We are registered contact lens specialists and contact lens practitioners.

Modern advances in contact lens design, materials and research means that more and more people can now wear lenses successfully.

Two main types:

Soft lenses, Gas permeable rigid lenses

Because we are an independent practice we are not limited in our choice of Contact lenses. We can choose whatever type of lens to suit your needs best

We introduced a new contact lens aftercare plan in 2007.

This plan details the true cost of aftercare in terms of our professional time which we set at £19 per month (very occasionally more if the time needing to be spent in a year is more such as very complex cases such as Keratoconus or therapeutic care).

Once in the plan we can access contact lenses at the least expensive market rate, usually set by internet prices.

Once we have decided what type of lens suits your prescription and your needs the next stage is to undertake a trial period with the chosen contact lenses. This will give you an idea of what it is like to have contact lenses in your eyes. Lenses will be chosen that are as close as possible to the prescription and size needed. Once inserted it is usual for the lenses to be left for a short time in order to assess the fit and vision. In some cases we may ask you to take a short walk whilst wearing the lenses to see how you feel.

At the end of this visit the lenses that you need will be chosen. In many cases we will have the required lenses available immediately. More specialist requirements may have to be ordered.

If you decide not to go ahead after the trial assessment, no charge will be made apart from that of any necessary initial eye examinations undertaken.

We will teach you how to handle the lenses. This involves inserting and removing the lenses from your eyes and, where required, instructions on how to clean and look after them. Once you are competent and confident with the handling you can start to build up your wearing time gradually. We will give you a supply of initial diagnostic lenses, usually a ten day supply. In addition we will talk about wearing time schedules and basic pointers and tips towards wearing and caring for your lenses.

After this initial diagnostic period you’ll come back in wearing your lenses so that we can asses how things are going and at this stage we can tweak the lenses to obtain optimum performance and assess how you’re doing. We may need to extend this diagnostic period and issue more lenses to see how the adjustments perform.

Any diagnostic lenses issued to you are complimentary and will not be charged for, similarly solutions if needed in this period will be complimentary.

Following this diagnostic period if you decide proceed with lenses your first supply of lenses will be ordered.

Usually this will be a month supply of lenses in daily disposables or three months supply in two weekly or monthly disposables

Professional fees for the year are at the moment £19 per month depending on the type of lens, this covers your eye examination and any time we need to spend within the first year. Normally following the initial diagnostic period we will follow you up after one month, three months and six months, usually more rather than less. During this period you can order your lenses and pay for them (lens or material costs) as you require them, we can also change or choose to try different lenses within the year as needs require, again all diagnostic lenses are complimentary.

Easy payment methods are available to cover lens costs and professional fees on a monthly basis by direct debit, this is never a problem and is easy to set up.

Long & Pickard

Optometrists & Contact Lens Practitioners

113 St Georges Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 2DN

0191 281 8810

longandpickard@aol.com