My last contact ripped and new ones wont be here for a week! Help!
May 13, 2006 12:38 PM   Subscribe

My last left contact (-3.50 Power, BC 8.3, Dia 14) ripped. Anticipating this, I placed an order at 1800-CONTACTS a week ago, but it's in the mail. Help me see!
posted by sirion to Health & Fitness (15 answers total)
 
glasses?
posted by reverendX at 12:52 PM on May 13, 2006


Response by poster: Dont own any
posted by sirion at 1:03 PM on May 13, 2006


Could you call your eye doctor and beg for a sample lens? That sounds like a relatively common prescription, and unless you use some really obscure brand, it should be in stock.
posted by Coffeemate at 1:06 PM on May 13, 2006


Do you still have any of the opened bubble packs around? If so, just take them to an optometrist and beg for a sample lens. They'll be able to hook you up.
posted by bshort at 1:09 PM on May 13, 2006


After about half a day you will probably be used to seeing with just one contact. I've spent weeks at a time with just one in. Getting a sample is also a good option.
posted by nevers at 1:19 PM on May 13, 2006


If your prescriptions for both eyes are the same and you are left-eye dominant, wear the remaining contact in your left eye. It will be less disorienting.
posted by amber_dale at 2:11 PM on May 13, 2006


If none of the above works/applies, buy some cheap premade reading glasses at your corner Target/Costco. (Be sure to test, because contact/eyeglass Rx often don't match.) If both eyes have similar Rx, wear the specs instead of lenses. If not, pop out the right lens and do an ocular half-and-half.
posted by rob511 at 2:25 PM on May 13, 2006


rob511: are reading glasses not generally for (as the name suggests) reading? That is, for people with longsightedness rather than shortsightedness. They only have positive dioptres rather than negative.
posted by edd at 2:33 PM on May 13, 2006


Can't you see with just one contact in place? I know I can.
posted by delmoi at 2:53 PM on May 13, 2006


For the longer term, I'd recommend you get some glasses as a backup - if you got an eye infection you'd need them.

I've gone a couple of days only wearing one contact in the past (my prescription is -5) and was fine, if a bit cautious going down the stairs.
posted by altolinguistic at 3:33 PM on May 13, 2006


I am nearsighted in one eye only, and too lazy to wear my glasses. You can live with it, although long term it seems to be a little bad for you. (I want to maybe get the laser surgery.)
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 3:44 PM on May 13, 2006


I suggest getting in touch with either your doctor or a "quick eye stuff" place, as others have suggested.

I lost a contact last summer while surfing, and happened to be about 2 hours away from home (and my glasses and replacement contacts.) I drove to the nearest mall and went to Pearle (or maybe it was Lenscrafters) and told them my situation. They called my eye doctor, made sure they had the prescription right, and then gave me a sample contact that was actually almost my exact prescription.
posted by nekton at 3:52 PM on May 13, 2006


I'm with begging a sample from a an opticians.

When I buy contacts they generally give me a sample to try out while they order mine in. Because my right eye is somewhat odd (short sighted, astigmatism and dry eye) it needs a fancy lens, so the sample is never quite the right prescription. But having something slightly wrong in there for a few days is always fine and so much better than going without. (Without one lens I get terrible eye strain and have messed up depth of vision so can't drive). So even if the optician can't give you the exact thing they should be able to give you a lens to tide you over.
posted by shelleycat at 4:10 PM on May 13, 2006


Oh, I forgot to mention my right eye is -4.0, so not too much different than yours. But you may be able to tolerate going without better than I can.

And I always need samples because I tend to put off going to the optometrist until the old ones are really screwed :D
posted by shelleycat at 4:13 PM on May 13, 2006


I've always had no problem just taking my prescription to the mall and buying a new box of disposables... usually one of the several eye stores has them in stock.

And it's always good to have a spare pair of prescription sunglasses around, for when you're swimming and shouldn't be wearing tacts. Plus, you look cool in situations like this.
posted by Operation Afterglow at 6:26 PM on May 13, 2006


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