Letters: March 28

As a contact lens practitioner I have read the articles on pricing for professional time with great interest and I have for many years supplied my contact lenses with a lens charge plus a professional fee. I always impress on my patients the importance of aftercare but while the majority of my patients realise its importance, there are others who feel that it is not necessary and do expect not to have regular check ups which they have to pay for.

I was very unhappy to see that one of the stores was advertising the fitting and supply of contact lenses plus 12 months' aftercare for £9.95. What sort of aftercare are they giving for such a low price? When I do a new fitting we are lucky to spend less than 90 minutes with the patient to ensure that cleaning and handling are fully understood. This is followed by one-month, two-month, three-month, six-month and 12-month checks, giving at least another two hours. This means that to be competitive I should work for 3.5 hours for £9.95. What about minimum wage? How professional is this?