Until recently, I've always had my contact lens cases delivered regularly to my house as part of a complete package from Specsavers. Earlier this year, I downgraded my package as I was building up a surplus of cleaning solution. Unfortunately, as well as cancelling the cleaning solution, I no longer receive any replacement storage cases so I have been looking around for some cheap alternatives. Luckily, nipping into a branch of Boots opticians resulted in the kind assistant giving me a couple of these Bausch and Lomb contact lens cases for free!

Unlike the barrel style cases I've previously used, this style of case is very shallow with each lens being stored separately, with an adjoining strip of plastic to keep the two halves together. Both halves have an individual screw top lid which has proven to be totally secure and leak-proof, even when I've taken the case in a bag on holiday. It is easy to differentiate between each lens as the lids are colour coded (blue and white) with the white lens also being marked with an L, marked out in a series of raised bumps, like a braille effect.

Each shallow disc only needs a small amount of cleaning solution to ensure that the lens is suitably covered, although the lens does have a habit of bobbing about on the surface of the solution before becoming properly immersed. Despite this, the lenses have always remained soft and moist after storage, even if they have been left for a couple of days between uses.

The case is totally fit for purpose, being small, lightweight and secure. Despite this, I actually much prefer the design of the barrel case. For one thing, I seem to end up mislaying this case quite easily because of its flat slimline design. It is also harder to locate each individual lens as I have to chase it around a pool of solution, rather than just picking it straight out of each basket. I also prefer how the basket suspends each lens in the solution, rather than resting directly in the solution as in this case. When I remove each lens from this case I can't help noticing the debris that remains in the solution (such as small fragments of dust and mascara) and I don't think this method is as hygienic, as the lenses remain directly in contact with all of the debris that has been missed by my original cleaning. I do always make sure I rinse my lenses more thoroughly after using this case.

In all, this is a perfectly functional and secure method of storing contact lenses between uses and certainly appreciated as a little freebie. If I had to part with cash for a case, this wouldn't be the one that I'd choose, however, and will more than likely revert back to a barrel case in the near future.