Prescription Lenses

Browse prescription lenses on Lenstore.co.uk.

Contact lenses are referred to as prescription lenses. Sometimes eyeglass lenses also fall under the category of prescription lenses, since they are most commonly worn by people who have been given a prescription for eyeglasses.

Prescription lenses are worn to correct vision of people suffering from poor vision due to conditions such as near- or farsightedness, astigmatism, or presbyopia. Toric, bifocal and spherical contact lenses are all prescription lenses and should not be worn unless prescribed by an optician.

When you visit your optician for a check-up, they might suggest that you start wearing prescription lenses, in which case you can either buy your contact lenses straight from your optician or from any other contact lens supplier. It is your optician’s obligation to always give you a copy of your prescription at the end of your check-up, as your prescription lenses may be cheaper somewhere else and it would be a threat to your health if you went to order contact lenses without double checking the details on your prescription. Some contact lens wearers have experienced that their optician is reluctant to cooperate on this point, but by quoting the Opticians Act you should be able to get your prescription and go ahead and buy prescription lenses from wherever you like. Your contact lens prescription legally belongs to you, and it should not be charged for on top of the standard check-up fee.

Beware that a prescription for eyeglasses can sometimes look similar to one for prescription lenses. The former will have details of the sphere, cylinder and axis of the lens, while you will also need to know the base curve and diameter for prescription lenses, as well as their brand name, material and water content.

Some suppliers have been known to sell so called non-prescription lenses, disregarding UK law and risking the health of their customers. Contact lenses are medical devices and entirely safe to use when prescribed by an eye care professional, but there is a reason that a prescription is required. Even coloured contact lenses are regarded as prescription lenses, in that they should be trialled and fitted especially for you whether or not you need vision correction. The reason for this is that not only powers and base curves need looking at, but the material of certain prescription lenses can be more or less suitable for your eye.

The most well-known manufacturers of prescription lenses are Acuvue (Johnson & Johnson), Ciba Vision, CooperVision, and Bausch & Lomb, but there are many other manufacturers out there. Your optician will tell you what brand prescription lenses are most suitable for you, and you should stick to their recommendation regardless of how cheap some other lenses may seem in comparison. Chances are the cheap brands you find elsewhere will not suit your eye, and you could end up paying a much higher price than what you envisaged if something goes wrong. It is likely that your prescription lenses can be found relatively cheaply online; just look out for the brand as specified on your prescription and you should be in safe hands.

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