Just in case you didn’t know, Inland Revenue is targetting ‘Low Value Consignment Relief’ in an attempt to claw back approx £130million a year that they say they are losing by this VAT rule. This means that, from 1st April 2012, customers will no longer be able to buy monthly contact lenses costing under £15 from retailers in the Channel Islands without incurring the 20% VAT surcharge. Needless to say the retailers and the buying public are not so pleased!
The allergy season may have hit you early this year giving you itchy, watery and irritated eyes long before you anticipated it. If you’re experiencing asthma, hay fever and eye allergies, check with your eye specialist for the best remedies for your particular symptoms. Even if you normally manage to wear you contact lenses successfully throughout the pollen season they may still feel ‘uncomfortable’. Allergens that are airborne can get onto your lenses or they can stimulate the excessive production of natural substances in your tears which can adhere to your lenses and cause discomfort or blurring of vision.
Ask your eye care specialist about eye drops to relieve your symptoms but take care as some drops can discolour or damage certain lenses so it makes sense to ask first.. Also of course, keep your contact lenses clean.
Another alternative is daily disposable lenses, which are thrown away nightly and because they are replaced daily, these types of lenses are less likely to develop a build up of deposits over time that might cause or heighten allergic discomfort.
We have had a large number of requests for a Facebook page, as yet we have not got around to publishing anything on it yet, but if you are enjoying the blogs, and by the large number of comments being left you are, then please visit us on http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/ContactLensesDirectUk
A permanent link will shortly appear on the front page of the website.
Thank you…….
One of the main symptoms of Visual Stress, Dyslexia etc., is the lack of contrast that commonly occurs when testing either children or adults. This seems to be a condition that is very prevalent and not easily recognisable unless you are aware of it. The child is often not even aware of the condition, even in extreme cases.
To describe this symptom better, it is rather like having the brightness turned on too high on your TV set, or perhaps you are at the beach and you write your name in wet sand: the individual characters stand out but when a wave washes over them, although the characters are still there, they become a lot harder to distinguish..
Thankfully through proper testing and colour selection, the correct colour once found has an extraordinary effect on the Visual Cortex and the naturally high contrast is turned off. This results in the page becoming much easier on the eye and refocusing on the words and not the background.
In the last 18 months we have witnessed the arrival of the Freeform Varifocal lens, a new concept in multifocal technology. Little is known about this lens and public awareness is sadly lacking about a technology that is revolutionising multifocal optics.
Unfortunately the age we live in is dominated by large corporations, with the market has being badly distorted by the arrival of marketing strategies such as ’2 for 1′ and ‘free varifocal lenses’ and many other marketing concepts to get us ‘in the door to spend our money’ resulting in the market being flooded with cheap, low quality products and also to fulfill these offers, many corporations have had to sign long contracts.
This results in hindering the arrival of new products and new technology, Freeform Varifocals being a prime example. The Freeform lens is a master of optics, allowing the wearer to seamlessly look at all distances, near or far, without any of the normal problems that traditional varifocals present. Visual areas for distance are unmatched, making peripheral loss minimal to such an extent to be almost nonexistent. Reading and intermediate zones are seamlessly adopted by the brain easily and efficiently, allowing for easy adaption and accommodation, to such a point that the brain treats the lens like a single vision lens.
The biggest advantage of using this lens is the technology used in preparing the intermediate and reading areas. Both areas, although being narrower in width, are woven so well into the lens that the brain finds it difficult to judge when you have wandered outside of these zones. This reflects in the reading and intermediate areas being much larger then they actually are. A masterful piece of design.
My advice to anyone contemplating varifocals or are looking to replace their existing lens, is quite simply buy Freeform……..
For anyone to be successful in their chosen sport they need to be able to see as clearly as possible. This is where contact lenses have such a beneficial effect. Every sport requires good peripheral vision, depth perception and eye to hand co-ordination and this is where good contact lenses, prescribed by an optometrist, come into their own.
With contact lenses the sportsman doesn’t have to worry about broken frames or lenses. They won’t fall off, steam up or slip down your nose! In fact contact lenses will improve your vision while in motion, also giving you better colour and contrast sensitivity. Goggles or sunglasses can be worn with them as well. Disposable contact lenses can be replaced daily, bi-weekly or monthly , are easier to maintain being free of the protein deposits which can cause eye irritation and are all round more comfortable.
Of course contact lenses should only be worn if they are prescribed for you by a qualified eye care specialist and it is recommended that your eyes are tested annually.
We are pleased to announce a reduction in the pricing for Cibavision All Day Comfort Contact Lenses.
The 90 day packs has been reduced from £75.00 to £65.00 for 3 months supply.
The 30 day packs have been reduced from £35.00 to £27.50 for 1 months supply.
Tailored solution packages have been added to the following contact lenses:
Proclear Multifocal Soft Contact Lenses
Although this item does not directly relate to contact lenses wearers, it is none the less worth a mention.
This rare type of eye cancer affects children under five but thankfully in the UK it is being caught and treated successfully in over 90% of cases. If there is a known family history of the disease then babies will be screened soon after birth in the UK, usually at the Royal London Hospital or The Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital. An average of 50 children develop the disease each year. If you are expecting a baby, and you had Retinoblastoma as a child, it is strongly recommended that you consult your GP.
There are two common signs to look out for with Retinoblastoma;
1) A squint, where the child’s eyes are looking in different directions.
2) The child’s pupil looks odd, where the pupil may reflect white; this might be noticed in a dark room, under artificial lighting or in a photograph where only one eye appears red from the flash.
The child may also say that they cannot see very well or a change in the colour of the affected iris might be noticeable, Of course, there may be another reason other than Retinoblastoma but a visit to your GP for a ‘red reflex assessment’ is advised.
For further advice/support contact the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT) website.
We are pleased to announce the latest addition to the Contact Lenses Direct UK website of the new Bausch & Lomb Purevision2 HD monthly contact lens.