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The Daysoft pedigree in daily disposables is unsurpassed. Ron invented the originals at his first company 'Award' and continues to innovate at Daysoft.

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Dr Ron Hamilton CBE

Inventor of daily disposables

Ron Hamilton invented daily disposable contact lenses and built the world's first laboratory dedicated to making them.

Passionate about the importance of eyecare, Ron realised that he could cut the price of daily disposable contact lenses and make them affordable for everyone. Daysoft wants to lead the market in daily-disposable lenses and to offer the best possible wearing experience for its customers.

How we got there

1980

From back garden to big business

During the 1980’s Ron was employed as vice-president of a major US eye-care company, CooperVision Inc. But driven by the belief that a daily disposable lens is more hygienic, Ron and his then business partner Bill Seden installed a moulding machine in Ron's back-garden ‘annex’ and began designing a new process for the production of contact lenses.

1992

Brave words lead to factory funding

In 1992 Ron gave an interview to BBC World service claiming that he could cut the cost of a soft contact lens by 99%. Before long he had secured support and interest for him and Bill to raise venture capital funding and with Regional Development Funding Award they had just enough to start their full-scale AWARD factory situated in Scotland.

1993

Revolutionising lens production processes

Ron launched the first daily disposable in 1993, cutting the retail cost from £50 to 50p per lens.

1996

Award is bought by Bausch and Lomb

In early 1996 Bausch and Lomb, the world’s biggest eye care company, having failed to develop a suitable process technology themselves, approached Ron for distribution rights, Ron offered to sell them the company and the patent rights.

2001

Dreaming of low cost daily disposables

Following his 5-year non-compete agreement, Ron was very disappointed that the price of daily-disposables made by B&L, CIBA, J&J and CooperVision remained so high that many contact lenses wearers were still using lenses which needed daily cleaning.

2001

daysoft® is born

Ron decided to re-enter the market with an affordable, high-specification daily-disposable contact lens using unique technology, capable of replacing other brands. He built the world’s first laboratory solely dedicated to the manufacture of daily disposable contact lenses and named his lenses daysoft® with the promise to 'switch & save'.

2006

Direct to consumer

Daysoft is the first company in the world to make and sell contact lenses directly to the customer. We cut out the middle-man and pass the savings directly on to you

2011

Ron Hamilton awarded a CBE

Ron was given a CBE by the Queen for his services to the contact lens industry in July 2011. Based in Blantyre in Scotland, daysoft® employs 200 people and sells over 1.5 million daily-disposable lenses a week.

2018

From strength to strength

With Ron at the helm as Chairman, daysoft® is going from strength-to-strength and continues to enjoy strong worldwide sales growth by producing high quality, affordable daily disposable lenses that our customers love.