Eye Contacts for Wedding

[BrightSpot]

Rascal, sorry for chiming in so late. I''m glad you''re getting your contacts soon enough that you''ll have plenty of time to get used to them before your wedding. Do take your time at the fitting--it takes time to get used to putting the contacts in, touching your eye, etc. And, in my experience, some brands have been much more comfortable than others so don''t be shy about asking to try another brand. Also, while you''re getting used to the lenses, it might be a good idea to go w/ shorter nails. (not sure what length yours are...) Another thought--you might wants to ask for lenses with a slight tint so that you''ll be able to see them if you drop them.

When I put in my lenses, I put them in slightly to the side, like appletini suggested, then move them to the center. For me, it also makes it easier to put my lenses in if I put a drop of saline into my eye first. And if you fall asleep in your lenses & wake up to find them very dry & kind of stuck to your eyes, defnitely re-wet them before trying to remove them!

Well, that''s my 2¢! Good luck! I''ve been wearing contacts since the 7th grade & love them!

 

[FireGoddess]

I just wanted to chime in and say that certain Costco locations have eye centers and they charge a pretty good rate. I''ve been wearing contacts for years and last year I went to Costco for my eye exam/contacts. I wish I could remember how much it was, but it was certainly cheaper than most places. The eye exam for contacts is more expensive than a regular one for glasses because there''s more involved - fitting the contacts, etc. I also bought the first 6 months of lenses from there, and then reordered online.

Definitely get them in advance of the wedding because for the first few days/weeks your eyes will feel dry and a little irritated until they get used to the contacts. Now I can''t even remember I have them in, but at first it takes a little getting used to. And I cry in mine all the time.

 

[lmurden]

I was considering wearing contacts but now I think I am going to get Lasik.

 

[AndyRosse]

Date: 10/18/2005 9:00:27 PM
Author: lmurden
I was considering wearing contacts but now I think I am going to get Lasik.

Oh, I soooo wish I could get Lasik!!

 

[glaucomflecken]

Ok, how did I miss this thread! Its probably old news already but Rascal did you have your appointment?

as fountain fairfax said, I am a doctor of optometry (OD) and everyone has given you such good advice, Im not sure what more I could give!!! Here's some general info on contacts. I am sure you could find soo much info on the net though.

The laws for contact and glasses prescriptions vary by state. At my practice we do not fit contacts off a glasses prescription over 6 months old. I need to make sure the patients's Rx has not changed and their eyes are healthy and still able to wear contacts. The actual numbers on a contact lens and glasses precription can be the same up to a certain level. If you are over a -4.00 or a +4.00, the prescription numbers will be different due to the need to compensate for the fact that contacts sit on your eye, and glasses are about 12mm from your eye. Crazy optics. So if you are a -4.50 in your glasses but your doctor gives you a -4.25 in your contacts, its not wrong, its equivalent.

During the contact lens exam, as has been stated, your corneal curvature is measured and a contact lens that has a similar curve will be selected and fit to you eye. We then assess how it fits and how you can see/how you feel. Spherical soft contacts are easy to fit; toric lenses (for astigmatism), bifocal contacts, and gas permeable contacts are all more difficult to fit, so you may see higher exam fees for those types of fittings. The fees may seem high, but it usually covers the cost of materials, follow ups and chair time.

It is SO important to adhere to your doc's wearing schedule and instructions. Please use the cleaning solutions he or she recommends. Some solutions are not compatible with certain contact lenses, and can actually cause tiny abrasions on your eye if used together. Also try not to swicth between solutions, because you may have an allergy and then it gets hard to pinpoint the cause. I discourage generic solutions too. I know they are cheap, but they may use harsher preservatives or have other issues. Try and change your contact lens case regularly too. Make sure you rinse it out after putting in your lenses, and air dry with the caps off in your bedroom (not bathroom...to much bacteria floating around from flushing toilets, etc) This is gross, but never wet them with saliva or tap water! I really have seen this!!!

Be careful about swimming in your lenses. if you can ask for daily disposables for swimming. Dont try to extend the life of your contacts, even if they still feel ok. a 2 week disposable lens is made for 14 days, 14-16 hours a day and then throw it away!!!

The term extended wear gets confused a lot. EW technically means a lens you sleep in. There are a few new brands approved by the FDA to sleep in for limited periods of time. They are more breathable for your eyes, so the risks associated with not enough oxygen to your eye is lessened. But there is still the risk of sight threatening corneal ulcers and infections with these types of lenses, as with any lenses. So I tend to discourage sleeping in any lenses, only because i was an abuser in the past and suffered the consquences. So I try to share that with patients. But I always work with each person individually because what is right for me is not always right for t hem, and sometimes sleeping in lenses is ok for them. Immediately remove the lens and call you OD asap if pain, blurred vision, red eye, etc.

Its a great idea to get them now Rascal and practice before you wedding! You will love it and will be happy to see everyone smiling at you at your wedding!!!

let me know if you have other questions!

 

[AndyRosse]

Wow, thanks PunchNPie!!!

No, I haven''t gone yet, my appointment is this Wednesday!

We shall see. LOL. I''ll let you all know how it goes...cross your fingers for me!

I certainly wouldn''t mind having my eyes checked again to make sure I get the most up to date prescription, but I don''t know if they are doing that. I will certainly ask questions when I go on Wednesday before I pay for anything or let them touch me

hehe.

 

[Dodger Gurl]

Date: 10/16/2005 6:04:44 PM
Author: Rascal49
I know that the prescription is different from eye glasses, but from what I understood from the doctor''s office, I won''t be seeing a doctor, just someone that will use my current eyeglass precription to order the correct contacts and teach me how to put them in.

Whoa!! If this is really what they said, that is not true. They cannot get you the correct contact lenses just based off of your eyeglass prescription because they need to measure the size and curve of your eyes. Also, I don''t know what area you''re in but in my area a contact lens exam is about $60 - $85.

And I second whoever it was that suggested Wal-Mart. You just have to make sure the doctor is properly licensed and has a good track record and such. I used Wal-Mart for several years when I didn''t have vision insurance and my prescription was only a tiny bit different when I went back to a stand-alone doctor''s office.

 

[AndyRosse]

UPDATE

Okay, so I went to my appointment today

.

And well, let me just say that I''m not sure this is going to work, but I will sure give it a try!

I was able to get my right contact in on the first try

, and then after like what seemed like fifty tries

, I finally got the second one in. Then of course, I just couldn''t get those things out! LOL But once I realized exactly how much pressure and "touching" of my eyes was required, I have learned my gift in life is getting contacts out of eyes

. So once they are in, I can sure get them out. But the trick is actually getting them in!

We spent an hour taking them in and out, and then I had to put them in three times and out twice without her assistance before she would let me leave. Of course, by the third time of me putting them in by myself, I just couldn''t do it anymore. I''m terrible with touching my eyes in the first place, but at the end of the hour, my eyes were just too sensitive for me to put them back in like a fifth time! I just couldn''t keep my eyes open at that point. But me not getting them in the last time was actually good because I am going riding tonight, so I would have had to take them out pretty soon anyway.

So we shall see. I will wake up early tomorrow to play around and see if I can actually get both in. Hopefully I can, because to be honest, I haven''t seen what I look like (without glasses) with make up and my hair actually done in years! LOL Sad really.

And I go back in two weeks for her to check the fit and everything. And if I am still having problems putting them in, she will book an hour or two again to try and teach me over again

. While I think $150 is probably a bit pricey, it is nice knowing that if I need more time with her, it''s all covered.

Oh, also, the contacts I have now are for 3 month wear. They didn''t ask my preference, this is just what she gave me. Do you think these are better if I only plan on wearing contacts two or three days a week? Or do you guys still think the 2 week ones are better?

Finally, she said that since I have light colored eyes (green), I have to be very careful of the types of solutions I use. I didn''t ask her to explain because I was just taking in too much information already, but being nosy now, PunchNPie, could you explain? Like I said, I''m just curious since the outside of the bottle didn''t say anything about it being for brown eyes only or something LOL.

Thanks again PunchNPie and everyone!

 

[glaucomflecken]

Date: 10/26/2005 5:11:02 PM
Author: Rascal49
UPDATE


Okay, so I went to my appointment today

.


And well, let me just say that I''m not sure this is going to work, but I will sure give it a try!

I was able to get my right contact in on the first try

, and then after like what seemed like fifty tries

, I finally got the second one in. Then of course, I just couldn''t get those things out! LOL But once I realized exactly how much pressure and ''touching'' of my eyes was required, I have learned my gift in life is getting contacts out of eyes

. So once they are in, I can sure get them out. But the trick is actually getting them in!


We spent an hour taking them in and out, and then I had to put them in three times and out twice without her assistance before she would let me leave. Of course, by the third time of me putting them in by myself, I just couldn''t do it anymore. I''m terrible with touching my eyes in the first place, but at the end of the hour, my eyes were just too sensitive for me to put them back in like a fifth time! I just couldn''t keep my eyes open at that point. But me not getting them in the last time was actually good because I am going riding tonight, so I would have had to take them out pretty soon anyway.


So we shall see. I will wake up early tomorrow to play around and see if I can actually get both in. Hopefully I can, because to be honest, I haven''t seen what I look like (without glasses) with make up and my hair actually done in years! LOL Sad really.

And I go back in two weeks for her to check the fit and everything. And if I am still having problems putting them in, she will book an hour or two again to try and teach me over again

. While I think $150 is probably a bit pricey, it is nice knowing that if I need more time with her, it''s all covered.


Oh, also, the contacts I have now are for 3 month wear. They didn''t ask my preference, this is just what she gave me. Do you think these are better if I only plan on wearing contacts two or three days a week? Or do you guys still think the 2 week ones are better?


Finally, she said that since I have light colored eyes (green), I have to be very careful of the types of solutions I use. I didn''t ask her to explain because I was just taking in too much information already, but being nosy now, PunchNPie, could you explain? Like I said, I''m just curious since the outside of the bottle didn''t say anything about it being for brown eyes only or something LOL.


Thanks again PunchNPie and everyone!

YAY Rascal! It will take some time to get used to having something on your eye and getting over the blink reflex, but soon it will become second nature to you. We never let anyone leave our office either as a new wearer until they can put the lens in and take it out at least 3x so we know that you have some idea what to do in case the lens needs to come out (irritated, etc).

A lot of times the second lens is harder to get in because your body "learns" what is going to happen to the second eye (and probably dexterity issues too). We see that a lot with patients who have LASIK. We have to put a metal speculum in to hold their eyelids open during the surgery, and its not comfy. when we get to the left eye, the second eye, the eyelids "clamp up" and it feels tighter and its harder for the doc to get it in because they eyelids "learned" that something uncomfortable is on its way! LOL

Honestly, I had to laugh when i read the part about the contact solutions and light colored eyes. I talked about it at work today and my fellow docs laughed too. We have never heard of that specifically as a contraindication or precaution, but in general it seems that lighter eyed people are more sensitive overall, and if you use a generic or a solution incompatible with your contact type, you may develop what we call a keratitis or inflammation/tiny dry spots on the eyes that can make you uncomfortable and very light sensitive.

good luck! post or PM with any more questions!!!

 

[AndyRosse]

Thanks for the response PunchNPie

Well, I''ll be honest and say I''m a bit discouraged. I tried to put the contacts in yesterday and got one in, but then I realized that I was so nervous that I put it in the wrong eye!

So of course I took it out and cleaned it, but that had me shaken up. And today, well I''ve tried and tried and tried, but I can''t even get one in

. I know this is supposed to be hard, but honestly, you think I could get one in!

And to be honest, my eyes feel very dry today. But I''m always good for "thinking" I feel something when I''m just really paying more attention to it and there is nothing wrong. Would it hurt to put a drop of the solution in my eye before putting in the contact? Just a thought. Although me and eye drops are just as bad apparently as me and contacts.

How long did it take everyone the first couple weeks to get their contacts in? Twenty minutes? Forty minutes? Over an hour? I ask because honestly, I have spent over an hour at least today trying to get them in, and like I said, it''s a no go.

 

[MINE!!]

Hang in there... it is really trial and error... trial and error. Try for a few minutes.. stop for a few mintues.. but stay clam. You can do this... in a few months you are going to be shocked about how easy it is to put them in. HANG IN THERE>. don''t give up/... you are going to be glad that you did... If your eyes get dry..add a little saline before you try to put them in... not too much.. just a little moisture. You just have to know the right pressure to use and the only way is to KEEP trying. It took me a LONG time the first few times... but when I got it.. I got it... Just hang in there... relax and then try again.

HINT: When you get up in the morning... wear your glasses for the first few minutes... I usually wait about 20 minutes or so before I out them in. I usually put them in BEFORE I do my hair or makeup.

Don''t give up!

 

[glaucomflecken]

you can also try putting an over the counter artificial lubricating drop (such as Refresh Plus) in a few minutes before you put the lens in (and dry your lashes off well!). if you have a hard time getting eye drops in while they are open, lay down on your back, close your eyes and put a drop on your closed eyelid in the corner of your eye, then open fast and blink a few times. you will get the drops in but not have that fear since you dont see the bottle coming at you!

it probably took me 30 minutes to put them in when i first started wearing them (about 12 years ago so memory is shaky), but truly it will become second nature. perseverance and motivation is key to success!

MINE is correct---put your lenses in before applying your makeup, and take them out before removing your makeup. Also be sure your eyelids are dry and free of water/creams so you have good "grip" when holding them open to put the lens in.

keeeeeeeep practicing!!!!

 

[AndyRosse]

Thanks Mine and PunchNPie! I will keep trying, don''t worry! So when you hear the faint sound of a woman screaming tomorrow, you''ll know it''s me

I just have a terrible habit of overthinking things way too much. And when I do, I just create more and more problems for myself LOL. I have to keep telling myself to stop thinking and just "do it."

 

[AndyRosse]

Okay, so this morning I decided to wake up nice and early and try again. I also decided that one of my problems was probably that I was not mimicking the environment that I had at the doctor''s office when putting the contacts in. At home, I have been standing in the bathroom, leaning over the sink. So I grabbed a full lengh mirror that I bought a while ago to hang on the back of a door (and never did), brought it down to the dining room table, and sat down in a chair directly in front of the mirror.

And well, about ten or fifteen minutes later, I had both in

hehe.

So as we speak I am wearing them, but I am finding that I am having trouble focusing sometimes. Like I have to struggle to keep everything in focus. And of course, when I get lazy or tired, things go slightly out of focus. Is this just something my eyes have to adjust to or should I be calling back the doctor?

 

[coda72]

Date: 10/26/2005 5:11:02 PM
Author: Rascal49
UPDATE


Oh, also, the contacts I have now are for 3 month wear. They didn't ask my preference, this is just what she gave me. Do you think these are better if I only plan on wearing contacts two or three days a week? Or do you guys still think the 2 week ones are better?

Hi, Rascal. Just wanted to answer this one question for you since no one else has addressed this yet. By the way, I've worn contacts for 18 years, many different types. I like the Accuvue one days the best. They are pricier, but if you're only wearing them a couple of days a week, they won't be as costly for you. The advantage to these is that you throw them away at the end of the day and put in a brand new pair the next time you wear them. That way you get no buildup on your lenses, and you don't have to worry about cleaning.

Depending on what type of environment you work in, they may be better for your eyes. I work in a lab with many dangerous chemicals, and if my contacts are absorbing any of the fumes from these chemicals, I don't have to worry as much about my eyes. I just throw away that pair at the end of the day, and put in a new pair the next day.

ETA: There are also other brands besides Accuvue and they are somewhat cheaper. I know Ciba makes one day contacts, and I really wish I could have worn them because they are considerably cheaper, but they just wouldn't fit in my eyes.

 

[Mara]

Your eyes definitely need to adjust to wearing the contacts...it''s a foreign feeling for them. I would not call the DR just yet on things going in and out of focus, unless it becomes a problem aka when driving or something if you cannot re-focus quickly. But our DR told me that for the first few weeks or so to just wear them around the house for a few hours at a time and WORK UP to wearing them all day. They told me no way should I be wearing them for 4 or 8 hours right away. So keep that in mind.

I also find that when I switch powers aka the DR switches my prescription, my eyes have to readjust to the daily wear of a new power..even though I have glasses. My glasses are also not the same as the contacts since they are older and I rarely wear them.

Lastly, re: putting them in in the mornings, I cannot, flat out cannot, wear contacts if I get up too early and my eyes are bleary or red or irritated...I have to wear my glasses for an hour or so before my eyes wake up and relax enough to let me put them in. Otherwise I can get them in but it burns or hurts and I have to take them out.

So I think over time you will figure out what your eyes like and don''t like in terms of wear-time and timing and all that....but don''t panic because it''s taking a while to get the hang of it. It''s unnatural to put things in your eyes to see better, well according to your BODY most likely, so give it some time to get used to your finger jabbing your eye and then a foreign matter in the eye for hours at a time. Good luck!

 

[AndyRosse]

Thanks Coda! Yeah, I am really considering the disposable ones since I certainly won''t be wearing contacts everyday. Honestly, I don''t mind wearing glasses! Hell, I sometimes think I look better in glasses

LOL.

I''m a law student, so I''m not around hazardous fumes or anything (unless you consider all the crap in the air nowadays

), but I sure do like the fact that I''m not worrying about bacteria buildup on the lenses, etc.

I will talk with the eye doctor when I go back in two weeks, and shall see what she says

.

 

[AndyRosse]

Thanks Mara

Yeah, I am supposed to wear the contacts for about four hours today, six hours tomorrow, then eight the next. You get the idea. Actually I was supposed to start this all on Wednesday (meaning wear the contacts home for four hours that day), but like I said previously, my eyes just were not having any of that on Wednesday!

And well yesterday...

I think I will see how things go for this weekend and take it from there. Hell, let''s all pray I can get these things in my eyes two days in a row!

 

[BrightSpot]

Date: 10/27/2005 9:55:18 PM
Author: Rascal49
Would it hurt to put a drop of the solution in my eye before putting in the contact? Just a thought.

Hey Rascal,

Contacts definitely take a while to get used to! I don''t remember how long it took me to get used to taking them out & putting them in (I started wearing contacts a long time ago!), but I can give you some tips that help for me when I put my lenses in.

Make sure the finger your lens is resting on is completely dry. Sometimes I like to dry my hands with a lint-free towel (like a dishrag?) to make sure I don''t get lint on the lens. I also like to put a drop of saline in my eye, like you mentioned, before I inset the lens. I have found that the lenses seem to want to be on the wetter surface, whether it''s your finger or your eye. I insert the lens to the side of my eye, then move it to the center after it''s in. (this freaks me out less than seeing the lens coming at me!

) If you wind up falling asleep in your lenses, make sure you re-wet them before you try to take them out. I usually put a couple of drops of saline in each eye, then wait 5 minutes or so & repeat before I try to take out my lenses. (otherwise, they''ll stick to my eyes & it will hurt to try to remove them) Like Mara said, if I''m too tired or bleary eyed or it''s too early in the morning, it will sting for me to put my contacts in. The feeling subsides after a while for me. I also wear 3-month extended wear lenses & find them quite comfortable. You might want to play around with different brands if you don''t like the way these feel. I''ve had brands that were super comfortable & brands that constantly irritated my eyes. It makes a big difference.

Good luck & let us know how it goes! Maybe you''ll have a bit more time to play with them over the weekend.

 

[SparklyThing]

Hey! I have been wearing contacts since I was 11 so I have some tips for getting them in:

Don''t try to put either in with different hands, just use your dominant hand, it makes it easier.
The best thing for me is putting a drop of solution in the contact right before you put it in. It just makes it stick better and makes sure nothing is on the surface to mess things up. It will definately take sometime to get used to thing, but don''t give up!

 

[glaucomflecken]

wonderful advice everyone!!!!!

 

[AndyRosse]

Thanks everyone for the great advice

I have actually been getting quite good at getting my contacts in over these past couple days.

hehe

I still have problems focusing with the contacts, which is wierd. I thought it would have gone away by now. I even thought the other day that maybe somehow I had switched my contacts and that they were in the wrong eyes! So I put my left one in my right eye, and well, they definitely weren''t switched.

For instance, I was wearing them yesterday and was watching a movie. Halfway through I decided to take the contacts out because I was afraid that I might be too tired after the movie. Well, once I began watching the movie again with my glasses on, I really realized how drastic the difference between what I see with the contacts and what I see with my glasses is. I mean, I can read signs, etc. (so I''m not a hazard while driving Mara

), but things are just not as sharp as they are with my glasses.

I think I shall call the eye doctor''s office tomorrow and just let her know what I am experiencing. When I first put the contacts in at the doctor''s office, she had me read an eye chart, and while I was able to read almost all of the bottom line, it was definitely blurry. She said that it should be perfect by the time I go back in two weeks. We shall see I guess...

Thanks again for all the advice and encouragement!

 

[moremoremore]

Oh wow! You got them! Congrats! I get up and put my glasses on...shower...and then put them in...I need a few minutes for my eyes to wake up with me

 

[AndyRosse]

Date: 10/30/2005 6:53:25 PM
Author: moremoremore
Oh wow! You got them! Congrats! I get up and put my glasses on...shower...and then put them in...I need a few minutes for my eyes to wake up with me

Yeah, I get up, eat breakfast, do a couple things before showering, take a shower, and then put them in before doing my hair and makeup. I''m getting better at putting them in, that''s for sure!

 

[Mara]

Funny someone else mentioned using a dry finger to put them in, but I actually wet my contacts all over and my fingers too so that everything is well lubricated before I put them in. I also need to have a drop of fluid in the contact and then put it in or else my eyes dry out halfway through the day (and sometimes they still get dry). The other thing about seeing the contact coming at you, I actually put them on in the mirror so I stare at my EYE in the mirror and not at the contact so I don''t see anything coming at my eye...kind of funny!! When I read that I thought wow that''s interesting, because I look at the eye in the mirror, I don''t see anything coming at me, that''d be kind of freaky!

Congrats on getting them in ... you''ll figure it out in no time, it just takes some practice and some patience!! And also don''t feel odd if you have to have your prescription tweaked...I had to do that a few times when I first got my contacts ,and then I had to go back to get a more ''rounded'' pair because the ones they gave me were too flat and were sliding all over my eye. That sucked!

 

[BrightSpot]

Yay! I''m so glad you got them in successfully this weekend! Contacts do take a bit of getting used to & different methods work better for different people (as you can see by the varied advice in your thread!) so just experiment a bit to find out what works best for you. I''d definitely call your optometrist about the blurry vision, though. Maybe s/he can tweak your prescription a bit.

 

[MINE!!]

YEAH!!! Glad that you had a good weekend with them.. you will be putting them in and taking them out without thinking about it in no time!!

 

[AndyRosse]

Thought I would just thank everyone again for all their advice and give you all a quick update

.

Well, I no longer have issues putting them in or taking them out, but I haven''t yet been able to find a contact lens that feels comfortable in my eyes. I have tried one brand of the three month disposable ones, which felt like dirt in my eyes every single second I wore them. My eye doctor said that they were fitting fine, but obviously they shouldn''t be hurting my eyes. Also the solution I was told to use because I had "light colored eyes"

was stinging my eyes and making me look like a crack addict

. Don''t need that. So then I tried the one day disposable ones, which felt much better, but still at times felt like dirt in my eye. The doctor said that they were not fitting my eye properly and were making my eyes too dry. So now I am trying Acuvue''s two week disposables with a new solution. I also have another type of two week lens in case these still don''t feel right. So I will be going back once again to the doctor in two weeks, unless this new solution stings my eyes too. Argh, but at least I am soooo getting my money''s worth of lens and appointments

!!! hehe

Thanks again for everyone''s advice and support!! I really appreciate it!

 

[MINE!!]

What are you using for solution. When I was using Opti Free I ALWAYS felt like there was something in my eyes.. so I went back to go ole tried and tru Renu.

 

[AndyRosse]

I was using Renu, and now I'm using Opti-Free. Or, I will as of tomorrow lol.