Contact Lens?

big rockpile · #1 02/01/10, 08:37 AM

Ok its time to get Glasses again.I'm thinking of getting Contact Lens too because I want to do away with the Frame and want to see to the side.

Any drawbacks on Contact Lenes?

big rockpile

godsgapeach · #2 02/01/10, 08:45 AM

I love mine, Big Rockpile. I've had soft lenses for over half my life and really can't function without them. Of course, I've got awful vision--my prescription is -8.0 in both eyes. Glasses can correct with more clarity, but without contacts I have NO peripheral vision--that's not good especially for driving and working with animals.

Right now the ones I use can be left in for a month at a time--which also helps because I can't read the clock beside the bed without them in at night. I also like not having to fool with them so often (I've had the dailies too many years ago). But there are lots of different types to suit your preference.

Hope this helps.

mellba · #3 02/01/10, 08:50 AM

I loved wearing extended wear contacts for years until I needed bifocals. I liked them because if I didn't have time to take them out every day it was no big deal. Wore them more than 15 years and never had a problem. A couple of years ago got bifocal contacts. They don't make them in extended wear. I wore them a couple of months and then quit-- distant vision actually seemed worse, and they started feeling "sticky" about 5 PM and I'd have to take them out. They were disposable and I still have about 4 pairs that I've never opened. Waste of money for me.

flowergurl · #4 02/01/10, 10:25 AM

I tried them but got frustrated with them and went back to glasses.
I had the soft disposable kind.
Everybody kept saying you'll get the hang of them, but I never reached the point where I could get them into my eye easily. It would take me forever to get them in. Sometimes I just didn't have time for that. I don't have a problem with touching my eye or anything. The darn things would stick to my finger or just not come off and slip into my eye.
I lost one in my eye and it took a couple days for it work it's way to where I could find it.
I really wanted them to work because they weren't cheap, and I wanted to be rid of the glasses too. However, it just didn't work out for me.

Callieslamb · #5 02/01/10, 10:50 AM

contacts are more expensive.
Contacts can dry your eyes out to the point that you can't see
You won't know what they will do for you until you try them.
Some opticians let you try them for free.....ask.

chickenmommy · #6 02/01/10, 11:03 AM

I use either multifocal or go with monovision for contacts. Love them. I have found that if I put a little of the solution in each one when inserting I have less problem with them sticking to my finger. You have to establish the suction that holds them to the eyeball and to do that the lens needs to remain in its natural shape when inserted. Could be the problem flowergurl was having. It flattens out on your finger, but the liquid inside it helps form that suction when inserted. I can put them in in a moving vehicle without trouble if I just drop a little wetting solution into the lens.

Canning Girl · #7 02/01/10, 11:08 AM

I've worn soft contact lenses for 25 years. I hate my glasses because with them I have no peripheral vision. I use the 1-2 week lenses but I can usually make them last 4 weeks or more. 6 months worth of contacts lasts me over a year. I just bought 4 years worth of lenses from Vision Direct. They had the best price, and I found an online coupon code that reduced the price even further. Buying the same lenses from my optometrist costs more than twice as much.

Kshobbit · #8 02/01/10, 11:09 AM

I was a total failure with contacts. My eyes would suddenly start tearing until I couldn't see anything. I wish you success with yours.

Travis in Louisiana · #9 02/01/10, 12:19 PM

I cannot stand to watch my youngest daughter put them in

I will turn my head when she puts them in. AND to stick something in my eye!!NO THANK YOU. Of course, it is getting close for me to start to have to where glasses. I am 49. I have my Wal-mart glasses for small print now.

Wolf mom · #10 02/01/10, 12:47 PM

Really wanted to wear contacts. Bi-focal contacts seemed to make everything fuzzy so I went back to glasses.

I also seemed to rub my eyes a lot more working with horses & dust when I was wearing contacts.

I now have progressive, sun darkening lenses - no more sun glasses to loose - another benefit of glasses.

Let us know your choice.

Common Tator · #11 02/01/10, 01:11 PM

I wore them when I was younger and liked them. As I have aged my eyes have gotten drier, and unless I used lots and lots of drops, I couldn't wear them any more. I gave them up about 15 years ago.

Maura · #12 02/01/10, 01:11 PM

There have been improvements in the last two or three years with contact lenses. The shape of some people's eyeballs makes putting them in more difficult, but it can be done. Your optometrist should let you try out a pair, and if they don't feel comfortable, you go back in and they give you another trial pair of a different type. There are different types of bi-focals, and you may not be able to use the multi lense type, and go into the bi lense type.

What I have is a single prescription lense, and reading glasses for when I'm wearing the contacts. And remember when you go to a dry climate to either switch to glasses, or keep rehydrating your eyes. 00

CountryWannabe · #13 02/01/10, 02:31 PM

I wore them for a while, and liked them as long as I was in a "normal" setting. However, if there is dust or other pollutants blowing around (e.g chalk at dog shows or gymnastics meets, or dust at a rodeo or dressage event) then you may find that it gets behind the lens and irritates your eyes. I also found that the lenses made my eyes more sensitive to sunlight for some reason (I tend to be that way anyway)

Mary

madness · #14 02/01/10, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by godsgapeach

I love mine, Big Rockpile. I've had soft lenses for over half my life and really can't function without them. Of course, I've got awful vision--my prescription is -8.0 in both eyes. Glasses can correct with more clarity, but without contacts I have NO peripheral vision--that's not good especially for driving and working with animals.

Right now the ones I use can be left in for a month at a time--which also helps because I can't read the clock beside the bed without them in at night. I also like not having to fool with them so often (I've had the dailies too many years ago). But there are lots of different types to suit your preference.

Hope this helps.

Ditto my experience (same prescription and everything)!

My brother can't wear them - they bug him too much. So it really is a personal decision. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't wear them. Wearing glasses makes me feel nervous in public because of the lack of peripheral vision. I haven't worn them on a regular basis since I was 9!

txquilter · #15 02/01/10, 03:30 PM

I have both contact lens and glasses. I've worn both for the past 20 some odd years. It's time for me to get my eyes checked again and I'm seriously considering giving up the contacts all together.

The biggest problems I have noticed is that my eyes are much drier when I wear my contacts and in my ever so slowly advancing age (getting ready to turn 46) it is difficult to quickly transition from computer screen to paper without having to take a second to re-focus my eyes.

I love my contacts and am glad I was able to wear them for so long, I just think based on how much time I spend on the computer it might be wiser to just go with the glasses.

Good luck in your decision!

Curtis B · #16 02/01/10, 03:41 PM

I wouldn't be without mine. I have to take them out every night though, if I don't I have issues in the morning. With mine in I can tolerate cutting onions and smoke much better. Watch out if you cut jalapenos and then try to take them out though.

watcher · #17 02/01/10, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Common Tator

I wore them when I was younger and liked them. As I have aged my eyes have gotten drier, and unless I used lots and lots of drops, I couldn't wear them any more. I gave them up about 15 years ago.

You might want to try them again, I'm glad I did! They have gotten MUCH better in just the last 5 years when I stopped wearing them.