<![CDATA[Pressat Main Newswire]]> https://pressat.co.uk/rss/ <![CDATA[Pressat Main Newswire]]> https://pressat.co.uk/media/site/logo.png https://pressat.co.uk/rss/ en-gb Copyright: (C) Pressat Pressat <![CDATA[ GetLenses Acquires Vision Direct to strengthen European Position ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/getlenses-acquires-vision-direct-to-strengthen-european-position-117edc4a2d9da4e32a2a247e06c0bd41/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/getlenses-acquires-vision-direct-to-strengthen-european-position-117edc4a2d9da4e32a2a247e06c0bd41/ Tuesday 11 February, 2014
UK online contact lens retailer GetLenses.co.uk announced today that it has acquired Dutch online retailers Vision Direct and Lensbase, which sell contact lenses, contact lens solutions and prescription glasses to consumers in the Netherlands, Spain and the UK. The combined entity is expected to generate revenues of over €30 million in 2014.

GetLenses is the largest online contact lens retailer in the UK, offering highly competitive prices and next-day delivery on an extensive range of prescription contact lenses. In addition to a broad product range and significant price savings, customers also benefit from being able to check their prescription before they purchase. The company employs an award-winning call centre team in York, which is trained by opticians to meet regulations and provide excellent customer services.

Vision Direct, which was founded in 1998, sells contact lenses and prescription glasses online in Europe. The company offers a huge selection of contact lenses from all the leading suppliers at extremely compelling prices from its base in the Netherlands.

“This cements our position as a market leader in Europe, significantly increases our customer base and enhances our ability to deliver a fantastic service to all our customers,” says Michael Kraftman, CEO GetLenses.co.uk, “We expect to complement this with further acquisitive growth in other European markets.”

The acquisition was financed by a new funding round led by existing shareholder Octopus Investments and included Fidelity Worldwide Investments, Hargreave Hale and Artemis Investment Management.

About GetLenses:
GetLenses is the UK's largest online supplier of contact lenses. The company stocks over a million contact lenses from the world's leading brands and offers next day delivery as standard so no one delivers quicker.
Customers can buy contact lenses for up to 42% less than high street opticians. Buying cheap contact lenses online doesn't mean any compromise on quality, since GetLenses buy direct from verified suppliers and pass the savings on to the customer.

The company stocks leading contact lens brands including: Focus Dailies, Air Optix, Acuvue Moist, Soflens, PureVision, Proclear, and many more besides.

PR Contact Details:
Ashley Mealor, Marketing Director
020 8099 8275
Ashley.mealor@getlenses.co.uk

Address:
Suite 3a, Lyttelton House
2 Lyttelton Road
London
N2 0EF


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http://www.getlenses.co.uk/ 11 Feb 2014 08:41:17 GMT Business & Finance Health
<![CDATA[ What’s The Best Contact Lens on the Market? ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/whats-the-best-contact-lens-on-the-market-5dae8aac59cafcbb66fd143b002c6923/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/whats-the-best-contact-lens-on-the-market-5dae8aac59cafcbb66fd143b002c6923/ Thursday 17 October, 2013
Soft contact lenses have come a long way since their introduction in the US in 1971, and the release of disposable dailies in 1996. Today, there are around 3.1 million people who wear contact lenses in the UK and the two best-selling brands are 1 Day Acuvue Moist and Focus Dailies All Day Comfort, both dailies disposable lenses.

However, most of Europe prefers monthlies likes Air Optix Aqua and Biofinity. Since 1996 there have only been 3 major breakthroughs in the contact lens market. Silicone hydrogel lenses like Acuvue Trueye were released in 2002, the same year the FDA approved lenses that correct your far sighted vision overnight. In 2010 custom manufactured silicon hydrogel lenses became available.

“With so many different brands and types of contact lenses on the market, and taking into account peoples' own preferences, this is a difficult question to answer. We would advise that consumers keep trying different lenses until they find the ones that suit their lifestyle.” says Brendan O’Brien, resident optician at GetLenses.co.uk

The best type of lens available on the market will depend on the lenses that the individual already wears. If they wear daily contact lenses like 1 Day Acuvue Moist or Focus Dailies All Day Comfort, the best lens for them to try will be Acuvue Trueye. They were the first daily disposable silicone hydrogel lenses and are hyper-oxygen permeable which resist protein deposits that can lead to discomfort. They also have the highest UV protection and advanced Hydraclear technology which keeps more moisture in the eye and you can wear these lenses for up to 16 hours a day without getting that dry and gritty feeling.

For 2 weekly lens wearers. there is only one winner, Acuvue Oasys. As the official upgrade to Acuvue2 and Avucue Advance the only question is why such a lot of people still haven't upgraded?

If you wear monthly lenses there are two forerunners and I would be hard pushed to pick one. Air Optix Aqua and Biofinity are both silicone hydrogel lenses offering exceptional comfort for extended wearing periods of up to 16 hours.

All the contact lens manufacturers are jumping on the daily disposable silicone hydrogel band wagon. Sauflon launched ‘Clariti 1 Day’ in April 2009 and have now added to that range with a toric and multifocal lens. Sales of Ciba Vision’s ‘Dailies Total 1’ would suggest this lens is going to be hard to beat. Coopervision will be launching MyDAY in the autumn and Bausch & Lomb have recently launched their new lens, Biotrue ONEday which are made from HyperGel which they say is a next generation material which boasts an outer layer designed to mimic the lipid layer of tear film and the same water content as the cornea without the use of silicone.

About GetLenses.co.uk:
Founded in 2002 by Brendan O'Brien, GetLenses.co.uk can pride themselves on being started by opticians who understand the importance of eye care and health. The website has since grown to become the UK's largest online retailer of contact lenses. The company’s aim is to offer the widest range of contact lenses, solutions and eye care products, delivered quickly to your door, at unbeatable prices with the highest quality of customer service.

Contact:
Lindsey Robins

Tel: 020 8099 8272
Email: indsey.robins@getlenses.co.uk


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http://www.getlenses.co.uk/ 17 Oct 2013 23:23:57 GMT Medical & Pharmaceutical Retail & Fashion
<![CDATA[ Multifocal Contact Lenses – Set To Transform The Lives Of The Over 45's ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/multifocal-contact-lenses-set-to-transform-the-lives-of-the-over-45s-f0879f65ace8fa6e24dcf498738fc057/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/multifocal-contact-lenses-set-to-transform-the-lives-of-the-over-45s-f0879f65ace8fa6e24dcf498738fc057/ Thursday 17 October, 2013
With 60 being the new 40 and 80 being the new 50, many are striving to look and feel younger and it’s not just crow’s feet and wrinkles that ageing brings. The deterioration of our vision in our mid 40’s is growing the multifocal contact lens market at 20% year on year.

As we get older the lens of our eye loses the ability to focus in and out, the way it used to do and while we all feel our sight fading, many fight wearing glasses. Is this down to vanity or practicability? We all know how impractical glasses are: Peripheral vision is not great when driving, they steam up in wet weather and they’re no good when playing sports or at the gym.

Lindsey Robins, eCommerce Marketing Manager at GetLenses.co.uk, explains her experience with glasses:

“For me it wasn’t about vanity at all, I just couldn’t get on with verifocal glasses as I liked small frames. On the one occasion I did buy a pair I seemed to spend all my time trying to find the right bit of lens to look through. So, I had three different pairs of glasses for reading, driving and computer which led to me spending most of my time looking for the right pair.”

So, what are the alternatives to glasses?

- Multifocal contact lenses. This market is dominated by Ciba Vision’s Air Optix Aqua Multifocal and Focus Dailies Progressive with over 50% of the market share. However, new generation silicone hydrogel multifocal lenses like Coopervision’s Biofinity Multifocal offer increased wearing length and comfort and clearer vision for people who need sharp reading vision as a priority. New generation lenses also offer distance correction through the peripheral part of the lens and near correction through the more central part of the lens, or alternately, distance correction through the centre of the lens and near correction in the peripheral part of the lens.

- Bifocal contact lenses. Bifocal contact lenses work in a similar way to bifocal glasses, distance and close-up correction on each contact. Distance at the top and reading at the bottom of the lens which is weighted to keep it in the correct position. These lenses are often difficult to fit and do not provide the most vision.

- Monovision contact lenses. With monovision contacts, a contact lens for distance vision is worn in the dominant eye and a contact lens for close-up vision in the non dominant eye. This works great if the difference between long and short sighted prescriptions is not too great.

“I am +3 for reading and +1 for driving and this system didn’t work for me. I could see fine to drive but reading vision was blurred. However, my CEO swears by monovision so it is definitely worth talking through the options with your optician.” says Lindsey.

- Modified monovision. This option requires a multifocal contact lens in one eye and a lens for distance in the other eye. Using both for distance and one for reading and in time the brain learns which one to favour, enabling the wearer not having to learn to use one or the other.

If Australia is taken as a bench mark, where long term prescribing data is available, its possible to see a complete turnaround from monovision to multifocal lenses. This is due to a greater confidence in these lenses by opticians and the greater number of multifocal lenses on the market.

For those who suffer with presbyopia or have worn reading glasses or contact lenses for years and now feel their distance vision is fading or vice versa, talk to an optician about multifocal contact lenses.

Lindsey continues: “It took me three visits and dozens of trials to get the vision I needed at all distances so be prepared for a long and weary journey. It will be worth it in the end, and the freedom you gain is a eureka moment that will change your life and how you live it. It did for me.”

About GetLenses.co.uk
Founded in 2002 by Brendan O'Brien, GetLenses.co.uk can pride themselves on being started by opticians who understand the importance of eye care and health. The website has since grown to become the UK's largest online retailer of contact lenses. The company's aim is to offer the widest range of contact lenses, solutions and eye care products, delivered quickly to your door, at unbeatable prices with the highest standard of customer service.

Contact:
Lindsey Robins

Tel: 020 8099 8272
Email: lindsey.robins@getlenses.co.uk


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http://www.getlenses.co.uk/ 17 Oct 2013 22:56:28 GMT Medical & Pharmaceutical Retail & Fashion
<![CDATA[ Should You Be Able To Buy Your Contact Lenses Online Without A Prescription? ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/should-you-be-able-to-buy-your-contact-lenses-online-without-a-prescription-b2d4c0dab03076b209b543b12e9d257a/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/should-you-be-able-to-buy-your-contact-lenses-online-without-a-prescription-b2d4c0dab03076b209b543b12e9d257a/ Thursday 17 October, 2013
Buying prescription contact lenses online is the subject of continued debate due to the legislation that surrounds the purchase of contact lenses in the UK. At the moment, the UK is the only country in Europe that insists that consumers have a valid prescription in order to buy contact lenses and they can only buy the amount of lenses that fall within the dates of that prescription.

So, should consumers be allowed to buy contact lenses online without a prescription? Unsurprisingly, there are many differing opinions on the subject. During a recent You & Yours interview on BBC Radio 4, Dr Chisholm, from the British Contact Lenses Association, stressed that she believed that it was not safe to buy contact lenses without a prescription. Stating: “You must always buy based on a valid prescription that's within date because the eye changes, and it may be that some newer lenses are more suitable for your eyes and your eye care practitioner needs to see the lens on your eye to know that it's working and needs to follow it up over time.”

Ashley Mealor, Marketing Director at GetLenses.co.uk who also took part in the BBC Radio 4 debate, disagreed, stating during the interview that as long as patients bought replacement lenses prescribed by the optician then it was perfectly safe to buy them online. He added: “You can actually decide that you don't want to send us your prescription and that's really because our customers said 'Look, we don't want the hassle of having to send the prescription through to you'. A significant number of GetLenses.co.uk customers now order without a prescription and the company supply them through their subsidiary GetLenses BV in Europe in order to be fully compliant with EU law.”

One thing that many customers ask when they buy contact lenses online is if they need to continue getting eye checks every 6-12 months. The General Optical Council states that eye test should be carried out every 2 years but this is at the discretion of the optician. Although many people find that their prescription hasn't changed between eye tests. The You & Yours debate also highlighted some news stories reporting the potential dangers of buying contact lenses online from less than reputable retailers.

Mealor continues: “While there are some stories of consumers having problems with internet-based contact lenses retailers, when we looked into these stories, we found that hygiene was also a factor in the problems that some people experienced when buying contact lenses online. We actively encourage our customers to follow the British Contact Lens Association's guidelines on averting infections, such as:-

1. Avoiding using tap water to rinse lenses or the storage case
2. Not wearing lenses while swimming without goggles, showering or in hot tubs
3. Washing and drying hands properly before using contacts.

“We know that buying contact lenses from an online retailer can seem daunting, but we're determined to prove that it can actually be very safe and trustworthy.”

About GetLenses.co.uk
Founded in 2002 by Brendan O'Brien, GetLenses.co.uk can pride themselves on being started by opticians who understand the importance of eye care and health. The website has since grown to become the UK's largest online retailer of contact lenses. The company’s aim is to offer the widest range of contact lenses, solutions and eye care products, delivered quickly to your door, at unbeatable prices with the highest standard of customer service.

Contact:
Lindsey Robins

Tel: 020 8099 8272
Email: lindsey.robins@getlenses.co.uk


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http://www.getlenses.co.uk/ 17 Oct 2013 22:52:22 GMT Health Personal Finance
<![CDATA[ Online Contact Lens Retailer GetLenses.co.uk Launch Their New Website ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/online-contact-lens-retailer-getlensescouk-launch-their-new-website-849b873917e84b8b2b754a5c0e7db767/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/online-contact-lens-retailer-getlensescouk-launch-their-new-website-849b873917e84b8b2b754a5c0e7db767/ Thursday 17 October, 2013
GetLenses.co.uk, the UK’s largest online retailer of contact lenses, is inviting all contact lens wearers to explore its new website which has been designed by their own customers. The new website now provides the ultimate user-friendly experience with improved navigation and functionality throughout. Technical information and customer reviews can now been seen for all contact lenses and the clever use of images make certain you order the right prescription.

The top and left hand menu have been specifically designed to ensure customers can find their products quickly and easily. The customer account section has also been completely redesigned to allow reminders and automatic reordering, addresses, prescriptions and reviews to be added and edited in just a couple of clicks.

They have also introduced live chat to their website, directly as a result of feedback gained from usability testing sessions GetLenses run monthly. We all know how difficult it is sometimes to pick the phone up, especially when you are at work, so to be able ask a quick question or get help and advice from one of their fully trained customer service team seems a natural line of communication to offer customers.

“This is just stage one of on-going improvements we’re making to the website to ensure our customers have a hassle free journey”, says Lindsey Robins, eCommerce Marketing Manager for GetLenses.co.uk.

“Stage 2 will see a 3 step checkout process and personalised homepage, so customers always see the products they’ve ordered in the past.”

GetLenses’ customer service and warehouse teams are based in York. This year has seen the warehouse implementing PeopleVox, a new computerised system which will bring live dispatch dates to their website in the coming months. GetLenses offer a wide range of daily, 2 weekly and monthly contact lenses, contact lens solutions and eye care products including dry eye treatments and hypoallergenic make-up at fantastic prices. Customers can save £100s a year buying contact lenses online in comparison with high street opticians and all products are sourced directly from the manufacturers here in the UK.

Online retail is all about delivery and customer service and GetLenses have increased their stock by half a million lenses in the last 3 months to ensure no company delivers products quicker. They even go the extra mile to ensure all orders fit through letterboxes wherever possible.

About GetLenses.co.uk
Founded in 2002 by Brendan O'Brien, GetLenses.co.uk can pride themselves on being started by opticians who understand the importance of eye care and health. The website has since grown to become the UK's largest online retailer of contact lenses. The company's aim is to offer the widest range of contact lenses, solutions and eye care products, delivered quickly to your door, at unbeatable prices with the highest quality of customer service.

Contact:
Lindsey Robins
Tel: 020 8099 8272
Email: lindsey.robins@getlenses.co.uk


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http://www.getlenses.co.uk/ 17 Oct 2013 22:49:40 GMT Health Personal Finance
<![CDATA[ Majority of Lens Wearers Unaware of UV Blocking Contact Lenses ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/majority-of-lens-wearers-unaware-of-uv-blocking-contact-lenses-5f3f55959e9538bce64cde21f90d5b2a/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/majority-of-lens-wearers-unaware-of-uv-blocking-contact-lenses-5f3f55959e9538bce64cde21f90d5b2a/ Friday 2 August, 2013
We often think about wearing sunglasses to protect our eyes from the sun’s glare, but as a contact lens wearer do you know if your contact lenses filter harmful UV light?

A study conducted by the American Academy of Optometry on 400 contact lens wearers in the UK found that a huge 74 per cent didn’t know that many contact lenses have UV blocking technology.

The sun radiates UVA and UVB rays which are damaging to both the body’s eyes and skin and over exposure to either can cause eye conditions and diseases such as photokeratitis (sunburn of the cornea) and in more extreme cases as a result of long term damage, cataracts. Ultraviolet light can also enhance the effects of Age-Related Macular Degeneration, a condition that usually occurs in those aged over 50 where the central vision begins to deteriorate due to the destruction of the macular.

“It’s very important to protect your eyes from the sun to prevent conditions that can lead to sight loss and even blindness in the future. By wearing CE marked sunglasses you can be assured you are blocking high levels of both UVA and UVB rays. Contact lenses with UV blocking technology are also a great way to provide additional protection to the eyes.”

“By wearing both sunglasses and UV contact lenses you can cover and protect a greater surface of the eye,” says Brendan O’Brien resident optician at GetLenses.ie.

All Acuvue contact lenses from Johnson & Johnson block at least 85 per cent of UVA rays and 98 per cent of UVB; in fact Acuvue is the only major brand to provide UV filtering technology in all its lenses.

Acuvue Oasys block 96 per cent of UVA rays and 99 per cent of UVB rays, the highest of their reusable lenses, whilst 1-Day Acuvue Trueye offer the best protection from their daily lenses blocking the same percentage of UV light as Oasys.

Coopervision contact lenses including: Avaira, Avaira Toric, Biomedics 55 Evolution, Biomedics Toric all have an in-built UV filter. Healthcare manufacturers Bausch & Lomb have recently developed the Biotrue ONEday contact lens which is the first of their range to include UV protection.

UV filtering contact lenses should not be viewed as a standalone solution to protect the eyes against the sun but are an excellent addition to a good pair of sunglasses for any contact lens wearer.

About GetLenses.ie:
GetLenses.ie was founded in 2000 by Brendan O'Brien, who is their resident optometrist to this day. Being founded by opticians ensures that the eye health of their customers always comes first. The website is Ireland’s largest online retailer of contact lenses, solutions and eye care products and they offer the widest range of products bought directly from the manufacturers at fantastic prices.

Contact:
Emma Haskell
Marketing Assistant
Suite 3a Lyttelton House, 2 Lyttelton Road, London N2 0EF
Tel: 020 3397 7614
Email: emma.haskell@getlenses.co.uk


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http://www.getlenses.co.uk/ 02 Aug 2013 09:52:33 GMT Health Medical & Pharmaceutical