Contacts

[nan0click]

This may sound stupid, but I started wearing contacts in August, they're the 1 month semi-disposable. I know people wear them for way more than the recomended time, do they generally lose their strength over time? I have been wearing a pair for 2 months or so now and it seems they aren't working as well as they should be, but then again, its always seemed the contacts weren't quite at the right prescription anyway, but these seem worse. Also, do they lose the basic shape and become "flatter" still curved, but not as defined any more?

 

Thanks for any answers, I was just kind of curious.

[caffeinejunkie]

I have the disposables and I do notice that they loose some clarity over time. Actually I really don't notice while wearing them but once I finally get in the new pair I can tell how bad they had gotten. I figured it was just some kind of permanent protein buildup since they were disposables. They do seem to get structurally weaker overtime because I only switch them out when they rip and they seem to rip at about the two month range or so (Im pretty careful so its the contact itself in fact Ive had a few tear while in my eye). As for the shape I think they gradually relax to the natural shape of your eye. In my case I think my eyes are slight differently shaped because switching a pair from eye to eye that Ive had for a while hurts like crap.

[Vasto]

I wear my contacts until I lose/rip them. I think I'm averaging 2-4 months. Drives my optomitrist crazy because I don't think he gets the full kick back on the contacts because we only order 6 months worth for a year. :-P

 

I have astigmitism if that means anything. (Contact strength: Left= -7.00 Right= -8.00)

[Overclocker16]

I wear my contacts until I lose/rip them. I think I'm averaging 2-4 months. Drives my optomitrist crazy because I don't think he gets the full kick back on the contacts because we only order 6 months worth for a year. :-P

 

I have astigmitism if that means anything. (Contact strength: Left= -7.00 Right= -8.00)

 

That's right around the same thing I do, just about the same strength's also lol.

[NCC10281982B]

I thought I was bad with -3 & -3.75

[ClayMeow]

Geez. I've never ripped a contact so if I did what you guys do, they'd be permanently suctioned to my eye and/or I'd be blind . What the hell do u guys do?? I don't even pull my contacts out "correctly", I actually "pinch" them out instead of sliding them, which you're not supposed to do because apparently it makes it easier to rip them, but I've been doing it like that for six years and never ripped one. I'd say you guys are definitely using them too long if they're degrading that much. Your eyes shouldn't be messed with like that.

 

I used to have monthlies. My eye doctor said I could safely wear them for 2-3 months if I needed. As caffeine stated, it has to do with the protein buildup. There's just so much the solutions can clean, so overtime it gets worse. Different people will have different results because everyone's eyes are different. I have low build-up plus I take my contacts out when I'm home which on a typical day means they're only in my eyes for ~10 hrs. If you sleep in them (which I hope you don't), your contacts won't nearly last as long.

 

As of a few months ago, I now use bi-weekly breathables (I think AcuVue Hydraclear...I'm not 100% positive because I tried so many...I'll have to check when I get home). My eyes weren't getting enough oxygen before apparently and my prescription changed for the first time in 3-4 years. I've definitely noticed a positive difference. I'm sticking with changing them every two weeks (though I did lose count once and wear a pair for 3 weeks). I've come to the realization that cost isn't an issue when it comes to my eyes.

 

EDIT: I have -4, -4.25 if I recall correctly....-7, -8?! eek!

[romeo55]

Holy Crap, -7+ ?? Haha, I'm supposed to be bad with -3.75 and -4.5

 

But yeah, I don't take chances with contacts, I mean there your eyes, do you seriously want to be screwing with them? Heh, I have a schedule to change mine right on the 2 week mark. (There the Oasis kind)

 

and wow, reminds me when I slept with mine on, and woke up with super red eyes Couldn't wear contacts for 2 weeks

[Andrewr05]

Jeez, even if contacts were made to last for months I don't think I could do that to myself...

 

I mean they get taken out occasionally anyways right?

Why not just replace them then?

Like ClayMeow said why skimp on something so important?

Its not good to keep letting the curvature change from so much use (which affects the prescription) and then just going back to your regular one.

Your eyes could get all whacked out from adjusting to the relaxed contacts and such...

Edited January 24, 2007 by Andrewr05

[DECwakeboarder]

I too wear contacts and order just the standard 2 week disposables. I never keep track of how long they've been in, just replace them when I can't see anymore. I change the solution in my container maybe once or twice a week and my contacts last me 2-3 months. I'm sure if I changed the solution more often they would last longer, but I think I'm about maxing them out right now because I'm constantly getting lake water/sweat/all kinds of other things in my eyes and ruining them.

 

My eyes must be a lot more resiliant (sp?) than yours Unforgivin, I can keep mine in for 3+ days at a time and never have any problem with them, only time I've ever had a problem was when I woke up with something in my (thinking it was just sleep or something) and put my contact on over it...messed my eye up for a couple of days, but I've never had any problem besides that.

 

@Andrew, I use the Acuvue (sp? again) lenses and I never have a problem with the curvature of them changing enough to affect my vision...it's always because they get cloudy after a while from so much use and abuse. If the curvature does change a bit, once I put them in and blink a bit they still suction right down on my eye and I can see like normal. Why do most people skimp on their contacts? My mom works as a nurse and has pretty good health insurance, and it is still about $175 for a year worth of medium-grade contacts, anyone with just bare minimum health insurance or those with none at all could end up paying quite a bit more. (with Bush's new healthcare plan hopefully this will change...I just wish that our healthcare was like that of Canada and some other nations...instead of being fighting with Africa in terms of coverage)

 

Edit: I think mine are about -4.5...all I know is that I can't distinguish the big E at all w/o my contacts or glasses.

[ClayMeow]

I too wear contacts and order just the standard 2 week disposables. I never keep track of how long they've been in, just replace them when I can't see anymore. I change the solution in my container maybe once or twice a week and my contacts last me 2-3 months. I'm sure if I changed the solution more often they would last longer, but I think I'm about maxing them out right now because I'm constantly getting lake water/sweat/all kinds of other things in my eyes and ruining them.

You change the solution in your container once or twice a week?!!?! :blink:

 

Holy crap, dude! I don't even understand that...how do you get it out of the case without the solution coming with it? Are we talking about the same thing? If so, then I dump the solution when I put them in and then put new solution in when I take them out...even if it's just out of my eyes for an hour before I put them in again...it gets changed.

 

EDIT: Oh, what do you know..I use Oasys Hydraclear too

[Vasto]

(Im pretty careful so its the contact itself in fact Ive had a few tear while in my eye)

I thought you were crazier when I read this last night. But low and behold, today at school one ripped in my eye (it wasn't so much a rip, but a tear just a little off center). You Jinx'd me. First time in 6 years.

 

I actually "pinch" them out instead of sliding them, which you're not supposed to do because apparently it makes it easier to rip them, but I've been doing it like that for six years and never ripped one.

 

If you sleep in them (which I hope you don't), your contacts won't nearly last as long.

I do the one handed pinch to get them out.

 

Sleeping in your contacts is bad, you have to let your eyes breathe.

 

and wow, reminds me when I slept with mine on, and woke up with super red eyes Couldn't wear contacts for 2 weeks

You couldn't wear contacts for two weeks because you slept in them? That's not from sleeping in them, thats pink eye.

 

I change the solution in my container maybe once or twice a week and my contacts last me 2-3 months.

 

Edit: I think mine are about -4.5...all I know is that I can't distinguish the big E at all w/o my contacts or glasses.

I'm pretty sure your supposed to change the solution every time you put in your contacts, or once every month if you haven't worn them for that month.

 

I can't even see the big E..... :'(

[Kash]

So happy I don't have to wear contacts, saves me all this trouble and more importantly, money.

 

I only need to wear glasses when I'm driving at night, and even then, only really on the highway so that I can read signs without squinting. My prescription is something like -0.75 for one eye and -1.00 for the other. I probably wear my glasses, on average, an hour a day between driving to and from school/work.

 

Now I just gotta find me a woman with good vision so when I have kids we can be a contacts/glasses-free family