Call Now 0151 355 1077
68 Whitby Rd, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0AA
Feel Free With Contact Lenses
At Orrell Opticians, we have access to the latest high tech lenses, from all suppliers, so there's sure to be a lens to suit the majority of eyes – even if you have been previously told that you are unsuitable for contact lenses.
We have decades of experience helping many types of patients find lasting benefits with contact lenses.
We will be there to guide you every step of the way.
Scroll to learn more
Why should I try contact lenses?
Glasses are great but ...
They aren’t very compatible with masks or face coverings
If it rains, your vision can be affected
Peripheral vision can be restricted
They aren’t always the best option for hobbies & activities!
The benefits of contact lenses include ...
-
Contact lenses move with your eye, therefore allowing a natural field of vision
-
There are no frames to obstruct your vision and reduce visual distortions
-
Unlike glasses, they do not fog up or get splattered by mud or rain
-
Contact lenses are excellent for sports and other physical activities
-
Many people feel they look better in contact lenses
-
Compared to eyeglasses, they may offer better, more natural sight
You can forget about age being a barrier too, we have children from 7 years old wearing contact lenses! At the other end of the age spectrum, our oldest patient is well into her 80's!
Contact Lens Assessments
-
You will need to have had an eye test less than two years ago, so we know your best possible vision, and the health of your eyes. This can be done at Orrell Opticians, or elsewhere at another opticians (if elsewhere, please bring your prescription with you to the assessment).
-
Our contact lens assessment will involve assessing your lifestyle requirements, taking additional measurements from your eyes, assessing the front of your eye in extra detail (e.g. dry eye testing) and then trialling the most appropriate lenses in your eyes.
-
Please allow about 60 minutes for your assessment. If you need an eye test at the same time, we can do these back to back. In that case allow 90 minutes for both appointments.
-
You will learn how to insert and remove your lenses, plus how to care for them.
-
You’ll usually walk away with lenses to wear at home / work / school.
-
We aim to have our follow up appointments within two weeks of the trial to review how you are getting on with the lenses, and to complete the fitting.
Finding the right Contact Lenses for you:
Do you have...
A need to wear contact lenses infrequently e.g. for exercising or socialising?
Then soft daily lenses will likely be best.
A need to wear contact lenses most of the time?
We need to consider high oxygen transmitting lenses to prevent damage.
Two prescriptions, i.e. one for distance and one for near?
A multifocal lens will be the answer to your prayers.
Astigmatism?
We have a toric lens for that.
Dry eyes?
We have high water content lenses and new generation wetting drops to maximise your comfort.
Or have you been told that your eyes aren't suitable for contact lenses!?
Oh, we love a challenge! We’ve lost count of how many times we have heard this and we find a contact lens that works 😃
These are scenarios that we see every day, and thankfully, we are able to fit the vast majority of these patients successfully.
Modern lenses are now suitable for many more patients than has previously been possible.
-
Is this Dyslexia?No. Dyslexia is a learning difficulty which causes the person with the condition to have problems with reading, writing, spelling as well as other things. People with dyslexia often suffer from visual stress and will benefit from overlays or tinted lenses. However, people can have visual stress but not be dyslexic. While we can diagnose and treat visual stress, we cannot diagnose dyslexia. This is carried out by an Educational Psychologist. As a first step, contact a patient’s teacher to see what interventions have been made already.
-
How can we reduce the symptoms?The reduction of Visual Stress occurs only when the colour of overlay / lens is selected to suit the individual. The ideal selection of lenses is best achieved with the aid of the Intuitive Colorimeter, an assessment that determines the precise tint to help alleviate Visual Stress. Coloured overlays are widely used by teachers in schools throughout the UK. If an overlay proves useful it is highly likely that precision tinted lenses (in glasses) will also be beneficial. The glasses are then used for writing as well as reading. A full eye examination is necessary before a colorimetry assessment. Our in house Dispensing Optician Jess Portsmouth has taken additional training to specialise in colorimetry. Precision tinted lenses frequently result in reading that is more fluent and comfortable, and some lens wearers enjoy significant improvement in both reading rate and accuracy. The degree of improvement differs; some individuals experience improvements in reading age of between one and two years within a few weeks of wearing the lenses. In others, the lenses may offer greater comfort when reading, but the reading improvement may be less dramatic because of other reading difficulties.
-
How do I book an appointment?Give us a call to: Book in for a routine sight test if you haven’t had one for more than 1 year. You may be entitled to an NHS eye examination. If you are not eligible, then our standard eye examination fee is £30.00. Book in for a separate appointment immediately after the eye examination, (i.e. the same day), with our Visual Stress Expert, Jess Portsmouth.
-
What happens at the Visual Stress Consultation?Jess will; 1. Check reading speeds with and without overlays - if reading speeds are improved with an overlay, these are tried at home and school for a few weeks. 2. A follow up appointment is booked to then refine the coloured overlay that makes the greatest improvement to symptoms. 3. A Colourimetry appointment is then booked to find the precise tint which will then be incorporated into the glasses, meaning much more convenience for reading from the whiteboard, screens and reading.
-
What are the costs?A Visual Stress Consultation costs £50 – including two follow up appointments. Incorporating a precise colour into a pair of glasses or contact lenses costs £180 - £250 per pair. This can be placed onto a direct debit so that you don’t have to pay the full amount in straight away.