CONTACT LENS checks - one yearly or every 6 months ?

[MaryAnnSingleton]

is it strictly necessary to have these every six months ?

I have mine every year (been wearing contact lenses for 17 years now).

Mine's every year too.

Boots make me have mine every six months, they won't give me my replacement lenses if I don't. I'm not that bothered though, had a very serious infection a few years ago which could have cost me my sight, so a little extra vigilence doesn't bother me.

I wear disposables, only a couple of times a week max, and I buy mine on the internet and never get them checked.

That's odd, HeadFairy, as I'm with Boots and they only insist on once a year for me (same thing - they won't give me my next lot of lenses until I've been for the check). I wear daily disposables, though, so perhaps that's why.

Bamboo - you really ought to get checked. The lenses I used to have weren't allowing enough oxygen through to my eye and could have caused damage if it hadn't been spotted. They changed my lenses and the new ones are much better but I wouldn't have known there was a problem if I hadn't been for a check.

Last time I went (almost 14 mths ago) optician was horrified as he hadn't seen me for 7 years.
He was also amazed that a) I could still see b) lenses were in good-ish condition c) prescription hadn't changed.
Not advocating this obviously, and I have promised to go again...soon...ish.
(mine are gas disp)

I've had hard gas permeable lenses since I was about 19 and look after them pretty well..it's just that I'm on a scheme with my opticians which covers six monthly checks (plus any inbetween emergencies,half price lenses and a sight test) Am going tis morning for lens check and will take advantage of half price new lenses but as it expires in December was thinking maybe I could not renew and skip the 6 monthly and just pay up each year for check up.

mine is yearly too with specsavers, i wear monthlys mostly but sometimes wear dailys and get them from the internet, but keep upto date with my checks at specsavers.
i didnt want to lose the aftercare package i get with them, so carry on getting my onthlys from them even thought they are cheaper on the net.

I go roughly yearly and I have very peculiar eyes.

I wear extended wear disposables mummydoit, but I take them out every night and clean them, I think perhaps I'm on a 6 monthly check because of my previous history of major infections. i've got quite a bit of corneal scarring and very dry eyes, all of which makes for a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.

DH's are every six months. It does sound as though it's your personal history that means they are being extra cautious in your case.