Ins & Outs of Contact Lenses

Once I got used to putting contacts in and taking them out, it was a breeze and to tell you the truth, I see much better with contacts than with glasses.

It takes a little perseverance to adjust to them, but it's worth the effort.

To speak for a portion of those who deal with serious eye problems -

me, f/k it. I would never do anything at all cosmetic with my eyes. Precious they are.

On the other hand, I have several pals who are happy with their lasik surgery, even after adjustments, except for my friend's husband in Napa who needs a couple of hours to see in the morning, but he plans to complain...

I have a friend who is a tv newscaster who had her eyes done with some problem of wrinkling on one. One eye is fixed for far and one for near.
Now me, from my antique and eye challenged pov, look at this and think, well then what, as her eyes age?
Maybe ok, maybe not, depends on her particular eyes.


But - I can see being just a normal eye person and having it be valuable.

Tell me again, what is so horrible about glasses?

I'm with ya, ossoB. After my brief interlude with contacts, I haven't really been tempted to try them again. I'd rather deal with vision stuff from the outside than from any poking - contact-wise, or surgery-wise.

I like my glasses - partly because of the different looks they can offer.

I also get kind of grossed-out by the contact outline you can see in a lot of people's eyes. <shudder> Reminds me of my eye-poking incident <shudder>

I find that a lot of people look better with their glasses than without. And I've certainly been known to have more than a tiny yen for men in glasses.

rethinking message, forbearance please.

I've been told time and again by different drs that I am not a candidate for LASIK. I've had a retinal tear due to vitreol degeneration. The LASIK procedure puts a minute vacuum pressure on the eye. That, I'm told, is enough to cause retinal detatchment in th vulnerable. My dr said there are better things on the horizon.

Yes, Swimpy, retinal detachment is the kind of thing that worries me about the lasik surgery, not so much for me, but for other people. I wonder how you could tell if someone is vulnerable to it, other than past history..

I gather the statistics on the procedure are pretty solid, though.

Gee. Just when I was thinking I'd try to pop those suckers (and they literally do seem to suck my eye, especially after being on a while... ), I hear more bad news.

I got something in one of my eyes last night... it just seemed to drop in and out of nowhere. (Was it a sign? Don't put those dratted things back in.....)

Sensible -- you really do need glasses even if you manage to make contacts work for you. At least, that's what they told me. Sorry you lost your specs...

People with extreme nearsightedness are vulnerable to retinal detatchment. That's why every time I get a frickin' eye exam, they turn me upside-down and poke me with pointed sticks. I hate it.

Piffka, Do you wear mascara? If you do, make sure you get a good brand that will not flake.

I'd hate that too!

I wear mascara if I'm feeling fancy, Swimpy, but not every day.

When he suffered the irreversible damage, my father-in-law was having an operation to have his retina re-attached with some kind of laser stitching. He'd flown from Arizona to Virginia or ?? where there were specialists doing this (then) new technique. But it all turned out horribly wrong.

How terrible! I had my retinal tear fixed by laser. It was most frightening. It wasn't the pain, which was mild. I was terrified that I would accidentally move and he would blind me. That didn't happen. They had my head prettty well strapped in and the nurse held my head as well. All the same, after it was over I threw up from the stress.

This is a discussion of vitreous detachment, which is what I had. It's a pretty common condition. In rare cases a tear in the retina results. That's what happend to me.

That's a good link, Swimpy.

I forgot my point. See a dr if you experience floaters or flashes of light. It may be nothing but it might be something.

(Me, I have little vitreous gel or fibers left...)

but that link is good for that page on floaters, etc., but the site is also a great general eye link; it's now in my favorites.

Just put 'em in for the first time in over a year, thought of this thread. (Going to the pool, can't stand wearing glasses there -- they get splashed, I can't really go underwater, I can't see if I leave them poolside.) They're surreally comfortable, much more than I expected. I'm a little squinty, but mostly don't even notice.

We'll see how I feel in a few hours.

re: Contacts
Hi,

Have not posted in awhile, because I have still be struggling with these contacts. They finally released them to me today after 6 times of going there. I did fine in the office today, got them in on a few tries.

Come home, practice in the afternoon, can't even get it in my right eye. Totally frustrated, feel like giving up. I called the office and told them exactly what I'm doing, which is not anything different. Maybe I'm more nervous/scared here - not sure.

Ideas please. Remember vision distorted close up, so it is harder for me to see the contacts to begin with. However, being one that would pull away from anyone wanting to touch my eye, I have come far. (DEBBIE)

Update to what I posted yesterday. I tried to get the contacts in and I couldn't. I went back to the office today and had her work with me. Of course, they went right in. Only difference is I don't have a magnifying mirror on the counter (which I will buy).

I have been walking around with the contacts in now for about 1 hour. I have one for far distance and one for close up. I notice that I will need magnified reading glasses they sell at drugstores for computers, as I'm trying my husband's glasses on now and they are working.

I will give it a try, but I'm noticing that little things, like dialing my cell phone, seeing the computer, dial on the speedometer of car - can't see as clearly with contacts (but can't see without glasses on either).

I know it is a trial, and I'm supposed to make note of what's going on, maybe they can be made stronger. Will see. Maybe glasses work for me, but I'm proud of myself that I have at least tried.

Debbie

Yeah, good for you for trying!

I have definitely noticed a sort of a feedback loop with putting in contacts, part of what I said back there a ways about if you can't get them in after X number of tries, put 'em away and try again later. I always get them in within about 4 tries or just plain can't that session. It's nerves, it's how much your eyes water with the poking and prodding, it's repeating whatever bad habit you're unconsciously doing, it's all kinds of things.

I don't know if it is a new kind of contact lens I have (I stocked up on a new kind before I moved, haven't worn them though until lately) or what, but these things are GREAT! I honestly barely feel them, wore them about 8 hours the first day with no problem at all, just "hmm, it's been 8 hours and I haven't worn them for a year, better take 'em out," and for pretty much as long as I've wanted since.

Debbie, making notes sounds good. Good luck!

I can't read with my contacts in either. I buy reading glasses at Target for $1. Then I don't fret when I lose them. I have four pair-one stays at my desk at work, one in my desk drawer, one in my purse and one at home. I tried the two different corrections thing, one contact for reading the other for distance, but never could get used to it. I'm thinking of trying it again though.

Thank you for your answers to my posts
I have had them in for 4 hours (2 days in a row). I notice that I almost feel like i'm having a panic attack after 4-5 attempts of getting them out (which I actually am not but sure feels like it). Keep hitting the white part of my eye, which gets red, but I did get them out yesterday.

I'm really not supposed to do computer work with them yet (but that is hard when I do medical transcriptions and am always at the computer). Hubby suggested I try his 1.5 Target/drug store reading glasses. That works well.

Weird thing though, for some reason today I noticed if I don't have the contacts on (and my glasses are not on)- some of my close up vision seems stronger - i.e., I looked at the computer, and I can see it better. I can't explain this at all.

Thank you for the support and confidence you have given me. If you told me 2 months ago, I would be doing this, I really would have laughed, as I thought it was impossible. DEBBIE

Help
Went to put in right contact in eye and a piece of it broke in my hand.

I called the Opt. office and asked them what I did wrong, and mentioned I followed all instructions and was careful when working with them and not pulling on anything.

Told that sometimes when putting a lid on the top of the contact container, it can hit the contact and "tear."

If this is going to be a common problem after 2 days, I will stay with the glasses.

Thought I was doing so well also. (Debbie)

Can someone tell me if I'm doing something wrong over here, trying sooooooooooooooo hard.