What is Base Curve?

lisaeckman27 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-21-2010, 10:56 PM

im alittle confused. my prescription is 8.6 base curve. if i were to get a base curve with 8.3 because i believe thats what my doctors prescribed...the Acuvue opaques (i believe their 8.3 base curve, 14.0 diameter please correct me if im wrong) he originally prescribed FreshLook ColorBlends but i don't like the 14.5 diameter, makes my eyes look huge so i had him change it...... but my question is would i look crossed eyed with a 8.3? one of the other posts mentioned something like that where the 8.3 made him look like he was cross-eyed? if the base curve is 8.3 and mine is 8.6 would the contact be moving around alot or be tight? is 8.3 flatter ? im confused on this whole base curve thing. i just want something that doesnt slide all over the place to where the colored part of my contact doesnt cover half of my pupil. thanks to anyone who takes the time to respond. is Acuvue 2 and acuvue opaques the same thing? he prescribed me acuvue opaques

Droopy · #2 (**permalink**) 10-22-2010, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisaeckman27

im alittle confused. my prescription is 8.6 base curve. if i were to get a base curve with 8.3 because i believe thats what my doctors prescribed...the acuvue opaques (i believe their 8.3 base curve, 14.0 diameter please correct me if im wrong) he originally prescribed freshlook colorblends but i don't like the 14.5 diameter, makes my eyes look huge so i had him change it...... but my question is would i look crossed eyed with a 8.3? one of the other posts mentioned something like that where the 8.3 made him look like he was cross-eyed? if the base curve is 8.3 and mine is 8.6 would the contact be moving around alot or be tight? is 8.3 flatter ? im confused on this whole base curve thing. i just want something that doesnt slide all over the place to where the colored part of my contact doesnt cover half of my pupil. thanks to anyone who takes the time to respond. is acuvue 2 and acuvue opaques the same thing? he prescribed me acuvue opaques

Hi lisaeckman27, how are you?

I'm a little confused too. First you say "my prescription is 8.6 base curve," and then you say " . . . a base curve with 8.3 because i believe that's what my doctors prescribed..." Did the person who filled the prescription get it wrong? Your doctor prescribed an 8.3 base curve but what you got was 8.6?

Okay, now the base curve thing. If your contact lenses have a base curve of 8.6, that means that if you took the curve that is formed by the back of the contact lens and continued it around until you had a full circle, that circle would have a radius of 8.6 centimeters. So the bigger the base curve number, the flatter the contact lens is. 8.6 is flatter then 8.3. Contact lenses with an 8.3 base curve will feel tighter than lenses with an 8.6 base curve. If your contacts are sliding, chances are you need a smaller base curve.

"[Are] Acuvue 2 and Acuvue opaques the same thing?" No. Especially if by "Acuvue opaques" you mean Acuvue 2 Colours - Opaque. Acuvue 2 is not a colored lens, while Acuvue 2 Colours - Opaque obviously is.

I hope that answers your question. If not, let us know and we'll try again. We want to make sure you understand what you're doing with your contact lenses.

Building63 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-22-2010, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Droopy

Hi lisaeckman27, how are you?

I'm a little confused too. First you say "my prescription is 8.6 base curve," and then you say " . . . a base curve with 8.3 because i believe that's what my doctors prescribed..." Did the person who filled the prescription get it wrong? Your doctor prescribed an 8.3 base curve but what you got was 8.6?

Okay, now the base curve thing. If your contact lenses have a base curve of 8.6, that means that if you took the curve that is formed by the back of the contact lens and continued it around until you had a full circle, that circle would have a radius of 8.6 centimeters.

A radius of 8.6 centimeters. That's a pretty big circle.

lisaeckman27 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-22-2010, 01:08 PM

@ Droopy thanks for helping me out. Here is what happened. My doctor first had prescribed me Freshlook Colorblends being that my eyes are 8.6 base curve and 14.0 diameter......only the freshlook colorblends are 14.5 and i don't like the Big eyed look. My colorblends also are sliding all over the place.

So i went back and showed it to my doctor. he didnt know what i was talking about? i had to take one contact out and show him the diameter difference in my eye and the contacts...(you would think he knows this already since he is a eye doctor right?) anyways FINALLY he saw the iris size i was talking about. the contacts make my iris alot bigger since they are 14.5. So he had me try Acuvue opaques since their 14.0. i told him i liked them since they fit perfect over my iris diameter. only problem is i only tested the sample out for like 2 mins then took them out. He then wrote me a prescription.

Now i am wanting to do my first order but i noticed when i went to order that the base curve for Acuvue Opaques are 8.3? Was he not supposed to prescribe me that? You would think he would be aware of the base curve before prescribing me. Thats why i ask about the base curve. Does it matter that he prescribed me 8.3? i was thinking about stopping by his office but i hate to bug him since ive already been to him acouple times before. right now i am wearing the adorn-bi-tones. (i posted pics in another thread) anyways these are perfect!! i love these but the first day i wore them they gave me an excruiating headache after 2 hours. they are 14.0, 8.6. im giving them a go again today to see if i get another headache and see if it really was these contacts that did it. Anyways thanks for all the help. This board is so kind with helping others out. :-)

Orionebula · #5 (**permalink**) 10-22-2010, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisaeckman27

@ Droopy thanks for helping me out. Here is what happened. My doctor first had prescribed me Freshlook Colorblends being that my eyes are 8.6 base curve and 14.0 diameter......only the freshlook colorblends are 14.5 and i don't like the Big eyed look. My colorblends also are sliding all over the place.

So i went back and showed it to my doctor. he didnt know what i was talking about? i had to take one contact out and show him the diameter difference in my eye and the contacts...(you would think he knows this already since he is a eye doctor right?) anyways FINALLY he saw the iris size i was talking about. the contacts make my iris alot bigger since they are 14.5. So he had me try Acuvue opaques since their 14.0. i told him i liked them since they fit perfect over my iris diameter. only problem is i only tested the sample out for like 2 mins then took them out. He then wrote me a prescription.

Now i am wanting to do my first order but i noticed when i went to order that the base curve for Acuvue Opaques are 8.3? Was he not supposed to prescribe me that? You would think he would be aware of the base curve before prescribing me. Thats why i ask about the base curve. Does it matter that he prescribed me 8.3? i was thinking about stopping by his office but i hate to bug him since ive already been to him acouple times before. right now i am wearing the adorn-bi-tones. (i posted pics in another thread) anyways these are perfect!! i love these but the first day i wore them they gave me an excruiating headache after 2 hours. they are 14.0, 8.6. im giving them a go again today to see if i get another headache and see if it really was these contacts that did it. Anyways thanks for all the help. This board is so kind with helping others out. :-)

Hi lisaeckman27. I'd like to check these contacts for you and see if they come in your base curve, but you call your contacts "Acuvue Opaques" and I don't know of any contacts by that name.

This thread is in the section called "Acuvue 2 Colours - Opaques" and if that's the kind you mean, they only come in a base curve of 8.3 and a diameter of 14.

It looks like you want colored contact lenses with a diameter of 14 and a base curve of 8.6. Here's what you do. You go to www.lens.com. Then you find the section for color contact lenses. Then you look around until you find two or three or four brands that comes in those parameters. The first one I found was Focus Monthly SoftColors, and sure there are others.

Just give a holler if you need any help looking for contact lens parameters.

lisaeckman27 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-26-2010, 12:09 AM

ill definitely give that a look. ive tried wearing my adore Bi-tones again. at first they were giving me a headache but i was able to wear them for 5+ hours yesterday and they werent too bad. They fit perfectly more so than my freshlook that covers my vision. anyways i wanted to try those acuvue 2 opaques, but just nervous about the 8.3 base curve cuz i don't want them to be too tight on my eyes. my dr said they'd be okay tho so idk ill have to think about ordering them.

Jubert · #7 (**permalink**) 10-26-2010, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisaeckman27

i wanted to try those acuvue 2 opaques, but just nervous about the 8.3 base curve cuz i don't want them to be too tight on my eyes. my dr said they'd be okay tho so idk ill have to think about ordering them.

If your eye doctor has examined your eyes and told you that contact lenses with a base curve of 8.3 will fit you, that's about as good as it gets. Will he or she give you trial lenses? I think that would be a great way to go. Your eye doctor can fit the trial lenses right there in the office, and if there are any problems, you're already in the chair. I can't imaging any situation having less risk than that.