SpecSavers Lenses

My Story

When I was younger, for many years, my older sister and mother both wore contact lenses and glasses. Luckily for me, when I was growing up my eyesight was close to perfect. I heard them say many times that they would be lost without their lenses but I never really understood quite what they meant. That was until I started University at 18. I started to struggle with distances and seeing things far away soon became a difficulty for me. I was away from home for the first time and so my mum made sure that I went for an eye test. I went to a local optician and after some tests he recommended that I tried some glasses. They certainly helped but they were not practical enough for me and my student lifestyle so I returned and asked to try some contact lenses. The optician recommended that I started wearing hard lenses and at the time I took his advice as I hoped it would be an easier option to fix my sight problems. The hard lenses were very uncomfortable and for a couple of months I struggled with them. They were hard to put in and take out and they made my eyes feel dry and sometimes they would steam up when I was out. I found them a nightmare and I soon started reaching for my glasses instead of my contacts. When I explained to my mum why I wasn’t wearing them she immediately booked me an appointment at SpecSavers and luckily I have never looked back.

Why SpecSavers?

My mum and sister had been visiting SpecSavers for a long time so when I went home from University it was the first place my mum took me. It was a completely different experience to the first opticians I had been to. The service was fantastic and I felt much more comfortable there. I had a thorough eye test and explained the difficulties I had had with hard lenses and they recommended that I tried soft lenses instead. The optician was very understanding and helpful. He spent time showing me how to insert the contacts correctly and how to carefully take them out. At first they were a little bit uncomfortable and I was scared of breaking them as they were so fragile but it was nothing compared to hard lenses. I took some complimentary lenses away with me to try for a few days and I loved them so I quickly made an appointment to return and put in an order. That was five years ago and to this day I still use SpecSavers lenses.

How much do they cost and are there any perks?

I pay £10 every month and I have a direct debit set up so the payment is simple and automatically taken care of. For that price I receive quite a substantial package. I wear monthly disposables so I get a delivery to my house every three months.

The delivery includes:

• 3 pairs of soft monthly wear contacts
• 3 bottles of multipurpose solution &
• 2 containers

Also included in the price is a free check-up every six months to ensure that the contact lenses are the correct strength etc. Also if any problems arise with the lenses then I am entitled to free consultations.

The only catch is that every year I have to pay to have a normal eye-sight check-up which costs about £14.50.

A great perk of this package is that if one of the contact lenses does accidentally rip, they will replace it for free! This has happened to me on a few occasions and they have had a replacement contact lens at my front door the next day.

Soft Lenses

I wear easy vision monthly disposable lenses. The description on the packet says that they are “tinted soft contact lenses in buffered silicone”. The lenses are incredibly effective and comfortable to wear. SpecSavers ensure that you have the right contact lenses for your eyes and if you feel that they are not as effective as what they could be then just give them a call and they will happily help you out. The lenses are quite fragile, I have had a few that have accidentally ripped but SpecSavers have replaced them for free.

The solution that comes with the lenses is multipurpose for cleaning, disinfecting and soaking all contact lenses. Its ingredients include Polyhexanide 0.0001% w/v. pH buffered with phosphate salts. I have never run out of solution before, usually I have some left over which I end up throwing away.

To put the lenses in…

• Put a small amount of solution onto your clean hands.
• Remove the lens from the container and place it lightly into the lotion (the right way up).
• Open your eye wide, place the lens onto the end of your finger and gently pop it into your eye.

To take the lenses out…

• First fill the container with fresh solution.
• Then gently ease each contact lens out of each eye by sliding it with a finger.
• Clean the lenses with a little bit of lotion.
• Finally place the lenses in the container and solution and leave overnight.

Some advantages…

• They are exceptionally effective and of a consistent high-quality.
• They are easy to use and comfortable to put in and take out.
• Excellent value for money.
• They protect the eyes and do not make them dry.
• SpecSavers are helpful and the deliveries make life a lot easier.

And disadvantages…

• You can only wear them for 12 hours at a time.
• It can be quite time consuming putting the lenses in, taking them out and cleaning them.
• They are quite fragile and sometimes can break.
• There are quite a few bottles and containers to transport when you go on holiday.

Are they helpful or a hindrance?

Definitely helpful, I would certainly be lost without them now. They provide me with really good vision and the lenses stay of a high-quality for the whole month. Some days it is a little bit time consuming to put them in, especially if I am in a rush but it is still worthwhile. They have made my life a lot more enjoyable and easier too!

Do I still wear glasses too?

Yes, at night sometimes I wear glasses and when I am having a lazy day. Wearing contact lenses for me now is just another thing that I do, like brushing my teeth or washing my hair. Now and again however I do like to give my eyes a rest for the day and just pop my glasses on.

What other options are there?

SpecSavers offer a wide range of contact lenses to suit everybody’s needs and wants. Including

daily lenses, two-weekly or monthly disposables; all day-all night lenses you can sleep in; varifocal monthly disposables; toric daily or monthly disposable lenses. SpecSavers has a contact lens for every occasion!

The overall SpecSavers experience.

SpecSavers: “The UK’s most trusted optician”.

I would definitely agree with the above statement found on the SpecSavers website. I do trust SpecSavers to offer me a reasonable price and to look after my eyes correctly. I have always felt that SpecSavers have the customers best interest at heart and until that changes I will definitely be sticking with them. The customer service I have received has always been fantastic and the speed at which they send out replacement lenses has always impressed me!

Would I recommend them?

Yes, certainly. I would recommend SpecSavers to anybody who already wears glasses or contact lenses or to anyone who needs an eye test and is thinking about where to go. They offer a friendly service which is all about you and they aim to provide you with the best eye care possible.

Check out their website for more information: http://www.specsavers.co.uk/contact-lens​es/

Thank you for reading : )