[OU Student]

I am debating whether to get contact lenses. Can't see a thing without glasses on and can't really wear glasses for running. I do have glasses for sport; but rubber and sweat is just vile.

Apparently, I look better without glasses on and do sometimes prefer not wearing glasses.

As someone who needs to wear glasses all the time, would I still need a pair of glasses as well as contact lenses?

[Dr Bungle]

Yeah, depending on the kind of lenses you get. Depending on what your prescription is, you might only be able to wear them for a certain number of hours a day (for me it's about 8/10)

Also, sometimes you might not be bothered with cleaning them and putting them and all that jazz and you could just put your glasses on instead.

I'd recommend getting them though

[OU Student]

Thank you. Am I correct in thinking that my contact lens prescription is different?

[ironandwine]

I have very bad eyesight and wear contact lenses all the time - I'm supposed to not wear them for more than 10/12 hours a day, but I do sometimes, and it hasn't done my eyes any harm for the 6/7 years I've been wearing them. I aim to have one day a week when I don't wear them at all though (although if I venture out this is sometimes skipped!) Obviously you'd still need a pair of glasses - you might rip your contact lenses and not have any spares, you might have an eye infection one day, or you might just not feel like wearing them!

You sound like you'd be better off with dailies, if you only want to wear them for special occasions/less than 2/3 times a week

[Dr Bungle]

(Original post by OU Student)
Thank you. Am I correct in thinking that my contact lens prescription is different?

From your glasses prescription? No.

I'm -3 in both eyes, so both my glasses and lenses have that power rating.

If you have astigmatism or something though there might be slight differences (all that dipole meridian stuff) between your glass lenses and contact lenses to account for the different shape of the lenses.

[R. Murray]

From your glasses prescription? No.

Not quite right. There may be a difference depending on your prescription and how far your spectacle prescription is from the eye (back vertex distance) as this will be reduced to 0mm when using contact lenses. During the contact lens fitting you will have what is called an over refraction, where with lenses of the right power (kind of!) your prescription will be checked for any changes associated with the change in BVD. This is done using ordinary trial lenses but the powers of these lenses are small enough for the BVD effect to be negligible. This will ensure you get the correct power of contact lenses.

Also, OP, you will need a pair of glasses to wear should you have to stop wearing lenses, whether for infection, solution reaction or inflammation. Ask your optom, they're best placed to advise you on this stuff

[NuclearFusion]

Yes, you should always still have glasses as well as contact lenses, you will probably find out whether contact lenses are what you want after a trial, I tried them but I just couldn't put them on without shutting my eyes, so I just gave up on them

[OU Student]

Thank you

[DelbertShumate]

There may be a difference depending on your prescription and how far your spectacle prescription is from the eye (back vertex distance) as this will be reduced to 0mm when using contact lenses. Thank you!

[19Arif91]

Hey guys I would like some advice on getting contact lenses... I used to wear monthly disposables but after wearing them for about 6 months the blood vessels were becoming more apparent than ever... Almost like bloodshot eyes it wasn't a very good sight.. So I decided to get daily disposables as I've heard daily disposables are much more healthier for the eyes.. I got the best the brand there is acuvue trueye which provides 98% oxygen to the eyes or so they say... These worked for me for a week or so but after a week when I wore them after the 6 hour mark my eyes would become really red.... Does anyone know of any lenses that provide full day comfort 12-14 hours wear... Btw It doesn't do what it says in the box and I don't mind wearing monthly or daily but preferably monthly as I'm financially unstable lol


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[ProspectiveNotts]

(Original post by OU Student)
I am debating whether to get contact lenses. Can't see a thing without glasses on and can't really wear glasses for running. I do have glasses for sport; but rubber and sweat is just vile.

Apparently, I look better without glasses on and do sometimes prefer not wearing glasses.

As someone who needs to wear glasses all the time, would I still need a pair of glasses as well as contact lenses?

I would definitely recommend contact lenses. Just don't fall asleep in them!
And yes, you will need a pair of glasses.

[jamboogy]

(Original post by ProspectiveNotts)
I would definitely recommend contact lenses. Just don't fall asleep in them!
And yes, you will need a pair of glasses.

I know that feel bro. You can feel your eyeballs shriveling into dried fruit.

[Ollieeeee]

(Original post by jamboogy)
I know that feel bro. You can feel your eyeballs shriveling into dried fruit.

Really? I always fall asleep in mine and other than 5 mins of slight discomfort in the morning it's fine. I often wear the same pair the whole of the next day too.

OP, I highly recommend www.daysoftcontactlenses.com - They are far more comfortable and considerably cheaper than the rip off brands such as focus dailies etc (I have tried both). £12 for a months supply is pretty sweet imo.

DO NOT get monthlies, I really don't know why anyone would get them. They are such a hassle, mainly because of the bottle of solution and case you have to take with you every time you go somewhere else other than your home to sleep the night.

Definitely don't get the specsavers brand ones, they try to force the sale on you and it's pretty funny the reaction you get when you tell them you are getting them for less than half the price on www.daysoftcontactlenses.com
My optician actually tried to tell me that it was illegal to get them from that site. I laughed in his face then walked off

[OU Student]

I completely forgot about this thread.

My only concern is whether I will actually be able to put them in with no trouble. I can't even put eye drops in.

[Bobo1234]

(Original post by Dr Bungle)
Yeah, depending on the kind of lenses you get. Depending on what your prescription is, you might only be able to wear them for a certain number of hours a day (for me it's about 8/10)

Also, sometimes you might not be bothered with cleaning them and putting them and all that jazz and you could just put your glasses on instead.

I'd recommend getting them though

I think that depends on the lenses you get, not your prescription. I was offered a whole bunch of different lenses and settled on monthlies I can wear for up to 20 hours a day. My prescription had nothing to do with the lenses I was offered, the only difference was a price change.

[simibean]

(Original post by OU Student)
I completely forgot about this thread.

My only concern is whether I will actually be able to put them in with no trouble. I can't even put eye drops in.

You will eventually be able to put them in without any problems, the first time I put them it it took me ages as I kept closing my eye when i was just about to put it in. Now about two months on I can do it quite well.
Also, I have never used eye drops, so I dont know about that

[Horchata]

I remember the first time I tried to put them in was really difficult, our natural reaction is to blink and not let anything into our eyes! But trust me after you try enough times you WILL be able to do it, no doubt. Even after a week or so after using them you may still find it quite long to put them in but after a while it will be just as fast as putting on your glasses!

Also, you have to find the method of putting them in right for you. The way the optician taught me is not what worked for me.

[ProspectiveNotts]

(Original post by jamboogy)
I know that feel bro. You can feel your eyeballs shriveling into dried fruit.

I've had to actually scratch mine out some times. Now I just squirt some solution in to make them moist again.

[jamboogy]

(Original post by ProspectiveNotts)
I've had to actually scratch mine out some times. Now I just squirt some solution in to make them moist again.

When you take them out after a long time... my god that feel. Saliva works as well to moisten them up.

[ProspectiveNotts]

(Original post by jamboogy)
When you take them out after a long time... my god that feel. Saliva works as well to moisten them up.

I've left them in overnight loads of times, then woken up thinking I had my sight back only to look in the mirror with bloodshot eyes and realise