Newbie to Contacts

florenceinitaly · #1 (**permalink**) 05-31-2009, 03:49 PM

Hi everyone

I've been wearing glasses most of my life and recently decided to switch over to contacts. Needless to say this is completely new to me...so I have a couple general questions:

I'm currently using Acuvue Oasys biweekly lens, I don't have astigmatism, just near-sightedness. This is only day 2 of me wearing contacts!

1) My eyes feel really dry - after having the contacts on for a couple hours they are really dry. I bought some eye drops specific for contact lenses and it really helps, but I find my eyes to be really dry even after I take the contacts out...is this normal? Are my eyes just trying to adjust? Should I give it a couple more days?

2) I have a hard time removing the contacts out...everyone tells me it's just a matter of practice, but I do have quite the problem trying to "pinch" them out...is there any tips/hints?

3) As a beginner, wha'ts the max # of hrs I should wear the contacts in a day? The longer I leave them in, the drier they seem to get and the harder to remove...should I try putting drops in my eyes before removing them?

Thanks for any advice that can be given!

HMBgal · #2 (**permalink**) 06-01-2009, 10:11 AM

Hi Florenceinitaly,
I thought maybe someone with more experience than myself might jump in here to answer your question, but since I haven't seen a reply yet, I'll give it a try.

Dry eyes are a huge topic with as many reasons as there are people, it seems. I'm a relative newcomer to contacts as well. I have dry eyes and have for probably a good eight years. I've tried many things such as making sure I'm well hydrated, lots of blinking while on the computer, trying different cleaning solutions and wetting drops, taking nutritional supplements, different lens materials, warm compresses on my eyes at night, plenty of sleep, changing mascaras and eye liner (no WAY I'm not wearing make-up), and I'm even taking TheraTears nutritional supplements. I've tried Restasis, too, and that didn't work, although I only used it for three months. Some people use punctal plugs to block their tear ducts to keep tears in the eye...it's a common problem. Search the dry eye threads on here or hop on over to Dry Eye Talk (Recbecca Petris) because they give you lots of support and ideas.

I would say keep working with your optometrist. He/she should be able to suggest different lens materials. If they aren't being patient and willing to work with you, go find another one. For example, I tried rigid gas permeables (RGP) and they are supposed to be THE thing for people with dry eyes, but I couldn't use them. My optometrist at the time tried one type and declared me not able to wear contacts. I tried some different soft contacts (and a different optometrist), and the best for me has been the Proclear by Coopervision. I'm in bifocal lenses with astigmatism correction, so I've got lots going on, but even so, I found a lens that I can wear for 14 hours at a time. No, not every day. If I'm driving a lot, watched a movie in a theater, spend a lot of time in arid environments such as shopping malls and grocery store, or when it's windy and dry outside, those things shorten my time considerably. I was prepared to only use my lenses for four hours at a time, which would get me through workouts or social functions, but I've been pleasantly surprised.

My lenses are supposedly good for a month, but I can feel the comfort level drop off significantly after 2.5 to 3 weeks. Perhaps dailies would work for you. Or taking your lenses out after a few hours and soaking them for a bit and putting them back in. My daughter has worn contacts for years and it's so easy for her, but it's lots of work for me. It's worth it to me, though.

Good luck!

shirley · #3 (**permalink**) 09-20-2009, 09:42 AM

im pretty new to this site and not even a user..im here to be able to know more about contact lenses..in my opinion i would rather consult my optometrist regarding this one..just to be sure on the right advice and hopefully too the users here on this forum...

MaryTamm2 · #4 (**permalink**) 09-21-2009, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shirley

I'm pretty new to this site and not even a user..im here to be able to know more about contact lenses..in my opinion i would rather consult my optometrist regarding this one..just to be sure on the right advice and hopefully too the users here on this forum...

Hi Shirley, welcome to Lens 101.

I agree with you that we should consult the optometrist when it comes to technical/medical questions about contact lenses. When it comes to day-to-day living with contact lenses, though, there's nothing like the voice of experience. That's where Lens 101 comes in, and people appreciate advice from people who have first-hand knowledge.

So look around this site. When you say you're "not even a user" I'm guessing that means you don't wear contact lenses? That's okay. There are sections here for sunglasses and eyeglasses that are pretty much all questions and no answers. Those people need your help Shirley. They need you!

shirley · #5 (**permalink**) 09-21-2009, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaryTamm2

Hi Shirley, welcome to Lens 101.

I agree with you that we should consult the optometrist when it comes to technical/medical questions about contact lenses. When it comes to day-to-day living with contact lenses, though, there's nothing like the voice of experience. That's where Lens 101 comes in, and people appreciate advice from people who have first-hand knowledge.

So look around this site. When you say you're "not even a user" I'm guessing that means you don't wear contact lenses? That's okay. There are sections here for sunglasses and eyeglasses that are pretty much all questions and no answers. Those people need your help Shirley. They need you!

yeah you're right i am not yet a user but contemplating on changing my eyeglasses to contact lens its just that i have some doubts and fears yet..and like to know or read some personal experiences on this one..

Spicegurl · #6 (**permalink**) 09-22-2009, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shirley

its just that i have some doubts and fears yet..and like to know or read some personal experiences on this one..

There's plenty of personal experience here, shirley. Just look around the site. The people who wear contact lenses are beginning to come into the light and speak up.

If you have any specific doubts and fears, feel free to ask and we'll do our best to help, okay?

Spicegurl · #7 (**permalink**) 09-22-2009, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HMBgal

Hi Florenceinitaly,
I thought maybe someone with more experience than myself might jump in here to answer your question, but since I haven't seen a reply yet, I'll give it a try.

Dry eyes are a huge topic with as many reasons as there are people, it seems. I'm a relative newcomer to contacts as well. I have dry eyes and have for probably a good eight years. I've tried many things such as making sure I'm well hydrated, lots of blinking while on the computer, trying different cleaning solutions and wetting drops, taking nutritional supplements, different lens materials, warm compresses on my eyes at night, plenty of sleep, changing mascaras and eye liner (no WAY I'm not wearing make-up), and I'm even taking TheraTears nutritional supplements. I've tried Restasis, too, and that didn't work, although I only used it for three months. Some people use punctal plugs to block their tear ducts to keep tears in the eye...it's a common problem. Search the dry eye threads on here or hop on over to Dry Eye Talk (Recbecca Petris) because they give you lots of support and ideas.

I would say keep working with your optometrist. He/she should be able to suggest different lens materials. If they aren't being patient and willing to work with you, go find another one. For example, I tried rigid gas permeables (RGP) and they are supposed to be THE thing for people with dry eyes, but I couldn't use them. My optometrist at the time tried one type and declared me not able to wear contacts. I tried some different soft contacts (and a different optometrist), and the best for me has been the Proclear by Coopervision. I'm in bifocal lenses with astigmatism correction, so I've got lots going on, but even so, I found a lens that I can wear for 14 hours at a time. No, not every day. If I'm driving a lot, watched a movie in a theater, spend a lot of time in arid environments such as shopping malls and grocery store, or when it's windy and dry outside, those things shorten my time considerably. I was prepared to only use my lenses for four hours at a time, which would get me through workouts or social functions, but I've been pleasantly surprised.

My lenses are supposedly good for a month, but I can feel the comfort level drop off significantly after 2.5 to 3 weeks. Perhaps dailies would work for you. Or taking your lenses out after a few hours and soaking them for a bit and putting them back in. My daughter has worn contacts for years and it's so easy for her, but it's lots of work for me. It's worth it to me, though.

Good luck!

Wow. What an awesome post, HMBgal. Very informative and chock full of personal experience. (Do people still say "chock full"?) A lot of people copy and paste articles from other sites into Lens 101, and that's okay, but personal experience is so much better. Thank you.

By the way, I found this about the phrase "chock full."

chock-full
c.1400, chokkeful, possibly from choke "cheek." Or it may be from O.Fr. choquier "collide, thrust." Chock-a-block is nautical, said of two blocks of tackle run so closely they touch.

mitsuba · #8 (**permalink**) 09-22-2009, 02:04 PM

I think you just have to get used to wearing them. Don't worry, after a few days, you shouldn't have any problems removing th contact lenses. If you don't mind my asking, why did you decide to start wearing contact lenses?

Railfan · #9 (**permalink**) 09-22-2009, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spicegurl

Wow. What an awesome post, HMBgal. Very informative and chock full of personal experience. (Do people still say "chock full"?) A lot of people copy and paste articles from other sites into Lens 101, and that's okay, but personal experience is so much better. Thank you.

By the way, I found this about the phrase "chock full."

chock-full
c.1400, chokkeful, possibly from choke "cheek." Or it may be from O.Fr. choquier "collide, thrust." Chock-a-block is nautical, said of two blocks of tackle run so closely they touch.

Thanks for explaining that "chock full" thing, Spicegurl. I've been wondering about that.

shirley · #10 (**permalink**) 09-22-2009, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spicegurl

There's plenty of personal experience here, shirley. Just look around the site. The people who wear contact lenses are beginning to come into the light and speak up.

If you have any specific doubts and fears, feel free to ask and we'll do our best to help, okay?

great! thanks ..my concern is on process of taking it off..is it easy to do so? i know there is a guide on how to but i would like to know the personal experiences of anyone here..

Ragnarox · #11 (**permalink**) 09-23-2009, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shirley

great! thanks ..my concern is on process of taking it off..is it easy to do so? i know there is a guide on how to but i would like to know the personal experiences of anyone here..

Like many things in life, removing your contact lenses may be difficult at first, but with practice, it will get easier and easier, until you just do it without really thinking about it.

Wow, that sounds so Zen-like . . .

MaryTamm2 · #12 (**permalink**) 01-04-2010, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ragnarox

Like many things in life, removing your contact lenses may be difficult at first, but with practice, it will get easier and easier, until you just do it without really thinking about it.

Wow, that sounds so Zen-like . . .

You're right, Rags. Practice makes perfect! :-)

Knotlob · #13 (**permalink**) 01-07-2010, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shirley

great! thanks ..my concern is on process of taking it off..is it easy to do so? i know there is a guide on how to but i would like to know the personal experiences of anyone here..

Hi Shirley

Don't get too hung up on removing the contact lenses, it's a piece of cake (assuming you are talking about soft lenses, which most people wear). I have been wearing contacts so long I don't give it a second thought. I could even (have) taken them out in the dark!

Just pinch the lens on your eye between your index finger and thumb and the lens will come off. You will overcome the natural defence mechanism of sticking your fingers in your eye quite quickly.

I think it is also possible to slide the lens onto the sclera/white of the eye and lift them off. That part of the eye is less sensitive than your cornea if you misjudge where the lens is

Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses, like the old Hard Lenses, need a different technique. My son uses a rubber sucker stick, but you can just flick them off with your eyelid, though this (from bitter Hard Lens experience) can lead to the lens flying into orbit and then enjoying the next 5 minutes looking for the lens on the floor

But, as I said, you will be wearing soft lenses and they are very easy.

knotlob

Sevateem1 · #14 (**permalink**) 01-07-2010, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knotlob

Just pinch the lens on your eye between your index finger and thumb and the lens will come off. You will overcome the natural defence mechanism of sticking your fingers in your eye quite quickly.

I think it is also possible to slide the lens onto the sclera/white of the eye and lift them off. That part of the eye is less sensitive than your cornea if you misjudge where the lens is

knotlob

Hey knotlob, how's it going? Is it cold there now near Hamburg?

I have a few questions about your post, if you don't mind. You said that a person wearing soft contact lenses can get over their fear of couching their eyes "quite quickly." Do you mind my asking how long that took in your place?

You also mentioned an alternate technique where you slide the lens to the white part of your eye and then pinch it off, rather than pluck it directly from the cornea. Which would you recommend to beginners like Shirley?

Thank you for your time.

Knotlob · #15 (**permalink**) 01-07-2010, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sevateem1

Hey knotlob, how's it going? Is it cold there now near Hamburg?

I have a few questions about your post, if you don't mind. You said that a person wearing soft contact lenses can get over their fear of couching their eyes "quite quickly." Do you mind my asking how long that took in your place?

You also mentioned an alternate technique where you slide the lens to the white part of your eye and then pinch it off, rather than pluck it directly from the cornea. Which would you recommend to beginners like Shirley?

Thank you for your time.

Hello Sevateem1

In Hamburg Thursday morning about -10 deg C, but it has warmed to about -4.5 Deg C now. Expect to get a dump of snow (like the UK) on Saturday. But much colder in the south of Germany at present I think.

Re the time to suppress the eye closure reaction, it's about 33-35 years since I started wearing soft lenses and I started with hard lenses 2 years before so I cannot remember. But I think the getting used to the hard lenses in my eye took much longer than the actual putting them into my eye - so maybe 2-4 weeks would see a much reduced reflexive eye closure reaction I think.

I always used the pinch the lens in the middle of the cornea method and never used the side slide.

However, this week I had an appointment for RGP lenses and asked the optician about my Biofinity lenses, which I seemed to damage on their perimeter relatively easily. She said it was because I was pinching the lens off the cornea and if the lens was dryish (say after 17 hours wear) then I would crease the lens and that would lead to damage. I could add some lens solution or saline drops to moisten the lens before removing it and that would reduce damage.

She was to show me an alternative method to remove the soft lenses, but I was asking so many questions about lenses generally, she slung me out as there was another patient waiting. So will ask next week when I go for the fitting. It may be the sliding to the side method, but I'm not sure this will stop creasing.

knotlob

Lawson · #16 (**permalink**) 01-12-2010, 04:54 PM

Removing contacts became a lot easier once I purchased a 12X tabletop desktop mirror with a built-in light that shined back into my face.

Since I can now "see" the soft contacts now in my eyes, I go directly to the base (where it's at) and pull it off with my thumb and index finger.

The mirror is the key: http://www.hammacher.com/Default.aspx?source=IHGOOG&keyword=hammacher&cm_ve n=HS&cm_cat=Google&cm_pla=Branded&cm_ite=Homepage

Delta88 · #17 (**permalink**) 01-13-2010, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lawson

Removing contacts became a lot easier once I purchased a 12X tabletop desktop mirror with a built-in light that shined back into my face.

Since I can now "see" the soft contacts now in my eyes, I go directly to the base (where it's at) and pull it off with my thumb and index finger.

The mirror is the key: http://www.hammacher.com/Default.aspx?source=IHGOOG&keyword=hammacher&cm_ve n=HS&cm_cat=Google&cm_pla=Branded&cm_ite=Homepage

You mean this mirror?

Ragnarox · #18 (**permalink**) 01-14-2010, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spicegurl

chock-full
c.1400, chokkeful, possibly from choke "cheek." Or it may be from O.Fr. choquier "collide, thrust." Chock-a-block is nautical, said of two blocks of tackle run so closely they touch.

Here's what the parts of a tackle look like, for those of you who are curious.

Spicegurl · #19 (**permalink**) 02-09-2010, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by florenceinitaly

Hi everyone

I've been wearing glasses most of my life and recently decided to switch over to contacts. Needless to say this is completely new to me...so I have a couple general questions:

I'm currently using Acuvue Oasys biweekly lens, I don't have astigmatism, just near-sightedness. This is only day 2 of me wearing contacts!

1) My eyes feel really dry - after having the contacts on for a couple hours they are really dry. I bought some eye drops specific for contact lenses and it really helps, but I find my eyes to be really dry even after I take the contacts out...is this normal? Are my eyes just trying to adjust? Should I give it a couple more days?

2) I have a hard time removing the contacts out...everyone tells me it's just a matter of practice, but I do have quite the problem trying to "pinch" them out...is there any tips/hints?

3) As a beginner, wha'ts the max # of hrs I should wear the contacts in a day? The longer I leave them in, the drier they seem to get and the harder to remove...should I try putting drops in my eyes before removing them?

Thanks for any advice that can be given!

Almost 20 responses to this question, florenceinitaly. Way to get the community going!

Ragnarox · #20 (**permalink**) 03-02-2010, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lawson

Removing contacts became a lot easier once I purchased a 12X tabletop desktop mirror with a built-in light that shined back into my face.

Since I can now "see" the soft contacts now in my eyes, I go directly to the base (where it's at) and pull it off with my thumb and index finger.

Hi Lawson. Are you still using that fancy mirror? It looks like it could be very helpful.

Has anyone else out there bought one since seeing this thread?

Railfan · #21 (**permalink**) 03-05-2010, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ragnarox

Here's what the parts of a tackle look like, for those of you who are curious.

So "chock-a-block" is when those two round things bang together?

Sevateem1 · #22 (**permalink**) 03-08-2010, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knotlob

Hello Sevateem1

Re the time to suppress the eye closure reaction, it's about 33-35 years since I started wearing soft lenses and I started with hard lenses 2 years before so I cannot remember. But I think the getting used to the hard lenses in my eye took much longer than the actual putting them into my eye - so maybe 2-4 weeks would see a much reduced reflexive eye closure reaction I think.

knotlob

Thanks for responding to my posing, knotlob. So you're saying that the difficulty in wearing contact lenses, at least in your case, was not so much the "putting it in your eye" part, but the "feeling it in your eye" part. Is that right?

MaryTamm2 · #23 (**permalink**) 03-10-2010, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shirley

great! thanks ..my concern is on process of taking it off..is it easy to do so? i know there is a guide on how to but i would like to know the personal experiences of anyone here..

So what's new Shirley? Are you more comfortable with taking your contact lenses out now?