Contact Lenses

Contact Lenses

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

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.

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 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.

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:

"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:
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?
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 [[1]] 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.

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