Local Independent Optician

Established Since 1953

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DW Roberts are family friendly opticians with many years of experience in all aspects of eye care serving Bletchley, Newport Pagnell, Stony Stratford, Towcester and Wolverton as well as the nearby towns of Buckingham, Brackley, Milton Keynes and Olney.

DW Roberts is an Acuvue Contact Lens Centre of Excellence.

Find out about contact lens options

• What are contact lenses?
• Types of contact lenses
• Contact lens prescriptions
• Disposable lenses
• Contact lens solutions
• Contact lens trial
• Contact lens aftercare
• Contact care plan

Millions of people around the world enjoy the freedom of wearing contact lenses.

Contact Lenses can be worn by people of all ages:

• on a regular basis instead of glasses
• to take part in leisure activities
• to enable you to wear sunglasses

Modern contact lenses are:

• comfortable and affordable
• offer a huge range of products to correct most types of visual problems

As a local, independent group of opticians serving the Milton Keynes and South Northamptonshire areas, DW Roberts are free to recommend lenses from all suppliers enabling us to find the most suitable lens for your individual requirements.

At DW Roberts we are proud to be an accredited Johnson & Johnson Contact Lens Centre of Excellence and our Optometrists and Contact Lens Opticians will often recommend these excellent lenses where appropriate.

What are Contact Lenses?

Contact lenses are small lenses that fit over the front of the eye. Contact lenses allow a wider field of vision as they are not restricted by spectacle frames. Contact lenses do not mist up and this makes them ideal for some sports and driving, and for those who work in kitchens or industrial fridges.

Our qualified staff will help you choose the most suitable option for your individual needs from the many types of contact lenses available.

Types of Contact Lenses

Soft contact lenses are most commonly used as they are the most comfortable. However hard ones may be the most suitable for your prescription. You can obtain further advice from our experienced team at any of our practices.

• Hydrogel (soft) lenses were mainly developed in the 1980s. They are a specialised plastic which soaks up water like a sponge. This makes them very soft and pliable and the water enables oxygen needed by the front of the eye to travel through the lens. Hydrogel lenses vary from 40% to 75% water content. The higher the water content the more oxygen is allowed through.
• Silicon Hydrogel (soft) lenses have more recently become available. The introduction of silicon to the lens material means that far more oxygen can be transported through the lens to the front of the eye (up to five times more than with hydrogels) with a lower water content making the lenses more rigid and able to last longer.
• Rigid Gas Permeable (hard) lenses don't soak up any liquid, but the silicon and fluorine in the lens material make them very permeable to oxygen. They take a little more time to adapt to than soft lenses but can give excellent vision and, if looked after correctly, can last for many months. They are often the best choice for certain prescriptions or eye conditions.

Contact Lens Prescriptions

• Spherical lenses are used to correct long-sighted or short-sighted prescriptions.
• Toric lenses are designed so they won't rotate on the eye and are used to correct astigmatism.
• Multifocal lenses incorporate a reading addition into the lenses and can be used if you wear bifocal or varifocal glasses.
  
  
  

Disposable Lenses

You are advised to replace your disposable lenses frequently to avoid problems such as sore eyes or eye infections.

• Soft disposable lenses are like a sponge and unless properly cared for can become soiled and attract the growth of bacteria. View our Avoiding Eye Infection PDF - click here.
• Daily disposable lenses must be used only once. You insert a new sterile lens at the beginning of the day and discard it when you take it out. There is no need for disinfecting/cleaning solutions.
• Bi-monthly and monthly disposable soft lenses must be cleaned and disinfected every night in a suitable solution and then discarded at the end of their set time. It is also important that you thoroughly clean the soaking case and replace it regularly.
• Non-disposable lenses must also be diligently cleaned and disinfected every night and sometimes weekly cleaning with protein remover is advised. With non-disposable lenses we still recommend replacing them regularly and at DW Roberts we offer an affordable plan to enable you to change your lenses every three, six or twelve months.

Contact Lens Solutions

Most modern contact lens solutions are multipurpose. They contain specialised detergents to clean off surface contaminants and gentle disinfectants to reduce bacteria. Some are free of preservatives and this is important because 9% of the population are allergic to contact lens solution preservatives.

Contact Lens Trial

D W Roberts offers you the chance to have an initial trial of contact lenses free of charge, however, you must have had a recent eye test before starting our free contact lens trial (a legal requirement). A charge will be made for your eye test unless you are eligible for a free NHS eye test.

What does this involve?

• a discussion of your requirements with one of our qualified optometrists or contact lens opticians (they will suggest the most suitable contact lens for your needs).
• a detailed examination of the front surface of your eye and your tears.
• the insertion of contact lenses into your eyes to see how they feel (most people are amazed how little they can feel a contact lens).
• an opportunity to walk around our practice whilst wearing the lenses to see how your vision settles.
• a check by the optician on the quality of your vision.
• an assessment of how the lenses fit and the reaction of your eyes.

Then, if you and your optician are happy to continue, an appointment is made for your insertion and removal training which includes how to care for your contact lenses correctly. A fitting fee is charged for this appointment.

Contact Lens Aftercare

After care is a very important part of the service we offer at DW Roberts.

After the initial trial a further appointment will be made for you to return a week or fortnight later to have a full contact lens assessment. You must attend this aftercare appointment with your contact lenses in your eyes having worn them for at least two hours. Bring your spectacles and contact lens case with you.

Your optician will:

• check your vision and the health of the front of the eyes.
• check that you are cleaning and disinfecting or discarding your lenses correctly.
• check your contact lens prescription and ensure that your current lenses are still the best lenses for you.

You should continue to have regular contact lens aftercare appointments and full sight tests to check the health of your eyes and to ensure you are able to have the best experience with your lenses.

Contact Care Plan

At D W Roberts we offer you the benefits of joining our Contact Care Plan. You pay a set monthly amount and receive your supply of contact lenses and solutions at regular intervals. This plan also includes the cost of all necessary aftercare appointments and a discount towards glasses. NB: Your contact lens aftercare and full sight test must be current and up to date to enable continuity of supply of contact lenses and solutions. (This is a legal requirement).

You must ensure that you have a current pair of prescription glasses for use when you do not wish to, or are unable to, wear your contact lenses. This is essential, and a legal requirement, if you require your glasses in order to drive safely.

If you would like to try contact lenses, why not make an appointment at your nearest DW Roberts practice.