Contact Lenses

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I've always had daily disposable contact lenses from Spexsavers, but my last lot were so cheap and uncomfortable they have lasted years instead of months (been wearing my glasses a lot more).
Anyone recommend an optician chain (I'm in a large town - or I could get into London) that is good for contact lenses and carry a few different brands so they can suggest the best for you as an individual?

I got so pissed off with Specsavers, having used them for years, that I moved to vision express. I think they gave me three different types to try till I found the most comfortable. I think SS are great for specs, but was really disappointed with their contact lens support and have found vision express much more tuned in - which surprised me, given they are just another chain optician.

Thanks Ilove will give VE a try

If you are in North Essex/ South Suffolk there is a really good independant in Colchester. I have been wearing gas permeable for (ahem) 47 years, DH for 35 years and they have been really good with advice etc. DS had gas permeable for 10 years and they are good with him too

If you feel up to travelling into London, I can recommend an amazing independent optician just near Spitalfields called Eyediology. I've been using them for 4 years now and they are by far the best opticians I've ever had. I get daily disposable multifocal contacts from them, as well as varifocal glasses for occasional use. I also get all my sunglasses from them too. They're very stylish and have introduced me to styles/colours that I would never have considered on my own. Their equipment is top of the range and they're open on Sundays (!!) but not Saturdays. Over the years (almost 30 years of wearing contact lenses), I've tried various chains (including David Clulow etc) and a couple of independents but Eyediology are just the best by a long way. They really look after me, don't mind me asking lots of stupid questions and also remember my name when I randomly drop in.

John Lewis in Oxford . Absolutely brilliant.

I buy my lenses online from Vision Express (independent local chain to me did my tests) & have been very happy. I wear daily disposable lenses. I was very unhappy with Specsavers contact lens side - really contradictory advice & service was poor.

HundredMilesAnHour I'm intrigued as to how you find varifocal lenses - can I ask how much they roughly cost & whether you noticed any diffrences sightwise - I am at an age now where my eyes are starting to change & I think I will need these or a pair of glasses for reading. Thank you

Thanks hundred I'm actually in London this Sunday to go shopping for sunglasses so that's a top tip!

Hen I had no idea John Lewis did contacts/glasses....or are you not talking about the department store? I am going to Oxford soon, but a night out so don't think I'll be able to going contact shopping then won't be able to see straight!

Sounds like vision express are rated which is great cos there's bound to be one near me.

@BeaLola I've had no problems at all with varifocal lenses but I must admit that I tend to wear my contacts (rather than my glasses) most of the time as I do a lot of exercise so it's just easier. There are horror stories of people getting varifocal lenses that just didn't work for them but I think a lot of it is down to the optician and their skills/experience in measuring the sight line etc. My optician really took their time to make sure everything was perfect and that has really paid off. I can't remember the cost but I tend to buy very expensive frames (usually Lindberg or Mykita so coming in around £400+) and pay extra to get the lenses thinned so I'm not a good cost test really.

@trendingorange If you have time on Sun, you could pop in to Eyediology for a chat about contacts. They open at 11am but start getting busy from 12 noon onwards as Spitalfields market and Brick Lane etc gets busier and busier. You might not get much attention if it's afternoon as it will be bedlam by then. It's bedlam in that whole area (yes I am a slightly bitter local who wishes all the day trippers would go somewhere else at times). Or you can make an appt if you want to try some lenses out. Not sure they will have availability for this Sun though. The Sun optician is Ravi and he's absolutely lovely. I always book for him.