Changing contact lenses at specsavers

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Hi all,

I'm a customer of specsavers but never buy my lenses there, always buy online. I get my yearly lens check up at specsavers just so I know if there has been any change in my prescription.
I now want to change the brand of lenses I use (focus dailies) as I find they are slightly irritating to my eye when left in for longer than a few hours and I want to see if there are others out there that would be more comfortable.

Does anyone know if I can get specsavers to give me a free sample of a few different brands or do I have to pay to try out new kinds?

thanks.
 
Surely you should make an appointment with an optician to get the cause of the discomfort checked out? (I, like you, am a 'customer' of Specsavers, but buy my lenses elsewhere for much less).

I would imagine that if they are going to recommend new lenses, they will give you a free trial first (they did the same for me a few years ago).
 
Specsavers (and the other 'chain' opticians) are the McDonalds of their industry - Do you really want those guys messing round with your sight?
 
I agree with Rainyday- far better to go to an independant optician even if it costs a little extra. My optician is brilliant, I have utter faith in him, my whole family goes to him and I 'll bring my kids to him too. Each check-up is completely thorough, he runs a top class practice, and will post contacts or glasses to me whenever I want if I cant get to him quickly. He offers every kind of frame, from the basic to the sublime, and has a really good eye for what suits your face shape. And frankly I really dont care if he costs more than specsavers or the like, although I cant whether he is, cause I've never been tempted to check the prices. His name is Pat O'Donoghue and he's based in Killarney. Top class.
 
Unregistered, can't really answer your question but I also got the focus dailies. I wear glasses most of the week but then at the weekend will wear the dailies and I also find I have to take them out after about six hours. They become really dry, even though when I was tested for them, they said my 'tears' were fine.

My sister uses the monthly ones and says they are much better than daily. I would also like to try these out on a trial basis but haven't looked into it yet.
 
My optician recently changed my brand of contact lenses from 1-day acuvue because she said they're the same as others only more expensive.

She's completely wrong! I've been using the cheaper ones for a couple of months now and I hate them. They could be focus dailies but I'm not sure because I threw out the boxes and the lenses don't have any identifying marks.

They make my eyes so dry that it can be difficult to take out the lenses. I still have a couple of pairs of acuvue left so I use them if I know I'll need the lenses in for more than about 4 hours. I'm going back to the optician at the weekend and getting her to order in acuvue for me.
 
thanks for all the comments, I will go for check up with specsavers and see if they can recommend lenses that are less likely to cause problems. It looks like the focus dailies are cheaper for a reason - ie they are not as user friendly as some of the other brands.
Thanks.
 
Interesting. I have the exact same problem with my focus dailies. Slightly off topic, has anyone heard anything about new lenses on the market that you can supposedly leave in (sleep in) for days at a time (6 days I believe). It was mentioned to me recently by a friend but he is not in the industry.
Thanks
cas
 

yeah, i did a trial of those (Night and Day i think they are called) - they're a lot thiner than the usual lenses and they are made of silicone (i think) so they're breathable. You just put them in and leave them for about 6 days, and then take them out for a day; i think each pair of lenses last about a month. It's as close to getting your normal sight back as you can get.They're more expensive than the normal ones. I ended up going back to my normal lenses because i suffer from dry eyes and i was finding the Night and Day uncomfortable, but i do know someone who's v.happy with them.
 
'new lenses'

Don't think those lenses are very new, though- my optician gave me a ( free) trial of them over two years ago. I couldnt take to them at all though. Maybe theres an even newer version?
 
I have 'extended wear' monthly lenses. You can leave them in night and day for 30 days. I have had them for over 3 years, and have never had any problems with them. They cost around €85 for 3 months supply with getlenses.com, but I am considering ordering them of a UK site for less next time round.
 
Is there a more expensive version of the focus dailies cos I don't mind paying a bit more if they don't keep drying out.
 
I keep hearing that acuvue daily disposables are the best disposables around -does anyone on these boards use them and have you had any problems with dry eyes with them?

thanks.
 
Like I said earlier I'm going back to 1 day acuvue as soon as possible. I could wear them from 6 in the morning before work til about 3 the next morning after a night out with not a hint of dryness in my eyes. The lenses I have now are practically stuck to my eyes after a couple of hours and then my eyes are sore for a while after taking them out.

I don't mind paying the extra, they're well worth it.
 
RainyDay said:
Specsavers (and the other 'chain' opticians) are the McDonalds of their industry - Do you really want those guys messing round with your sight?
Click to expand...


On what basis are you suggesting that they're less qualified to examine your eyes than some other guy who happens to charge more?

Are you, or do you have any connection with anyone, involved in the industry.
 
Unregistered said:
On what basis are you suggesting that they're less qualified to examine your eyes than some other guy who happens to charge more?
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I'm sure Specsavers and the other chains employ qualified opticians. However, when it comes to my eyes (and any other parts of my body), I want a bit more than the minimum qualifications. I want a named professional with a great reputation. I want to know that the professional I saw on my last visit will be the same professional I see on my next visit. And your assumption that the other guys charge more is not correct.
Unregistered said:
Are you, or do you have any connection with anyone, involved in the industry.
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I consider my own optician to be a good friend, though I haven't seen or spoken to her for over a year now. That's my only connection with the industry. I do hold a modest shareholding in one of the lens manufacturers mentioned on this thread, but their contact lens business is just one small part of their overall business.
 
RainyDay said:
Specsavers (and the other 'chain' opticians) are the McDonalds of their industry - Do you really want those guys messing round with your sight?
Click to expand...

Assuming that this comparison is meant disparagingly - and there seems no other way to take it given the "messing around" comment - then, unless it can be backed up with specific, independent and objective evidence that Specsavers in some way offer an inferior service to customers than other opticians then this slur should be withdrawn.

For what it's worth, I have attended Specsavers as well as numerous other opticians over the years and I have no complaints about the service offered by Specsavers. In fact, they seemed to provide a much more thorough examination and better value on spectacle frames and lenses (I haven't worn contact lenses in years now) than many smaller practices that I've attended.
 
It's my opinion, based on my experience. It is just as valid as your opinion, and any other posters opinion. It is glaringly obvious that they are a chain operation, not an individual practice.

I could ask that your statement that "I have no complaints about the service offered by Specsavers. In fact, they seemed to provide a much more thorough examination and better value on spectacle frames and lenses (I haven't worn contact lenses in years now)" which I assume is meant supportively be backed up by 'specific, independent and objective evidence' to show that Specsavers are as good as other opticians, but I don't work that way.
 
RainyDay said:
It's my opinion, based on my experience. It is just as valid as your opinion, and any other posters opinion. It is glaringly obvious that they are a chain operation, not an individual practice.
Click to expand...

It was not clearly stated as an opinion or as based on personal experience. It was phrased like you knew of something specific that supported the assertion that they were the "McDonald's of their industry" (something that many people might read as pejorative) and that they are "messing with [peoples'] eyes". The latter comment constitutesa blatant slur and should not stand without supporting evidence. Even if you had prefixed your comments with "in my opinion" or "in my experience" or whatever they would still be outrageous in the absence of supporting proof. A reasonable interpretation of your comments is that you are insinuating that Specsavers are in some way dodgy. This is outrageous and unacceptable (in my opinion).


I think that it is pretty clear that this was stated as an individual opinion based on personal experience.
 
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