Hi, All!

Okay. Like so many other people I'm a contact lens wearer and sufferer.

I'm sure that we all have stories to tell about how we've lost them, damaged them, worn them for too long, etc.

I know that I have mine, and would like to share them.

What are some of yours, please? The results of and solutions to the problems would also be good to share! :)

Thanks!

I wore soft lenses for years 24/7. Then one day I opened my eyes in the morning and it felt like razor blades in my eyes each time I opened and closed my eyes. Went to my eye doctor and was told that I have GPC and that I needed to take out my lenses and leave them out for a few days and try wearing a new set. He also gave me an eye solution to help clear up the GPC problem.

After a few days I put the new set in. In less than one hour I was in excruciating pain just like before. Went back to eye doctor. Was told that I could try again in a week or more or just give up wearing the lenses altogether and save myself a lot of needless headaches. On a scale of 1 to 4 I had GPC at 3 which means that I probably can never wear contact lenses again.

Well, that was about 24 years ago and I haven't bothered since trying to see if I could wear them again or not. I've just given up and wear my glasses now.

Was thinking about having Lasix done but it's so expensive and risky that I'm going to stick with the old glasses for now.

What's GPC, please?

Thanks!

Here you go

Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC) - Eye Clinic Of Racine - Racine, Wisconsin (WI) (http://www.eyeclinicofracine.com/index.cfm/conditions/gpc)

Thanks J_9. It's actually on the inside of the eyelids and not on the eye itself. It is not contagious though.

Thanks for the link, J_9!

One time, I actually had a hard contact lens fly out of one of my eyes as I was playing the organ for church! I'm pretty sure that it fell into the pedal keyboard.

I never did find the contact lens, though.

Never wore contacts, I couldn't get them in my eye. I have issues with anything touching my eyeball.

I went for laser surgery instead. Talk about touching the eyeball, they actually burned it. I was a nervous wreck even after taking two Ativan.

It was 5 days of pure hell where I wanted to gouge my eyes out, but after that 20/20 vision.

It was worth it. :)

I actually had a needle stuck into the iris of my eye by the optometrist to remove a piece of metal that had gotten lodged into it. I think that having a hard contact in that eye might have prevented metal from getting into the pupil of my eye.

I was was grinding brass handbell parts at the time in order to make repairs to them. Of course, being me, the way that I was then, I wasn't wearing any goggles!

I wore hard lenses. Soft were MUCH more expensive at the time. I was in my teens and had the helm of my father's friend's 30' boat in a canal.

Interesting trip. Saw a dead body on the side of the canal. Navigated under a twin span suspension bridge. It was more impressive going under than over that particular bridge and I lost my contact looking through a pair of binoculars.

When we got to the shipyard, I went into the bilge and found it on the ledge at the side of the bottom of the boat.

Did you clean it up and continue to use it, KISS?

Yep.

BTW: A friend had a metal splinter into the white of his eye when using a milling machine/

Never wore contacts, I couldn't get them in my eye. I have issues with anything touching my eyeball.

I went for laser surgery instead. Talk about touching the eyeball, they actually burned it. I was a nervous wreck even after taking two Ativan.

It was 5 days of pure hell where I wanted to gouge my eyes out, but after that 20/20 vision.

It was worth it. :)


Laser or lasik? Or are they the same. I'm considering lasik.

Laser or lasik? Or are they the same. I'm considering lasik.

It's sort of the same thing. I couldn't get lasik, I had to get the PRK.

Hubby got the lasik. It's a much nicer procedure. Lasik is where they actually cut a flap, correct it, and then put the flap back. After the procedure you go home, sleep, and wake up with perfect vision, no pain.

PRK is where they actually burn the cornea. Afterwards you'll need to wear protective contacts and your vision will be very unclear for at least 5 days. It's also very painful (not the procedure itself, but the healing). There's also more of a risk of halos with PRK.

Both surgeries use a laser, but the procedures themselves are very different.

Trust me, I would have much preferred the lasik, but it wasn't an option for me. I did get lucky though. Perfect vision, no halos, 20/20. The five days after were pure hell, but so worth it.

If you do get it you probably won't know whether you qualify for lasik until right before the surgery. They do all the tests then put the info into the computer. Because the info isn't put in until right before the surgery, you may be told 5 minutes before you go in that you can't get the lasik. That's what happened to me.

I really would go for it Judy. It's not cheap, but the money you save on glasses and being free of glasses and contacts, it's so worth it. You will need to wear sunglasses for 6 months afterwards no matter which procedure you get. Small price to pay for perfect vision. :)

Oh Alty, I'm so sorry your experience wasn't too great. Glad the results were worth it. Want to hear a little secret? Part of the blurry vision is because that "eyepatch lens" they give you after surgery has a slight prescription in it. It's to keep the eye strong and working during your healing process. Shhh, don't tell anyone. Hehe. And might I add, you should wear sunglasses outside ALL THE TIME. Especially if you have had surgery on your eyes (any surgery). Sorry 'bout the lecture. :)

Do you wear contact lenses, Momma?

Yeah, I've worn contacts for 14 years and glasses for 18 years.

Any horror stories having to do with you and contact lenses, Momma?

Just one... I got my lenses melted to my eyes from standing too close to a camp fire a few years ago. Other than that, no. I was an Optician for 5 years so I was taught to care for them very well.

Not really had a problem with lenses, I only wear them rarely in cases where it would be unwise to wear my glasses e.g. airsofting or paitballing

Only times when I have had a problem is when its been my fault and I've either worn one inside out or left them in for too long and my eyes start to ache. Other than that thought I've not really had a problem, and since in the summer months I'm affected badly by hayfever the lenses lessen that because the pollen can't get to my eyes as such :D so the benefits outweigh the downsides for me

Yep.

BTW: A friend had a metal splinter into the white of his eye when using a milling machine/

How big was the splinter and how did they get it out, KISS?

Just one...I got my lenses melted to my eyes from standing too close to a camp fire a few years ago. Other than that, no. I was an Optician for 5 years so I was taught to care for them very well.

Melted to your eyes!! :eek:

How in the world did someone get them off your eyes, please?

Thanks!

Peeled them off... That's the only way.

not really had a problem with lenses, i only wear them rarely in cases where it would be unwise to wear my glasses eg airsofting or paitballing

only times when i have had a problem is when its been my fault and ive either worn one inside out or left them in for too long and my eyes start to ache. other than that thought ive not really had a problem, and since in the summer months im affected badly by hayfever the lenses lessen that because the pollen can't get to my eyes as such :D so the benefits outweigh the downsides for me

Okay, this is something I never understood. How do you know if your contact lense is inside out? Isn't it the same either way?

I did buy disposable contacts once, but like I said, I couldn't get them in my eye. They were soft contacts, kept flipping into themselves. I did get one in one time, after 2 hours of trying, my eye all red. Then I gave up.

So how do you know if it's inside out? :confused:

Peeled them off...That's the only way.

Okay, that brings back memories of when they took the contacts off after my surgery. The contacts were stuck to my eye and they used a sharp pointy tool to peel them off.

That was the worst part of the whole thing and I feel really sorry for the guy that had to do it because I kept blinking and turning my head away. Wouldn't you if someone was coming towards your eye with a sharp pointy tool? :eek:

You can tell if they're inside out if they're comfortable or not, when you blink if they're inside out you can feel the edge of the lense. Basically your not supposed to feel them or only very little.

Actually if you make the lens make a bowl on your finger tip and the edges are curled out and under its inside out... Let me see if I can find a picture example.
http://www.coffmanvision.com/web/Portals/29/right-wrong.jpg

Which would be why I could feel the edge more if I put it in inside out :D

Yup. Most of the time when you put them in inside out, you blink and they fold and just come out...

Ew! So glad I don't have to wear them! ;)

Nobody has to wear them, it's a preference for those who don't like glasses or in situations where glasses would be a bad idea and they would still like to see :D

nody has to wear them, its a preference for those who dont like glasses or in situations where glasses would be a bad idea and they would still like to see :D

This is why I had the surgery Bear, I couldn't put contacts in to save my life and I hate glasses. :)

To be honest id rather wear glasses than have someone shoot my eyes with a laser :o

Plus you can have fun with contacts and get funy ones and secretly laugh at people as you walk past and they give you second glances sayint 'what the hell?' :D

to be honest id rather wear glasses than have someone shoot my eyes with a lazer :o

plus you can have fun with contacts and get funy ones and secretly laugh at people as you walk past and they give you second glances sayint 'what the hell?' :D

You can only have fun with them if you can get them in your eye! ;)

The laser wasn't that bad, the burning eyeball smell only lasts for a few seconds. No, I'm not kidding. :eek:

Albear, I wore a green one and a blue one on accident all day and people were giving me weird looks and went into the bathroom at the end of the day and noticed that I was wearing too different colored lenses.

Yeah, contacts aren't for everyone I know, Alty :)


CM I hope you had a good laugh about it afterward :D

I did, cause it was SO OBVIOUS and I didn't notice it...

I LOVE my contacts!

which would be why i could feel the edge more if i put it in inside out :D

I can't even get mine to stick to my eyes if I try to put them in, inside out!

nobody has to wear them, its a preference for those who dont like glasses or in situations where glasses would be a bad idea and they would still like to see :D

Not much of a choice there with me concerning wearing contacts. Prescription for my glasses is way too old. Can't yet afford new lenses, and I absolutely have to be able to see in order to drive and play music!

Ahh sorry clough :(, teach me to use a blanket statement.

So all you contact wearers. Which ones are better, hard or soft? Which are easier to put in? Which last longer? Which do you prefer?

Do any of you use the disposable ones? Are they better and cheaper in the long run?

Well as I mentioned before I only use mine occasionally and hence they're dailies as it works out cheaper in the long run, dailies are soft lens but aren't as good as hard lens which would be the monthly ones, it all depends on what you want them for. Long term use your better with hard lenses.

Hi, Alty!

I find the hard ones much easier to use. The openings to my eyes are rather small, so using the soft ones with getting them in and getting them out can be quite a pain most of the time.

I've asked similar questions to the ones that you're asking by starting other threads.

Thanks!

I find softer lenses to be more comfortable

I once put two hard lenses in one eye at the same time. It took me a good portion of the day to figure out why one of my eyes was so irritated and what I had done wrong!

Clough, your PM box is full. :(

So all you contact wearers. Which ones are better, hard or soft? Which are easier to put in? Which last longer? Which do you prefer?

Do any of you use the disposable ones? Are they better and cheaper in the long run?

Depends on what you mean by "better". Better fit? Depends on the fitting physician and the shape of your eye. Better comfort. Personally I think soft lenses are more comfortable, I've worn both for multiple years. Better financially? Soft lenses, for sure.

Soft are easier (for me) to put in. Hard lenses tend to last longer, most are very expensive and last a year.

Like I stated, I love my soft lenses. I'd never wear hard lenses again.