Alcon contact lenses in price comparison

If you have worn soft contact lenses for a while, there is a good chance at least one pair came from Alcon – even if the box said Dailies, Air Optix or FreshLook in much bigger letters. Alcon is the world's largest company dedicated entirely to eye care. Besides contact lenses it makes lens care solutions, intraocular lenses for cataract surgery and surgical equipment.

From a Texas pharmacy to Geneva

Alcon started life in 1945 as a small pharmacy in Fort Worth, Texas. Its founders, pharmacists Robert Alexander and William Conner, combined the first letters of their surnames to create the name. Nestlé bought the business in 1977, and Novartis took it over in stages between 2008 and 2011.

The step that shaped today's range came in 2011, when Novartis merged its contact lens company CIBA Vision into Alcon. Since the spin-off from Novartis in April 2019, Alcon has been an independent listed company headquartered in Geneva, employing more than 25,000 people worldwide.

Alcon's contact lens range

• Daily disposables: The Focus Dailies family is Alcon's biggest daily range. Dailies AquaComfort Plus, made from nelfilcon A, releases moisturising agents every time you blink. Dailies Total1, made from delefilcon A, was the first lens with a water gradient: a breathable silicone hydrogel core with a surface that is more than 80 per cent water. Precision1 is the more affordable silicone hydrogel daily, aimed mainly at new wearers.
• Weekly lenses: Precision7 is replaced after seven days – a schedule Alcon introduced as a new category.
• Monthly lenses: The Air Optix family covers most monthly lenses in the range. Air Optix plus HydraGlyde adds an extra moisture layer, while Air Optix Night & Day Aqua is approved for overnight wear. Total30 brings the Total1 water gradient to a monthly lens.
• Coloured lenses: FreshLook lenses enhance or change your eye colour, with or without a prescription.

Most ranges also come in a toric version for astigmatism and a multifocal version for presbyopia. Alcon's care products include Opti-Free and AOSept.

Buying Alcon lenses for less

Almost every UK online retailer stocks Alcon lenses, so prices vary more than you might expect. On the same box of Dailies Total1 or Air Optix plus HydraGlyde, the gap between the cheapest and the most expensive shop is often several pounds, and much more on a year's supply. You will find all Alcon contact lenses with current prices below.

One word of caution: Alcon's lenses differ in material, base curve and diameter, so do not switch from one to another without checking with your optician first.