A contact lens is a thin, curved lens placed on the film of tears that covers the surface of your eye. The lens itself is naturally clear, but is often given the slightest tinge of color to make them easier for wearers to handle

Contact lenses come in various material types, replacement schedules and wear schedules.

There are two general types of contact lenses: hard and soft

The hard lenses most commonly used today are rigid gas permeable lenses. Soft lenses are comfortable and come in many versions, depending on how you want to wear them. Daily-wear lenses are the least expensive, are removed nightly and are replaced on an individualized schedule.

Extended-wear lenses are worn overnight but are removed at least weekly for thorough cleaning and disinfection.

Disposable-wear lenses are more expensive, but convenient. They are removed nightly and replaced on a daily, weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis. Disposable lenses are sometimes recommended for people with allergies

If you want to wear contact lenses to correct your eyesight, you must start by consulting a CL clinic for a fitting.

Fitting includes discussing your visual and lifestyle requirements. An eye and contact lens examination will determine if your eyes are healthy and if you are suitable for lens wear.

Doctor will also take measurements of your eyes to find the best lens type, fit and vision, before trialing lenses with you.

Nowadays, almost everyone can benefit from contact lens wear. Most eyesight problems can be corrected with contact lenses and advances in lens materials and solutions mean that wearing contact lenses is simpler, more convenient and more comfortable than ever before.

Yes. Research has shown that many people who drop out from contact lenses can be successful with modern lenses.

Lens designs and materials are constantly evolving – doctors will explain about the latest developments.

We offer a trial so you can take the lenses away with you to see how you get on with them. You'll need to learn how to look after your lenses, put them on the eye and remove them, before you take them away to try. Once you've worn the lenses, you'll need to have the health of your eyes checked and the fitting completed.

Think about when and where you want to wear contact lenses: every day, for going out or playing sport, or just for special occasions.

CL team will help you decide on the best type of lens to suit your needs and advise you how often you should replace them.

No. There are hundreds of different types of contact lenses and thousands of different fittings. Each lens type needs to be fitted to meet your individual requirements.

Contact lenses are not interchangeable and you should never change your lens type or the way you wear your lenses without the recommendation of your practitioner.

With modern lenses, there's no reason why age should be a barrier. Bifocal and multifocal contact lenses are available for those who need different lens powers for distance and close work, or you may want to wear contact lenses for some of the time and spectacles for the rest.