Contact lense wearers - Advice please

msoulz wrote: I am contemplating trying contacts. I now wear bifoculs - yep, I am a geezer at 42 - so I'm thinking if I wear contacts for distance I can go back to reading glasses when necessary. I have never worn them and the doc says my eyes seem dry, which could be a problem too.

And another reason I am wanting to switch is because I can't see my computer well through the top of my bifoculs so I am constantly tipping my head back to see the screen, which is not doing my neck any favors.

So I am asking for advice from those of you who have worn these things. I know absolutely nothing about them so no advice is too basic. Thanks!!

Maddie&EthansMom replied: What type of contacts are they suggesting?

I have regular soft lenses and I've been wearing them since the 5th grade with no problems. It does take some time to get used to and you should only wear them for a couple of hours at a time for the first week, or until your eyes adjust b/c your eyes will get really tired.

They have specific contacts for dry eyes. I wear the aqualens and they are great. My mother has astigmatism and is able to wear soft lenses now...and they also make bifocal contacts. I'm pretty sure anyone can wear contacts these days.

I wear glasses at night and in the morning....just for backup basically. I prefer contacts b/c I don't like stuff on my face.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: I've worn contacts since junior high, so that's about 23 years. I wear the Oasis brand soft lenses, which are great for dryness. They are super gel like, easy to put in. There are different storage and cleaning systems. I have always done the "take out every night and clean" method. I know some contacts are made to wear day and night, but I just don't like the thought of always having them in. My eyes seem to get tired at night, like the muscle starts to ache a bit if I'm wearing my contacts too long. And they get dry. There are drops for dryness, but I am sensitive to what's in it. I've fallen asleep with contacts in before and it's not the end of the world, but they get shoved up under your lids...Not to scare you. Again, it's pretty harmless as long as you get it out. Don't go for the "all in one" no rub solution. I think I was allergic to that too. I just get plain ol' saline and that works great. A disinfectant solution for the evening (I use the Aosept system). Anyhow, you will love it - just takes awhile to get used to if you've worn glasses for so long. I'm the opposite (can't get used to wearing glasses) and always resort back to my contacts. Costco has the best prices and you can buy in bulk. GL

boyohboyohboy replied: I have had soft contacts since I was 18. I love them. I also have dry eyes, but I wear mine probably 18 hours a day too. I use the renew lubricating drops and really like those..
also I think my brand are acuview.

there are so many new brands out there now.. I just dont recommend the kind that you sleep in. I think your eyes need a rest.

It takes some used to putting them in but once you get the hang of it, its easy.

cameragirl21 replied: I wear acuvue disposables but I don't sleep in them anymore, I used to when I was in college. I love them, of course I'd love lasik more but that aside, I love these lenses.
Btw, there are bifocal lenses you can get that cover both vision issues.
My eyes get dry sometimes but it's easy to keep them hydrated.
My good friend is an optometrist so if you have any questions, I can ask for you.

msoulz replied:

That is great info, thank you very much! I don't intend to sleep with them either, but I can see myself forgetting about them. I sometimes forget to put my glasses on now until I see any kind of letters or numbers and realize I can't see them!

Stacy, I think saw one called Acuvue moist at Costco - do you use those? It seems there are many different choices under each brand!

And I have seen the bifocul lenses advertised and I can't figure out how that woudl work, except I know some folks use one eye for distance and one for reading but I am afraid that might give me more headaches than I already have. Plus I'm guessing they are pretty expensive too - which is another thing, I have no idea how much these things cost!

Jennifer, I am not a candidate for that surgery, and I am a chicken anyway so I wouldn't do it. I may take you up on your offer to ask the optometrist questions!

Another question - how do they "fit"you for contacts? Does an optometrist do it or does someone who sells glasses? My opthamologist just checks eyes and writes the prescriptions.

boyohboyohboy replied: they can measure your eye with that little machine the place on your face and never touch your eye.
I get my contacts folded up under my eye lid all the time, and it is easy for me to get it out. I think all the sensations at first are weird, but you get used to it.
it will become like anything else you do.
I would just go with what ever brand the dr fits you for..they know which ones are the best for you.
I do use the all in one no rub solution and always have. I so far have never had an infection of any kid. walmart makes a cheaper version of the renu also.

and if you sign up at renu.com you can get their kit that is free and I got like 25 free lens cases and rewetting drops..

you will like them mary. i think you can get them for your vision issues too, and I think Jennifer was right, they put on of each type in your eye...

you can always ask for two week trials of each kind until you find the ones that fit you and are most comfortable. i cant feel mine once they are in at all. if i can i know its time to change them.
i am not really a good eye care person, and i used to work for an optical company..but i keep mine in until i cant wear them anymore and then throw them away, but i think mine are to be changed normally every three months...
I make mine last me at lease two three years at a time....
told you I was horrible.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: Acuvue makes the Oasis, so same brand. They carry several different lines, just ask your doc what's best for you. I have always had an opthamologist check me for contacts. My Rx changes every couple years as I've aged. Make sure and ask if the doc has samples of contacts he/she can give you, same with solutions. Get cases from them too. They get so many "freebies" from contact manufacturers. I think once I had like three months free before I had to fill an Rx. Just depends on the doc, but never hurts to ask. Fitting is done all their in the office. I think they do it like they do glasses - put that machine on your face that looks like giant glasses. Then the doc will put them on for you for the first time. Anything irritating, you should take them back. I've had the wrong Rx before.

msoulz replied:
Thank you, I will ask for free stuff!

I have an appointment tomorrow at Costco and they have to do their own exam but I guess I understand, I should have said something to my opthamolgist before the end of the appointment. They said I will leave with a trail pair and will come back in a week to see how they are doing.

by wrong Rx do you mean you couldn't see properly or they didn't fit and felt bad?

gr33n3y3z replied: I use proclear contacts and insted of bifoculs my eye Dr made it so I can wear my glasses with my contacts when I need to read or play my games ask your Dr to do that for you bc Its the best way to go bc I hated bifoculs always made me sick.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied:
I don't wear contacts for sight. I have isotropia, which is a turn-out of the eye. A little different than a lazy eye. So even without contacts, I see pretty well. But I do notice when the Rx is off because it doesn't correct my turn-out. Plus the one time I'm speaking of, I kept getting bad headaches and things seemed "off". If the fit isn't good, you'll know right away. But give it some time since they will probably feel funny to you either way being that it's your first time. Anything kinda scratchy feeling is usually a small tear on the side. Blurry and itchiness is due to old contacts. Like you said, you'll go back a week later and the doc will ask you how it's working out.

luvmykids replied: My mom has the bifocal contacts. She did have to try a few brands/prescriptions to get it right, she's ALWAYS worn glasses and it took some adjustment for her eyes to see well with the contacts vs the glasses, even now with the right RX she says it took a week or two for her eyes to "learn" they didn't have to focus through the distance between her eye and her glasses. After about a month of trial and error, she's thrilled with her contacts and now she hates wearing her glasses

msoulz replied:

So are they the ones where one eye focuses for distance and one for close?? Or are there actually different Rx's in each lense?

luvmykids replied:
She tried those and couldn't get used to them, the ones she has now are truly bifocal, the lense has more than one "power". She says they feel a little different than the single vision ones, but now that she's used to them she sees better than she did when she tried it the other way. She did have to adjust, her dr told her your eye has to relearn how and where to focus. Also, there are two different kind of bifocal lenses, I think.

I couldn't believe they could work but the way she explained it is they sit differently on your eye than traditional lenses so that even when your eye moves, it still looks through the correct part of the lense somehow. I'm still kind of baffled by it but she says they work.