If you already wear contact lenses, it is easy to talk about contact lenses with patients who could be interested in trying them for the first time. If, on the other hand, you enjoy great vision and don’t even need to wear spectacles occasionally, it is helpful to hear directly from experienced lens wearers why contact lenses feature as an everyday necessity in their lives:

‘I couldn’t live without my contact lenses – they make me feel normal, like I have perfect vision again. I’d never leave the house wearing my glasses because my prescription is so strong – people I work with wouldn’t recognise me in my glasses – they don’t even know I need them! Contact lenses make a big difference to my confidence.’

‘I never thought I’d say this, but contact lenses have made a real difference to my life. I had got used to wearing spectacles for reading, but I didn’t always have them with me or I’d just not put them on at times when they’d probably have made a difference. With contact lenses, I can now see to read the menu in a restaurant as well as seeing the time clearly on my watch. Vision in contact lenses is more convenient than glasses, and I no longer squint at things – I can see!’

‘When I used to go out socialising, I’d go without my specs! Not only did I ignore people waving at me in the distance because I just couldn’t see them, I even smiled at people that I thought I fancied – and then when they got nearer, I realised I’d made a mistake! Contact lenses have certainly fixed my social life. They don’t steam up either when I walk into a pub – that’s a nightmare with glasses.’

‘I simply don’t like the feeling of glasses on my face, and no matter which ones I try, they always seem to leave a mark on each side of my nose. Wearing contact lenses means I can forget about them, I look great and I can see as well as other people.’

‘When I first got my glasses it made a real difference to being able to see in class – I don’t have to sit at the front anymore! But I play a lot of sports and glasses can be a hassle sometimes. Contact lenses have made a massive difference because they don't get rained on, plus I can see people coming from the sides in football. I also prefer to wear them when I go out with my friends at weekends.’