astigmatism - contact lenses?

14

I'm just wondering if anyone would be able to advise me what contact lenses would be the best. It's just that in Sept i'll hopefully be in uni and I'm absolutely useless at keeping my glasses :redface:

I always lose them :redface:

What would be the best contact lenses to use??

Thanks :smile:

Reply 1

inferiormadbeing

1

I believe its Toric (sp???) lenses you want. My eyes are astigmatised and I tried contacts (can't put them in) and I think those were the ones suggested for me.

:smile:

Reply 2

OrlÃ¡ith

Yeah the optician will only let you have Toric lenses as they are designed to correct the astigmatism, apparently they are better for your eyes than glasses if you have this condition, or so my optician told me. :smile:

Reply 3

beach surf babe

14

I tried those kind of contact lenses and just couldn't get on with them so I just have a normal contact lens in my good eye!! :biggrin:

If you see your optician they'll be able to advise you as to what will suit you best.

Reply 4

Teao the Cat

17

I have a toric lens for one of my eyes- the astigmatism in the other is not as bad. But I really don't think it helps at all. I certainly don;t notice any difference, and at times it is quite uncomfortable- there is an up and down, and they have to go in at the right angle, so it's quite annoying. Give them a go, though. My eyes are just plain mucked up, so no wonder they annoy me!

Reply 5

Hoofbeat

14

I have astigmatism in one of my eyes but my optician's prefer me to use normal contact lenses but ever so slightly stronger than my glasses prescription. When I first started using them they told me that they prefer to try people out on normal lenses rather than using toric one's straight away (not entirely sure why, but I imagine they can cause problems too?). I don't use my contact lenses regularly though - just when I do certain types of sport and sometimes when I go out, so maybe I can get away with it more.

To be honest, none of us can give you a sensible answer as firstly it depends on how strong your prescription is and secondly how bad your astigmatism is. Only your optician will be able to help you - book a contact lens appointment and they'll find the right ones for you (ie. disposable or not?) and also teach you how to put them in/take them out safely.

Reply 6

shewantstobeme

10

i have astigmatism in both eyes, but i wear normal lenses because i can't wear the toric ones.

toric lenses have special weights in which keep the lenses the correct way so they fit the shape of your eyeball. normal ones fit slightly higher or lower on the eye because they don't have weights in, meaning a bit of discomfort if the astigmatism is severe.

if you have normal lenses instead of toric, it does mean you don't get 100% vision (mine is about 97%). the only time i notice i can't see 100% is if it's really dark, like if you go out on a night walk with mates where there are no streetlights.

toric ones are also more expensive.

discuss it with your optician. i have specsavers, and they're fab. they let me try loads of different lenses (i tried 6 types before i got these ones) until i found ones which suited me.

:smile:

Reply 7

Hoofbeat

14

Also, having just re-read your post I got the impression you don't wear glasses all the time (otherwise, how do you keep losing them if you're wearing them most of the day?). I may be wrong, but your prescription has to be severe enough to warant the use of contact lenses, ie. if you only use them to read the blackboard, you probably won't be able to wear contact lenses. Also, depening on the lenses you get you'll only be able to wear them for a maximum number of hours each day. I know someone on my course that chose to ignore this advice and wore them from the moment he woke up to when he went to bed every day and a few years later he was told his eyes were in a dangerous condition and as a result he's now only allowed to wear contact lenses very rarely, otherwise he may lose his sight.

Reply 8

PhilMc

16

Taaaaaammmmmmmmmmmmmmmyyyy!! :biggrin:

Reply 9

Xx Tomásíona - Mháire xX

OP

14

Hoofbeat

Also, having just re-read your post I got the impression you don't wear glasses all the time (otherwise, how do you keep losing them if you're wearing them most of the day?). I may be wrong, but your prescription has to be severe enough to warant the use of contact lenses, ie. if you only use them to read the blackboard, you probably won't be able to wear contact lenses. Also, depening on the lenses you get you'll only be able to wear them for a maximum number of hours each day. I know someone on my course that chose to ignore this advice and wore them from the moment he woke up to when he went to bed every day and a few years later he was told his eyes were in a dangerous condition and as a result he's now only allowed to wear contact lenses very rarely, otherwise he may lose his sight.

I wear my glasses for reading, watching tv, writing, driving and to help prevent headaches and double vision. I will especially need them in September for my lectures as everything goes extremely blurry most of the time for me.

Yes I lose my glasses an awful lot because I'm clumsy, not because I don't need them - I do, however I was told that my eyesight cannot deteriorate anymore than it has nor will it get any better.

I've wore contact lenses before but they were uncomfortable and I had originally asked what kinda of contact lenses do most people with astigmatism wear, such as what brand so I can ask my optician at a later date for them when I move to England.

Reply 10

Xx Tomásíona - Mháire xX

OP

14

PhilMc

Taaaaaammmmmmmmmmmmmmmyyyy!! :biggrin:

Heya

Reply 11

Rennie

1

I tried toric lenses but I found they could easily be seen... which makes no sense but I didn't like them too much.

My astigmatism is not very strong though so I can get away with it. Though I am astigmatic in both eyes I just find that my contact lenses don't allow me to see as well as my glasses do.

Reply 12

Titaniyum

I have Acuvue Advance for Astigmatism. Absolutely love them! :smile:

Reply 13

Luser

Same here. They have a little line to show you which way *up* you should put them in, as they are slightly wonky or curved or something. Best advice my optician ever gave me was to get those lenses!

Reply 14

beach surf babe

14

I'm with Dolland and Aitchinson and they have a good contact lenses by post system-they seem to be trying to get everyone on fortnightly lenses-and you receive two sets each month. However it was £20 per month and I only wear one!! So I've opted to stick with monthly lenses (£10 p/month). If you do break/lose your lenses you can order a new set and I don't think you get charged for that but don't quote me on that!! :biggrin:

They seem to be pretty reliable but you do have to be registered Dolland and Aitchinson...

astigmatism - contact lenses?

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