Buying contacts at the drugstore? Please read this first

One thing that surprises many expats in the Netherlands is how easy it is to buy contact lenses. You can grab them off the shelf at a drugstore or order them online without ever showing a doctor's prescription.

Convenient? Yes. Safe? Not always.

As medical optometrists, we often see the damage caused by ill-fitting lenses bought "off the shelf." Just because you can buy them like shampoo, doesn't mean they are harmless.

One size does NOT fit all

A contact lens is a medical device that sits directly on your cornea. Your eye has a specific shape (curvature) and size. Generic lenses often have a standard curvature that might be too flat or too steep for your eye.

• Too tight? The lens acts like a suction cup, cutting off oxygen to the cornea. You won't feel this immediately, but over time, blood vessels will grow into your pupil (neovascularization).
• Too loose? The lens moves too much, scratching the surface of your eye with every blink.

The "Burger King" of lenses

We often compare drugstore lenses to fast food. Ideally, they are made of older materials with lower oxygen permeability. Fine for an occasional day, but not healthy for daily wear from 9 to 5 behind a computer.

The Zeker Zicht Approach

We don't mind where you buy your lenses eventually. But we strongly advise a bi-annual check-up.

We measure the curvature of your eye, check the oxygen levels, and ensure the material matches your tear film. We can prescribe modern silicone-hydrogel lenses that let your eyes breathe properly.