Business Hours

Monday to Friday - 8.30am to 5.30pm
Saturday - 8.30am to 4.00pm

Contact Lenses

Contact lenses can correct eyesight in a similar way to spectacles, but because they sit directly on the eye they are virtually invisible.

Contact lenses can be worn for appearance and practicality reasons. They are less affected by wet weather, do not steam up, and provide a wider field of vision. They can be more suitable for a number of sporting activities than spectacles.

Certain eye conditions such as keratoconus (irregularly shaped corneas) and aniseikonia (large difference in prescriptions between the two eyes) may be corrected with contact lenses, in a way that spectacles cannot do satisfactorily or accurately enough.

Other conditions aided with contact lenses include myopia (short sightedness), hyperopia (long sightedness), astigmatism and presbyopia. Contact lens wearers usually take their contacts out every night unless wearing lenses that are designed for extended wear.

Like our spectacles, contact lenses are individually checked against your prescription and are expertly fitted on-site by our Optical Dispensers.

We're confident in our contact lens recommendations, which is why we are happy to provide patients with an after-hours care number.

Are contact lenses right for me?

Before making a decision to wear contact lenses, you may be able to have a trial fitting, if we have diagnostic lenses available.

To fit contact lenses we give a comprehensive eye examination. Following discussion with you, we may try some diagnostic contact lenses on your eyes. You will be given instruction on the safe insertion and removal of the lenses. If they perform satisfactorily, and you have no difficulties in handling them, you may wear them for about a week.

At this stage we assess the performance of the lenses. Are you seeing well? Are the lenses comfortable? Are your eyes clear and tolerating the lenses well? If everything is satisfactory, we then go ahead and order your contact lenses.

Choosing the right product

There are more than 20 new contact lens products that hit the market every year. We take the time to review every one of these new products.

When we recommend a lens, it's because we know it's the best for your needs. Like our frames, we provide an extensive range of products including:

• disposable daily to monthly
• extended wear
• astigmatic (toric)
• multifocal
• coloured
• rigid gas permeable
• non disposable

Problems with contact lenses

Conventional lenses have historically been associated with corneal neovascularisation (the excessive ingrowth of blood vessels to the cornea, caused by inadequate oxygen reception). This is no longer a problem with silicone hydrogel extended wear lenses.

Extended lens wearers may have an increased risk for corneal infections and corneal ulcers, primarily due to poor care and cleaning of the lenses, tear film instability, and bacterial stagnation. Proper care and cleaning regimes reduce this risk significantly. At Heming Scott & Donald, we help you with all the information you need on how to avoid infections.

Some of our contact lens suppliers include:

Comprehensive brand list: