Contact Lenses for Long Sightedness: Can You Wear Them & Which Type Is Best?

Yes, you can wear contact lenses if you are long-sighted (hyperopic). Long-sightedness is corrected with plus (+) power lenses, and a wide range of contact lenses including soft daily, monthly, and coloured prescription lenses are available for hyperopia in the UK. You will need a current contact lens prescription from a registered optician before purchasing.

Millions of people in the UK are long-sighted, yet one of the most common questions we hear is: can you actually get contact lenses for it? The short answer is yes and your options may be broader than you think, especially if you have been hoping to try coloured prescription contacts at the same time.

This guide covers everything you need to know: how contact lenses correct hyperopia, which lens types are available in + power, how to read your UK prescription, and how to find coloured contacts that work with your correction.

1. What Is Long-Sightedness? (And Why It Matters for Contact Lenses)

Long-sightedness medically known as hyperopia or hypermetropia occurs when your eyeball is slightly shorter than normal, or your cornea is not curved enough. This means light entering the eye focuses behind the retina rather than directly on it, causing nearby objects to appear blurry.

It is one of the most common refractive errors in the UK, affecting an estimated 1 in 4 adults to some degree. Symptoms include:

• Blurry vision when reading or looking at close-up objects

• Eye strain or headaches after reading or screen use

• Squinting or needing to hold things at arm's length

• Difficulty with tasks like sewing, cooking, or using a phone

Hyperopia vs Presbyopia What Is the Difference?

These two conditions are often confused but are different. Hyperopia (long-sightedness) is a structural issue the shape of your eye and can occur at any age, including in children. Presbyopia is an age-related condition (typically starting around age 40) where the eye's lens loses flexibility and struggles to focus at close range. Both result in a + power prescription, but presbyopia may also require a multifocal or varifocal lens rather than a standard spherical lens.

If you are over 40 and recently been told you are long-sighted for the first time, it is worth asking your optician whether it is hyperopia or presbyopia as this affects which contact lenses you need.

>>> See more: Multifocal Contact Lenses: Your Guide to Clear Vision at Any Distance

 2. Can You Get Contact Lenses If You Are Long-Sighted?

Yes absolutely. Long-sightedness (hyperopia) is one of the most straightforward conditions to correct with contact lenses. Contact lenses for hyperopia have a convex (outward-curving) shape, known as a plus (+) power. These lenses bend light so that it focuses correctly on your retina, giving you clear, comfortable vision.

The key difference from short-sightedness is the sign on your prescription. Where people who are short-sighted (myopic) have a minus (-) sphere value, people who are long-sighted have a plus (+) sphere value, such as +1.50, +2.75, or +4.00.

What + Power Ranges Are Available in the UK?

Most standard soft contact lenses are available in + power ranges to cover the majority of hyperopic prescriptions:

If your prescription falls in the mild to moderate range (+0.25 to +4.00), you are likely to have excellent options including coloured prescription contact lenses. Higher prescriptions (+4.25 and above) may have fewer off-the-shelf choices, but options still exist with the help of a specialist optician.

Bella Lense stocks prescription coloured contacts available in + power ranges. Check our prescription collection to find your correction.

Browse Bella Prescription Coloured Contacts

3. Types of Contact Lenses for Long-Sighted People

Not all contact lenses for hyperopia are the same. The right type depends on your prescription strength, lifestyle, and whether you have any additional conditions like astigmatism.

Soft Spherical Lenses Best for Mild to Moderate Hyperopia

For most people with mild or moderate long-sightedness, soft spherical contact lenses are the first recommendation. These are the standard type of lens comfortable, widely available, and suitable for daily or monthly wear schedules. They provide the same corrective power across the entire optical zone of the lens.

Popular UK brands offering + power spherical lenses include Air Optix Aqua, Biofinity, Acuvue Oasys, and Proclear as well as coloured lens options from Bella Lense, Air Optix Colors, and FreshLook.

Daily vs Monthly Lenses for Hyperopia

Both daily and monthly wearing schedules are available for hyperopia prescriptions. Here is how they compare:

>>> See more: Types of Contact Lenses: What Gets Covered and What Does 

What If You Have Astigmatism as Well? (Toric Lenses)

Many people with hyperopia also have astigmatism an irregular curvature of the cornea that causes blurred vision at multiple distances. If your prescription includes both a + sphere value and a cylinder (CYL) value, you will need toric contact lenses rather than standard spherical ones.

Toric lenses for hyperopia are widely available in soft materials from brands like Biofinity Toric, Acuvue Oasys for Astigmatism, and Air Optix Plus HydraGlyde for Astigmatism. They require slightly more precise fitting from your optician to ensure they sit correctly on the eye.

Multifocal Contacts For Hyperopia Combined with Presbyopia

If you are over 40 and need vision correction at both near and distance, multifocal (or varifocal) contact lenses may be the best solution. These lenses contain multiple prescription zones in a single lens, allowing you to see clearly at different distances without the need for reading glasses. Common options include Biofinity Multifocal, 1 Day Acuvue Moist Multifocal, and Air Optix Plus HydraGlyde Multifocal.

4. Can You Get Coloured Contact Lenses If You Are Long-Sighted?

This is one of the most common questions we receive and the answer is yes, though with some important caveats.

Coloured prescription contact lenses for hyperopia are available, particularly for mild to moderate + power prescriptions (typically +0.25 to +4.00). At Bella Lense, our prescription coloured lenses from the Elite, Diamond, Glow, and Contour collections are available in a range of + power options, allowing you to enhance or transform your eye colour while correcting your long-sightedness at the same time.

Why Coloured Prescription Contacts for Hyperopia May Be Limited

The range of coloured lenses available in + powers is currently smaller than for standard clear lenses or minus power (myopia) lenses. This is because:

• + power lenses are thicker in the centre, which can be technically more complex to produce with colour pigments embedded

• Historically, demand for coloured lenses among long-sighted people was underserved though this is changing as brands expand their prescription ranges

• Very high + prescriptions (+4.25 and above) will have fewer coloured options; your optician may need to recommend a specialist product

 What Colours Are Available for Hyperopia Prescriptions?

At Bella Lense, our prescription coloured lenses for + power wearers are available in a full palette including natural hazel, honey, grey, blue, green, and enhancement tints. The best approach is to choose a colour based on your natural eye tone:

• Light eyes (blue, green, grey): Enhancement tints work beautifully to deepen or intensify your natural colour

• Medium eyes (hazel, light brown): Opaque coloured lenses can subtly change or dramatically transform your look

• Dark eyes (dark brown, black): High-quality opaque lenses such as those from the Bella Elite or Diamond collections provide the most striking, visible change 

>>> See more: Types of Contact Lenses: A Complete Guide to Finding Your Perfect Fit

5. How to Read Your Contact Lens Prescription for Long-Sightedness

Your contact lens prescription (issued by your UK optician after a fitting) will contain several values. Here is what they mean for someone who is long-sighted:

Your contact lens prescription is different from your glasses prescription and cannot be used interchangeably. In the UK, you are legally entitled to receive a copy of your contact lens prescription after a successful fitting. If your optician has not provided one, simply ask it is your right.

6. Getting Your Contact Lens Prescription in the UK

Do I Need a New Eye Test to Switch to Contacts?

If you already wear glasses, you will still need a separate contact lens assessment your glasses prescription is not the same as a contact lens prescription. The fitting checks your corneal curvature, tear film quality, and eye health to determine the correct base curve, diameter, and lens type for your eyes. This typically takes 30–60 minutes at your first appointment.

How Long Is a Contact Lens Prescription Valid in the UK?

In England and Scotland, contact lens prescriptions are typically valid for up to 2 years. However, many opticians recommend annual check-ups to monitor eye health, particularly for contact lens wearers. If your prescription is over 2 years old, you will need a new assessment before ordering lenses online. 

Once you have your valid prescription, you can purchase your lenses online including from Bella Lense at significantly lower cost than high street opticians.

Ready to Try Contact Lenses for Long-Sightedness?

Whether you want to switch from glasses to clear contact lenses, or explore coloured prescription contacts that correct your hyperopia while enhancing your eye colour, there are excellent options available to you in the UK.

At Bella Lense, we are the UK's official distributor of BELLA and DYE lenses offering prescription coloured contacts available in a range of + power options, with free delivery on orders over £60 and worldwide express shipping.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional optical advice. Always consult a UK-registered optician (General Optical Council registered) before purchasing contact lenses, especially if you are a first-time wearer or have any existing eye conditions. Contact lenses are medical devices; your eye health should always come first.