Following some simple precautions when buying lenses can help to make sure that you don’t put the health and comfort of your eyes at risk.

If you want to wear contact lenses to correct your eyesight, you must start by consulting an eye care practitioner for a fitting. Only registered optometrists, dispensing opticians with a specialist qualification (contact lens opticians) and medical practitioners can fit contact lenses. Fitting includes discussing your visual and lifestyle requirements, an eye examination to make sure your eyes are healthy and find out if you’re suitable, and measurements of your eyes to ensure the best lens type, fit and vision, before trying lenses. Once you have worn the lenses, you should have the health of your eyes checked again. You will also need to learn how to handle and care for your lenses. Your practitioner will advise you when you should wear the lenses and how often you should replace them.

An in-date specification is required for all contact lenses that are designed to correct your eyesight (‘powered’ contact lenses). The supplier must either have the original specification before supplying lenses or must verify the specification with the practitioner who fitted your lenses. It is in your best interest for checkups to be at least every 12 months or more often if necessary. Contact lenses can be sold online, as long as suppliers comply with regulations which ensure that professionals are involved in selling lenses, and lenses are supplied to an in-date specification. To protect you from eye health problems, it is important for you to have a fitting and proper advice from an eye care practitioner, wherever you buy your lenses. You should also make sure that your supplier checks your specification.

Contact lenses must be supplied within the law and proper safeguards must be in place to protect the health and comfort of your eyes. The importance of regular contact lens check-ups cannot be overemphasised. The British Contact Lens Association’s position is that contact lens wearers should not change their prescribed lens type, wearing schedule, replacement frequency, solutions or care procedures without the recommendation of their eye care practitioner.