Contact lens

[bixaorellana]

I have major presbyopia, which obviously is not going to get better. It set in around the classic age of forty. In all the time since then, I have not gotten used to wearing glasses, in fact, I hate the damned things.

What I really want, aside from a miraculous cure, is to get contacts, even if I might still need glasses for close work.

I don't have issues about stuff in my eyes -- I can stick my fingers right in to get out a speck, put in drops, etc.

On the other hand, this is the sort of thing about which I would demand perfection & I know it would make me crazy if the correction wasn't right or something.

Do I have a chance?

[joanne28]

I think you do have a chance. I had to stop wearing contacts when I was in my mid-30s because my eyes became dryer. But I really liked them and had no problems (except for the dry eye bit). What I particularly enjoyed was not having glass frames in my peripheral vision.

I started wearing glasses young and am so totally hardwired to wearing them that I put them on in the dark when I answer the phone "because I hear better" and at least once a year I step into the shower and wonder why the world has suddenly become blurry. But I have very bad myopia, astigmatism and now, of course, presbyopia. This aging thing sucks.

One caveat - even with my glasses now, I find that I don't see as well as I think I should. My optician gently explained that they may not be able to correct to 20/20 as we age. Same comment as above.

[bixaorellana]

Thanks, Joanne ~~ that thing about the frames in the peripheral vision is one of the things that bothers me the most. I always feel as though I'm wearing a Lone Ranger mask, no matter what style of glasses I use.

It is worse for people who are myopic, as their correction for one thing later needs something else on top of it. And of course with astigmatism added -- .

I had perfect vision until hit with this particular vicissitude of aging. I just want a way to gaze at the world clearly again without glasses, even I need to put a pair on for reading.

[rikita]

i was considering getting contact lenses a few years ago, but i am very sensitive about my eyes so i decided against it. might try it one day. for now, i need to get new glasses whenever i can afford them, mine are very scratched and the anti-glare is coming off...

[bjd]

Mar 12, 2011 17:39:18 GMT bixaorellana said:

It is worse for people who are myopic, as their correction for one thing later needs something else on top of it. And of course with astigmatism added -- .

Actually, that's not quite true. I was vaguely nearsighted and astigmatic when I was younger, even though I didn't actually wear glasses. But in my 40s I realized that I couldn't see street names and that movies were fuzzy. So I got distance glasses, when everyone else my age was getting glasses for farsightedness. I have had the same ones for years now. The eye doctor explained that myopia corrects for the age-related presbyopia.

[bixaorellana]

Bjd, my brother-in-law is very nearsighted & wears contacts. He put on my readers (off-the-rack magnifying glasses) one day as a joke and was thrilled to find that they made looking at anything held at reading distance much easier. Now he & my sister (also nearsighted, both 55 years old) use readers to augment their contact-corrected vision for the computer, sewing, reading, etc. Perhaps it depends on the degree of nearsightedness.

Oh, that reminded me -- my sister's eye doctor told her she was a good candidate for using two different kinds of contacts, one for near & one for far. Apparently, if you can adjust to this, it makes for more "normal" vision. Anyone know anything about that.

[cheerypeabrain]

Nope....and the thought of having contacts doesn't appeal. I've had poor vision since I had measles as a child...I used to have to wear a patch over one eye as my left eye is a 'lazy' one. Now I wear glasses all the time. The lazy eye is beyond correcting and I am short sighted in my right eye. I wear bi-focals and have been wondering about vari-focals for a while.

I'm such a clumsy person I'd probably poke my eye out if I had to wear contacts...and I'd be bound to drop them/lose them as well....

[bjd]

Bixa, a friend of mine has progressive contact lenses -- one part is for seeing close, one for seeing at a distance. She said it took a bit of getting used to but now she wears them all the time. She is about 70 and just hated wearing glasses.

[tod2]

Mar 12, 2011 18:26:52 GMT bixaorellana said:

Oh, that reminded me -- my sister's eye doctor told her she was a good candidate for using two different kinds of contacts, one for near & one for far. Apparently, if you can adjust to this, it makes for more "normal" vision. Anyone know anything about that.

I tried that Bixa - didn't work for me. Guess my brain was just too slow to work it out ;D
On the other hand, my husband has had lazer in both eyes with the addition of a lens in the one - He can see far with one eye and near with the other with no problem. Apparently ones eyes can be suitable for this and in others not.

Since having both my eyes lazered I can see almost as far as Mexico and use el cheapo reading glasses for computer and reading!
I have been told that sometime in the future I will have to have a cataract removed when it gets too bad - at the moment it is only forming - Sunglasses always when outside!!

[thill25]

I can HIGHLY recommend Acuvue Oasis contacts...best contacts I've ever owned.

[spindrift]

As a contact lens wearer I am delighted to tell you that, for me, they are the greatest invention since sliced bread! I give thanks that I persisted against all the odds and came through, after a month of so, to the stage of being able to insert them without any more hassles. I love them and would never willingly be without them.

I wear Johnsons Acuvue Moist. These are disposable dailies. If there is one thing I don't mind paying for it's these contact lenses

I only ventured into trying contact because my optician informed me about a year ago that the time had come for me to wear Varifocals. This geared me into making up mind to persist with contacts until I got it right. I knew that I would have big problems in letting the optician insert them into my eyes and even more problems in doing this for myself. One optician gave up on me for I could not initially bear her fingers coming close to my eyes...but a year later I saw a different optician and we persisted. He told me to go outside the shop whilst wearing my new contacts and walk around for an hour or two, then to return and he would remove them for me. Immediately I set foot in the street and saw the difference in my vision I knew that I would be brave enough to go for it!

Thank god for contacts....

[bixaorellana]

Wow -- you all are the best!

Thanks for all the great information, especially letting me know that older people can adapt and also for the two Acuvue recommendations.

From what little I know, the one far/one near contacts thing is not suitable for everyone.

Mar 22, 2011 13:48:11 GMT spindrift said:

my optician informed me about a year ago that the time had come for me to wear Varifocals.

See, this is something that really galls me. Years ago I was nagged into getting "real" glasses from the optician. (I've always used off-the-rack readers because both eyes are the same.) Then I was bullied into getting bifocals, which I hated (& returned). Ever since, I've used three or two different glasses. It makes NO sense to have the higher magnification for reading setting there on your face when you're walking around. They're a downright menace for people descending steps or even stepping off a curb.

Spindrift, what you say is really encouraging for me, as I don't have that phobia about fingers in the eyes. And that part about going outside and really seeing a difference cinches it!

[thill25]

That is ssssssssoooooo true about not knowing what you're missing until you try them out. The first time I got fitted and wore them around I told my wife (girlfriend at the time), "Holy shit! I can see the leaves on the trees!"...been sold ever since. ;D

[Kimby]

Mar 12, 2011 18:26:52 GMT bixaorellana said:

Oh, that reminded me -- my sister's eye doctor told her she was a good candidate for using two different kinds of contacts, one for near & one for far. Apparently, if you can adjust to this, it makes for more "normal" vision. Anyone know anything about that.

I have heard that women often tolerate this two lens treatment better than men, something to do with the way our brain halves are connected.

Mar 13, 2011 8:40:34 GMT bjd said:

Bixa, a friend of mine has progressive contact lenses -- one part is for seeing close, one for seeing at a distance. She said it took a bit of getting used to but now she wears them all the time. She is about 70 and just hated wearing glasses.

I've heard that these lenses are weighted so they sit correctly in your eyes. But if you are one who watches TV while lying on the sofa, that might present a problem as the lens will tilt in your eye and be aligned improperly for vision.

Anyone have these?

[bixaorellana]

They sound suspiciously like little bitty bifocals to me.

[spindrift]

Bixa - did you ever get fitted for contact lenses? do tell us...

I am still enjoying wearing mine.

[bixaorellana]

*flutters eyelashes madly*

Guess what I'm wearing, even as I type.

I did it -- got my first pair ever late yesterday afternoon. I find them totally comfortable, although putting them is not a talent that's coming easily to me.

Huge thanks to Joanne, Spindrift, & Thill -- your comments are what really convinced me. I'm truly grateful for everyones input, though, as it's all stuff that may apply in the future.

[mich64]

Congratulations Bixa! I wore them for a while, maybe I will try them again.
Cheers!
Mich

[spindrift]

I am so pleased you are wearing them Bixa. Well done. It will take several weeks to become accustomed to inserting them easily. Even now I sometimes get into difficulties.

Recently my optician raised the strength of the lens in one eye and now I do not need reading glasses unless I'm reading tiny print.

Instead of ordering my lenses from the optician, I now order a 3 months' supply from Asda at a fraction of the cost.

[bixaorellana]

Thanks Ladies! I am fighting against the impression I may have been scammed. The contact lenses are the same for both eyes. It seems to me that when the examination was done, my left eye was slightly weaker. It may well be that both eyes are the same, but ...

At any rate, when I left the place I got my lens, I happened to walk past another one. It seemed more professionally run, was cheaper, & they'd do another examination. Since I need reading glasses, I'll try there.

[bixaorellana]

I don't know if I should post here or in that other thread called eye problems. However, this may be contact lens related.

I've been wearing contacts for several months now & truly adore them. I've developed a technique for taking them in & out & wear them with not problems.

Except ............. the past couple of times I've used them, I have major irritation in my right eye after taking the contacts out. I put them in fine & wear them without being conscious of them at all, but now, once they're out, my right eye becomes very red, stings, & feels as though there's something in it.

Any ideas?

[htmb]

I have occasionally had my eye dry up a bit, but had not realized it until taking out a contact. This usually happens when i have worn my contacts until late at night. I have found that if I put lens solution in my eye a few minues before taking out the contact it comes out very easily and i dont have to struggle to get ahold of it. I wonder if that would help you.

[bixaorellana]

Thanks, Htmb. I don't usually wear them until late at night, However, both times that this happened it was on a blustery day with lots of blowing dust & stuff.

I take my lens out with a q-tip soaked in lens solution (one tip per eye) because I don't like scrabbling at my eyeballs with my fingers. But your suggestion would mean that any bit of grit could be rinsed out before removing the lens, which seems like an awfully good idea.

[joanne28]

Your eyes may simply be getting dry. I never "plucked" at my lenses to remove them. I simply put my thumb and finger over and under the lens (on my upper and lower eyelids) and pushed. This was enough to pop my lens out no problem. I've heard of people scratching their eyes otherwise and the thought fills me with horror.

Try putting drops in occasionally while you're wearing the lenses.

[bixaorellana]

I've been wanting to get some drops, but want to know which ones are safe to use with contacts. Could I just use any eye drops, or is there a special type?

[htmb]

It's been a long time since my eye doctor had me get drops. Changing the lens type stopped most of the dryness. I think the kind I had were called "refresh," but I'm pretty sure they were specifically for contact lens users. Here they sell drops next to the contact lens solution.

I hope your burning eye is better also.

[joanne28]

They should have the drops next to the contact lens solution as htmb said. If not, just ask your doctor. Drops can make a stupendous difference in comfort. I use OTC drops myself as my eyes are quite dry. My optometrist recommended them.

[bixaorellana]

Thanks to you both. I did get some drops. The young clerk at the pharmacy helpfully gave me the large box to read, while she read the tiny writing on the small box of the same stuff. Turned out that her box specified that it was for contact lens wearers, whereas the big box left off that info. Hideously expensive, but seems to be helping. I am going to get checked again & see about changing the brand of lens I use.

[htmb]

I remember how expensive those drops are, bixa. Fortunately you only need to use a little at a time.

I have worn a contact lens in my left eye for the past fifteen years with no trouble once I got use to it. For the past couple of months I've also worn a contact in my right. About once a week I experience some dryness that I only notice when I go to remove the lens. I find the lens is sticking to my eye and it is hard to rtake out. That's when I lubricate the eye with lens solution and let it sit for a minute or two. If I had drops I'd use them, but I figure my eye is just adjusting and this is just a temporary situation.

I hope the drops will help you.

[bixaorellana]

I think I need to get checked out. I wore my contacts for @6 hours yesterday quite comfortably, only deciding to take them out when I started to be able to feel them. Again, major irritation, this time in the left eye. Both eyes looked like taillights, besides.