Contacts

[Coldsnap]

I did a search and found nothing. Can someone go over the experience of using contacts. Do they get expensive? What are the + and -s?

 

[Joffrey]

+ no need to wear glasses all the time, no lenses to clean in the middle of the day

- dry eyes (sometimes), remembering to take them off (when I first started using them I was real lazy and would keep them on for days at a time).

I love my contacts, but need a new pair of glasses so I dont have to wear them everyday.

 

[minnesotamoon]

Get Lasik if you're a candidate. I had contacts for years and about 6 months ago went to lasik and couldn't be happier.

 

[graphite]

contacts are the greatest. i wore glasses all through childhood, got contacts beginning of highschool and never looked back. get the disposable kind.


- is, as mentioned, dry eyes. also you have to carry around saline solution and a case when you travel, and it's always a good idea to have a set of glasses in case something goes awry. you don't want something to go wrong with your contacts and you be stuck blind for the rest of the day.

it's not a good idea to sleep in them, and hygiene is very important. you need to clean them frequently, unless you have the daily disposable kind. i use "enzymatic cleaner" tablets you can buy at walmart and they seem to work ok and are simple.

they are more expensive than glasses but worth the price in convenience and appearance.


lasik is a very attractive option. i hope to get surgery soon but until then contacts are holding me over great.


ps if you get a *tiny* bit of dust or dirt or an eyelash in your eye, it will feel like a boulder. it helps to have a tiny bottle of saline solution all the time for on-the-spot washing. i got a box of these disposable, one-time use saline tubes that i keep in my backpack all the time.


and another plus.... once you get contacts you can be introduced to the wide world of fashionable sunglasses!

 

[rxcats]

I have been wearing contact lenses most of the time since I was in my mid-20's. Durasoft is the only toric lens that will correct the degree of astigmatism I have. I was never able to tolerate hard lenses. The pluses of using contact lenses are better correction/peripheral vision and more comfortable than glasses (no weight on nose/ears). The negative is taking them out, cleaning them and putting them back in. Another big plus of contact lenses is that it makes shaving much easier.

 

[choowy]

Originally Posted by rxcats

Another big plus of contact lenses is that it makes shaving much easier.

QFT.

 

[alan]

Itll change your life.

Lasik still scares me.

Used to wear glasses. 1st time i got contacts i spent 2 hours trying to get them in and it didnt work. Gave up on it until like a year later, gave it another go.

Itll really make you sooo much more comfortable in every situation. I hated glasses.

Havent had any drawbacks, aside from it being difficult to get used to putting them on at first.

I dont get dry eyes in them, but if u carry the drops for it it wont be much of an issue anyway.

I use the 30 days disposable ones, when i take them off i put them in a cleansing solution.

Go fir it asap

 

[Coldsnap]

alright I need contacts then
having glasses on my face just seems so awkward for me.

 

[junthin]

Contacts are great if Lasik is not an option or are you afraid of the long-term ramifications of Lasik.

If you are wearing hard contacts (gas-permeable), they tend to be irritating like a grain of sand is constantly in your eye, but they are still relatively good for your eyes. Usually they are costly since they aren't disposable. ($100-$200 upfront cost).

If you are wearing soft contacts, they feel great and are comfortable, but sometimes can worsen your eyesight (usually only when you are younger, below 25) due to the nature of the soft contacts since it isn't exactly the perfect fit every time (like hard contacts). Some of the newer ones adjust for astigmatism (toric lens) so it is fine. They are usually disposable so you'll have to constantly get new pairs. Usually they are anywhere from $30-80 for a 6 month supply depending on how bad your eyesight is and how fancy your contacts are.

All contacts usually need some sort of regular cleaning/maintenance.

Buy contacts at Costco or Sam's Club to get cheaper prices than any other Mall store or optometrist store. Cheap places to order contacts online (if you can't go to Costco or Sam's Club, sometimes they are even cheaper since they have coupon codes):

www.CoastalContacts.com (10% coupon code: SUPERSAVERUS)
www.1800Contacts.com
www.Lens.com
www.OptiContacts.com

PM if you need more help. Enjoy.

 

[Coldsnap]

thats awesome, thanks so much!

 

[feynmix]

Originally Posted by minnesotamoon

Get Lasik if you're a candidate. I had contacts for years and about 6 months ago went to lasik and couldn't be happier.

+ 1. I am really glad I got lasik done.

 

[Coldsnap]

lasik is gonna cost me like over $1,000 right?
I couldn't afford that right now up front. I do have health insurance though
Also I worked with a guy who got lasik and he had to go back again for the surgery and during that 2 weeks he was experiencing vertigo and could hardly see. I couldn't be out 2 weeks of work and school, so I'd have to get it done sometime on vacation

 

[feynmix]

Originally Posted by Coldsnap

lasik is gonna cost me like over $1,000 right?
I couldn't afford that right now up front. I do have health insurance though
Also I worked with a guy who got lasik and he had to go back again for the surgery and during that 2 weeks he was experiencing vertigo and could hardly see. I couldn't be out 2 weeks of work and school, so I'd have to get it done sometime on vacation

Health insurance doesn't cover lasik. Also, how old are you? Most people don't get lasik till they are at least 21. Once you eyes hit a stable prescription (for 2-3 years), then its a good time to get lasik.

 

[Coldsnap]

Originally Posted by feynmix

Health insurance doesn't cover lasik. Also, how old are you? Most people don't get lasik till they are at least 21. Once you eyes hit a stable prescription (for 2-3 years), then its a good time to get lasik.

I'm 22, i should probably wait then because my prescription keeps changing ever 2 years

 

[chas]

I wear glasses 75% of the time but have contacts as well. For me daily disposables are great - no cleanin, no fuss. Every night just toss them out and put in a brand new pair in the morning. From what I gather, this is not everyone's experience but you should give them a try.