The Best Contact Lenses
This may be daily disposable lenses for convenience and simplicity, lenses to correct astigmatism or multifocal contact lenses. We also fit contact lenses for children, and in particular Myopia Management to slow the rate of myopia progression.
We are proud to have been recognised by Johnson & Johnson as an Acuvue Centre of Excellence giving us access to the very latest products before they are available on general release.
Reasons to consider contact lenses
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Contact lenses move with your eye, allow a natural field of view, have no frames to obstruct your vision and greatly reduce distortions.
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Unlike spectacles, they do not fog up or get splattered by mud or rain.
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Contact lenses are excellent for sports and other physical activities.
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Many people feel they look better in contact lenses.
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Compared to spectacles, they may offer better, more natural sight.
Soft Contact Lenses
Nowadays, these make up the vast majority of contact lens fits due to huge improvements in materials and the advent of daily disposable lenses.
Soft lenses are made from gel-like, water-containing plastics called hydrogels. These lenses are very thin and pliable and conform to the front surface of the eye. Introduced in the early 1970s, they made contact lens wear popular because they typically are immediately comfortable.
A more recent and advanced type of sort contact lens are Silicon Hydrogel lenses. They are more porous than regular hydrogel lenses and allow even more oxygen to reach the cornea.
As mentioned above, many designs are available for different visual requirements allowing contact lens wear to be tailored to individual needs.
Rigid Contact Lenses
These lenses are smaller than soft contact lenses and made from stiffer, much less pliable materials. They are fit less often now than in the past due to both the improvement in soft lenses and the fact that they are less comfortable on initial fitting. Tolerance to this type of lens needs to be built up over a few weeks.
The original rigid lenses were called PMMA lenses but these have been superseded by Gas Permeable lenses which allow more oxygen to reach the cornea and are often found to be more comfortable.
The main advantage of rigid lenses is that they often allow sharper vision compared to soft contact lenses particularly if you have astigmatism. Because tolerance needs to be built up over time, they are less suitable for intermittent wear e.g. sports and so are generally fit for those individuals who require full-time wear. Rigid lenses are also the lens of choice when treating eye conditions such as kerataconus.
The contact lens trial will consist of the following:
Initial assessment appointment
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Examination of the ocular surface and lids
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Assessment of the tear film
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Corneal measurements
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Discussion of appropriate lens types according to results of above
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Application of trial lenses to assess immediate tolerance (occasionally this may need to be booked as a separate appointment if trial lenses need to be specially ordered)
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Vision assessment with lenses
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Fit assessment
Contact lens handling and hygiene
Teaching session lasting approx 30-40 minutes which includes:
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Lens application and removal technique
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Wearing instructions / lens care / cleaning where necessary
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Solutions and hygiene advice
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Contact lens ‘do’s and don’ts’
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Issue of trial lenses to take away to be worn in your own environment and trial pack of solutions where necessary
Follow-up appointment
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Lenses should be worn to this appointment (wear at least 3 hours before attending)
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Review of fit and vision, refinement where necessary
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If any changes are made a further appointment may be necessary which will be covered by the fee paid at the first appointment