Soft contact lenses

[yellowduck]

Hey all! I used, up til very recently, to wear gas permeable lenses because I have an astigmatism in my lift eye (but not my right!). Gas permeable lenses are much harder to deal with so in general I think I coped with them OK. I did however find them generally uncomfortable and only wore them when I was seeing people (because I hate glasses - have very strong prescription so my eyes look tiny!) This was always a bit of a hassle but I always stuck with it out of sheer vanity! But I was having my prescription re-done and the optician suggested a toric lens for my left eye and a normal soft for my right. They're monthlies cos of the high prescription. I thought I'd find them so easy and comfortable compared to the gas permeable, but I still find them uncomfortable. I can't face putting them in early in the morning or wearing them all day at home if I'm not going out. I was really just wondering how other people find soft contact lenses - do you put them in as soon as you get up in the morning, how long can you keep them in happily, how long did it take before you were totally used to them (I find putting them in and taking them out fairly easy, it's just actually wearing them!), is there are difference in makes? Any info / experience from anyone would be so helpful cos I'd just love to get this sorted if I can. Thanks in advance xxx

[Clanad]

Check here for one previous discussion:

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Body-and-Soul/Question202093.html

[sunflower68]

Hi there yellowduck. I don't know if I can help but can certainly empathise! I never had any lenses till I got my torics last month. Dolland and A charge �25 per month for these so I am already looking online, by the way.

During the day I hardly know they are there; they are fab.

I have now got used to putting them in and have no probs until about 9pm. Apparantly torics are weighted at one edge so they kind of sit in a specific way. If you use the computer all day you may have some probs but I don't use one much so I don't know. Usually once the kids are in bed and I start watching tv I find I have to run upstair and give them a wash. I find I rub my eyes in the evening and by bedtime I can't wait to remove them. A couple of times I have gone to remove them to find one has disappeared and is crunched up on the sofa, fallen out when I rubbed my eyes!

I wish there was an easier way; there is an ad for daily torics but I haven't found them online. Dailies would hopefully be cheaper for me if I keep losing them down the sofa.

[dirtyharriet]

Hi Yellowduck,
I too used to wear Gas Permeables and they were HORRIBLE. I can't tell you how many times I would be in agony through getting the tiniest piece of make up or grit in my eye.I used to have to wear sunglasses in all weathers in case the wind blew dust inmy eyes.

When I changed to sof contact lenses it was heaven. The difference was unbelievable. I too have a high prescription (short sighted) I put them in first thing and take them out just before bedtime. I do find they get a little dry when I have been on the computer for too long, however I think most people experience this.
Have you tried going back to the optician to find out why you are still finding them uncomfortable? Could you have an intolerance to the rinsing fluid?

[lou 26]

Sunflower68 I get my lenses online from the following:

http://www.contactforlenses.com/index.asp

Think they do daily troic lenses there. They do take a while to be delievered as they come from abroad but they are the cheapest lenses I have found anywhere.

[maxi29]

Yellowduck, you're not alone. I've worn GP lenses for nearly 25 years and fancied a change. I switched to soft lenses and I found them a nightmare; I couldn't focus my eyes properly and it was like trying to look through frosted glass.

I persisted for about three weeks but things didn't improve so I went back to the optician. She gave me a different prescription but with the same result - eventually I went back to my GP lenses and wondered why I ever wanted to mess around with them.

I must say that I don't find GP lenses much of a pain so I guess that some people's eyes can't take soft lenses in much the same way that some people's can't take GPs.