Biofinity - Never in the Dark

nakedeyes · #1 (**permalink**) 09-24-2008, 11:26 AM

Is there anyone here on Lens 101 who wears Biofinity contacts, but not at night?

Kaywood · #2 (**permalink**) 09-21-2010, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nakedeyes

Is there anyone here on Lens 101 who wears Biofinity contacts, but not at night?

I have Biofinity contacts and found that the glare from car headlights and other lights are almost blinding! I sometimes ride a motorcycle and decided to go to the store one night. I had to stop and put on a yellow tinted safety sheild(goggles) that I was fortunate to have in my saddlebags. I am going to just wear glasses(no contacts) for night driving or buy Zero power glasses with antireflective coating on them.

Metsman · #3 (**permalink**) 09-21-2010, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaywood

I have Biofinity contacts and found that the glare from car headlights and other lights are almost blinding! I sometimes ride a motorcycle and decided to go to the store one night. I had to stop and put on a yellow tinted safety sheild(goggles) that I was fortunate to have in my saddlebags. I am going to just wear glasses(no contacts) for night driving or buy Zero power glasses with antireflective coating on them.

Thanks for the description, Kaywood. Is glare the only concern with wearing Biofinity contacts at night? If you're say, hanging out with the family out in the back yard after dark, can you see okay then? What about watching TV at night? Are there glare issues then?

nakedeyes · #4 (**permalink**) 07-21-2011, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaywood

I have Biofinity contacts and found that the glare from car headlights and other lights are almost blinding! I sometimes ride a motorcycle and decided to go to the store one night. I had to stop and put on a yellow tinted safety shield(goggles) that I was fortunate to have in my saddlebags. I am going to just wear glasses(no contacts) for night driving or buy Zero power glasses with anti reflective coating on them.

How about those yellow safety shields. Did they work well to cut down the glare?

eyeedoc · #5 (**permalink**) 08-04-2011, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaywood

I have Biofinity contacts and found that the glare from car headlights and other lights are almost blinding! I sometimes ride a motorcycle and decided to go to the store one night. I had to stop and put on a yellow tinted safety sheild(goggles) that I was fortunate to have in my saddlebags. I am going to just wear glasses(no contacts) for night driving or buy Zero power glasses with antireflective coating on them.

Hi, I need to know more about whoever is having problems at night with using biofinity or any contacts for that matter to answer this question. age/pupil size/ previous refractive surgeries/ abberrometer readings, etc. It is true that anti reflective glasses will help, but usually if your having night problems its due to a current disease like : retinitis pigmentosa, or you have big pupils, ( drug induced or natural), or if you have higher order abberrations....
-cheers

Ordersixtysix · #6 (**permalink**) 08-05-2011, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyeedoc

Hi, I need to know more about whoever is having problems at night with using biofinity or any contacts for that matter to answer this question. age/pupil size/ previous refractive surgeries/ abberrometer readings, etc. It is true that anti reflective glasses will help, but usually if your having night problems its due to a current disease like : retinitis pigmentosa, or you have big pupils, ( drug induced or natural), or if you have higher order abberrations....
-cheers

I thought I read that glare could be caused by contact lenses that have too small a diameter. Could that be true?

eyeedoc · #7 (**permalink**) 08-05-2011, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ordersixtysix

I thought I read that glare could be caused by contact lenses that have too small a diameter. Could that be true?

Any surface can scatter light causing glare, however it is unlikely that the glare is from a contact lens surface.

Wheatgrass · #8 (**permalink**) 08-05-2011, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyeedoc

Hi, I need to know more about whoever is having problems at night with using biofinity or any contacts for that matter to answer this question. age/pupil size/ previous refractive surgeries/ abberrometer readings, etc. It is true that anti reflective glasses will help, but usually if your having night problems its due to a current disease like : retinitis pigmentosa, or you have big pupils, ( drug induced or natural), or if you have higher order abberrations....
-cheers

That sounds kind of scary. Do you suppose Kaywood has some kind of eye disease?

eyeedoc · #9 (**permalink**) 08-05-2011, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wheatgrass

That sounds kind of scary. Do you suppose Kaywood has some kind of eye disease?

I dont think so , he / she would have more symptoms probably. I would need to know more to answer this question. Usually its due to having big pupils. Pupil size increases in the dark, and if its already big to begin with it gets bigger. Bigger pupils diffract light differently scattering light causing glare. Thats not exactly how it works but close enough. The best way to be sure is to have an eye exam! Get optos and dilation, its the most comprehensive exam you can get. Optos is the retinal photo, most places charge avg 35.00 for it and its not covered by insurance. An interesting fact , is that people squint to see bettter because it makes there pupils smaller....Well it makes the area of the pupil smaller so light doesnt diffract so much..... If you where to take a black lens with no prescription and poke a tiny hole in it, you would see much better through it. Its called pinhole. If someone isnt 20/20 and you need to find out why, you can refract them or pinhole them to see if it is a refractive problem or a systemic/ocular problem. If they dont improve with a pinhole then you know its something else causing the decreased vision. *something in the lens like a cataract, something going on with the cornea like an ulcer, something going on in the retina like macular degeneration, starguardts, etc
-cheers

Nursenancy · #10 (**permalink**) 08-08-2011, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyeedoc

I dont think so , he / she would have more symptoms probably. I would need to know more to answer this question. Usually its due to having big pupils. Pupil size increases in the dark, and if its already big to begin with it gets bigger. Bigger pupils diffract light differently scattering light causing glare. Thats not exactly how it works but close enough. The best way to be sure is to have an eye exam! Get optos and dilation, its the most comprehensive exam you can get. Optos is the retinal photo, most places charge avg 35.00 for it and its not covered by insurance. An interesting fact , is that people squint to see bettter because it makes there pupils smaller....Well it makes the area of the pupil smaller so light doesnt diffract so much..... If you where to take a black lens with no prescription and poke a tiny hole in it, you would see much better through it. Its called pinhole. If someone isnt 20/20 and you need to find out why, you can refract them or pinhole them to see if it is a refractive problem or a systemic/ocular problem. If they dont improve with a pinhole then you know its something else causing the decreased vision. *something in the lens like a cataract, something going on with the cornea like an ulcer, something going on in the retina like macular degeneration, starguardts, etc
-cheers

Wow, that's a really great answer, eyeedoc. Thank you very much. I hope Kaywood liked it as well.

HydroRunner · #11 (**permalink**) 08-14-2011, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nursenancy

Wow, that's a really great answer, eyeedoc. Thank you very much. I hope Kaywood liked it as well.

It seems to miss the point. Kaywood complains about glare when wearing Biofinities! Most suggested causes would also be there with another brand of lens or with glasses..

I would advise Kaywood to replace one lens with a new one if the problem occurrs. If glare is reduced by a new lens this clearly proves it is a lens problem (surface smoothness reduced by deposits, for instance). It is well-known among lens wearers that most soft contact lenses give more glare than the perfectly smooth tear film of the naked eye combined with the polished glass of spectacles. (And Kaywood is one more witness..)

Rub-cleaning the lenses every day will help (as opposed to only storing in H2O2).

Nursenancy · #12 (**permalink**) 08-24-2011, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HydroRunner

It seems to miss the point. Kaywood complains about glare when wearing Biofinities! Most suggested causes would also be there with another brand of lens or with glasses..

I would advise Kaywood to replace one lens with a new one if the problem occurs. If glare is reduced by a new lens this clearly proves it is a lens problem (surface smoothness reduced by deposits, for instance). It is well-known among lens wearers that most soft contact lenses give more glare than the perfectly smooth tear film of the naked eye combined with the polished glass of spectacles. (And Kaywood is one more witness..)

Rub-cleaning the lenses every day will help (as opposed to only storing in H2O2).

Hopefully we can get some input from Kaywood soon.

Ordersixtysix · #13 (**permalink**) 09-08-2011, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HydroRunner

It seems to miss the point. Kaywood complains about glare when wearing Biofinities! Most suggested causes would also be there with another brand of lens or with glasses.

The question was "Is there anyone here on Lens 101 who wears Biofinity contacts, but not at night?" It wasn't "Who stopped wearing Biofinity contact lenses and started wearing something else due to night time glare?" So the point was not missed.

nakedeyes · #14 (**permalink**) 09-08-2011, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HydroRunner

It seems to miss the point. Kaywood complains about glare when wearing Biofinities! Most suggested causes would also be there with another brand of lens or with glasses..

I would advise Kaywood to replace one lens with a new one if the problem occurs.

Does that mean a new lens from the same box or a different brand?

Nursenancy · #15 (**permalink**) 09-13-2011, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ordersixtysix

The question was "Is there anyone here on Lens 101 who wears Biofinity contacts, but not at night?" It wasn't "Who stopped wearing Biofinity contact lenses and started wearing something else due to night time glare?" So the point was not missed.

Bulls-eye!

HydroRunner · #16 (**permalink**) 09-13-2011, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ordersixtysix

The question was "Is there anyone here on Lens 101 who wears Biofinity contacts, but not at night?" It wasn't "Who stopped wearing Biofinity contact lenses and started wearing something else due to night time glare?" So the point was not missed.

So what was contributed then, according to you? The answer by "eyeedoc" did not state that he or she wears Biofinity contacts (nor anything about the time of day). Or did you just want to show us that you know how to post nice images here, Ordersixtysix? Very impressive, really!

ElizabethSydey · #17 (**permalink**) 09-13-2011, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HydroRunner

So what was contributed then, according to you? The answer by "eyeedoc" did not state that he or she wears Biofinity contacts (nor anything about the time of day). Or did you just want to show us that you know how to post nice images here, Ordersixtysix? Very impressive, really!

Well, it is a nice picture . . .

ElizabethSydey · #18 (**permalink**) 09-13-2011, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HydroRunner

So what was contributed then, according to you? The answer by "eyeedoc" did not state that he or she wears Biofinity contacts (nor anything about the time of day). Or did you just want to show us that you know how to post nice images here, Ordersixtysix? Very impressive, really!

If I may make an observation, "Kaywood" said "I have Biofinity contacts and found that the glare from car headlights and other lights are almost blinding!" That answers nakedeyes' original question of "Is there anyone here on Lens 101 who wears Biofinity contacts, but not at night?" Not directly, but it did address the question. Kaywood apparently still wears Biofinity contacts at night, but with great difficulty.

HydroRunner · #19 (**permalink**) 09-13-2011, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElizabethSydey

If I may make an observation, "Kaywood" said "I have Biofinity contacts and found that the glare from car headlights and other lights are almost blinding!" That answers nakedeyes' original question of "Is there anyone here on Lens 101 who wears Biofinity contacts, but not at night?" Not directly, but it did address the question. Kaywood apparently still wears Biofinity contacts at night, but with great difficulty.

Well, if so then Kaywood would not qualify (as someone complying with nakedeyes' original description, i.e. NOT wearing them at night, I mean). It is possible, however, that "not at night" was meant here as "not while sleeping" and in that case there might be more people who think they fit in. Actually I wear them also, albeit not every day. And if I do, then I don't take them out when it gets dark, but I do when I go to sleep. (And by the way, it indeed was a nice picture, no dispute about that!)

BigJim · #20 (**permalink**) 09-13-2011, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HydroRunner

(And by the way, it indeed was a nice picture, no dispute about that!)

I just looked at it again and realized it was a dart and not an arrow.

CLSC · #21 (**permalink**) 09-13-2011, 07:57 PM

So I've been wearing Biofinity at night (only a few hours, before taking them out) without a problem , that is till now did not notice one. Did fine as the sun was setting outdoors, everything was just as visible after the sun set as before.

But I have had a problem reading the captions on the TV, and also there seems to be much more glare on the computer screen, ESPECIALLY if I use "reader" glasses with them. That goes along with what most have been saying about contact lenses in general allowing more light, true?

LittleElvis · #22 (**permalink**) 09-14-2011, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CLSC

So I've been wearing Biofinity at night (only a few hours, before taking them out) without a problem , that is till now did not notice one. Did fine as the sun was setting outdoors, everything was just as visible after the sun set as before.

But I have had a problem reading the captions on the TV, and also there seems to be much more glare on the computer screen, ESPECIALLY if I use "reader" glasses with them. That goes along with what most have been saying about contact lenses in general allowing more light, true?

I didn't see anything above about contact lenses allowing more light. Every time I try I get distracted.

I don't know why contact lenses would allow in more light than not having contact lenses in at all. In fact I would expect contact lenses to actually block light since they're not 100% transparent.
You're problem seems to be when looking at something bright like a TV screen. Do you see this glare in the daytime too? If not, it might not be a bad idea to turn on some room lights when you're looking at a glowing screen. Myself, I have a hard time looking at a TV or a monitor in a dark room. It strains my eyes.

sac78 · #23 (**permalink**) 02-24-2012, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nakedeyes

Is there anyone here on Lens 101 who wears Biofinity contacts, but not at night?

I usually take them out once I get home. The first few days I had them, I wore them when I was driving at night and got a lot of the "halo" effect from oncoming traffic - it kind of freaked me out, so I mentioned it to my doctor. She tweaked the Rx in the left eye and also mentioned that because of how the multifocals are made (concentric circles containing the 2 different Rx), it can make night driving a little difficult because the pupils dialate more in the dark, so the optical field is bigger and has more of the concentric circles to look through. Once she got the Rx tweaked in both eyes and I had gotten use to wearing them, I found I really didn't have a problem driving at night with the contacts.

Hopefully this helps.

luvbostonxo2's · #24 (**permalink**) 02-27-2012, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sac78

I usually take them out once I get home. The first few days I had them, I wore them when I was driving at night and got a lot of the "halo" effect from oncoming traffic - it kind of freaked me out, so I mentioned it to my doctor. She tweaked the Rx in the left eye and also mentioned that because of how the multifocals are made (concentric circles containing the 2 different Rx), it can make night driving a little difficult because the pupils dialate more in the dark, so the optical field is bigger and has more of the concentric circles to look through. Once she got the Rx tweaked in both eyes and I had gotten use to wearing them, I found I really didn't have a problem driving at night with the contacts.

Hopefully this helps.

agreed pupil size determines the success of multifocals with concentric ring style. For most people this will work but for those with larger than average pupil size it may not be effective.

Fresa · #25 (**permalink**) 02-27-2012, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvbostonxo2's

agreed pupil size determines the success of multifocals with concentric ring style. For most people this will work but for those with larger than average pupil size it may not be effective.

So does that mean that a person with larger than average pupils will just have to leanr to ignore these halos--or else take the contacts out after dark and wear glasses?

luvbostonxo2's · #26 (**permalink**) 02-28-2012, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fresa

So does that mean that a person with larger than average pupils will just have to leanr to ignore these halos--or else take the contacts out after dark and wear glasses?

From my personal experience fitting multifocal soft lenses, a few issues can arise.

In situations of lower light, such as a dimly lit restaurant, movie theatre and night driving. It may cause refractive confusion where the eye cant focus at distance or closeup....and this is called by a large pupil opening.

This can't be remedied as the parameters cannot be altered but RGP multifocals can be prescribed with wider bands or zones or smaller depending what we are trying to correct effectively. And the mulitfocal parameters can be custom ordered.

luvbostonxo2's · #27 (**permalink**) 02-28-2012, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fresa

So does that mean that a person with larger than average pupils will just have to leanr to ignore these halos--or else take the contacts out after dark and wear glasses?

yes sometimes that is true of soft lens multifocals.

Guinness · #28 (**permalink**) 02-28-2012, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvbostonxo2's

. . . RGP multifocals can be prescribed with wider bands or zones or smaller depending what we are trying to correct effectively. And the mulitfocal parameters can be custom ordered.

Aren't RGP lenses rather tiny though? How wide can those band or zones be?