Contact lens fees vary considerably, depending on the type of contact lenses, your prescription, and the number of aftercare visits required. There are two components of fees; the cost of lenses, and the professional fees involved in ensuring your eyes remain healthy, and the contact lenses continue to work for you as well as possible. There are many options available in frequent replacement, or disposable, soft contact lenses.

The most common lenses for short sightedness or long sightedness are designed to be replaced every two or four weeks when worn every day. How often your replace your lenses depends on how frequently you wear them, every day or some days. Monthly or fortnightly-disposable lenses which require a correction for astigmatism may cost slightly more for 3 months’ supply.

One-day-disposable lenses, which are worn only for one day and then discarded, are most suitable for people who only wear lenses a few days each week, or who are travelling and/or have no time to clean and store lenses.

Thirty-day continuous-wear lenses are designed to be worn all day and while sleeping for one month While these are slightly more expensive than normal disposable lenses, they require less solutions for care, and obviously provide significant benefits for lifestyle and convenience.

Tinted soft contact lenses come in many different styles, and there are often special packages available for purchasing a number of pairs at a time.

Normally you will be supplied with an initial pair of trial lenses, plus a starter pack of lens care solutions and case, when you are taught how to look after your lenses and insert and remove them. We recommend the first aftercare visit to be after one week, followed by routine visits at one month, three months and every six months to ensure your eyes are still healthy, and the lenses are fitting comfortably and providing maximum quality for you.

Medicare will only cover these necessary visits if your eyes are extremely long or short sighted, and we can advise you if Medicare covers you for contact lens visits. Otherwise there are recommended fees for the trial lenses, initial care solutions and case, and all necessary professional visits for one year. These fees are not rebatable from Medicare or your private health fund.

The best contact lenses for you, and the applicable fees, will be discussed with you when Liz Wason or Stephen Leslie check your vision and eye health, and fit you with contact lenses.

Continuous Wear Contact Lenses

Continuous wear contact lenses are made of a special soft material which stays very wet, and allows plenty of oxygen to reach the eye’s surface, keeping it healthy even when you are asleep. They are approved to be worn continuously for 30 days and nights, but should be replaced every 30 days as the surface begins to dry out after this time. Read more about Continuous Wear Contact Lenses.

Multifocal Contact Lenses

As we get in to our forties, our ability to focus for reading and computers gradually gets worse, and contact lenses need to allow one focus for distance vision and another focus for near vision tasks. Multifocal contact lenses provide different focuses for distance and near, and allow people to function for driving, computers, reading and social events such as reading a menu in a dark restaurant!

Handling of Contact Lenses

The optometrist will advise on the best aftercare schedule for your eyes and type of contact lenses. Read information on Handling Contact Lenses

Many parents have strong reservations about contact lenses for children, but these are often based on unnecessary concerns. It is helpful for parents and children considering contact lenses to be aware of their benefits and potential pitfalls instead of, or in addition to, spectacles at an early age.

Read more about Contact Lenses for Children.

Read more about Care of your Eyes and Contact Lenses.