Contact Lenses - Revision history

Jacky: /* Contact lens solution */

2026-07-23T17:08:56Z

Contact lens solution

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:08, 23 July 2026
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	==Contact lens solution==		==Contact lens solution==

	UPDATE July 2026		'''UPDATE''' July 2026
	The information below has now been superseded by a fresh search into the legalities of contact lens solution distribution. The conclusion was		The information below has now been superseded by a fresh search into the legalities of contact lens solution distribution [[https://discourse.ilovefreegle.org/t/all-in-one-contact-lens-solution/8643/18]]. The conclusion was that it is acceptable for there to be no restriction on Freegle for people giving unopened, sealed, in date bottles of contact lens solution away.
			...................................

	In January 2019, a volunteer (Robert, Leeds) did some local research and concluded that contact lens solution shouldn't be offered or requested on our communities:		In January 2019, a volunteer (Robert, Leeds) did some local research and concluded that contact lens solution shouldn't be offered or requested on our communities:

Jacky: /* Contact lens solution */

2026-07-23T14:17:52Z

Contact lens solution

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:17, 23 July 2026
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	==Contact lens solution==		==Contact lens solution==

			UPDATE July 2026
			The information below has now been superseded by a fresh search into the legalities of contact lens solution distribution. The conclusion was

	In January 2019, a volunteer (Robert, Leeds) did some local research and concluded that contact lens solution shouldn't be offered or requested on our communities:		In January 2019, a volunteer (Robert, Leeds) did some local research and concluded that contact lens solution shouldn't be offered or requested on our communities:

RevampBot: Wiki revamp: restructure & modernise

2026-07-17T12:00:00Z

Wiki revamp: restructure & modernise

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:00, 17 July 2026
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	~~'''~~Contact ~~Lenses'''~~		==Contact lenses==
			The sale and supply of contact lenses is governed by the Opticians Act 1989: http://www.optical.org/en/about_us/legislation/opticians_act.cfm

	~~The sale and supply of Contact Lenses is governed by the 1989 Opticians Act~~		More advice: https://www.aop.org.uk/advice-and-support/policy/campaigns/zero-powered-contact-lenses
	~~http~~://www.~~optical~~.org/en/~~about_us~~/~~legislation~~/~~opticians_act.cfm~~

	~~More advice can be sought at https://www.aop.org.uk/advice-and-support/policy/campaigns/zero-powered-~~contact-lenses		It's illegal to sell or supply contact lenses unless you're a qualified optician. The act's definition of "seller" is broad:

	It is ~~illegal~~ to ~~sell or~~ supply ~~contact lenses without being a qualified Optician~~.		''(i) includes any person who supplies the optical appliance or, as the case may be, the zero powered contact lens whether or not payment is made to him for the supply...''

	~~The relevant section of~~ the ~~act~~ is ~~the description of the "Seller":~~		So unless the Freegler offering contact lenses is an optician, doing so would be illegal.

	(i) ~~includes any person who supplies the optical appliance or, as the case may be, the zero powered~~		==Contact lens solution==
	contact lens ~~whether~~ or ~~not payment is made to him for the supply…~~		In January 2019, a volunteer (Robert, Leeds) did some local research and concluded that contact lens solution shouldn't be offered or requested on our communities:

	~~Therefore unless~~ the ~~Freegler offering contact lenses~~ is ~~an Optician,~~ it would ~~be illegal~~.		"After speaking to several opticians (Boots, Specsavers and some independents) to get a wide range of answers, the overwhelming answer was to dispose of it even if it is unopened and within expiry date. They class it as a medical item so they advised it should not be given away by the public. There are different kinds of solution and the optician would recommend which to use, so they could end up with something unsuitable. The British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) website says expired solution, and lenses, must be discarded, with a few other sources saying that use of expired solution can cause infection."


	~~'''~~Contact Lens ~~Solutions'''~~

	~~January 2019 - Robert, Leeds, conducted some local research and concluded that contact lens solution isn't something that should be offered or requested on our communities~~:		From the BCLA website:

	"After speaking to several opticians (Boots, Specsavers and some independents) to get a wide range of answers, the overwhelming answer was to dispose of it even if it is unopened and within expiry date. They class it as a medical item so they advised it should not be given away by the public. There are different kinds of solution and the optician would recommend which to use, so they could end up with something unsuitable. The British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) website says expired solution, and lenses, must be discarded, with a few other sources saying that use of expired solution can cause infection."

	~~From BCLA website:<br>~~
	''To get the best out of your lenses it's important to use the solutions recommended to you by your contact lens practitioner for your particular lens type and to follow the instructions carefully. Your practitioner may record the solutions recommended on your contact lens specification.''		''To get the best out of your lenses it's important to use the solutions recommended to you by your contact lens practitioner for your particular lens type and to follow the instructions carefully. Your practitioner may record the solutions recommended on your contact lens specification.''

	''Are all contact lens solutions the same? ~~<br>''~~		''Are all contact lens solutions the same? No. Different solutions contain different ingredients and may require different steps to be effective. Some lens solution combinations may be more compatible with your eyes than others, so don't switch the solution you use except on the advice of your practitioner.''
	''No. Different solutions contain different ingredients and may require different steps to be effective. Some lens solution combinations may be more compatible with your eyes than others so don't switch the solution you use except on the advice of your practitioner.''


	June 2025 - a conversation on Central [[https://discourse.ilovefreegle.org/t/all-in-one-contact-lens-solution/8643]] highlighted the ambiguity of being able to buy solution from supermarkets yet it was considered a 'medical device'. One suggestion was that contact lens solution is good for cleaning spectacles and glass, so a moderator note could be put on a post advising the solution is not allowed under MRHA guidelines, but can be used for cleaning.

			In June 2025, a conversation on Central (https://discourse.ilovefreegle.org/t/all-in-one-contact-lens-solution/8643) highlighted the ambiguity of being able to buy solution from supermarkets, yet it's still considered a "medical device". One suggestion was that contact lens solution is good for cleaning spectacles and glass, so a moderator's note could be added advising that the solution isn't allowed under MHRA guidelines, but can be used for cleaning.

	Back to [[Specific Items]]		Back to [[Specific Items]]

	[[~~category~~:Specific Items]]		[[Category:Handling Specific Items]]

Jacky at 12:35, 14 June 2025

2025-06-14T12:35:07Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:35, 14 June 2025
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	January 2019 - Robert, Leeds, conducted some local research and concluded that contact lens solution isn't something that should be offered or requested on our communities:		January 2019 - Robert, Leeds, conducted some local research and concluded that contact lens solution isn't something that should be offered or requested on our communities:

	"After speaking to several opticians (Boots, Specsavers and some independents) to get a wide range of answers, the overwhelming answer was to dispose of it even if it is unopened and within expiry date. They class it as a medical item so they advised it should not be given away by the public. There are different kinds of solution and the optician would recommend which to use, so they could end up with something unsuitable. The British Contact Lens Association website says expired solution, and lenses, must be discarded, with a few other sources saying that use of expired solution can cause infection."		"After speaking to several opticians (Boots, Specsavers and some independents) to get a wide range of answers, the overwhelming answer was to dispose of it even if it is unopened and within expiry date. They class it as a medical item so they advised it should not be given away by the public. There are different kinds of solution and the optician would recommend which to use, so they could end up with something unsuitable. The British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) website says expired solution, and lenses, must be discarded, with a few other sources saying that use of expired solution can cause infection."

			From BCLA website:<br>
			''To get the best out of your lenses it's important to use the solutions recommended to you by your contact lens practitioner for your particular lens type and to follow the instructions carefully. Your practitioner may record the solutions recommended on your contact lens specification.''

			''Are all contact lens solutions the same? <br>''
			''No. Different solutions contain different ingredients and may require different steps to be effective. Some lens solution combinations may be more compatible with your eyes than others so don't switch the solution you use except on the advice of your practitioner.''


	June 2025 - a conversation on Central [[https://discourse.ilovefreegle.org/t/all-in-one-contact-lens-solution/8643]] highlighted the ambiguity of being able to buy solution from supermarkets yet it was considered a 'medical device'. One suggestion was that contact lens solution is good for cleaning spectacles and glass, so a moderator note could be put on a post advising the solution is not allowed under MRHA guidelines, but can be used for cleaning.		June 2025 - a conversation on Central [[https://discourse.ilovefreegle.org/t/all-in-one-contact-lens-solution/8643]] highlighted the ambiguity of being able to buy solution from supermarkets yet it was considered a 'medical device'. One suggestion was that contact lens solution is good for cleaning spectacles and glass, so a moderator note could be put on a post advising the solution is not allowed under MRHA guidelines, but can be used for cleaning.

Jacky at 11:49, 14 June 2025

2025-06-14T11:49:15Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:49, 14 June 2025
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	"After speaking to several opticians (Boots, Specsavers and some independents) to get a wide range of answers, the overwhelming answer was to dispose of it even if it is unopened and within expiry date. They class it as a medical item so they advised it should not be given away by the public. There are different kinds of solution and the optician would recommend which to use, so they could end up with something unsuitable. The British Contact Lens Association website says expired solution, and lenses, must be discarded, with a few other sources saying that use of expired solution can cause infection."		"After speaking to several opticians (Boots, Specsavers and some independents) to get a wide range of answers, the overwhelming answer was to dispose of it even if it is unopened and within expiry date. They class it as a medical item so they advised it should not be given away by the public. There are different kinds of solution and the optician would recommend which to use, so they could end up with something unsuitable. The British Contact Lens Association website says expired solution, and lenses, must be discarded, with a few other sources saying that use of expired solution can cause infection."

	June 2025 - a conversation on Central [[https://discourse.ilovefreegle.org/t/all-in-one-contact-lens-solution/8643]] highlighted the ambiguity of being able to buy solution from supermarkets ~~but~~ it was considered a 'medical device'. One suggestion was that contact lens solution is good for cleaning spectacles and glass, so a moderator note could be put on a post advising the solution is not allowed under MRHA guidelines, but can be used cleaning.		June 2025 - a conversation on Central [[https://discourse.ilovefreegle.org/t/all-in-one-contact-lens-solution/8643]] highlighted the ambiguity of being able to buy solution from supermarkets yet it was considered a 'medical device'. One suggestion was that contact lens solution is good for cleaning spectacles and glass, so a moderator note could be put on a post advising the solution is not allowed under MRHA guidelines, but can be used for cleaning.

Jacky at 11:48, 14 June 2025

2025-06-14T11:48:12Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:48, 14 June 2025
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	'''Contact Lens Solutions'''		'''Contact Lens Solutions'''

	Robert, Leeds, conducted some local research and concluded that contact lens solution isn't something that should be offered or requested on our communities:		January 2019 - Robert, Leeds, conducted some local research and concluded that contact lens solution isn't something that should be offered or requested on our communities:

	"After speaking to several opticians (Boots, Specsavers and some independents) to get a wide range of answers, the overwhelming answer was to dispose of it even if it is unopened and within expiry date. They class it as a medical item so they advised it should not be given away by the public. There are different kinds of solution and the optician would recommend which to use, so they could end up with something unsuitable. The British Contact Lens Association website says expired solution, and lenses, must be discarded, with a few other sources saying that use of expired solution can cause infection."		"After speaking to several opticians (Boots, Specsavers and some independents) to get a wide range of answers, the overwhelming answer was to dispose of it even if it is unopened and within expiry date. They class it as a medical item so they advised it should not be given away by the public. There are different kinds of solution and the optician would recommend which to use, so they could end up with something unsuitable. The British Contact Lens Association website says expired solution, and lenses, must be discarded, with a few other sources saying that use of expired solution can cause infection."

			June 2025 - a conversation on Central [[https://discourse.ilovefreegle.org/t/all-in-one-contact-lens-solution/8643]] highlighted the ambiguity of being able to buy solution from supermarkets but it was considered a 'medical device'. One suggestion was that contact lens solution is good for cleaning spectacles and glass, so a moderator note could be put on a post advising the solution is not allowed under MRHA guidelines, but can be used cleaning.


	Back to [[Specific Items]]		Back to [[Specific Items]]

	[[category:Specific Items]]		[[category:Specific Items]]

Neville Reid: remove confusing opening word from quotation

2024-11-29T20:45:05Z

remove confusing opening word from quotation

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:45, 29 November 2024
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	'''Contact Lenses'''		'''Contact Lenses'''

	The sale and supply of Contact Lenses is governed by the 1989 ~~Optician's~~ Act		The sale and supply of Contact Lenses is governed by the 1989 Opticians Act
	http://www.optical.org/en/about_us/legislation/opticians_act.cfm		http://www.optical.org/en/about_us/legislation/opticians_act.cfm

Line 8:		Line 8:
	It is illegal to sell or supply contact lenses without being a qualified Optician.		It is illegal to sell or supply contact lenses without being a qualified Optician.

	The ~~relevent~~ section of the act is the description of the "Seller" :		The relevant section of the act is the description of the "Seller":

	(i) includes any person who supplies the optical appliance or, as the case may be, the zero powered		(i) includes any person who supplies the optical appliance or, as the case may be, the zero powered
	contact lens whether or not payment is made to him for the ~~supply;~~		contact lens whether or not payment is made to him for the supply…

	Therefore unless the Freegler offering contact lenses is an Optician, it would be illegal.		Therefore unless the Freegler offering contact lenses is an Optician, it would be illegal.
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	'''Contact Lens Solutions'''		'''Contact Lens Solutions'''

	Robert, Leeds, conducted some local research and concluded that contact lens solution isn't something that should be offered or requested on our communities.		Robert, Leeds, conducted some local research and concluded that contact lens solution isn't something that should be offered or requested on our communities:

	"~~However after~~ speaking to several opticians (Boots, Specsavers and some independents) to get a wide range of answers, the overwhelming answer was to dispose of it even if it is unopened and within expiry date. They class it as a medical item so they advised it should not be given away by the public. There are different kinds of solution and the optician would recommend which to use, so they could end up with something unsuitable. The British Contact Lens Association website says expired solution, and lenses, must be discarded, with a few other sources saying that use of expired solution can cause infection."		"After speaking to several opticians (Boots, Specsavers and some independents) to get a wide range of answers, the overwhelming answer was to dispose of it even if it is unopened and within expiry date. They class it as a medical item so they advised it should not be given away by the public. There are different kinds of solution and the optician would recommend which to use, so they could end up with something unsuitable. The British Contact Lens Association website says expired solution, and lenses, must be discarded, with a few other sources saying that use of expired solution can cause infection."

	Back to [[Specific Items]]		Back to [[Specific Items]]

	[[category:Specific Items]]		[[category:Specific Items]]

Jacky at 19:48, 10 November 2021

2021-11-10T19:48:57Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:48, 10 November 2021
Line 18:		Line 18:
	'''Contact Lens Solutions'''		'''Contact Lens Solutions'''

	Robert, Leeds, conducted some local research and concluded that contact lens solution isn't something that should be offered or requested on our ~~groups~~.		Robert, Leeds, conducted some local research and concluded that contact lens solution isn't something that should be offered or requested on our communities.

	"However after speaking to several opticians (Boots, Specsavers and some independents) to get a wide range of answers, the overwhelming answer was to dispose of it even if it is unopened and within expiry date. They class it as a medical item so they advised it should not be given away by the public. There are different kinds of solution and the optician would recommend which to use, so they could end up with something unsuitable. The British Contact Lens Association website says expired solution, and lenses, must be discarded, with a few other sources saying that use of expired solution can cause infection."		"However after speaking to several opticians (Boots, Specsavers and some independents) to get a wide range of answers, the overwhelming answer was to dispose of it even if it is unopened and within expiry date. They class it as a medical item so they advised it should not be given away by the public. There are different kinds of solution and the optician would recommend which to use, so they could end up with something unsuitable. The British Contact Lens Association website says expired solution, and lenses, must be discarded, with a few other sources saying that use of expired solution can cause infection."

Edwh at 12:30, 3 September 2021

2021-09-03T12:30:41Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:30, 3 September 2021
Line 20:		Line 20:
	Robert, Leeds, conducted some local research and concluded that contact lens solution isn't something that should be offered or requested on our groups.		Robert, Leeds, conducted some local research and concluded that contact lens solution isn't something that should be offered or requested on our groups.

	~~See https://groups~~.~~yahoo~~.~~com/neo/groups/FreegleUK-Central/conversations/topics/59612 for message posted on Central~~.		"However after speaking to several opticians (Boots, Specsavers and some independents) to get a wide range of answers, the overwhelming answer was to dispose of it even if it is unopened and within expiry date. They class it as a medical item so they advised it should not be given away by the public. There are different kinds of solution and the optician would recommend which to use, so they could end up with something unsuitable. The British Contact Lens Association website says expired solution, and lenses, must be discarded, with a few other sources saying that use of expired solution can cause infection."



	Back to [[Specific Items]]		Back to [[Specific Items]]

	[[category:Specific Items]]		[[category:Specific Items]]

Jacky at 15:56, 24 January 2019

2019-01-24T15:56:36Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:56, 24 January 2019
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	The sale and supply of Contact Lenses is governed by the 1989 Optician's Act		The sale and supply of Contact Lenses is governed by the 1989 Optician's Act
	http://www.optical.org/en/about_us/legislation/opticians_act.cfm		http://www.optical.org/en/about_us/legislation/opticians_act.cfm

			More advice can be sought at https://www.aop.org.uk/advice-and-support/policy/campaigns/zero-powered-contact-lenses

	It is illegal to sell or supply contact lenses without being a qualified Optician.		It is illegal to sell or supply contact lenses without being a qualified Optician.