NEWS ALERT from the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA)

September 23, 2008

Express feature highlights risks of buying contact lenses online

Internet sales of contact lenses may be fuelling problems arising from poor lens care practices, according to a feature in today’s Daily Express based on information supplied by the BCLA.

Under the headline ‘Don’t risk your sight for an online bargain’, the feature describes the case of 22-year-old student Martin Simpson from Newquay, Cornwall, who developed a corneal ulcer after failing to follow his practitioner’s advice and buying replacement lenses without having check-ups. ‘It was a real wake-up call. I’d become complacent about wearing contact lenses and broken most of the rules. I was lucky to be given a second chance with my sight,’ he said.

The case was highlighted in a recent media release issued jointly by the BCLA and General Optical Council (GOC) aimed at helping consumers buy contact lenses safely.

The Express points out that online sales are regulated - retailers are required to inspect every customer’s prescription, make sure it’s up to date, and ensure they have regular eye checks. Higher infection levels among people who buy lenses via the internet can be explained by these safeguards being ignored, the newspaper claims.

Stefan Rygaard, managing director of online supplier Vision Direct, recently prosecuted by the General Optical Council for illegal contact lens sales (News Alert, September 8), commented: ‘We do make checks but, ultimately, it’s not a nanny state and it’s the customer’s responsibility to use lenses properly. Nine out of ten problems are because of poor hygiene.’

Former BCLA President Professor Buckley, one of the GOC’s clinical advisors, points out the importance of the initial fitting and regular check-ups and warns that those who buy online may forget that contact lenses are medical devices. ‘It’s easy to slip into bad habits when you’ve been wearing lenses for many years and it does seem that online buyers are less likely to have regular check-ups.’

Click here to access an online version of the feature.

Visit the BCLA website www.bcla.org.uk for further news as well as information on all the Association’s activities.