Where do you get your contact lenses? Think mine are too expensive (from Boots?)

[plipplops]

I've always been to Boots for eye care and have been wearing contacts about 18 months. Have astigmatism so use 'toric(?)" lenses, and could do with dailies but from Boots they're about £43 a month which is so expensive. Was chatting to a couple of friends the other day who use different opticians and it seemed way cheaper. Boots give you free eye checks and free contact lens check any time you want if you sign up to their plan (which I have), and I do think you get good service there but think I'm paying too much? Currently pay about £23 a month for monthly lenses and solution.

Would you mind telling me how much you pay for your lenses and what kind of service you get for that please?? Thanks!

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

You shouldn't be swimming in them, there is a danger of severe eye problems which can lead to blindness caused by a bug that lives in the water. You can get prescription goggles, if you swim that frequently it would be well worth the investment. It is a right palava though, having to remember to either change to glasses before leaving the house or take your case, glasses etc to the pool, but not really worth the risk.

[plipplops]

Thanks all. I've got an appt at Boots next week to try a different pair of lenses that they're trying to sell me, will have a chat with them about it.

Since having this conversation though I've been thinking. I go swimming about 4 times a week and often when I come out have to remove my lenses for a bit as they're a bit cloudy. AS I use monthlies I just stick them in the case, then if I want to put them back in later that day I can. With dailies presumably if I took them out after swimming I can't keep them somewhere for later as you don't have the cases??? Don't really want to use 2 pairs in one day. So maybe I'm better staying with the monthly ones (but maybe buying them somewhere cheaper than Boots)?

Decisions, decisions...

[SoftKittyWarmKitty]

Mike Just take a printout of this page with you (scroll down for daily Toric lenses).

[specialsubject]

I don't have torics, but the cheapest way for me is to order just the lenses six months at a time from Specsavers. The bottle of solution lasts me four months (and yes, I do use it properly) and is £8 from Tesco.

I also factor in £20 a year for the checkup.

using the DD plan from Specsavers would still be more expensive.

[Pregnantberry]

Hello OP, as to your question about whether opticians mind...

Obviously, the person who is in charge of the retail side of things in the store/opticians would rather you buy them there, but they can't force you to buy with them and you shouldn't listen to them since they're just after your cash.

The optometrist him/herself would probably be under obligation not to encourage you to go elsewhere, but in my experience when I used to work in a chain of opticians (like Boots, Vision Express etc.) was that most of them like to think of themselves as healthcare professionals and get uppity if they feel like they're being nudged into salesmanship, so they probably wouldn't care, despite having to play up the company image to some extent.

But you don't actually have to tell them, just get your CL prescription, make your excuses (or not) and then clear off and shop around.

[moogalicious]

I pay £43 for my toric dailies (2 x 30 pairs) from boots - having shopped around for the same brand, the prices online are not that much cheaper. Plus I get my aftercare and money off my glasses.

I have tried cheaper brands before, but they haven't been as comfortable as my usual, so I would say be wary.

[Heathcliff27]

Toric dailies from my local optician were £35 per month, recently changed to toric monthly disposables they're £18 per month.

[hatgirl]

toric lenses £18 a month on lens pay from Specsavers. Solution, cases and eye tests all included

[Fairylea]

Mine aren't toric lenses but I do have astigmatism and am -8.50 in both eyes for lenses (more for glasses). I haven't tried toric lenses to be fair, not sure why really just went with what was cheapest, and I manage fine with the £13 a month ones. .

[Letthemtalk]

Yes they are toric Korms

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

I did get mine from Asda for a long time, with yearly checkups at Doolond and Aitchison (now Boots). It wasn't all that muc cheaper to be honest as D&A sent out a bottle of cleaner every month with theirs and it included all the checkups. Main reason i changed was that the monthely parcel didn't fit through the letter box and it was a pain having to go and pick them up all the time. Easier to buy a year's worth at Asda online and buy the solution in Boots as and when needed. However ordering was a rigmarole as Asda had to verify my prescription every year with D&A and I had to phone up D&A to give permission for that to happen.

I changed optician last year and also changed prescription, so I had several months of monitoring with the new lenses. I'm sticking with this optician's scheme, I get 3 months worth at a time and just pick them up from the shop when I'm in town.

[MrsVamos]

PS Lenses sent quarterly to home address.

[MrsVamos]

Same as JamJimJam.

£22 a month for x30 pairs daily disposables.

Free eye tests and glasses.

[Letthemtalk]

Sorry, for £28 a month.

[Letthemtalk]

Asda have daily torics for

[honeybeeridiculous]

Should have gone to specsavers!
I pay £13 a month for monthlies which includes cleaning solution, eye tests, contact lens check and a free pair of glasses every 2 years.

I believe the dailies are around £22

[MikeLitoris]

Hmm. I'll definitely be asking again. The last time they wrote my prescription for me they made it impossible to read. I'm due back again next week so will ask again.

[Fairylea]

I get monthly ones from specsavers for £13 a month. The main perk is that you get free glasses too - I have a very high prescription so still have to pay for the lenses to be thinned (£60-90 depending on the frame I choose) but it saves me a fortune.

[SoftKittyWarmKitty]

Mike my lenses are both Toric for astigmatism and it's Specsavers that do my test and hand me my prescription. I then go online and buy Focus Toric Dailies. I think you need to approach them again, as Toric dailies clearly are possible!

[kitcat83]

I wear dailies from vision express they are also toric lenses. I pay. £45 per quarter don't know if this is good or not?

[MikeLitoris]

I wear toric lenses for Astigmatism and specsavers told me dailies aren't possible. I have looked at some online places but I always get confused.

Specsavers is £15 a month for monthlies.

[SoftKittyWarmKitty]

My last lot I ordered from Asda online and I've also used Get Lenses online in the past - I tend to go on MSE, look at their comparison and go with the cheapest. I go to Specsavers for eye tests and contact lens checks and they're absolutely fine with handing out prescriptions so you can get them elsewhere.

I've just logged into Asda opticians and a 12 month supply of my lenses would cost £336 - that's for Toric daily disposables so yours might be even cheaper. Asda also offer free aftercare if you take your receipt and prescription to an Asda optician. At £43 per month you are being seriously ripped off - that's £516 per year .