SpecSavers Lenses

This opinion isn’t directed solely at referees, but at all people who suffer from less than perfect eyesight, so please read on. :-P

If you’re reading this op with an interest in this product as a consumer, THEN I’D BETTER WRITE IN CAPS, EH?? Then again, under netiquette rules, writing in caps is considered fairly obnoxious behaviour so grab your magnifying glasses and I’ll get going…

First things first, don’t come at me with that laser!!! Stay away, I don’t care if the anecdotal evidence is that the majority of people are thrilled with laser eye surgery…nooooo!!! The mere thought of it is a killer to me, and the thought that it may go wrong, and then I lose what precious eyesight I do have left…sorry, I’m a gutless wonder.

So, I’ve decided instead to wear contacts. The “normal” monthly contact lenses, which I would have worn for a number of years, can be worn for around 12 hours per day max and then must be stored in fluid for a further 12 hours. However, in reality, I found after 10 hours my eyes used to become very dry. This made my eyes tired, and in turn made me feel tired as I was so wanting to simply close my eyes. Also, I found the contacts used to dry out particularly quickly over a work day as I spend 90% of my time in front of a computer monitor. As a result I used to wear my glasses in work, and kept the contacts for evenings and weekends.

This was not a very happy solution for me. I’m as vain as the next 23 year old and I didn’t like wearing my glasses so much. I was thrilled then to get a flyer in the post from Specsavers one day, filling me in on the new Easyvision range.

There are 3 types and I shall concentrate on the All Day-All Night lenses as those are the ones I have the firsthand experience of:

Easyvision All Day
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These are monthly disposable lenses which can be worn longer each day than other monthly disposable lenses – up to about 15 hours

Easyvision One Day
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These are daily disposable lenses for people who only wear contacts infrequently, and can also be worn longer in a day than other daily disposables

Easyvision All Day-All Night
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Aaaaahhhh…and now we come to the really beautiful part of the opinion. These are the type of lenses I decided on. These lenses, made from a high tech new material which lets in far more oxygen than the “normal” lenses, can be worn all day and all night for 30 days. Yes, you can sleep in these lenses and not wake up the next morning feeling like your retina is about to pop out!! The only time you are advised to take these lenses out is when you are having a shower or going for a swim. This is simply because there can be bacteria in water which, if it gets behind the lenses, can restrict the efficient intake of oxygen to the eye. Scary stuff.

When I decided I would try these I went to Specsavers for all the necessary eye-tests…your eyes must be really quite healthy for these so that you do not get reactions to wearing the contacts over such an extended period. I was then given a free months trial and asked to come back after 3 days, then another week, and then 2 weeks later when I was coming towards the end of the free trial. Each time I went back my eyes were thoroughly checked. This was all very reassuring. I only had to pay for the initial consultation - after that the check-ups were free. As I had done well on the free trial I went ahead and bought a 3 months supply. I was then asked to come back again a month later. No problems there and I’ve been asked to come back again in 2 months time. I’m very impressed with how careful Specsavers are being to check everything is going well.

So, how does it feel like to wear the same pair of lenses all day-all night for 30 days?? Hmmm…these contacts are just a little bit more uncomfortable than the “normal” lenses. I have a slight astigmatism in both eyes, so lenses were never 100% comfortable and these new ones are only about 85% comfortable. Even though they’re smaller they move around a lot more – according to Specsavers this is because they are designed to take in more oxygen, so fair enough. The first 2 or 3 nights sleeping with them were not at all easy. My brain was keeping me awake saying “Susan, wake up, you’re going to sleep with your lenses on”, and when I woke up a bit I’d realise I was meant to fall asleep with them in, so off I’d doze, and again my nervous brain would wake me up. However, from night 4 or so I’ve slept with no problems. It’s all a matter of acclimatising, it just takes a bit of time.

These contacts have really given me a whole new lease of life. They don’t dry out like my other lenses, and therefore my eyes rarely feel tired even though I wear them at the computer all day. Every fortnight or so I will take them out for a night, simply because psychologically I like to give my eyes a break from them and lounge around in my glasses.

To sum up – a very big thumbs up for these lenses – I would definitely recommend anyone out there who currently wears the “normal” monthly lenses to give the free trial a go.

The price? 25 pounds sterling per month. I know, it all adds up to a shocking amount over a number of years, but it’s worth paying for wusses like me with the laser-phobia!!