Display Patient Information Leaflets

Date issued:  September 2025 

For review: September 2027 

Ref: D-440/EC/Ophthalmology/Hospital Contact Lens Service

PDF: Hospital contact lens service.pdf [pdf] 233KB

The Royal Eye Infirmary (REI) Plymouth has a specialised contact lens service that fits contact lenses to patients where there is a medical need, or when vision can only be improved to an adequate level with contact lens correction.

People that may benefit from this service include:

• People with irregular cornea’s or scaring; for example, Keratoconus, corneal trauma, corneal graft surgery or after severe corneal infections.

• People with complex spectacle prescriptions, for example over 10 Dioptres in power or have a large difference in prescriptions between the two eyes.

• People who need lenses for therapeutic reasons, for example pain relief.

• People who require cosmetic/reconstructive lenses. If the eye is visibly damaged due to congenital deformations or following damage from infections or trauma.

• People whose vision cannot be corrected with spectacles but can be corrected with contact lenses (VA with both eyes worse than 6/9 in spectacles).

• People who need occlusion which cannot be achieved in other ways.

To be seen in the clinic you must be referred via your GP, Optometrist, or Ophthalmologist.

Costs

The Department of Health (DOH) has introduced a charge for each hospital contact lens new/spare/ replacement lens supplied.

The current charge is £61.77 (April 2025) per contact lens or for 6-month supply of a disposable contact lens per eye. This represents a subsidised price for all lenses.

This is reviewed by the DOH annually. The same charge applies to damaged lenses outside of warranty.

A charge of £5.00 is added for postage of lenses. A special delivery charge is payable with some very high value lenses.

There is no exemption of payment for spare contact lenses.

Exemption:

Plano lenses used as a therapeutic bandage; occlusive or non-powered cosmetic lenses are exempt from the charges. These are limited to a maximum of 4 per year. Charges apply if the patient requires more of these lenses, charged at the statutory fee above (£61.77).

Prosthetic lenses containing an optical correction are chargeable.

Patients entitled to help with meeting the cost of HES Contact lenses:

People falling within the categories below are exempt from the cost of their contact lenses:

• Children under 16 years of age

• Patients 16 or over but under the age of 19 in full time education

If the patient gets:

•  Income support

•  Universal credit

•  Pension credit guaranteed credit

•  They are on Low income and are named on a valid HC2 certificate

•  Are a prisoner.

Proof of exception eligibility needs to be provided before each order.