Contact Lenses

[DragonCatcher]

I am having problems trying to sort contact lenses. I had them years ago so I know I can wear them and they do work for me but annoyingly I don't have the details of them anymore and have no idea which branch of optician I got them with.

Recently I've attempted 3x contact lens trials with the same well known optician company but at a new branch and they just can't get it right. I keep telling them I can't see through them clearly!

If my glasses are -1.75 and -2.25 should my contact lenses really be -2.00 and -3.25?

Can anyone please advise if their contact lenses are much stronger than their glasses?

I don't know much about it but your contact lens prescription will be different to your glasses.

I think you probably need to have another eye test to get another prescription and make sure it's correct, especially if it's been a few years

Your contacts prescription may well be different to your glasses . Things like astigmatism also need to be factored in.

If you're not getting the help you need from the branch you're using, I'd recommend going to a local independent optician. I find you get much better service (and results) at an independent as they depend on reputation and repeat customers rather than being a 'big name brand' and coasting on that.

I wouldn’t mess with contact lenses without a new prescription. Your vision AND your eye shape change.

Contacts are weaker. Mine differ by about 0.5.

Have you actually had your vision checked recently? Contact lens wearers should also be getting a contact lens check, to check on your cornea.

Your contact lenses are different to glasses, you need them properly fitted.

If the well known company you’re using is Specsavers my advice would be go elsewhere. Was a customer for years but they’ve really gone downhill and I left after they just decided they couldn’t supply contact lenses for astigmatisms 🙄

My optician explained to me that it's because you don't wear the glasses lenses right on your eye as you do contact lenses, so the prescription has to adjust for that distance difference.

When did they start saying they couldnt supply contact lenses for astigmatisms? Did they give a reason?

Need to book my appointment in soon so just wondering whether to switch to a different opticians

I go to an independent optician - mainly because I have a complex prescription
My contact lenses are a lower diopter than my glasses, so for my weaker eye I have a -11.5 contact lens and a -13 lens in my glasses. I suspect the magnitude of the difference increases as your prescription increases.
I see different opticians (in the same practice), for my eye test and my contact lens fitting. I would find a different optician and get a contact lens fitting.

“Lower” = not as strong

Your contacts should be less than the glasses prescription, not stronger.

Because the lenses are very close to your eye astigmatism isn't usually a problem for contact lenses.

Wear your lenses for the next eye test and it will show how right or wrong they are.

What sort of lenses are you using? I use RGP and many opticians seem to be clueless about these.

Hare you sure that you haven’t got the prescriptions the wrong way round ?
Contact lens prescription should be smaller because the lense sits further back than glasses lense iyswim.

If my glasses are -1.75 and -2.25 should my contact lenses really be -2.00 and -3.25?

No, they shouldn't. Assuming of course that the glasses are current and correct.

That is only part of your prescription ..

You may or may not need a toric lens depending on the rest of your prescription .

Can I add that everyone should be getting regular tests even with perfect vision. The tests look at your eye health as well as vision.

@Precipice @gentlemum @PosingPosture20

My eyes were tested at the same opticians in May and we starting the contact lens stuff back then and it's taken all this time but they still can't get it correct.

@SonicTheHodgeheg I have the printed glasses prescription card and also the contact lenses they've given me and the contacts are stronger than my glasses prescription. When I mentioned this, they said they thought the contact lenses must have been a typo (as I had double vision looking through them) so they ordered a new set which is the current ones. I'm sure they've just done the same thing again 😡

@FrenchMustard yes it is Specsavers. Interesting to hear I'm not the only one! I have got astigmatism and when they gave me this trial pack (the third attempt) I told them I can't see properly. They said keep them and if still not right they can order me the toric ones for astigmatism. Not sure why it's taken 3 attempts before that was mentioned but my main concern was the prescription really can't be correct and they are telling me it is.

@azteccandle I think this is what I'll have to do as it's been since May and I'm no closer to getting it right with Specsavers. I only want them for the gym, not even for all day wear, but I would like to see clearly 😂

@DragonCatcher you need toric ones for astigmatism.
Even with the toric ones I needed a trial with a few different lens as I still couldn't see and felt like I constantly had to blink.

I ended up with precision 1 contact lenses, they are more expensive but as soon as I put them in I couldn't feel them and I could see!

Thanks. Yes I have astigmatism so my other measurements are cylinder -0.75 and axis 180 for both eyes.

I am feeling reassured that I'm not completely wrong and that Specsavers have made errors with my contact lens prescription.

Did you get these from a high street opticians or someone independent?

Contact lenses will never be as clear as glasses. An independent optician told me that. But you should be able to see.

Don't go to Specsavers, they are useless. Pay more money and go independent. Also I disagree with comment above, I see clearer out of contacts than glasses.

Contact lenses will never be as clear as glasses. An independent optician told me that. But you should be able to see

Total rubbish.

My prescription is -12 and I also have astigmatism. My vision in contact lenses is perfect. My vision in glasses is perfect IF they are on perfectly straight and pushed back. The slightest movement of the glasses off-centre, like if I lean on my hand, my vision is affected - very common with high prescriptions.

If your optician has told you contacts are 'never as clear as glasses' I'd be looking for a new optician tbh. Sounds like they're trying to explain away their own incompetence in fitting you with appropriate lenses.

@DragonCatcher they were from a small chain of opticians but when I've looked at specsavers they do them.
My Optician was trying to put me off trying these ones as they were expensive but I only wear them occasionally.
The other ones I wanted to rip my eye balls out, constantly blinked and had to put eye drops in!

@DragonCatcher lol don’t tell me…they are trying to make you use daily disposables?? They tried to force me onto those and I absolutely could not see a damn thing! It was the monthly toric lenses they claimed they couldn’t supply for me.

I went to vision express and their lenses are a lot more comfortable than the Specsavers ones ever were.

@YellowRollercoaster it was a number of years ago now. But my local branch was a total shit show to be honest and the contact lense issue was the final (big) one of many reasons I went elsewhere.