Contact Lenses

Author
Discussion

Willy Nilly

Original Poster:

12,511 posts

167 months

Saturday 18th October 2014
quotequote all
What is the panels verdict on contact lenses vs glasses? I find glasses a pain, I work outside, they get dirty, wet, damaged etc. What are contacts like if you have dusty job?

grumbledoak

31,532 posts

233 months

Saturday 18th October 2014
quotequote all
Contacts are a clear winner for sport. Glasses are far easier to take off and clean.

Maybe try daily disposables? If you can wear them a full day then chuck them...

51mes

1,500 posts

200 months

Saturday 18th October 2014
quotequote all
Painful....

from DIY experience around the house - dust as they say gets in your eyes ;-)

I use monthly 24x7 replacable's and find if working in a dusty environment they need to come out for a a clean more often - and I include days working/commuting into/out of london as "dusty".

I always carry glasses in the car incase I need to take them out. Luckily my prescription is very stable so I don't need to replace the glasses that often - the cost of both together on a 2 year basis would be more cost than it's worth.

S.


Edinburger

10,403 posts

168 months

Saturday 18th October 2014
quotequote all
I've worn contact lenses virtually every day since 1988.

Rigid gas permeables until a couple of years ago and soft monthly disposables since then.

Contact lenses work great for me. Better vision than with glasses, zero discomfort, can't fault them at all. That may not be everyone's experience though.

An optician will usually give you a month or do free trial so give them a shot. I pay £18 monthly direct debit for mine.

FastNLoud

63 posts

127 months

Saturday 18th October 2014
quotequote all
Glasses for when im being lazy. Contacts for when im doing anything active

Supernova190188

903 posts

139 months

Saturday 18th October 2014
quotequote all
I don't like wearing glasses, wore contacts for 8-9 years, extended wear for prob 5 years , would sleep in them not taking them out for 6 weeks at a time, then decided to go off them and onto daily disposables which are very good but a bit of a hassle each morning and night. Eventually got laser surgery 3 weeks ago, which so far is amazing, wish I'd done it years ago.

Mobile Chicane

20,825 posts

212 months

Saturday 18th October 2014
quotequote all
CIBA Vision Focus Dailies have changed my life.

Extremely comfortable, crystal clear vision. Can be worn all day.

I've tried the type you sleep in, the 30-day disposables, and other brands of dailies. CIBA Vision are by far and away the best.

55palfers

5,909 posts

164 months

Saturday 18th October 2014
quotequote all
Daily disposables from Costco

Brilliant things.


toohuge

3,434 posts

216 months

Monday 20th October 2014
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For the type of work that you will be doing OP, I would recommend the Ortho K system of contact lenses.

I have used them for over 10 years now.... you put contacts in at night, sleep with them in - these then correct your vision for the next day and you are free to work with nothing in your eyes, which is good for an environment with water / dust in your eyes etc.

hindmoor

10 posts

127 months

Monday 20th October 2014
quotequote all
Where can you get the Ortho K lenses? I live in the north of England and can't find an optician here that does them. Also, I am -8 in both eyes and some opticians only go up to -6, whilst others will treat higher prescriptions

Hackney

6,841 posts

208 months

Monday 20th October 2014
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That just sounds weird!

I've been wearing lenses since I was about 18 (I'm 42 now) and they've got better and better in that time.
I started with soft lenses and cleaning them every night, then disposables.

The ones I have now are daily disposables and are high oxygen permeable, so I can wear them all day with no issues.

I have glasses but they're strictly for the period between bathroom and lights out in the evening.

xuy

1,116 posts

154 months

Monday 20th October 2014
quotequote all
Gas permeable for 25 years, except a couple times trying soft lenses.


LordGrover

33,539 posts

212 months

Monday 20th October 2014
quotequote all
FastNLoud said:
Glasses for when im being lazy. Contacts for when im doing anything active
Ditto.
Now that I'm old I have multifocal daily disposables so I don't need to wear reading glasses either. Bloody brilliant!

TwistingMyMelon

6,385 posts

205 months

Monday 20th October 2014
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Love em

Glasses are fine when you are sat down, but a pain when up and about and forget sport , that just me though

Contacts are great, find a good optician and its a steep initial learning curve

Salgar

3,283 posts

184 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
quotequote all
I've worn contacts for the last 14 years or so, my preference is daily soft so that if anything happens to them I can just stick in another pair.

The only time I have problems with mine is if I go for a swim and leave them in, inevitably one will fall out at some point.

That said I've never had a problem with dust or anything else getting in my eye.

TwistingMyMelon

6,385 posts

205 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
quotequote all
Worst issue I has was when i thought I would try surfing

Jumped in sea, looked out for a wave, first big wave came, smacked me in the face, then realised I couldn't see! Wave had taken out contacts!

Thankfully I didn't drive there and had a spare pair at home, I later realised you shouldn't wear contacts when swimming in the sea anyway!

bint

4,664 posts

224 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
quotequote all
xuy said:
Gas permeable for 25 years, except a couple times trying soft lenses.
Can I ask why you still are? I wore gas permeable for 15 years until 2007 and they got the prescription wrong and I tried soft for the first time whilst awaiting replacements. That and I went snowboarding and thought soft might be better.

I never wore those replacement gas permeables, the soft were daily disposables and I've since changed 6 months ago to silicon monthlies (although I can sleep in them I take them out and give my eyes a rest once a week) and my eyes are so much better for it. I was happy with gas permeable, but sorts are something else!

bint

4,664 posts

224 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
quotequote all
xuy said:
Gas permeable for 25 years, except a couple times trying soft lenses.
Can I ask why you still are? I wore gas permeable for 15 years until 2007 and they got the prescription wrong and I tried soft for the first time whilst awaiting replacements. That and I went snowboarding and thought soft might be better.

I never wore those replacement gas permeables, the soft were daily disposables and I've since changed 6 months ago to silicon monthlies (although I can sleep in them I take them out and give my eyes a rest once a week) and my eyes are so much better for it. I was happy with gas permeable, but sorts are something else!

Salgar

3,283 posts

184 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
quotequote all
bint said:
xuy said:
Gas permeable for 25 years, except a couple times trying soft lenses.
Can I ask why you still are? I wore gas permeable for 15 years until 2007 and they got the prescription wrong and I tried soft for the first time whilst awaiting replacements. That and I went snowboarding and thought soft might be better.

I never wore those replacement gas permeables, the soft were daily disposables and I've since changed 6 months ago to silicon monthlies (although I can sleep in them I take them out and give my eyes a rest once a week) and my eyes are so much better for it. I was happy with gas permeable, but sorts are something else!
weirdly (since they're supposed to be more permeable and better for your eyes), I tried the new silicon daily types briefly and really struggled, my eyes were just slightly sore and sad most of the time, had to switch back to soft daily.

Edinburger

10,403 posts

168 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
quotequote all
Salgar said:
weirdly (since they're supposed to be more permeable and better for your eyes), I tried the new silicon daily types briefly and really struggled, my eyes were just slightly sore and sad most of the time, had to switch back to soft daily.
When I got contact lenses, gas permeables were best for your eyes. Nowadays, lots of soft ones have higher levels of oxygenation (I'm told).

I've used monthly disposables for a year and a half and they're much better than gas permeables. Easy to use and clean, never uncomfortable, never have that odd suction thing, and never worry about losing or breaking them.