Moving From Glasses to Contacts.

RKCNDY

I have worn contacts for over 20 years. in the last 10 years, I've switched from RGP (rigid gas permeables) to soft contacts.

my thoughts...

RGP:
#1 choice for those with astigmatism, they help shape your cornea and make things much more sharper than the soft contacts can.

smaller surface area, much smaller than the iris (colored part of your eye) so they let in much more oxygen to the eye.

any products that say 'remove lenses before use' can be ignored, RGPs don't absorb liquid as much as soft contacts do.

tough to get used to (apparently, depending on how much you want to wear contacts depends on how fast you can adjust to them.) most optritians will give you a 'wearing schedule' 2 hours a day for a few days, then 4 hours, then 6 etc

cleaning is a 2 step process: rub lenses with cleaner, then rinse under water. Boston (the RGP solution maker) says they have a 'no-rub' formula, but it doesn't work as well...my dr told me to go back to the cleaner/soulution schedule

RGPs must be replaced every 2 years, and are VERY inexpensive. When I bought my last pair in 2000, I paid $80 for a pair

get anything in your eye, and it hurts like you wouldn't believe, people always thought I was crying

tough to remove from your eye...you place your finger on the outer corner of your eyebrow, push up, rest your finger on your cheek, pull the skin back while keeping your eye open, and blink..the contact pops out. I lost many contacts down the drain because they go flying...I would take the sink apart to get my contacts.

RGPs MUST be taken out EVERY DAY-a real pain if you like to go camping and don't have access to fresh water to wash your hands and contacts.

my eyes would 'feel tired' and dried out after 10 hours of wear...not cool if you want to go out all night.


Soft Contacts:
I wear the same ones that chiqui has..toric lenses. I went thru 6 different kinds of lenses to find a good pair before they came out with the toric

I LOVE being able to sleep in my contacts, see the clock in the dark, watch TV in bed, not worry about rain on the lenses, lenses steaming up when I go into a warm building, I can wear cute sunglasses.

I am a good canidate for LASIK, but I will still have to wear reading glasses anyway when I'm 40, and I would lose my 'close-up' vision, so if you do any intricate work (tying flys) you will have to get magnifiers

one year of the toric lenses run about $200 (I buy at costco, and they are always running a coupon special, $40-60 off a 2-box purchase and then Bauch and Lomb will have a rebate on top of that of another $40-80)

I still buy glasses for when I want a break, but I LOVE the freedom of 'no glasses'

norm

RKCNDY wrote:

I have worn contacts for over 20 years. in the last 10 years, I've switched from RGP (rigid gas permeables) to soft contacts.

those were the first contacts i had...but as soon as they came out with the long wear lenses i got those...i hate putting in contacts (although these new lenses i have go in great)

my problem with the long wear lenses is i would never take them out...for like months at a time...not good for the eyes so now i take them out every night

RKCNDY

norm wrote:

RKCNDY wrote:

I have worn contacts for over 20 years. in the last 10 years, I've switched from RGP (rigid gas permeables) to soft contacts.

those were the first contacts i had...but as soon as they came out with the long wear lenses i got those...i hate putting in contacts (although these new lenses i have go in great)

my problem with the long wear lenses is i would never take them out...for like months at a time...not good for the eyes so now i take them out every night

I don't take my lenses out every night...maybe once a week....shhh don't tell my dr!

I actually got an infection from the RGPs, there was a minor chip in the edge of one of them, and a scratch in the other, and they scratched up my corneas...had to wear my glasses for 3 months... :x

chiquimonkey

RKCNDY wrote:

I don't take my lenses out every night...maybe once a week....shhh don't tell my dr!

I actually got an infection from the RGPs, there was a minor chip in the edge of one of them, and a scratch in the other, and they scratched up my corneas...had to wear my glasses for 3 months... :x

Wow I am a serious paranoid, I never sleep with my soft lenses in, even for a nap! :shock: I guess I'm overcautious. :?

Johnnyguitarwatson

i tried contacts for a few weeks but couldn't get comfortable wearing them... plus i had a bitch of a time getting them out ha ha. I'm thinking about laser eye surgery :geek:

Good luck