bird opticians
Contact Lenses
Explore our contact lenses collection and find a variety of comfortable, high-quality lenses designed to suit your vision needs. Discover detailed information on lens types, materials, and wearing options, helping you choose the perfect lenses for clear, healthy, and effortless vision every day.
Many people are choosing contact lenses for vision correction, as they offer several advantages over spectacles. Lesley, our contact lens specialist, is available every Wednesday and selected Fridays and Saturdays.
- Contact lenses offer a natural all-round vision.
- They are simple and convenient to use and expand lifestyle choices
- Have many advantages for sport and leisure activities
- Can be worn every day, part-time or just for going out and special occasions. Vision with contact lenses can be as good as with spectacles
- Contact lenses can correct almost all eyesight conditions and are suitable for people of all ages
- The latest contact lenses and solutions provide excellent comfort and eye health
Different Contact Lenses Covered
Multifocal Contact Lenses
Just like varifocal lenses but in contacts. Please see the following picture for reference.
Myopia Control Contact Lenses
We use Natural Vue & Misight contact lenses to try to help slow the progression of Myopia in children up to the age. For more information visit: www.misight.com
Choose Whichever Suits You
Pay As You Go
Buy your lenses as and when needed (no contract) and receive 10% off your spectacles or;
Monthly Standing Order
Sign up to our monthly standing order scheme and all your contact lens care appointments are FREE and you receive 20% off your spectacles. Lenses are ordered automatically, with no need for you to phone us.
Monthly
Wear the same lens each day for up to 1 month. Once open the shelf life is 30 days and not 30 “wears”. Solutions and a lens case are needed.
Daily
Wear once and discard. More flexible, no maintenance, suited to occasional sport/occasion wear and good for people with allergies, irritated by solutions.
All Day & Night
You can sleep in them. Good for new parents or people who work long hours.
Toric
Daily or monthly lens for astigmatism (an unequal curvature on the surface of the eye that results in blurred vision.)
Recycle Your Contact Lenses & Glasses
we are part of the recycle packaging scheme & we also recycle old spectacles.
Frequently Asked Questions About Contact Lenses
What should I do if I drop a lens?
Dropping a lens is a common occurrence and it isn’t the end of the world. You can rinse the contact lens thoroughly with saline solution to remove any dirt it may have picked up and reinsert it. However if any irritation occurs you should remove and dispose of the lens.
Should I wear my contact lenses if my eyes are sore?
Contact lenses can cause irritation or exacerbate existing irritation so it’s best to leave them out until the irritation has passed. If the irritation returns when you begin to wear your lenses again you should leave them out until you can make an appointment with your optician to determine the cause. If you’re at all worried about irritation caused by your contact lenses feel free to contact us.
Can I reuse my daily lenses?
In short no. Daily lenses are specifically designed to be used only once. Reusing them seriously increases the risk of infection, irritation and dryness. Your contact lenses are made of plastic but they actually have pores in them to allow air through to your eye, if you reuse your contact lenses for longer than advised then the surface begins to break down and they can trap dirt and debris next to your eye, increasing your risk of infection.
What happens if I lose a lens?
For monthly lens wearers losing a contact lens can be a worry as it means the loss of a whole month of contact lens wear. If you wear monthly lenses with us and you lose one we will replace it for you, however we can only replace one lens per year per customer.
Can my contact lens get behind my eye?
It’s not an uncommon worry but it’s totally unfounded. There is a continuous layer of tissue that goes from your upper lid over your eye and down on to your lower lid called the conjunctiva which means it’s impossible for anything to actually get stuck behind your lid, including your contact lens.
Can I sleep in my contact lenses?
Unless you are wearing contact lenses specifically designed to be slept in then no you shouldn’t be sleeping in your lenses. When you’re wearing contact lenses they restrict the amount of oxygen getting to the cornea and with your eyes closed this supply is further constricted. Too little oxygen getting to the cornea can be dangerous and result in swelling, blurred vision and in the longer term, damage to the cornea. If you have accidentally slept in your lenses, drip some saline solution in to the eyes to moisten the lenses and then remove. They should not be reinserted that day. If you have fallen asleep in your lenses and are concerned about the effects, please feel free to contact us.
What do I do if my contact lens rips?
If you are a regular contact lens wearer chances are that at some point you will rip a lens. However you should never put a ripped lens back in to your eye, the jagged edges of the lens could cause damage to the sensitive cornea. If you wear lenses with us and have ripped one we will replace it for you but please note we can only replace one lens per year per customer.
Can I swim in my contact lenses?
Contact lenses aren’t safe for swimming. In fact the best practise is even to remove them before showering. The reason for this is that water is filled with millions of different types of bacteria, some of which can be harmful. When you are showering or swimming without contact lenses this isn’t usually a problem but if you do so with contact lenses water will inevitably come in to contact with your lenses. The lenses can then act as a barrier and hold the bacteria against your eyes for long periods of time. This can lead to inflammation and even ulceration. Prescription goggles are a safe alternative and are available in store. If you have been swimming in your contacts and are worried about the effects please feel free to contact us
How much do contact lenses cost?
Cost depends entirely on the type of lens that you’re fitted with. Daily lenses for everyday wear generally are more expensive than monthly lenses although if you are just an occasional lens wearer they can work out cheaper as fewer pairs are required. Our prices for monthly lenses start from £13 per month and daily lenses from £35 for thirty pairs.
What age should I stop wearing contact lenses?
There’s no age at which you should stop wearing contact lenses, we have patients in lenses that are 80+! As long as you are dexterous enough to keep putting the lenses in and taking them out again then there’s no reason you can’t wear contact lenses.
How old do I have to be to wear contact lenses?
There’s no minimum age for contact lens wear. As long as under 16’s are accompanied by an adult and the contact lens wearer can adhere to the hygiene and handling routines that go along with contact lens wear then we will happily fit them with lenses.
Can I have contact lenses if I wear varifocals?
There are a number of contact lens options if you’re a varifocal wearer ranging from multi-focal contact lenses which are designed to function like varifocal glasses or a combination of lenses and glasses to give you the full range of vision. To find what option is best for you please book an appointment.
Can I wear contact lenses if I wear glasses for reading?
Of course! As we enter our forties many of us find ourselves struggling to reader smaller print as presbyopia sets in, however luckily there are a range of options available to help combat this. If you would like a break from your reading glasses then you could consider contact lens options from multifocals to mono vision to help combat the effects of presbyopia. Feel free to contact us or to book an appointment to discuss your options with our specialist.
Can I still wear contact lenses with dry eye?
Previously you may have been told by your optometrist that because of your dry eyes you are an unsuitable candidate for contact lenses however this might not still be the case. New technologies have been developed by lens manufacturers specifically to enable wear for patients with dry eyes and with these now available contact lens wear could be within your reach. Book an appointment for an assessment by our contact lens specialist.
Can Children Wear Contact Lenses?
In short- yes! Contact lenses are suitable for any child able to put them in and take them out on their own. In fact children as so used to picking up news skills they often learn the hygiene routines faster than adults. We have children as young as six coming to us for their contact lenses! However contact lens fitting is a private service and so isn’t covered under the NHS.
Overdue An Appointment?
Whether you need a regular eye check-up, new glasses or your frame could do with a repair, we would love to see you.