Getting started with Contact Lenses

Everything you need to know if you're new to contact lenses.

Contact lenses open up a world of possibilities. Almost everyone can wear contact lenses and enjoy the benefits that they offer. From playing sports and being active, to looking your best when you’re heading out. Contact lenses allow you to get on with whatever it is you love doing, providing comfort, clarity and freedom.

The benefits of contact lenses:

• Contact lenses move with your eyes, allowing a natural field of view, with no frames to obstruct your vision, greatly reducing distortions.
• They are excellent for sports and other physical activities.
• They don’t fog up or get splattered by mud or rain.
• They may offer better, more natural sight than glasses.
• Many people prefer how they look with contacts.

We're here to help. If you're looking to get started with contact lenses, simply book in for a bulk-billed comprehensive eye test at your nearest Bailey Nelson store.

Choosing the right contact lenses

We have a wide selection of contact lenses to choose from including dailies, monthlies, fortnightly, extended wear and multifocal lenses. Our expert optometrists will help you to work out which are the best contact lenses for your needs.

We also have a broad variety of brands to choose from the world’s leading contact lens manufacturers including Johnson & Johnson, Alcon, CooperVision and Bausch & Lomb which supply well known contact lens brands: Acuvue, Ciba Vision, MyDay and PureVision2.

We've also got our own range of Bailey Nelson contact lenses for all your needs. Our contact lenses are comfortable, breathable, affordable and made from a super-moist material that resists drying for lasting hydration and comfort.

Contact lenses are usually categorised by length of wear.

Daily Contact Lenses

Daily disposable contacts lenses are one of the most convenient types of lenses. They are inserted on the eye every morning and thrown away every night, so you don’t need care solutions or to clean them. They're also usually preferred by people with sensitive eyes or sufferers from allergies and other eye conditions.

One time use is an easy care routine for many first-time wearers or people with active lifestyles.

Fortnightly Contact Lenses

Fortnightly disposable contact lenses are great value. These contacts are intended to be worn for two weeks, taking them out each night. Simply clean daily and store in lens solution overnight to maintain safety and cleanliness. They only require simple cleaning and storage in lens solution overnight to maintain safety and cleanliness.

Monthly Contact Lenses

These contacts are intended to be worn for one month. Because you’ll have these longer, they require some amount of responsibility to keep them clean. The lenses need storing and cleaning in lens solution overnight which allows you to keep them for an extended period of time. As you’ll need fewer lenses, monthly contact lenses tend to be great value.

Coloured Contact Lenses

Wearing coloured contact lenses allows you to enhance the colour of your eyes or change them entirely. They are available with prescription or without for purely cosmetic purposes. If you want to try coloured contact lenses, speak to your local store. Remember you should never share your contact lenses with anyone else, regardless of if they have been cleaned. Also, when buying coloured contact lenses, ensure you purchase them from a trustworthy brand and optometrist and not a party store.

Your Prescription

The type of contact lenses you wear may also be determined by your prescription. Simply put, it's usually whether or not you have an astigmatism or require multifocal lenses.

Toric Contact Lenses

Astigmatism is a common condition which impacts the shape of the eye causing blurring vision. Toric contact lenses are specially designed to fit the shape of astigmatic eyes and are available as daily or monthly contact lenses.

Multifocal Contact Lenses

Presbyopia makes it more difficult to see near objects as we get older. Those who enjoy wearing contact lenses and avoid the need to wear reading glasses on top of their contacts can now wear multifocal contact lenses. Multifocal contact lenses are designed for presbyopia and allow you to switch between seeing close-up and far away.

Get contact lenses in 3 easy steps