 or 7 hours later.

+1 on lenses being life changing. I rank moving to them from glasses as probably one of the top 5 best decisions i’ve made in my life.

I’ve been with Vision Express on monthly direct debit for years. I started with monthly disposables but as I got on so well with them and ended up wearing them for most of the time they moved me over to extended wear ones which are superb. I do still take them out at night. It was a habit anyway and good to give my eyes a break. As above i’d give up most things before the lenses went if I had to.

I've worn lenses for 30 years but now have reached the age that my arms aren't quite long enough for reading.
Opticians answer was simply one lens in dominant eye for long distance no lens in weaker eye for reading. Takes some adjustments but it's a solution. Not perfect but workable.

I’m another who uses dailies only for riding. Glasses the rest of time.

I get very dry eyes if I wear contacts through the day in the office.

I’ve often thought about getting laser eye surgery, but worry too much.

I’ve used contactlenses.co.U.K. for years. Way cheaper than the opticians and they seek a wide choice of well known and lesser known brands. It’s all down to trial and error as to which ones will fit you best and feel comfortable, that’s where the opticians will be useful initially- getting the correct diameter for your eyes.
I suffer with astigmatism in one eye. I get away with normal lenses but on downhills, the wind wants to get in behind and lift the lense so I always wear non scrip cycling glasses when riding. I think Acuvue do lenses weighted for astigmatism.
As a compromise for long and shortsightedness, I have one lense slightly under scrip. I have marginally less than 20/20 vision overall but in my 50s I can see near and far with out any glasses.
As mentioned above, life changing.

Another contact lens/astigmatism here.
My right eye is actually quite bad and needs a fair amount of correction. I'd recommend trying to persevere with the glasses.
I had exactly the same issues as the OP for about a week, had prescription checked the whole thing, It eventually settled down but it was a bit uncomfortable for a while.
As for lenses, I wear them about 75-80% of the time. I'd really recommend going through an Optician to find the best fit.
I've just had 4 months of back and forth because my prescription changed, so new lenses were ordered but the brand I had just wouldn't sit correctly. As mentioned toric lenses need to be custom made and this seems to be taking 2 weeks minimum.
I'm on monthly disposable lenses and the plan I have is £30 a month, with an eye test every year and a decent discount on glasses

I really wouldn't buy in bulk based on prescription alone, you might end up with a pile of lenses that make your vision worse!

Several have said it above, I'd really struggle if I couldn't wear lenses but its worth having glasses that work as well!!

I've got astigmatism in both eyes and wear contacts and varifocal glasses. contcats are not varifocal. I get them from specsavers, but am at the limit for soft lenses now and having a few issues with them moving and not as comfortable as they used to be. Not sure what the next step is really.

Re the work health plan, can you max that out with your glases pruchases so you don't need to claim for the lenses?

<blockquoteI’ve got astigmatism in both eyes and wear contacts and varifocal glasses. contcats are not varifocal. I get them from specsavers, but am at the limit for soft lenses now and having a few issues with them moving and not as comfortable as they used to be. Not sure what the next step is really.

go somewhere else for your lenses.... I tried specsavers lenses first time around. At that point they only supplied (or could only do my prescription in) the house brand and they were awful.

I didn't have a great experience with Specsavers when I tried contacts, took nearly 6 months to get a prescription that worked tolerably well for me,I'm on daily disposables a verifocal lense in one eye and a standard lense in the other, it's still something of a compromise and I only really use them when leading group rides and need to be able to read a map/Garmin, I maybe naively thought that contacts would give me the same vision has glasses but without the inconvenience and have been somewhat disadisappointed by the whole experience

 I get them from specsavers

Lots of places (like specsavers) are tied to particular brands, or make their own lenses. Get your prescription from them, get online, plug in what you need, and see what comes up.

go somewhere else for your lenses…. I tried specsavers lenses first time around. At that point they only supplied (or could only do my prescription in) the house brand and they were awful.

Yeah, I think thats one of the issues. If I go for different ones they won't be on the specsavers lense mail thing any more. So I assume they can only supply one make on their subscription service. Will have to try somewhere else.

I

This thread has made me realise I've been with Specsaver contact lens scheme for 30 years now! Over that period I've looked around but nothing compelled me to move from Specsavers monthly scheme. Their opticians have always been great and their prices competitive. I don't even use the latest lens tech. Tried super breathable ones but my eyes must be so used to the normal soft lenses they didn't appreciate the new lens material. Anyway as you can tell my recommendation would be Specsaver.

I have astigmatism and have used toric (weighted) lenses for many years now. Specsavers seem to be okay on price, and it's just less hassle for me to have a monthly scheme and they now get delivered rather than having to pick them up.
Now that I'm in my late 50's I need correction for reading too. My solution for sports (cycling and skiing) is contacts and carry a par of ThinOptics readers (which are like Pincez-Nez) in a case on my phone.
You can get, as others have said, correction with one long range and one short range lens which your brain then sorts out. I've not yet tried that, but did have a problem when on holiday cycling in Mallorca last year when I seemed to have got a dodgy batch of right lenses which kept tearing. On the last day I cycled with a lens in my left eye (which is the worst for astigmatism) and nothing in my right eye and seemed to cope fine. Maybe that is the way forward for me...

How many hours have you worn your specs for? I have to wear mine all day and I got used to the distortion after a few days so maybe 100hrs. WHen I first got them it was like a fish bowl.

I have worn contacts for years, dry eyes meant I went to extended wear (leave in 30 days) but I'd still need to take them out as soon as I finished work. This also caused problems with the astigmatism, when your eyes get dry (air con and wind when riding exacerbates it) the lenses don't float freely and this means the weighted lens moves out of place, causing double vision.

Bought my first pair of prescription riding glasses last year (Rad 8). Proper game changer, I've worn my lenses once or twice in the last year and one of those was for a contact lens checkup!