Patients show loyalty to examining practice

An overwhelming majority of patients continue to buy their contact lenses and spectacles from practices where they had their eyes tested, despite fierce competition from other high street outlets and online suppliers.

According to the findings of research jointly carried out by the College of Optometrists and Optician, 86 per cent of respondents in the survey of more than 1,000 adults aged 16 and over said they bought their last pair of glasses at the practice where they had their eyes tested. Only 3 per cent went to a different outlet to purchase their spectacles.

Moreover, when respondents were asked where they brought their last pair of contact lenses, a massive 93 per cent said it was at the practice where they had their eyes tested. Again, only 3 per cent said they went to an alternative source to make the purchase. The results also revealed that only a minority - 2 per cent - said that they brought their contact lenses via the internet.