Contact Lense Wearers Riped off Claim Which?

Archives Admin · #1 (**permalink**) 04-06-2006, 11:08 AM

RE-usable soft contact lenses are virtually identical to daily disposable ones - but cost almost six times as much.

Daily lenses are about £1 a pair while monthly versions are nearly £6 - so the only real difference is the price.

Researchers calculated the 1.4 million people who use the long life varieties could be spending up to £19O more over a year than those who simply clean and re-use daily ones.

They say with proper care most one day lenses would be expected to last as long as a monthly pair.

A contact lens maker and an optician both with 3O years' experience told the Consumers' Association's magazine Which? that daily lenses from four manufacturers were virtually the same as their longer-life ones.

They were made of similar material with only slightly different diameters, thickness and curves which had no bearing on whether the lenses could be re-used.

No evidence was found that Johnson and Johnson's 1-Day Acuvue lenses couldn't be worn for longer.

One of the experts said: "If someone using Acuvue 2 used 1-Day Acuvue instead and followed the recommended care regime they could expect the daily lenses to last as long as the longer-life product."

And while Bausch and Lomb says its Soflens Comfort monthly lens contains a more advanced material than its One Day lense the label shows it has the same basic chemistry but contains slightly less water.

Water content affects how much oxygen a lens lets through to the eye but data shows the difference between these two products has no impact on the amount of oxygen getting through - or on their ability to withstand repeated handling.

One of the experts regarded Coopervision's Biomedics 1-Day and longer-life Biomedics 55UV and Frequency 55 lenses as inter-changeable as they have "virtually identical fitting characteristics, thickness and material."

He also found Sauflon's daily New Day and monthly Clear Comfort lenses indentical from material and dimensions to manufacturing process.

Ciba Vision was the only producer of completely different daily and monthly lenses - made from a different material and in a different way.

Eye expert Professor Roger Buckley, honorary consultant opthalmologist at London's Moorfields Eye Hospital, pointed out: "Using daily lenses longer than they have been licensed for is not a good idea at all.

"If contact lenses are not worn according to professional advice they are capable of harming - even blinding - the eye.

"Opticians who recommend a use other than the licensed one run the risk of disciplinary action by the General Optical Council and possibly even criminal proceedings."

Neil Fowler, editor of Which?, said: "Many people who wear long-life contact lenses could be paying over the odds.

"They're more expensive than daily disposables yet - in many cases - the lenses are virtually identical."

He added: "Manufacturers told us daily disposables are the healthiest way to wear contact lenses but that the best lenses for a particular consumer should be determined by his or her eyecare professional.

"Research has shown there is an increased risk of eye inflammation from wearing monthly ones but our contact lens expert said the risk of serious infection in either case is relatively small and shouldn'tput consumers off wearing monthly lenses.

"Wearers should ensure they always follow the proper rules for cleaning their contact lenses."

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Contact Lense Wearers Riped off Claim Which?

Contact Lenses