UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hello Everyone,

I suffer from KC particularly in the right eye and have experienced a bit of a nightmare in terms of RGP contact lens availablility.

So I go to a London hospital (not Moorfields) and all the tests are done, I then proceed (as instructed) to a local opticians (run by the hospital eye doctor) further tests are done and RGP lens are ordered. I hear nothing and this goes on for a year in which I'm told "the contact lens machine is broken and theres nothing that can be done" .... I'm also told that the RGP lens cost the taxpayer £750 a pair!

Eventually after a year one pair of lens arrived and usually last a year or two, (the longest I have worn the same RGP lens daily is two years and eight months). There has always been the period between ordering and receiving replacement lenses in which I've been I'm contact lens-less for periods of up to a year.

I changed opticians and was issued with two pairs of RGP lenses (one pair as a backup) one lens lasted a long time I have just lost the 'backup' lens unfortunately, what I'd like to ask the group, if I may, is advice on the procedure for ordering say five pairs of RGPs Online, The lenses average about £20 each ..........

What are the pitfalls?
How do you choose the correct lens?
Are opticians generally willing to supply an accurate prescription?
Is there a decent book available explaining the methods of diagnosis and RGP fitting?

I look forward to your replies, Many Thanks for reading ....

Ben
London NW5

Hello again,

I contacted the opticians today who say that they will provide a prescription for online ordering, as long as the service can provide the same lenses ....

Ben

I never paid more than £40 for a contact lens (price suppoted by the NHS).

I know that some lenses (eg Sclerals) are more expensive than others, and I really cannot believe that a pair of RGP's cost as much as you have been told.

For my part, I think I'd try to avoid ordering lenses on line; much of the fit is a matter of judgement, skill and experience.

Andrew

Thanks Andrew,

Good advice, though I was under the impresssion from the website that prescription of already fitted lenses could be sent to them for replacement lenses. I'm down to my last pear at the moment and losing a lens or both without a replacement would be terrible - to have to wait for them to manufacture more, hopefully one could send them a prescription for them to supply the exact specification lenses as backups.

Left eye: Persecon
Right Eye: Boston Rose IC

Best Regards,

Ben

Hi Ben

In theory, you can get a replacement lens online from a prescription provided by your optician. Opticians are required by law to give you your prescription if you want it.

There is not much problem with buying disposable soft lenses online, as they are mass produced and what you get online is essentially the same as what you would get from an opticians. These firms are supposed to check you have a valid opticians prescription.

With individually manufactured soft and RGP's though, you are entering a minefield really. If the lenses are not made correctly, then you would have a hard job proving this to an online firm as they have no professional to examine your eyes. If you went back to your opticians, then they would probably charge you for checking them out as the lenses were not purchased from them. Part of the higher expense of contact lenses bought from an optician's is professional time and responsibility. An online business has no professional overheads or indeed practice overheads.

My concern here is that if the RGP lenses do not fit correctly, they have the potential to do damage to your eyes so if you do go ahead with this, I would make sure they (and your eyes) are checked out by your optician. One other thing, keratoconic RGP lenses are usually "specials" and the online businesses may not be able to supply them, or if they do, they may well not be as cheap as quoted for "standard" lenses.