Safe to Buy Contact Lenses Online

An opinion article by ContactLensPrices.co.nz

Several newspapers carried an article over the weekend that accurately reported on the risks of contracting a serious eye infection called acanthamoeba keratitis if contact lenses are worn while swimming. The danger is posed by the presence of a bacteria in water and can occur in fresh and sea water.

While educating contact lens wearers is something to be applauded and encouraged, the article also stated the notion that "The growing number of people eyeing up a bargain and buying their contact lenses online could be a part of the problem". This is something we, as a leading operator of online contact lens price comparisons, would refute. Shopping online is now a fundamental part of the global economy and the same is true of shopping for contact lenses.

It is a fact that people wishing to buy lenses always need to make an appointment with an eye care professional before buying contact lenses for the first time and to get a proper prescription. This is true also for people ordering cosmetic lenses for effect, such as lenses that change your eye colour, but which have no vision correction. In addition, the convenience and huge savings that can be found online should not make lens wearers forget about the importance of having a regular eye check-up.

However, there is no reason not to eye up a bargain and buy online. The lenses sold by reputable dealers on the Internet are identical and just as safe as those sold by local optometrists. It seems an odd approach to blame consumers for wanting cheaper contact lenses. The Internet is here to stay and is a major part of the consumer economy.

We’re all for educating consumers but let's not blame the Internet for spreading an amoeba.