Need some insight/education

McFeist · #1 (**permalink**) 08-19-2011, 02:13 PM

I am 46 years old and just starting wearing contacts last fall. I am wearing Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear. I am wearing monovision contacts with contact lenses in both eyes. Before that, I wore only over-the-counter readers for working on the computer and reading and no vision correction otherwise but noticed that my vision at night seemed to be getting worse, so I went in for a checkup and was prescribed these contacts after a few weeks was spent on adjusting the prescription. Here's what happened: The original prescription was good except for reading. He tweaked the close-vision eye, but then my vision was made a lot worse otherwise, so I tried the original prescription again, and it was fantastic. I had been told in the beginning that I would probably need reading glasses even with the contacts, but with this 3rd set of sample lenses, I didn't even need glasses to read. They were great, so I went ahead and bought a year's supply. The supply I bought is just like the original lenses I sampled, however. I cannot read with them, not even with glasses, and I have tried all different strengths of reading glasses.

Why is there such a difference if the prescription is the same? Why did I get only 1 set of contacts that was great, same brand, same prescription? I feel like that one set of contacts fit better, that it has more to do with "fit" than with the prescription. I have seconds where I have very clear up-close vision, but it fades and is intermittent. I am planning on talking to the doctor about it when I go back, but I would like to have some insight first. Is it all in my head??? Could this have something to do with having astigmatism?

Thank you

packman · #2 (**permalink**) 08-19-2011, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFeist

I am 46 years old and just starting wearing contacts last fall. I am wearing Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear. I am wearing monovision contacts with contact lenses in both eyes. Before that, I wore only over-the-counter readers for working on the computer and reading and no vision correction otherwise but noticed that my vision at night seemed to be getting worse, so I went in for a checkup and was prescribed these contacts after a few weeks was spent on adjusting the prescription. Here's what happened: The original prescription was good except for reading. He tweaked the close-vision eye, but then my vision was made a lot worse otherwise, so I tried the original prescription again, and it was fantastic. I had been told in the beginning that I would probably need reading glasses even with the contacts, but with this 3rd set of sample lenses, I didn't even need glasses to read. They were great, so I went ahead and bought a year's supply. The supply I bought is just like the original lenses I sampled, however. I cannot read with them, not even with glasses, and I have tried all different strengths of reading glasses.

My first guess is that when you got your years supply of contact lenses that the prescription was wrong. Did you try two or three different pairs from that batch?

It's also possible that your prescription had changed, but that's unlikely. Dry a different pair of contacts and see what happens, then check back here. I hope it's a simple fix for you.

McFeist · #3 (**permalink**) 08-19-2011, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by packman

My first guess is that when you got your years supply of contact lenses that the prescription was wrong. Did you try two or three different pairs from that batch?

It's also possible that your prescription had changed, but that's unlikely. Dry a different pair of contacts and see what happens, then check back here. I hope it's a simple fix for you.

Yes, I know, but same prescription, unless there was a mistake on the trial lenses, and they labeled one of the packages incorrectly at the factory. It has been since fall, so by now I have gone through several pairs from different boxes. As a matter of fact, I went through quite a few last fall just trying to duplicate what I had, thinking maybe I had a bad box or boxes. I don't think my prescription has changed. Why would it change just going from sample lenses to the ones I purchased 2 weeks later? I suppose that it's possible for it to change like that in 2 weeks, but it doesn't seem likely. Every now and then I get some lenses that are awful, too, in the bunch that I purchased, and I struggle with them for a week and switch out. Some of the lenses seem better than others, both eyes, but I have never gotten the great vision I did with that one trial pair. I want that again. Ha! I can dream, can't I? The good news is, I know that I can have great vision with contacts. The bad news is, I know that I can have great vision with contacts. I almost wish I were still ignorant - I wouldn't be pining so.

I am worried that the doctor is going to think I'm nuts when I try to explain this to him.

K-9 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-22-2011, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFeist

Yes, I know, but same prescription, unless there was a mistake on the trial lenses, and they labeled one of the packages incorrectly at the factory. It has been since fall, so by now I have gone through several pairs from different boxes. As a matter of fact, I went through quite a few last fall just trying to duplicate what I had, thinking maybe I had a bad box or boxes. I don't think my prescription has changed. Why would it change just going from sample lenses to the ones I purchased 2 weeks later? I suppose that it's possible for it to change like that in 2 weeks, but it doesn't seem likely. Every now and then I get some lenses that are awful, too, in the bunch that I purchased, and I struggle with them for a week and switch out. Some of the lenses seem better than others, both eyes, but I have never gotten the great vision I did with that one trial pair. I want that again. Ha! I can dream, can't I? The good news is, I know that I can have great vision with contacts. The bad news is, I know that I can have great vision with contacts. I almost wish I were still ignorant - I wouldn't be pining so.

I am worried that the doctor is going to think I'm nuts when I try to explain this to him.

Hopefully your doctor will take you seriously. Without knowing anything except what you've written here, I can only guess, and my guess would be what packman has already said: that the contact lenses you bought after those wonderful trial lenses were not the same. Bring those fuzzy lenses in and have your doctor take a look at them. Hopefully you can get this sorted out.

McFeist · #5 (**permalink**) 08-22-2011, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K-9

Hopefully your doctor will take you seriously. Without knowing anything except what you've written here, I can only guess, and my guess would be what packman has already said: that the contact lenses you bought after those wonderful trial lenses were not the same. Bring those fuzzy lenses in and have your doctor take a look at them. Hopefully you can get this sorted out.

Thank you. I am having a great week so far with fresh lenses. I opened a new box for the left eye, and I wonder if the others in the box will be as good. These fresh lenses are the best so far since I purchased the year's supply last fall. Not only are they really comfortable and staying moist, I can see great, almost as good as with the trial pair. I can actually sit here and type this without my reading glasses. How about that? My vision reading signs while driving is excellent with these as well. The signs are sharp and clear. With the current pair of lenses I have in my eyes right now, I am quite happy. Weird, huh? I never want change out these puppies. Oh my.

Bessie · #6 (**permalink**) 08-23-2011, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFeist

Thank you. I am having a great week so far with fresh lenses. I opened a new box for the left eye, and I wonder if the others in the box will be as good. These fresh lenses are the best so far since I purchased the year's supply last fall. Not only are they really comfortable and staying moist, I can see great, almost as good as with the trial pair. I can actually sit here and type this without my reading glasses. How about that? My vision reading signs while driving is excellent with these as well. The signs are sharp and clear. With the current pair of lenses I have in my eyes right now, I am quite happy. Weird, huh? I never want change out these puppies. Oh my.

I'm glad things are "looking better" for you, McFeist. Just make sure you don't wear those "perfect" lenses too long, or things will quickly go south.

McFeist · #7 (**permalink**) 08-23-2011, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bessie

I'm glad things are "looking better" for you, McFeist. Just make sure you don't wear those "perfect" lenses too long, or things will quickly go south.

Thanks! I am really fastidious about my contacts, so I promise I will change them out on schedule

Steuhrob · #8 (**permalink**) 08-23-2011, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFeist

Thanks! I am really fastidious about my contacts, so I promise I will change them out on schedule

Awesome. Good call, Bessie.

packman · #9 (**permalink**) 09-14-2011, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFeist

Thank you. I am having a great week so far with fresh lenses. I opened a new box for the left eye, and I wonder if the others in the box will be as good. These fresh lenses are the best so far since I purchased the year's supply last fall. Not only are they really comfortable and staying moist, I can see great, almost as good as with the trial pair. I can actually sit here and type this without my reading glasses. How about that? My vision reading signs while driving is excellent with these as well. The signs are sharp and clear. With the current pair of lenses I have in my eyes right now, I am quite happy. Weird, huh? I never want change out these puppies. Oh my.

It looks like you found the right lenses for you. Congratulations, McFeist.

McFeist · #10 (**permalink**) 09-14-2011, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by packman

It looks like you found the right lenses for you. Congratulations, McFeist.

Well thank you. Unfortunately, I am struggling again. I got frustrated this week and am taking some time off from the lenses. My vision got really blurry, especially distance vision, with a fresh pair of lenses. I actually sat down and just cried the other day. This has been the hardest thing about middle age for me. I wouldn't mind monovision if I could just get some consistency with it.

321contacts · #11 (**permalink**) 09-14-2011, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFeist

Well thank you. Unfortunately, I am struggling again. I got frustrated this week and am taking some time off from the lenses. My vision got really blurry, especially distance vision, with a fresh pair of lenses. I actually sat down and just cried the other day. This has been the hardest thing about middle age for me. I wouldn't mind monovision if I could just get some consistency with it.

Wow, I'm really sorry about that McFeist. Is your distance vision blurry all the time, or just under certain circumstances? I hope you find some answers to this. Don't give up yet!

McFeist · #12 (**permalink**) 09-14-2011, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 321contacts

Wow, I'm really sorry about that McFeist. Is your distance vision blurry all the time, or just under certain circumstances? I hope you find some answers to this. Don't give up yet!

Well thank you for your kind words. My distance vision is blurry all the time depending on the set of contacts. In other words, every so often I get a great set of fresh contacts that seem to work well, and they seem to keep working pretty much the entire two weeks (I take them out and rest my eyes at night). Then the next set might be blurry from day one when I put them in. I have good distance vision without contacts, but I cannot see worth anything up close or even intermediate, like the computer screen. I have started having trouble with seeing with no correction at night, especially with lights. Lights are really distorted.

It might be possible that I am putting one or both contacts in inside out when I open a fresh pair. I am going to look into that tomorrow. I absolutely cannot tell whether they are inside out or not by looking at them, not even with my readers on. I have to just trial and error, and I can't always tell when they are in my eyes either.

K-9 · #13 (**permalink**) 09-15-2011, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFeist

It might be possible that I am putting one or both contacts in inside out when I open a fresh pair. I am going to look into that tomorrow. I absolutely cannot tell whether they are inside out or not by looking at them, not even with my readers on. I have to just trial and error, and I can't always tell when they are in my eyes either.

Have you seen the posts here on Lens 101 that tell you how to tell if your contacts are inside out? Here's the thread which includes a helpful illustration:

http://www.lens101.com/focus-dailies/6878-focus-dalies-inside-out.html

McFeist · #14 (**permalink**) 09-15-2011, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K-9

Have you seen the posts here on Lens 101 that tell you how to tell if your contacts are inside out? Here's the thread which includes a helpful illustration:

Oh my, that was a great thread. Not only was it helpful, but it was entertaining as well. The Acuvue Oasys lenses are really tough to tell if they are inside out, and with my right eye I cannot even really tell when I have it in whether it is correct or not until I get out and drive somewhere and notice signs are really blurry. Because of this, I try really, really hard to not let them turn inside out and have been assuming that they are sitting in the packaging with the concave side oriented up and ready for insertion. Perhaps I ought not make that assumption. Thanks for the helpful link.

yournamehere · #15 (**permalink**) 09-16-2011, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFeist

Oh my, that was a great thread. Not only was it helpful, but it was entertaining as well. The Acuvue Oasys lenses are really tough to tell if they are inside out, and with my right eye I cannot even really tell when I have it in whether it is correct or not until I get out and drive somewhere and notice signs are really blurry. Because of this, I try really, really hard to not let them turn inside out and have been assuming that they are sitting in the packaging with the concave side oriented up and ready for insertion. Perhaps I ought not make that assumption. Thanks for the helpful link.

I'm glad you were entertained as well as informed.

321contacts · #16 (**permalink**) 09-28-2011, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFeist

Oh my, that was a great thread. Not only was it helpful, but it was entertaining as well. The Acuvue Oasys lenses are really tough to tell if they are inside out, and with my right eye I cannot even really tell when I have it in whether it is correct or not until I get out and drive somewhere and notice signs are really blurry. Because of this, I try really, really hard to not let them turn inside out and have been assuming that they are sitting in the packaging with the concave side oriented up and ready for insertion. Perhaps I ought not make that assumption. Thanks for the helpful link.

It's not often we get to see the words "great thread" around here. Thank you for the accolade. We'll take it.

McFeist · #17 (**permalink**) 09-28-2011, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 321contacts

It's not often we get to see the words "great thread" around here. Thank you for the accolade. We'll take it.

You are very welcome. I figured out how to tell if the Acuvue Oasys lenses are inside out! If I look at them sideways, like this ) I can tell. I can see the difference in the shape distinctly that way.

Wendy94 · #18 (**permalink**) 09-29-2011, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFeist

You are very welcome. I figured out how to tell if the Acuvue Oasys lenses are inside out! If I look at them sideways, like this ) I can tell. I can see the difference in the shape distinctly that way.

That's so nice to hear, McFeist. It's always good to know when this forum is able to help someone and then they come back to say so. Let us know if there's anything else we can do for you.

321contacts · #19 (**permalink**) 10-04-2011, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFeist

You are very welcome. I figured out how to tell if the Acuvue Oasys lenses are inside out! If I look at them sideways, like this ) I can tell. I can see the difference in the shape distinctly that way.

That will save you a lot of trouble in the years to come. Now go show your friends your new trick.

Steuhrob · #20 (**permalink**) 11-03-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFeist

You are very welcome. I figured out how to tell if the Acuvue Oasys lenses are inside out! If I look at them sideways, like this ) I can tell. I can see the difference in the shape distinctly that way.

Okay, when they look like that, does it mean that they're right-side out? How do they look otherwise?
I think it's great that you can tell that your contact lens is inside out by just looking at it. Have you ever found that one of your own contact lenses was inside out?

Beckifera · #21 (**permalink**) 11-07-2011, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 321contacts

That will save you a lot of trouble in the years to come. Now go show your friends your new trick.

That could be a hit at parties. "See, now it's inside out. And now . . . it's, um . . . outside . . . out."

Steuhrob · #22 (**permalink**) 01-05-2012, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beckifera

That could be a hit at parties. "See, now it's inside out. And now . . . it's, um . . . outside . . . out."

Then you can play the Carpool Game. "Good guy, bad guy. Good guy, bad guy."

321contacts · #23 (**permalink**) 01-06-2012, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steuhrob

Then you can play the Carpool Game. "Good guy, bad guy. Good guy, bad guy."

Oh, I love The Carpool Game!

yournamehere · #24 (**permalink**) 01-24-2012, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steuhrob

Okay, when they look like that, does it mean that they're right-side out? How do they look otherwise?
I think it's great that you can tell that your contact lens is inside out by just looking at it. Have you ever found that one of your own contact lenses was inside out?

I haven't but I'm sure others have and the inversion marks saved them from making an uncomfortable mistake.