I am a contact lens failure

[Manks]

On Wednesday I went to Specsavers for a contact lens trial and it was not an unqualified success. The lenses once fitted seemed to be helpful and I could imagine wearing them for occasional use. I looked forward to not having to take glasses out to restaurants and an end to taunts from my wife about needing them on a chain around my neck. But whilst I quickly managed to put the lenses in, I simply couldn't get them out again.

The problem was, basically, that I have spent the past 46 years of my life trying not to stick my fingers in my eyes and suddenly being required to do so didn't come naturally.

I tried and tried to touch my cornea and to fish out the squidgy wee beasties, but it just was not happening. The harder I tried, the less I succeded and because the contact lens centre was at women's workplace temperature I soon began to sweat. Due to the recommended technique involving passing my arm over my head and approaching from the top lid, my hair was by this time smeared forwards in a style most usually worn by the passengers on a Sunshine coach, I was crying and I had developed what looked like a nervous twitch.

What made the situation worse was that the contact lens teacher was a bit of a hotty and whilst I am sure my suave demeanour and powerful build had initially impressed her I was dissolving into a hot, sticky and cursing doppel of Ken Dodd.

So I got the optician to remove them, went downstairs and bought two new pairs of glasses.

[V-spec]

I also hated trying to put them in the first time in front of the optician. Managed fine at home though.

[tmk2]

Takes about a week to perfect the technique but does feel odd, after 2 years would never go back.

[liamsp]

I wasnt much better I kept poking myself in the eye on my trial. Its odd at first but you soon get used to it been wearing my contacts for over a year now so much easier than carrying glasses everywhere.

[rudecherub]

Op has my sympathy.

I've worn contacts for thirty years.

I still remember my optician telling me that eyes are actually quite tough things, but the conditioned reaction to protect them is hard to overcome.

For the last decade I've been wearing the 30 days continuous wear version, ie I sleep in them, wake up in them.

Glasses are medieval, they pinch my nose, rub my ears, steam up if I'm hot, or cooking, and need wipers in the rain.

[LordGrover]

Slightly O/T, but how do you get on reading with them in? I wore contact lenses for 20+ years before my vision changed. When I hit 45-ish I began to struggle with reading, wearing the contacts. If I wear my specs, I can remove or lust lift them and I can read perfectly, but this is not so easy wearing contacts. If I continue to wear contacts I fear I may have to get some reading glasses, like old people.

[Devilstreak]

V-spec said:

I also hated trying to put them in the first time in front of the optician. Managed fine at home though.

I remember sitting there getting more and more irate at not being able to do it. My appointment was at Noon on a saturday. The place shut at half past, The optician fked off and left me to it, When he came back an hour later from his lunch I could do it quite happily. But my eyes were red Raw!

Practice on your own. It's impossible with people watching you. Squeezing your eye is a weird thing to get used to.

[rudecherub]

LordGrover said:

Slightly O/T, but how do you get on reading with them in? I wore contact lenses for 20+ years before my vision changed. When I hit 45-ish I began to struggle with reading, wearing the contacts. If I wear my specs, I can remove or lust lift them and I can read perfectly, but this is not so easy wearing contacts. If I continue to wear contacts I fear I may have to get some reading glasses, like old people.

So far I'm good. I am very short sighted, with 4.7 & 5.1 IIRC left and right.

At 42 I'm still good with close reading, although that may change in a couple of years or few...

One of the problems I'm left with is blood vessel growth, which is stable, and dates back to the old days before the oxygen permeability of lenses improved - eventually allowing the continuous wear variety.

My Father whose eyes were 20 - 20 until his '60s uses lenses of different value one eye for distance one for close. If he is working on his PC - the silver surfer that he is, he has glasses with one lens glass the other to bring his prescription level.

As lenses work for me I haven't considered laser work.

[SGirl]

LordGrover said:

Slightly O/T, but how do you get on reading with them in? I wore contact lenses for 20+ years before my vision changed. When I hit 45-ish I began to struggle with reading, wearing the contacts. If I wear my specs, I can remove or lust lift them and I can read perfectly, but this is not so easy wearing contacts. If I continue to wear contacts I fear I may have to get some reading glasses, like old people.

When I last went for a contact lens check, my optician told me I could either have reading glasses, or get a new contact prescription where one eye would be optimised for distance and one would be optimised for reading.

I went for the latter option. It takes a bit of getting used to, but it works really well. Until you lose the "distance" lens while scratching your eye when driving, anyway.

[Tyre Smoke]

rudecherub said:

LordGrover said:

Slightly O/T, but how do you get on reading with them in? I wore contact lenses for 20+ years before my vision changed. When I hit 45-ish I began to struggle with reading, wearing the contacts. If I wear my specs, I can remove or lust lift them and I can read perfectly, but this is not so easy wearing contacts. If I continue to wear contacts I fear I may have to get some reading glasses, like old people.

So far I'm good. I am very short sighted, with 4.7 & 5.1 IIRC left and right.

At 42 I'm still good with close reading, although that may change in a couple of years or few...

One of the problems I'm left with is blood vessel growth, which is stable, and dates back to the old days before the oxygen permeability of lenses improved - eventually allowing the continuous wear variety.

My Father whose eyes were 20 - 20 until his '60s uses lenses of different value one eye for distance one for close. If he is working on his PC - the silver surfer that he is, he has glasses with one lens glass the other to bring his prescription level.

As lenses work for me I haven't considered laser work.

I'm the same as Grover, I was told by my optician that I would need to buy reading glasses, which I immediately dismissed - what's the point of having contacts and also needing glasses. So, my Focus Dailies were destined to be consigned to history until I discovered Focus Dailies Progressives, effectively bifocal daily disposable lenses. I can't be bothered with the washing and care of lenses, just in in the morning and in the bin/down the loo in the evening.

[rudecherub]

Tyre Smoke said:

I'm the same as Grover, I was told by my optician that I would need to buy reading glasses, which I immediately dismissed - what's the point of having contacts and also needing glasses. So, my Focus Dailies were destined to be consigned to history until I discovered Focus Dailies Progressives, effectively bifocal daily disposable lenses. I can't be bothered with the washing and care of lenses, just in in the morning and in the bin/down the loo in the evening.

Interesting! Good to know bifocal lenses exist. As for now, the 30 day wear are very low maintenance, as I just sleep in them. The only thing I have noticed - and this is an age related thing according to the optician is occasional dry eyes in the morning, >40's produce fewer tears, so I have comfort drops to hand - used rarely though.

[Tiggsy]

Just been through this with my 11yr old who has now got lenses for sport. Took an HOUR in the fitting for him to get them out and almost got the point where the optician was about to give up......until I suggested he take them out the way I do, and he had it in seconds.

I have NEVER been able to pluck them off my eye the way I was taught (not in 20 yrs) so I do this:

In the mirror, chin down so you are looking "up" into the mirror with a lot of White exposed in the lower part of the eye, use your finger to touch the bottom of the lens which is sitting on the lower, coloured bit of the eye (maybe even overlapping to the White bit) and slide the lens down onto the White of your eye.....once there quickly (it can slide back up on it's own) pinch it off.

For ppl with a real issue over touching the eye this works as you never put you fingers near the centre of your eye ball. I can do mine without a mirror in less than a sec.

I also put mine in the same way, put it on the lower White and then let it slide up.....or just look down and move my eye "into" the lens.

Again, if you have no issues over eye touching this is not needed but for those who don't like the whole finger eyeball commbo, try it.

My 11 yr old gets his out in seconds now and he's a real wuss over his eyes!

[jas xjr]

If you want to wear contact lenses and have or think you will have problems , get in touch with Geoff wilsons.
They are a specialist contact lens practice in the centre of Birmingham