What is a contact lens prescription?

Contact lens prescriptions are usually valid for one year, unless otherwise stated by your practitioner. It is recommended that you have a contact lens examination at least once a year.A contact lens prescription will be given to you after you have been fitted for contact lenses by an optician. It will provide details of the lens parameters and the power you require.

What does my prescription mean?

The vision in your eyes may vary, so your left and right eye will be listed separately.There are a few different figures on your prescription – here’s a quick guide to understanding them.

• (BC) Base Curve – This is a measurement of the curvature of the contact lens. Always done in millimeters, this figure determines how well a contact lens will fit the eye.
• (DIA) Diameter – This is the width of a contact lens measured in millimeters.
• (CYL) Cylinder – This figure is only present on prescriptions for astigmatisms. It indicates the severity of the astigmatism, and will always be a minus (-) quality.
• (PWR/SPH) Power/Sphere – This figure indicates whether you are long or short sighted, and how weak your vision is. Long-sightedness is indicated by a plus (+) and short-sightedness by a minus (-). 

The higher the figure, the greater the need for visual correction.

• (AX) Axis – An axis indicates the direction of the curve needed to correct an astigmatism. It will be a number between 0-180.

• Understanding your prescription is very important if you are ordering from Lenssaver.co.uk – you will need it to order the correct contact lenses. Your prescription should be given to you on paper by your optician or optometrist after a contact lens fitting. If you are already using contact lenses with the correct prescription, you can also find it written on the side of your contact lens box.

I have a prescription for glasses (spectacles) – can I use this as my contact lens prescription?

We strongly recommend that you have your eyes checked at least once a year.If your vision is blurred or you are experiencing discomfort or pain, be sure to book an appointment with a practitioner as soon as possible.Do I have to purchase lenses from the optician where I had my eyes tested?No, it’s not necessary to purchase your contact lenses from the same optician. Once you have had your contact lens fitting and have been given your prescription it is entirely up to you where you buy your lenses from! And with the Lenssaver.co.uk price match guarantee; why would you choose to pay more? Do I have to send you my contact lens prescription? A contact lens of the wrong size might not worsen your eye-sight, but it can be very dangerous for the health of the eye.You might notice a slight improvement in your vision when wearing the wrong prescription, but your vision will not be clear. This will cause your eyes to strain, and you may experience discomfort and headaches.It is likely that if your contact lens is the wrong shape or size it will feel uncomfortable in the eye. The wrong contact lens may cause dryness, tearing, and even scratch the surface of your cornea, which can lead to serious problems and damage your vision.I have astigmatism. Can I still wear contact lenses?

• This also applies to customers re-ordering lenses. When purchasing from us you confirm that you have been prescribed the contact lenses you have ordered by a qualified practitioner. We do not accept responsibility if you order lenses that have not been prescribed for you. The same applies if the difference between the prescription and purchase date exceeds 12 months

• A valid prescription has been dispensed by a qualified optometrist or professional contact lens fitter and remains valid for twelve months. We reserve the right to verify the details of your prescription with your optician.

What is a valid prescription?

Alternatively, email us on info@lenssaver.co.uk and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
When in doubt, just call us. We have an in-house optician who can answer all your queries and guide you to place your order correctly. You can call us on 0808 123 3535, and we will be happy to help.

What if I have an unusual prescription?

Please consult your optician if you’re unsure of what type of contact lens you should wear.
Yes! In most cases, people with astigmatism can find contact lenses to fit their eye. Toric lenses are a contact lens specifically developed for astigmatism. They are available for daily, monthly and yearly use.We strongly recommend against wearing any variation on your prescribed contact lens.

How important is wearing the right size contact lens? If I have a base curve of 8.5 can I wear an 8.6?

No, we do not require you to send us your prescription. By clicking ‘accept’ in the terms and conditions you are confirming that your contact lens prescription complies with UK Guidelines and Regulations. We do however reserve the rights to verify the details you have entered before making a judgment on whether or not to supply.

How often should I get my eyes examined?

Unfortunately, no. Glasses and contact lenses require different prescriptions even though they measure the same features. This is because your glasses are not fitted directly to your eye.