Contact lenses for small eyes?

[bobstersmum]

My opticians (specsavers) tell me I am not suitable for their free lens trial as my eyes are too small and as I'm unable to get them in myself before leaving the shop they won't give me them to take home. I am sure I could get them in at home in my own time. I am increasingly fed up of glasses they do nothing for me and I really want to feel better about myself!
Has anyone got any advice?

Hi, I started wearing contact lenses as a teenager and it took me a good 45 mins to get them in the first time at the opticians. If you look at optical masters.com they have some tips for putting in lenses when your eyes are small! Good luck

You can get soft lenses with a smaller diameter.
I’d find an optician who will let you try in the shop even if it takes a long time.

If you know your prescription, you could buy trial packs of various brands of disposable lenses on-line.

Go to an independent opticians. They're usually much more accommodating and helpful. Specsavers are franchises and have to follow a set of rules with no flexibility. Stopped using them years ago.

I went to a Boots Opticians franchise locally who were really helpful and I tried small contacts. I couldn’t get to grips with them but they spent a long time trying to help and trying various options.

My best tip for getting them in is to have the mirror positioned high so you have to look up to see in it. Then place the lens at the bottom of your eye so you aren't watching your finger coming at your eye.

Once it's in, close your eye to let it settle for a second then blink.

Agree with pp try a different optician - some independents are contact lens specialists. They will still be unlikely to let you take them home if you can't get them in and out by yourself, but should offer more practice sessions if you are struggling.

Gas permeable lenses are very small but your eyes might not be suitable for them. But it’s worth asking.

I was going to say gas permeable lenses too! Much smaller than soft and a gazillion times easier to get in and out.
They take much more getting used to....probably a week before it doesn’t feel like grit in your eye.
However they last years so you don’t need to be on monthly subscriptions, better for eye health and more environmentally friendly ( hate all the wasted packaging in soft lenses)

Chain opticians don’t Recommend them because they don’t make them money tying you in to a subscription.Also because they take more work and people aren’t prepared to do the week of irritation. But they are fab.
.

Thank you some really good advice here. They did suggest the gas permeable ones but then no one could price them up so I thought they must not be able to do them? When I was a lot younger I had some coloured fashion contact lenses and I managed to get those in a couple of times so I know its possible. I think I will definitely try an independent optician, I am due eye test soon.

DH, DS and I all wear lenses and have always used an independent with a contact lenses specialist- one lectured in CL practice for a while, so very expert.
DH , like me, wears gas permeable but he has tried to use soft disposibles and really could not get on with them- he found them difficult to apply because of their size and floppiness.
So find an expert and look at the gas permeable option. I have worn them (and old style hard lenses) for 45 years and have had two eye infections in that time - and one of them I got from a DC.

They are quite widely available and I paid £100 last time.