Contact Lenses

Contacts are wonderful. I wore them for 25+ years (until i needed bifocals). My doc's tip--- when they fold put a drop of eye lubricant (artificial tears type stuff) on the lens, then gently rub it and it will usually unfold.
If, IF, you need to pull it apart, do so very carefully.
After doing the above, be sure to rinse with solution before insertion.

quote:

Originally posted by George Sand:
My teenager wanted hued contacts and since it was time for an eye exam, we opted to try them. I ended up getting contacts for myself. I'm farsighted with astigmatism and today was the first day I wore them. I hadn't realized just how poor my eyesight was without my glasses until I tried the contacts. I could even see the phone book and read the back of a shampoo bottle. Rinse and REPEAT! Who knew!

Besides, it was really cool having the shared experience of trying something new like that with my teenager.

She got honey colored ones that turned her blue eyes a vivid shade of gold. She looks like one of the characters from Twilight. Stunning.

Does anyone have a trick to getting them in? They tend to fold back on my finger.

Been wearing contacts since I was 13. My first ones were the old hard contacts. Much easier to put in than the new soft variety. Get it on the tip of your finger and make sure it is sitting the correct way. Then look up and place the contact straight into the eye, then look straight ahead. The contact should find its place quickly. I wear them every day. There is a big difference between contacts and glasses.

I am near sighted (-3.25)and have worn many different varieties of soft contacts (Baush & Lomb) for 25 years. For the past year, I have been using SofLens MultiFocal. With the "MultiFocal" I no longer have to wear bifocals. I have perfect vision and no longer have to wear my bifocal glasses. (And no, I don't have to look down like some people do wearing bifocal glasses) I don't know what technology they use but the contact is perfectly clear and looks just like the other non-bifocal. I highly recommend them.

Place wet contact in middle of upper, inside (pointed part) of your pointer finger. While looking down, insert contact into middle of eye and blink a couple of times before raising your head. If after blinking several times they are not comfortable you may have a piece of fuzz or hair on them. Remove, rinse with saline and try again. Some look up, I have always found it easier to look down before inserting them.

Thanks guys! My daughter suggested putting a drop of solution on the lens too. That seems to help. I can't wait to try some colors, too. It'll be fun to change my eye color like I change purses!

George, I've been wearing contacts over 10 years now. It is so much easier if your finger is dry when putting in your contact. If you keep your fingertip dry and put a drop of solution on the lens, it should go in your eye easier. I also look away instead of straight ahead. I have found a new solution specifically for lens's with hydraclear. It makes a huge difference if you have that kind.

Oh yeah! Aren't contact lenses great!?!

Hopefully, you got the extended wear. They're a whole lot better'n they used to be.

For a while, many years ago, I wore daily wear contacts, but developed blepharitis - even though I was rigorous and hygienic in my care routine. The "treatments" (washing eyes with baby shampoo) were of no use. So, after some time, I switched back to glasses for several years.

FYI, "daily wear" are the variety which need to be taken out at night. However, from a purely sanitary perspective, extended wear are superior, because they are NOT handled as much. Once upon insertion, and once upon removal... but then, when they're removed, they're thrown away. So essentially, they're handled once.

I've switched back to contact lenses - the extended wear variety - and truly enjoy them. They're WAY cheaper than glasses!

But more toward answering your Q...

If your eyes are dry - and sometimes they are and we don't know it - put a drop of either lens rewetting solution, or the cleansing solution, or both, in your eyes.

That'll help the lenses "stick" to the cornea much better and more quickly.

Hey... it's for your eyes. It's okay.

I use Opti-Free RepleniSH, multi-purpose disinfecting solution by Alcon.

For rewetting, I use ReNu MultiPlus Lubricating & Rewetting Drops by Bausch & Lomb.

Because our tears contain protein, it'll sometimes become accumulated. Think "sleep" in your eyes after resting overnight. That "crust" is the protein.

When the disinfecting solution is in your eye, it'll assist in eliminating the "debris," which are essentially protein deposits. Sometimes, you can see the film on the surface of your cornea, if you look CLOSELY.

Hope this helps!

Oh yeah... tell your friends to NEVER use Visine or Murine. Instead, tell 'em to use the stuff you use for your contacts! (Well, the stuff I use for my contacts are okay for anyone! Hopefully, yours is too!)

I, too, am farsighted with astigmatism, & it's alot worse in one eye, than the other.
It has only been in recent years that they have really perfected contact lenses for people who have astigmatism.
They are indeed great & almost freeing I would say!
This year, my daughter started wearing them (at 13) and also LOVES them!

Hubby helped me put mine in today. Apparently, I was trying to push them in instead of just touching them to my eyeball. I can still feel them in my eyes and hope I either get used to this sensation or it goes away.

When I first started wearing contacts (25 yrs ago) I could also feel them for the first few days. The uneasy feeling should disappear after a few days. If not, go back and ask your doctor to insert them properly. My eye doctor has a nurse that pops mine in with no trouble.

quote:

I could even see the phone book and read the back of a shampoo bottle. Rinse and REPEAT! Who knew!

Guffaw!

My eye doctor told me my eyes are so dry that I will never be able to wear contacts.

quote:

Originally posted by Gail-:
My eye doctor told me my eyes are so dry that I will never be able to wear contacts.

I think that's common after menopause.

Here's another question for contact lens wearing veterans. The temps Dr. Tomsik gave me have a handling tint and an L on them. Since my Rx is the same for both eyes, both have Ls. Should the L be visible to read in the mirror with the contacts in my eyes? Or should the Ls be reversed in the mirror. I can't tell the difference in the bowl vs. half ball shape and thus don't know if I'm wearing them inside out or not.

quote:

Originally posted by George Sand:
Here's another question for contact lens wearing veterans. The temps Dr. Tomsik gave me have a handling tint and an L on them. Since my Rx is the same for both eyes, both have Ls. Should the L be visible to read in the mirror with the contacts in my eyes? Or should the Ls be reversed in the mirror. I can't tell the difference in the bowl vs. half ball shape and thus don't know if I'm wearing them inside out or not.

If they're inside out you will definately feel it. It will feel like an eyelash in your eye.

Thanks Salty. At this point, both ways feel like an eyelash in the eye! LOL. I think it will just take some getting used to.

quote:

Originally posted by George Sand:

quote:

Originally posted by Gail-:
My eye doctor told me my eyes are so dry that I will never be able to wear contacts.

I think that's common after menopause.

Actually, hon, he told me that when I was in my twenties...but, maybe that's why you are having problems

quote:

Originally posted by SaltyDog:

quote:

Originally posted by George Sand:
Here's another question for contact lens wearing veterans. The temps Dr. Tomsik gave me have a handling tint and an L on them. Since my Rx is the same for both eyes, both have Ls. Should the L be visible to read in the mirror with the contacts in my eyes? Or should the Ls be reversed in the mirror. I can't tell the difference in the bowl vs. half ball shape and thus don't know if I'm wearing them inside out or not.

If they're inside out you will definately feel it. It will feel like an eyelash in your eye.

That is if they'll stay in that long!
Reversed lenses will pop right out!

Success! I'm building up my wearing time and will try driving with them today so WARNING stay off the road! LOL Dr. T. said it might affect my far vision since I have the bionic eye when it comes to seeing far away.

It really makes the eye muscles tired at first. My daughter told me hers did, too.

quote:

Originally posted by George Sand:
Success! I'm building up my wearing time and will try driving with them today so WARNING stay off the road! LOL Dr. T. said it might affect my far vision since I have the bionic eye when it comes to seeing far away.

It really makes the eye muscles tired at first. My daughter told me hers did, too.

Old, bad vision, hormonal problems with contacts, and losing muscle control....oh yeah, I'm staying off the road....LOL

I've worn contacts off and on for 13 years. I don't really remember the getting used to part, except for that it does feel like there's something in your eye.

It takes awhile to get used to, I'd say a week or so, maybe longer depending on your eye sensitivity, but after that you won't even know they're there.

Well, you will, but you won't feel them unless they start to get dry. Shoals Lover, left excellent advice to prevent that.

When I put mine in, I take it, place the contact in the middle of my index finger, drop a little solution into it (not much just enough to wet it)- then with my other hand, with my indext finger lift my top lid upunder the lashes, and use my middle finger to pull my lower lid down. I place the contact directly on the center of my eye, looking straight ahead. I then take my top lid, with my other hand and pick it up slightly by the lashes (as to not pull my lashes out) and place the lid on top of my contact.

I leave my eye closed for a few seconds, then I blink, and look around. I've never had one pop out by doing this, but everyone does it differently. Some people need a mirror- I don't. Some people need to place, re-wet, and place again. I usually don't.


You'll find a routine that works for you. Welcome to the contact club. They are tons of fun as colors go, once you get the hang of it.

Enjoy!

~Amanda

quote:

Welcome to the contact club

LOL Thanks! Driving with them was strange. But I enjoy wearing them at home. I spend a lot of time at my computer and it's nice not to have to put on and take off glasses all day long.
I can't wait to try out the colors, too. My daughter's are beautiful.