Would contacts be cheaper than my ridiculously expensive glasses?

[InterFactual]

I have a severe astigmatism, very short sighted (around -10) and this year I've just started wearing varifocals.

Current glasses cost £500 and absolutely gutted my tiny savings account. Would contacts be cheaper?

I tried contacts years ago when my vision wasn't as bad, before I needed varifocals. I didn't get on with the toric ones , I found them thick, scratchy and uncomfortable but this is nearly 20 years ago. Are they any better these days? Can they even prescribe them for astigmatism plus varifocal?

And it has to be glasses and not spare contacts? Blimey. Looks like I'll be heading to Asda too!

According to a traffic cop who was doing routine stops ues has to be glasses.

I had prescription sunglasses on and had to prove I also had my normal ones too.

I've just googled and can't find anything about this requirement.

If someone can link to it i'd be grateful.

I'm a far safer driver in contact lenses, I find glasses very discombobulating. There's no peripheral vision in glasses.

Surely wearing prescription sunnies is a bit different. You'd need to take them off to drive if you are going through a tunnel or near my house, a forest where its dark.

Contacts remain in and give sight in dark or brightness.

https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/rules-for-drivers-and-motorcyclists-fitness-to-drive.html

Police have the power to demand an eyetesr. Therefore if the glasses you are carrying dp not match you prescription you van be fined etc

Thank you.

However that doesn't mention carrying spare glasses? My contacts are in my current prescription and so I can fulfil the need to read a number plate at a distance.

What happens if you can't get your contacts in or lose one?

You are not legally allowed to drove without them.

Obviously you stop driving. But like I said, 40 years and its never happened.

Doesn't mean it won't and as a driver you are legally obligated to ensure you can drive safely.

No, you are legally obliged to only drive with corrected eyesight. So if you stop immediately there is no problem. You just couldn't start again.

You have to be wearing one or the other ( contacts / glasses) in a prescription which enables you to meet the sight test for driving requirement. That may not be your most recent prescription if an older one still meets the sight test requirements.
You are not required to carry glasses if you are wearing contacts, but it is good practice.

As told to me by my sister, the optician, sitting next to me right now.

I've néver not been able to get a contact lense in even with steaming hay-fever.

But yes if I couldn't drive, I'd just stop and ring my husband/other adult who could help.

But I'm going to see if I have an old pair of glasses somewhere that might do the trick for the glove box!

You'd definitely need glasses too. I only wore contacts and had an eye infection and the optician said I couldn't wear them for 2 weeks. But I didn't have up to date glasses. It was the worse 2 weeks ever!!

I ended up getting laser eye surgery. Amazing and wish I had done it much earlier.

Just because you don't legally have to have a pair of glasses doesn't mean it's not irresponsible.

If I had a penny for every patient that rushes to me desperately wanting glasses ASAP because they've an infection/ulcer and no specs... and of course, it's MY fault they weren't responsible enough to have them in the first place 🙄

I don't think anyone has said they don't have a pair of glasses as well as their lenses, just that they might not necessarily carry them in the car at all times.

It’s in parts of Europe that you are required to have spare glasses if driving. Definitely in France and I believe in a couple of other European countries too.

My traffic cop brother laughed when I asked him if this was a requirement.

It's no different from when I sprained an ankle and couldn't drive. I called the RAC and they took me (and the kids and dog) and towed the car home.

I keep an old pair in the car.