advantages /disdavantages of contact lenses

km79

hi all
long story short I had a squint which was operated on when I was very young ( 6 I think ). after this I no longer needed glasses but my right eye was weaker than left.About 10 years ago I started getting blinding headaches on my left side of head (temple /eye area ) especially close to the end of school terms as I'm a teacher. Went to optician and they confirmed that it was due to my left eye compensating for weakness in right.
I was prescribed glasses for close work . I was reluctant to wear them as I knew I would inevitably become more and more reliant on them and sure enough........so another few years pass and I find I'm using them for watching TV and driving etc but I HATE wearing them ( goes back to when I wore them when I was young ).
I don't wear them in the classroom only for correcting but to be honest I've reached a stage now where there is a noticeable difference in my vision with and without.
So a couple of months ago I got fitted for contacts . The optician said I prob don't need to wear them every day much like the glasses. But I think when I start wearing them it will be hard not to wear them day . I got 5 samples but only wore them twice so far. I think I may give them another bash though. The price quoted of 60 euro a month for 30 daily disposables was very off putting though as I can't really afford that extra outlay !

The brand is accuve moist for astigmatism
The right box says +1.50 and then under that -1.75 , 110
the left box says +0.25 and then under that -0.75, 070
I think this may be the prescriptions?

So a few questions
1. Looking at that prescription is moving to occasional lens wearing advisable (couple a days a week anyway )
2. Can I get a copy of my prescription and order online cheaper ? I will probably get the first box in opticians .
3 Is there anything in my prescription that's making them so dear ?
4 Does wearing lenses damage eyes or vision long term!
Thanks for any help

Pugzilla

I got contact lenses 5 years ago. I have worn them 5 days a week to college/work with no problem.

Only wear glasses at home or when I'm too lazy to change.

km79

Pugzilla wrote: »

I got contact lenses 5 years ago. I have worn them 5 days a week to college/work with no problem.

Only wear glasses at home or when I'm too lazy to change.

Do they work out VERY expensive though ?
Is there alternative/generic types the same as accue moist for astigmatism? I'm sorry if that's a stupid question !

frozenfrozen

I went down the route of cheap contact lenses.. never again. I wouldn't use them if they were free. Sometimes they'd feel fine all day and I would go to take them out and my eyes would be glowing red with pain. No such problems with the brand name ones

FishOnABike

Has anybody tried advanced orthokeratology lenses? Glasses or contacts aren't really an option for water based sport and the idea of wearing contact lenses at night and seeing clearly without them during the day sounds ideal.

km79

frozenfrozen wrote: »

I went down the route of cheap contact lenses.. never again. I wouldn't use them if they were free. Sometimes they'd feel fine all day and I would go to take them out and my eyes would be glowing red with pain. No such problems with the brand name ones

Is there cheaper brand names than the accue ones though based on my prescription above

Pugzilla

I would stick to the high quality lenses, you will be sticking them onto your eyes after all. I use Acuvue Oasys 2 week lenses. I don't have astigmatism.

If you can't afford it then just use glasses.

My lenses are FDA approved for 6 days of continuous use, but I wouldn't want to wear them while sleeping. After a long day, my eyes sometimes get dehydrated and need a break.

Continuous use also increases the risk of acanthamoeba keraitis, an infection associated with contact lenses which can permanently damage your eye sight.

km79

Pugzilla wrote: »

I would stick to the high quality lenses, you will be sticking them onto your eyes after all. I use Acuvue Oasys 2 week lenses. I don't have astigmatism.

If you can't afford it then just use glasses.

My lenses are FDA approved for 6 days of continuous use, but I wouldn't want to wear them while sleeping. After a long day, my eyes sometimes get dehydrated and need a break.

Continuous use also increases the risk of acanthamoeba keraitis, an infection associated with contact lenses which can permanently damage your eye sight.

Thanks for that
I'm assuming the daily disposables are the dearest option

frozenfrozen

I use daily disposables, acuvue moist. Works out to be affordable because I don't wear them that often, maybe 3 days a week. You could look into the week or 2 week lenses if you will need them each day. But dailies could still be cheaper if you only need them for certain activities.

km79

frozenfrozen wrote: »

I use daily disposables, acuvue moist. Works out to be affordable because I don't wear them that often, maybe 3 days a week. You could look into the week or 2 week lenses if you will need them each day. But dailies could still be cheaper if you only need them for certain activities.

I'll prob do the same
Few days a week
Think I'll go for it when I start back

_Whimsical_

FishOnABike wrote: »

Has anybody tried advanced orthokeratology lenses? Glasses or contacts aren't really an option for water based sport and the idea of wearing contact lenses at night and seeing clearly without them during the day sounds ideal.

I looked into them, very expensive. Seemed to be looking at 800 the first year and then around 600 every year after.

frozenfrozen

do you have to keep doing orthokeratology lenses for ever or do they eventually fix your sight? at 600 per year indefinitely it doesn't sound appealing

X6.430macman

60 is expensive. I'm around 35 a month for the dailies and I'm -3.25. I have the silicon hydrogel ones or something. Supposed to be new out and let more air into your eye. Excellent Job.

km79

X6.430macman wrote: »

60 is expensive. I'm around 35 a month for the dailies and I'm -3.25. I have the silicon hydrogel ones or something. Supposed to be new out and let more air into your eye. Excellent Job.

having a look at prices on the net does astigmatism mke them that bit dearer though

_Whimsical_

frozenfrozen wrote: »

do you have to keep doing orthokeratology lenses for ever or do they eventually fix your sight? at 600 per year indefinitely it doesn't sound appealing

No they're forever, they make no permanent difference but could slow development of further myopia. They're not a "cure" at all though. You have to use them every night to get benefits and once you stop you'll need your glasses again.

Craigevans1985

I have much stronger bottle tops, -5.00 and -5.5, I use monthly night & day lenses, and they worked out at €72 for 6 months. You can fall asleep in them and it's not the end of the world. Reputable brand, bought from Asda opticians in the UK and go them shipped over last year. on my last pair and I re-ordered from a .ie site for the same price. Happy with those.

Daisies

You are wearing some of the most expensive lenses on the market. Acuvue are great lenses but they are pricey and the fact that you need lenses for astigmatism makes them more expensive.

Generally speaking if you are wearing your lenses more than 4 times a week, monthlies will work out better value so that is an option.

Looking at your prescription using them occasionally would be fine

km79

Daisies wrote: »

You are wearing some of the most expensive lenses on the market. Acuvue are great lenses but they are pricey and the fact that you need lenses for astigmatism makes them more expensive.

Generally speaking if you are wearing your lenses more than 4 times a week, monthlies will work out better value so that is an option.

Looking at your prescription using them occasionally would be fine

Thanks for that
The optician said the same re just occasional use
But I'm wary that once I start wearing them at school I will end up using them the 5 days a week TBH .

Daisies

km79 wrote: »

Thanks for that
The optician said the same re just occasional use
But I'm wary that once I start wearing them at school I will end up using them the 5 days a week TBH .

If that happens you can always go back to your optician and get refitted with a monthly lens

X6.430macman

Same with me I hope to wear them 5 days a week at school. How much of a saving would I get from the monthlys over the dailys for 5 day a week wear?? And is there any disadvantages to wearing them that much in regards to eye health and other stuff like that??

Testament1

Been wearing glasses since I was a child, (28 now), and I despise them! Been using contacts since I was 17. My advice would be to get as many trial pairs as you can as what works for one person won't necessarily work for someone else. I started out on monthlies but ended up changing to dailies as they were less maintenance. I've tried heaps of different lenses that didn't work out for one reason or another and eventually settled with Focus Dailies Total 1. They're pricey but comfort is great, vision is sharp and they supposedly let a decent amount of oxygen.

X6.430macman

Testament1 wrote:

Been wearing glasses since I was a child, (28 now), and I despise them! Been using contacts since I was 17. My advice would be to get as many trial pairs as you can as what works for one person won't necessarily work for someone else. I started out on monthlies but ended up changing to dailies as they were less maintenance. I've tried heaps of different lenses that didn't work out for one reason or another and eventually settled with Focus Dailies Total 1. They're pricey but comfort is great, vision is sharp and they supposedly let a decent amount of oxygen.

Is there any harm in asking how much they ate per month?? And has your sight worsened by much since you were 17??

Testament1

X6.430macman wrote: »

Is there any harm in asking how much they ate per month?? And has your sight worsened by much since you were 17??

€26.98 per eye on VisionDirect.ie
Definitely one of the more expensive options but like I said it took me a good while to find a lens I was happy with. Been using these a couple years now and no complaints. I'd still rather not have to use contacts or glasses though! My sight has always been very poor but steady since about 20, maybe a degradation of about half a dioptre per eye since then.

Loveinapril

I use daysoft.com. It shows you which ones are most like the brand you use. I only wear my contacts a couple of times a week and went for daily lenses, like another poster, to save the hassle. They are about €14 for 30 pairs including postage. They tend to last me a few months and other than slightly dry eyes (which I have anyway) I have had no issues.

km79

Loveinapril wrote: »

I use daysoft.com. It shows you which ones are most like the brand you use. I only wear my contacts a couple of times a week and went for daily lenses, like another poster, to save the hassle. They are about €14 for 30 pairs including postage. They tend to last me a few months and other than slightly dry eyes (which I have anyway) I have had no issues.

thanks I checked that site already and it's says if lenses are for astigmatism then their ones can't be used

X6.430macman

When I take my lenses out, sometimes I'm excellant at it and get it first time which is fine but then other times im a bit rusty and it may take a bit longer, wher my finger touches the white of my eye goes a bit red. I'm just worried as when I go back to school I will have to take them out 5 days a week, is this back for your eye when it goes a bit red

km79

We'll I just stood on my glasses today so I guess I'll be trying the lenses now !
Can metal frames be repaired after being stood on

uck51js9zml2yt

km79 wrote: »

We'll I just stood on my glasses today so I guess I'll be trying the lenses now !
Can metal frames be repaired after being stood on

Really depends on whether they bent or broken.
I've been ordering glasses online for years, much cheaper.

km79

Got glasses lenses out into an old frame for 20 euro so they will do for now. Anyway it got me or I the optician again so I went through the contacts again.
I wore the dailies for 2 days. Left eye was a little sore from them but it took me half an hour to get them on so that was probably the reason

Anyway had a good chat with the girl. She told me not to order the dailies for now.
She explained that prescription in my right eye is -3 and the dailies can only get to -1.75. She said if I was planning on wearing them 5 days a week to school (which I am) then to try 2 weekly lenses. The prescription will then be -2.75
She also said u actually had no need for a lens for the left eye too as the prescription is so week
So that makes things a not more affordable as well
I'm getting samples of those this week and will go for them if they suit me

X6.430macman

km79 wrote:

Anyway had a good chat with the girl. She told me not to order the dailies for now. She explained that prescription in my right eye is -3 and the dailies can only get to -1.75. She said if I was planning on wearing them 5 days a week to school (which I am) then to try 2 weekly lenses. The prescription will then be -2.75 She also said u actually had no need for a lens for the left eye too as the prescription is so week So that makes things a not more affordable as well I'm getting samples of those this week and will go for them if they suit me

I'm on dailies and they are -3.25. Is it ok to wear dailies to school 5 days a week do you know??

km79

X6.430macman wrote: »

I'm on dailies and they are -3.25. Is it ok to wear dailies to school 5 days a week do you know??

I think the problem is there is an astigmatism in the eye too
Yes but she said if you were wearing them 5 days a week then it would be more economical to go for two weekly

X6.430macman

km79 wrote:

I think the problem is there is an astigmatism in the eye too Yes but she said if you were wearing them 5 days a week then it would be more economical to go for two weekly

Oh yes, ya I might look into them. Do the weeklys suit anyone or are they made for some people??

km79

X6.430macman wrote: »

Oh yes, ya I might look into them. Do the weeklys suit anyone or are they made for some people??

I don't know the answer to that sorry but would assume yes
They are 2 weekly
So ya open them and they last for 2 weeks
Have to be cleansed every night

The reason I was going for dailies was I had said I may not sure them every school day but I've since decided I misread than likely will
Therefore the 2 weekly or monthly were more economical

X6.430macman

km79 wrote:

I don't know the answer to that sorry but would assume yes They are 2 weekly So ya open them and they last for 2 weeks Have to be cleansed every night

Cleaning would probably be the biggest problem for me, it's nice to be able to take out lenses and jus throw them away.

SirJoker

It's actually not that hard and doesn't even take that long. Although if you sport, then dailies are probably much better option.

X6.430macman

SirJoker wrote:

It's actually not that hard and doesn't even take that long. Although if you sport, then dailies are probably much better option.

Are the weeklys harder on the eyes as the sane lenses are going into your eye for a good bit longer??

km79

X6.430macman wrote: »

Are the weeklys harder on the eyes as the sane lenses are going into your eye for a good bit longer??

I asked and was told they were as soft