Contact lenses???

I was looking for new glasses last week when my optician suggested i tried out contact lenses - this is something i havent really considered before. I would be interested to know what they are like to use/are they uncomfortable to start with/do you find them more convenient than glasses (for sport etc) and are daily ones a better idea than monthly ones?? :confused:

Any opinions/advice would be appreciated... :smile:

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Reply 1

Chumbaniya

I'd be interested to hear about this too - I like my glasses but sometimes I don't feel like wearing them, so I'd be interested to hear how people find contact lenses in terms of comfort compared to glasses.

Reply 2

ticki tori

I've worn contact lenses for four years and they are brilliant. I wear daily lenses but have worn monthlies in the past. I find dailies more comfortable, plus you don't have to bother cleaning them. When you first start wearing them you might find it strange and hard to get them in and out, but you soon find it easy. When I first tried contacts I blacked out and then was sick but I tried them again and I was fine. So my advice is just give them a go and see what you think.

Reply 3

Faraday

You must definately try contact lenses, bearing in mind you don't abandon glasses completely.

Reply 4

tomc87

I was also told now was the best time to try them, going to university in september, so there won't be loads of people that are used to you wearing glasses...

Reply 5

supertramp

Contacts are great. I'd suggest getting dailies though as you don't have to worry about taking care of them, and don't have to wear them everyday if you don't want to. I'd love to be able to wear contacts every day but I can't afford to, so only wear them when I'm going out.

Reply 6

Chumbaniya

Phoenixx

You must definately try contact lenses, bearing in mind you don't abandon glasses completely.

I'd not want to get rid of my glasses completely. Even if contact lenses were more comfortable I think I'd still keep my glasses around because I like them. Plus they'd be a backup in case the contacts started irritating me or becoming uncomfortable.

I suppose it's worth a look - I've got a friend who alternates between wearing glasses and contacts so I'll ask him how he finds them.

Reply 7

Almighty_Foot

I would definitely try them. For the first week or two you'll find it difficult to get them in and out and you'll probably get frustrated with them, but stick at it because you'll soon be able to do it easily.

I wore dailies for about a month but then switched to monthlies because they're so much cheaper. As for comfort, I don't think there's a difference between the two - you can't feel either of them! I usually leave mine in rom about 8am. to 11pm. and my eyes never suffer. And I don't see why the other poster has a problem with 'cleaning' them. All you do is pop them in the solution overnight - you don't even have to rub them (if you get a 'no-rub' solution). You don't have to wear them evrey day either.

I've been wearing them for 2 years.

Oh yeah, and you can wear them swimming and in the shower!!

Reply 8

jennyflake

I've just started with contacts...theyre awkward at first, take a while to put in and take out etc. I also turned out to be allergic to the first solution, so you may need to try a few different ones like i have if youre the sort of person whose allergic to a lot of stuff.
Dailies are the most expensive option from what I've heard. However if youre only wanting them as a one-off then prob best option. If however you want to wear them regularly worth looking at two-weeklies/monthlies.
I can only have two-weeklies because of my prescription, so dont assume dailies are a possibility without checking!

Reply 9

ProfessorFitBoy

I've been wearing contact lenses for quite a few months now - I'd say go for it.

Putting them in and taking them out demands quite a bit of practice but your optician will 'teach' you how to do this - there's a certain technique involved like riding a bike so don't be surprised if at first it takes you half an hour or more to get them in.

Once they're in you usually don't feel a thing - its just like having a pair of normal eyes that can see properly :rolleyes:

.
Although admittedly occasionally I do feel a slight watering feeling and a feeling as if I have an eyelash in my eye.

The lenses are great for sport and also when its raining, and give you all-round vision (as well as increasing your image and confidence in some cases).

In terms of convenience, i'd say that its certainly easier to slip on a pair of glasses but once you master the technique you can put your lenses in in a few seconds flat.

Strangely I'd say they are almost more confortable than glasses - whose frames you are always aware of on your face.

However I would advise you not to rub your eyes too too much as sometimes the contact lens can fall out or go to the side of your eye for a while.

Also I find that in the evenings I prefer to wear glasses to rest my eyes as they do at times make them tired.

As to whether you should purchase daily or monthly lenses, it really depends on how often you want to wear them.

At first I only wore them for sport a few times a week and glasses for the rest of the time.
I therefore had the daily lenses which are individual and disposable.

However, now that I wear them all the time I have monthly lenses which are basically a reusable pair that last for a month.
This is much cheaper than having daily lenses although you do have to sterilise them every night.

All in alll contact lenses are one of the best investments I've made.
If you're interested they will probably give you half a weeks worth for you to try out so you don't have to commit.

But don't take my word for it! :p:

Reply 10

high priestess fnord

i would really recommend contacts. they are so much easier than glasses especially if you go for the day and nights (ones you wear continiously for a month). you can just forget your wearing them.

Reply 11

ticki tori

I wasn't aware of a no-rub solution. My optician just told me that every day you had to put them in the palm of your hand, add some solution and rub them with your finger to clean them.

Reply 12

jennyflake

I use hydrogen peroxide, which you dont have to rub the lenses with/wont want to rub the lenses with!!!

Reply 13

supertramp

And I don't see why the other poster has a problem with 'cleaning' them

It wasn't me but cleaning them can be a bit of a pain if you are at someone else's house, or have gone out and gotten drunk, or both.

Thinking about it, I reckon it would be a good idea to get monthlies, and some disposable ones as well for when you go out.

Reply 14

Chumbaniya

Everyone seems to be very positive about contacts, so I guess it's worth going to specsavers when I'm in town tomorrow and asking for an appointment.

Reply 15

Almighty_Foot

supertramp

I then said that's because I just dump mine in the solution and that's it. Maybe just ask your optician for a non-rub one if it's too much trouble to clean them.

Reply 16

tomc87

They said i could get a free trial, first they put them in for you and give u 30 minutes or so to walk around with them and then they show you how to put them in and give you 3/4 days to try them out... I can't remember the price he said but i think the daily ones were about £10 more expensive than the monthlies.
How long are you supposed to keep them in each day then?

Reply 17

Almighty_Foot

As long as you want. Like I said, I wear mine more than 12 hours and my eyes don't get tired. Other people complain that their eyes do get tired.

Reply 18

ticki tori

I keep mine in from 8am - 11.30pm most days, I don't really feel the need to give me eyes a rest but some do. If they start to irritate me though, (which isn't that often) I will take them out and put my glasses on.