Buying contact lenses
Author
Discussion

Mr Gear

Original Poster:

9,416 posts

219 months

Wednesday 5th October 2011
quotequote all
Why can I order contact lenses online or over the phone in about 30 seconds and without any hassle, yet going into a shop, you get all sorts of crap like:

"I'm not allowed to sell them without seeing a prescription that is less than 12 months old"

...Which is clearly a lie, because I ended up ordering them over the phone from a UK-based company. Contact lenses are not controlled drugs, yet most opticians treat them as if they are.

fatpasty

1,561 posts

195 months

Wednesday 5th October 2011
quotequote all
there is a thread on this already. search for it and there is a handful of website in it.

fatpasty

1,561 posts

195 months

Mr Gear

Original Poster:

9,416 posts

219 months

Wednesday 5th October 2011
quotequote all

Mr Gear

Original Poster:

9,416 posts

219 months

Wednesday 5th October 2011
quotequote all
...although that doesn't really answer my question.

DKL

4,958 posts

251 months

Wednesday 5th October 2011
quotequote all
Because those are the legal rules to the supply of contact lenses in the UK.
You need a valid prescription to buy them.
Sadly the GOC are not able/capable (which is a whole other discussion) of enforcing it hence the availability on the net.
To be fair almost all these websites are based abroad hence getting around any UK law.

All the practices you have spoken to are correct, prescription drugs they may not be but their ability to do harm when used and fitted incorrectly is immense.

Simpo Two

92,653 posts

294 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
I think I used www.lensway.co.uk last time. You need to know your prescription (obviously) but they don't ask to see it.

Mr Gear

Original Poster:

9,416 posts

219 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
DKL said:
Because those are the legal rules to the supply of contact lenses in the UK.
You need a valid prescription to buy them.
Sadly the GOC are not able/capable (which is a whole other discussion) of enforcing it hence the availability on the net.
To be fair almost all these websites are based abroad hence getting around any UK law.

All the practices you have spoken to are correct, prescription drugs they may not be but their ability to do harm when used and fitted incorrectly is immense.
As I said before, I bought these from a UK optician.

http://www.contactlensesexpress.co.uk/Contactus.ph...

Next day delivery, no hassle, no prescription, and good price too. confused


DKL

4,958 posts

251 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
Then they are breaking UK supply law and should be prosecuted.

Mr Gear

Original Poster:

9,416 posts

219 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
DKL said:
Then they are breaking UK supply law and should be prosecuted.
They might be breaking the law, but I for one am glad of it.

I am going abroad at the weekend, and without this service I would be going away blind.