Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with contactlenses

What are the most comfortable contact lenses in the world?

snoogles — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 14:49:20 -0800

Save me from my glasses! I'd like to find the perfect contacts. I used to wear the Day and Night contact lenses. I could wear them for an entire week without taking them out (ophthalmologist-approved) and only needed to put in a bit of solution in the morning to be perfectly comfortable. For some reason, the company changed the formulation to make them more comfortable, and I can no longer tolerate them.

I've tried a few brands since then (including Specsavers own brand and a few others I can't remember) but I haven't found any that I can tolerate for more than 8 hours a time, or for more than a few days in a row. I'm getting tired of always wearing my glasses, so my New Year's resolution is to find my new perfect contacts!

Could you suggest a few brands that you've found particularly comfortable? Or eyedrops that have worked magic?

PS: I will definitely get LASIK as soon as possible, but my eyes haven't stabilized yet.

To rub or not to rub?

domnit — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 20:15:41 -0800

What makes contact solution "no rub"? I have 2 bottles of "multi-purpose solution" for contact lenses. The Equate (Walmart brand) solution instructs you to rub the lenses. The Up & Up (Target brand) solution is marked as "no rub". These seem to be identical products from the same manufacturer - same bottle, same content listing, same US patent number, similar-looking lot number. What gives? Does "no rub" mean anything? Can I always skip rubbing with any multi-purpose solution / is it better to rub even if it says "no rub"?

How do I make myself look like Archer for Halloween?

farmersckn — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 16:11:25 -0800

Make me look like Sterling Archer for Halloween. I want to look just like the "animated" version of him. I don't just want to wear a tux and color my hair. Need tips on "animating" a suit, painting my face, getting contact lenses, and getting my hair just right. Here's Sterling Archer in a suit that I want to imitate:
http://media.screened.com/uploads/0/4570/289193-screen_shot_2010_08_23_at_8.39.02_pm_large.png

And a face shot:
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mboj4zhnKY1rx8bdro6_1280.jpg

I'm looking to go all out on this.

I want to get a suit from a thrift store, and paint it, or otherwise transform it so that it has that look of the thick black lines on the seams and around the edges. Any technical advice on this would be useful - what type of paint to use, or maybe an alternative idea on how to do it.

I'm also looking to get facepaint or makeup or whatever, and will be doing the lines and probably eyebrows. I have absolutely no idea how to use makeup, so very basic advice here would be helpful, and is the part I need the most help with. A basic question I need an answer to is, do I just put a layer of light colored base on, and then paint over that with black? Or do I need to leave the black areas clean of any base and paint straight on skin?

Any makeup-artists in San Francisco that want to help me out with this?

As far as contacts go, I'm looking specifically for light blue contacts that have a flat, fake look, and a black ring around the outside. Anyone know of a good source for those?

Finally, I'm going to be coloring my hair. Again, I have no idea what to do here. I don't really want to be black-haired permanently but its OK if that's what it takes to pull this off. Also, there's definitely some blue highlights on Archer's hair, is there a way to simulate that in real life? Are there certain hair dyes/coloring products that I should seek out or avoid?

Thanks a lot in advance, I'll try to post a link to some pictures here afterwards.

I can see clearly now, the pain is gone...

blurker — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:31:23 -0800

I am considering changing from contact lenses that last one month to daily disposable lenses. Is there anything that I should know? Looking for pros and cons, particularly from anyone who has made this switch. I've been wearing contact lenses for about 30 years now. I have, in the past, gone from yearly wear lenses (both gas permeable and soft), to biweekly, to weekly, and now I am in monthly soft lenses. I like them fine, but by the third week my eyes are pretty scratchy and sensitive. This weekend my opthamologist suggested I try daily disposables. She gave me a couple of pair that I wore over the weekend, and I loved them. I'll be getting a couple of weeks worth as a "test run," but I'm wondering if anyone else has made this jump and has any words of wisdom from their experience. Thanks!

Next time, solicit advice before making major purchase...

Kronur — Fri, 18 May 2012 23:59:31 -0800

I decided to try gas permeable contacts today, but now I've read previous questions on mefi, I am having serious concerns over my choice. Does anyone like their RGP contacts, especially after years of soft contact lens wear? I've worn soft contacts since I was 12 (almost 34 now), and disposables as long as they've been around (probably 20 years or so). About a year ago, I started having increasing dry eyes at the computer. Wearing contacts on a Monday after being away from the computer all weekend was hellish. Turns out I've developed the slightest astigmatism in my right eye. (no idea why, no injury or disease)

The doctor changed me to Biofinity disposables 6 months ago. (I was wearing Acuvue Oasys when the problems started and tried Air Optix for two weeks which created an even worse hell over the Acuvues). At first the Biofinity's weren't that awesome, but over the past 6 months, I've learned to like them. But now I have much clearer vision with my glasses, and it sort of drives me crazy -the slight unfocus with my right eye.

Today the doctor gave me the option of switching to a toric disposable for my right eye, or giving RGP's a try. He explained the breaking in time, but said my vision would be awesome. I would have less eye strain, my eyes would get more oxygen, etc. (BTW, my eyes have slowly gotten better over the years. 6 years ago both eyes were -5.5, now I'm L-4.25, R-3.75.)

I ordered some RGP's, but then I searched on mefi, and everyone is saying that they suck. One person posted that their optometrist wouldn't even prescribe RGP's! I feel like I might have made a mistake here... The money isn't really much of an issue to me, I just want the best for my eyes. Does anyone like RGP's? Did anyone transition easily?

Can I see clearly now?

yersinia — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:26:09 -0800

My annual eye exam is coming up. I've had a years-long string of not-quite-right corrective lenses. What can I do to get an accurate prescription this time? I'm super nearsighted (~-7.50 in contacts, coke-bottle in glasses), and I've had about five years of awful luck in contact and glasses prescriptions. Regularly, about once a year, I've gone to the doctor, given my best answers on the eye test, and received a slightly different prescription from last time's, only to find out, when I get the lenses and settle in a bit, that it's not *quite* clear-- fine for daily life, but with a little residual blurriness that makes me squint a lot without realizing it and give myself frown lines and headaches.

Since I have no money and no time, I've just lived with whatever slightly-off eye apparatus I just bought, but the result is that I've been cycling daily between two pairs of glasses and a set of contact lenses that are all slightly different, slightly wrong prescriptions. Which means I don't at present have a really good conscious sense of what perfectly clear vision would even look like. Meaning I can't honestly tell whether A or B is clearer in the next eye exam... and cue vicious cycle.

I'm wondering whether there are best practices for receiving eye examinations that might help me find my way out of this blurry existence. I thought maybe That Machine (name escapes me) that automatically measures vision might help, but my last Pearle Vision exam incorporated the Machine, and the resulting prescription was just as bad as the rest of them. Would it help, possibly, to go to an actual doctor's office instead of a mall place? Anything else I can do?

I'm looking for a place online where I can get a bunch of non-prescription soft contact lenses that I could use to practice putting stuff into my eye.

Feel the beat of the rhythm of the night — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:56:37 -0800

I'm looking for a place online where I can get a bunch of non-prescription soft contact lenses that I could use to practice putting stuff into my eye. I went for my first contact lens fitting about a year ago, and it took me a good 30 minutes of trying to get them in. At the end of this torture my eyes were red and teary and I had to keep blowing my nose. Things got busy and I never ended going back after the 3rd fitting (I have a crazy astigmatism that requires toric lenses and is apparently hard to fit). I also never got the hang of putting the lenses in without sitting in front of a mirror for a long, long time. Before going back, I'd like to get the hang of it. That's where you come in. Since I don't have a prescription, I'd like to use lenses that don't correct vision. Maybe color lenses -- would that work? I'd imagine they're all pretty similar, or no? Are color contacts soft? Is there maybe a site that gives away samples lenses with no prescription somewhere?

Tell me about contact lenses

Lulu's Pink Converse — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 00:02:16 -0800

Should I try contact lenses again? What brand/style? I've been wearing glasses for about 20 years. I'm mildly near-sighted, with a minor astigmatism. I tried contact lenses about 10 years ago, and could never get comfortable wearing them, for a variety of reasons. Part of it was that I was kind of squicked out by having something in my eye/having to touch my eye, and part was that I could just not get comfortable - I was always very aware of the contacts, and they'd sometimes practically pop out.

Has anything changed in the last 10 years that would make my experience with contact lenses better if I tried them again? Is there a particular brand you'd recommend? Please assume I'm a newbie to contacts as of 2011 and tell me what would work best.

Is there a way to make a person's eyes glow?

Dormant Gorilla — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 08:57:09 -0800

Is there any way to make my eyes glow? And I mean, really glow. Bright green. Like, some kind of bioluminescent eyedrop, or a contact lens embedded with some kind of....thing that makes them glow. I really have no idea if this is feasible at all, and there is a feasible way, is it something that A) won't blind me and B) won't bankrupt me? I accept that the answer might well just be "no, dumbass."

I should probably mention that this is for Halloween and, more specifically, for what will be the best Halloween costume ever, but only if I can get my eyes to glow green.

Thanks!

Where has all the saline gone?

andrewcilento — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:51:24 -0800

Does saline solution in an aerosol can still exist anymore? Can I just not find it anywhere? I wear soft contact lenses, and have for well over ten years now (originally two-week disposables, now daily disposables). For a long time, I used saline solution in an aerosol can (usually Lens Plus or the generic equivalent); however, lately I just haven't been able to find it anymore. This presents a problem, as I'm allergic to a lot of solutions on the market. Is Lens Plus (and its equivalents) no longer being produced? Am I just not looking in the right places? Any help would be greatly appreciated, both by me and my eyes.

The look I get when I tell people I had an ulcer on my eye makes it ALMOST worth it

showbiz_liz — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:23:04 -0800

After a bad experience I am finally ready to wear contact lenses again... but this time I want to be absolutely, totally, 100% safe and sterile about it. What steps should I take to minimize my chances of infection? For years I wore the type of lenses which are (supposedly) fine to leave in for a month at a time. You wear them for a month, throw them away, ta-da. I had no issues until January, when (at the very end of the month) I developed irritation in my right eye. After a day (still wearing the lens) my eye was bright red and very painful and my pupil was the size of a pinhead. Bright light was unbearable.

I took the lens out and went to the doctor. They said I had an ulcer on my iris, that if I had waited another day or two I probably would have lost most or all vision in the eye, and that I was "still not out of the woods" and might still lose my vision. Oh, did I mention that this is my right eye, the eye I had recurring nightmares about losing for years previous to this event?

Well, medicated eye drops cleared it all up within a few days. They said, wait a month, then you can wear contacts again- just take them out every night without fail. I asked if I could use the monthly ones if I took them out at night (because I have $200 worth sitting around in an unreturnable box). They said sure, just make sure your lens case is clean, replace it often, don't touch the tip of the solution bottle, etc.

Well, it's June and I still haven't started wearing them again, because I was so freaked out by what happened. But now I'm ready. I think.

So I want the best practices for contact lenses- no matter how extreme. If I have to throw out my lens case every week I'll do it, wear gloves, whatever. Tell me what I can do to be absolutely safe here.

(BTW- my doctor was a medical student who has since moved on, so I can't really contact her and ask her.)

seeing many types of blind through a new lens?

kch — Sun, 23 May 2010 20:07:21 -0800

Can I get contacts if I have presbyopia (needing progressives) AND astigmatism? I have always worn glasses instead of contacts, and only now recently have switched to progressives and I like them. I'm looking for contacts just for occasional use.

Assume I know nothing about contacts. Hard? Soft? Semi permeable? eh?

From looking at other threads that addressed the question of astigmatism OR progressives, it looks like I should find an optician which specializes in contact lenses. How do I find such a person? I know I'm going to have to leave my small town to do that, but that makes it even harder to find.

Bonus for recommendations of such optometrists in Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Montreal or Vancouver (cities I'm likely to be in).
Personal experience and recommendations welcome.

Recommend me a gentle contact lens.

pintapicasso — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 20:29:39 -0800

Help! My contact lenses are killing my eyes. I'd like recommendations for a less irritating routine. I've worn contacts for about a year and a half. I've always worn Acuvue Oasys.

For the first six months my eyes were very photosensitive when my contacts were in (to the point where I would have to pull over while driving becaue I was tearing up and squinting). My eyes were red and itchy, and I had a couple bad eye infections. My doctor switched me over to a ClearCase, which really helped with the photosensitivity and itchiness.

However, I still got a few eye infections that I couldn't clear up with OTC eyedrops. I don't know why, other than that my eyes are super sensitive. I didn't wait too long to change out the contacts, and I never slept in them overnight (when I did I was guaranteed an eye infection). My eyes were also always red, although they didn't hurt unless I had an infection. I never wore them for more than ten hours a day.

So I took a break, bought a pair of ZenniOpticals and for the past six months I've only worn glasses. I bought a new box of contacts a week ago and now I have that same redness problem. It's like a concentrated ring of redness (where my contact lies) as well as overall redness. And it doesn't clear up automatically when I take out the contact, it takes a couple of days to go away.

My eye doctor says that the Acuvue Oasys are the most moisturizing and breathable contacts there is, and says that if I'm still having problems I should switch them out every three or four days. This seems stupid because I'm experiencing the redness problem with a brand new pair of contacts, as well as expensive and excessive considering they are supposed to last a two weeks.

Anyone else with sensitive eyes have a contact recommendation other than Acuvue Oasys? Or an eyedrop I could use throughout the day to combat the redness?

Is there some way to get contact lenses when your prescription is expired?

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:32:45 -0800

My contact lens prescription has expired. I can still see just fine, my current contacts are comfortable, and I don't have a lot of extra cash right now, so I'd rather not pay $90 for an eye exam in addition to the not cheap contacts. Is there some business that you think will be willing to look the other way with respect to expiration issue and just sell me the contacts anyway? I promise I'll go back to getting regular eye exams when I have more cash on hand.

Astigmatism and you

squeak — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 09:03:58 -0800

I'd like to buy contact lenses online, but the optometrist threw in a new twist. Astigmatism. I'm confused, I've never been told I had an astigmatism in the past and, have worn normal, run of the mill, extended wear soft contact lenses for years without issue. When I asked him about it he said it wasn't possible to develop a slightly warped cornea. Is it?

I was told at the office I would need to be specially fitted for one in my right eye before having a prescription for them filled. When I try entering my prescription into the fields at some of the online retailers parts of their required information doesn't jive with the numbers I have; like axis which goes up in increments of five, but my axis numbers fall between theirs eg: 78 and 122. The other number that has me scratching my head is base curve.

Do I need to be specially fitted for a contact lens? What do I need to know about buying toric lenses online? Is it even possible to buy them online considering my prescription? If anyone who's gone though this can help me navigate this process, including any additional information I might need from my optometrist, it would be highly appreciated.

Tell me I'm extremely silly.

Tequila Mockingbird — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:06:35 -0800

I rushed while putting in my disposable contacts this morning, and one of them had that irritating something-is-caught-in-it sensation that I ignored, thinking it will eventually go away. Instead it's been bugging me for the last four hours. Having no contact solution with me at the office, I took it out and gave it a one-second rinse in tap water before putting it back in. The irritation is gone and I feel great, but now I'm sort of paranoid that this short tap-water-bath is going to ruin my eyesight. (Thanks, Yahoo answers!) Is the risk bad enough that I should just take them both out and go contact-less today? I've read this thread, which is similar, but I'm not soaking my contacts in water overnight so it seems less worrying. On the other hand, there are a bunch of "Contacts must NEVER EVER EVER touch water!!!11!" stuff floating around the web.

Bah, I know I'm overreacting to this. It would still help to get confirmations of some kind, though.

Help Me Wash That Red Right Out of My Eye

foxy_hedgehog — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:45:56 -0800

I have a big, noticeable blood vessel cluster in my eye that won't go away, and I would like your advice on reducing or eliminating it. About 4 years ago, a cluster of blood vessels in my eye suddenly popped up bright red, stretching from about midway through the white of my eye to the iris. I'd hoped it was the conventional sort of broken blood vessel, but it's still here after all these years.

I wear extra-permeable contact lenses and switch to my glasses after I get home from the day, so I don't think it's because my eye isn't getting enough oxygen. I also use preservative-free contact lens solution, so I don't think it's being aggravated by an irritant.

Do you have any tips on how to reduce or eliminate this? According to this thread, using Visine for an extended length of time makes the problem worse. I don't have an eye doctor at present and hoped I could start brainstorming here.

Help my procrastinating husband see...

thejanna — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:54:14 -0800

Can anyone recommend an optometrist in Columbus, Ohio? My husband needs glasses and has been putting it off for years. He would also like contact lenses. Can anyone recommend a good optometrist in Columbus, Ohio who also carries a good selection of frames? Is there anything in particular we should be looking for? He has VSP vision insurance, if that helps.

Easy on the eyes--literally--contacts?

zardoz — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:41:38 -0800

After giving up on contacts about 5 years ago, I'm curious about any new types of contacts that are out now that would be easy on my eyes. Short history: I'm nearsighted and wear glasses, but around 10-15 years ago I used to wear contacts regularly. Very gradually over time, the lenses are more and more irritating, and now if I use them they dry out my eyes and become annoying after half a day. Because of this, about 5 years ago I just stopped--they aren't worth the hassle. The brand I've always used was Johnson and Johnson, not sure the specific lens name though.

SO, I'm hoping the technology has improved and there are some contacts out there that are really easy on the eyes. Specifically, I read about a new kind that you can put in and forget about for a month. Sounds amazing if true. Surely if they're designed for a month, I can at the very least get through a full day wearing them. Anyone know about these lenses?

Looking for the best contacts for dry eyes

ishotjr — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:13:35 -0800

Should I stick with my current contact lenses, or go with one of two other brands? I'm about to buy a 6 month supply of contacts (2 boxes) and am trying to decide between staying with my current brand of contacts, or going with one of two other types. They all have the same BC and Diameter measurement options as my current ones. My vision is not too horrible, -3.75 in one eye, -4 in the other. I'm nearsighted, and have been wearing contacts on and off for about 8 years, mostly off. My #1 problem is dry eyes. My eyes are so dry that I even have to use drops regularly without contacts.

Looking at 1-800-CONTACTS, I find two other brands that seem like they could be better than my current ones. This makes my options:
1) Current contacts: Biofinity, made of comfilcon A, 48% water. These are my current ones, and I'm mostly happy with them. I still get really dry eyes if I wear them for too long.
2) PureVision, which are balaficon A, 36% water. You are able to wear these for 30 days day and night, although I would definitely not be doing that. I might wear them overnight occasionally, like if I was up all night studying or was too tired to take them out before bed. Yes, I did read this thread.
3) Focus Monthly, which are vifilcon A, and 55% water.

I'm tempted to go with the Focus ones because they have a higher water content, and I have dry eyes. However, I've read that contacts with a higher water content are not always better for dry eyes because they can suck more moisture from your eyes when the water in the contacts starts to evaporate. I don't know if this is true.
The reason the PureVisions are tempting is because they're supposed to be comfortable enough to wear overnight if desired. With my super dry eyes, I don't know if this is possible, but it would be very convenient.
All of my options are monthlies and are within $10 in price for 2 boxes, so cost is not a factor.

One important factor is that I don't plan on wearing contacts every day. When I have contacts I wear them at most every other day. When I run out, I tend to go months without getting more, just wearing glasses every day. I'm going back to school, though, and I can see things in class much better with contacts, and get frustrated with dirty glasses. I also like being able to wear regular sunglasses instead of my heavy rx ones with thick lenses. It would be nice to be able to fall asleep in my contacts without worrying too much, but if they aren't comfortable enough to do so anyway, it's a useless feature (referring to the PureVisions).

I would appreciate any input from those who have used any of these brands of contacts. I need to buy these before the end of the month because my Flexible Spending from my job will run out then, so I don't really have the ability to ask my optometrist to try any (and she will try to get me to buy them through her, which is more expensive).

Can Contacts Replace My Progressive & Computer Glasses?

justcorbly — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:28:21 -0800

I'm considering wearing contact lenses again in lieu of eyeglasses to make working with camera viewfinders easier. I've worn glasses since i was a kid. Got the usual array of problems: Nearsightedness, astigmatism, presbyopia. Currently wear progressive lenses in my glasses. However, I find reading with my progressive lenses is unpleasant, so I usually take them off. I use a separate pair of glasses for computer work. I was fitted with a test pair of soft monovision lenses last week. They're not going to work. Close vision -- within arm's reach -- is unacceptable. I told the clinician I wanted contacts to provide vision correction at least as good as my glasses. I want any contacts I wear to work at distance vision, close vision, reading, driving, computer work, etc. She replied that I wouldn't get that with contacts. Is she right?

Why do my right contact lenses keep ripping?

The corpse in the library — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:19:53 -0800

Why do my right contact lenses keep ripping? I wear soft, daily wear, disposable contacts. The right one keeps ripping while I'm wearing it, and I end up removing half a lens from that eye. Why does this happen? Why just in the right eye? How can I make it stop? Is this something I have to see my eye doctor about?

Is it possible that I'm walking around with five halves of contact lenses in my right eye, and they're causing the new lenses to rip? I've done an eye wash from time to time and never seen a part of a lens come out, but my eyes aren't irritated and I've always presumed the partial lenses came out without my noticing.

My left and right contacts are the same prescription and come from the same box. I'm right handed. I keep my fingernails fairly short. I've been wearing contacts for decades and this has never been a problem until recently; it's happened five times in the past few months.

Can I donate unused contact lenses?

snickerdoodle — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:04:13 -0800

Can I donate unused contact lenses? I just got LASIK, and I find myself with half a box of unused Acuvue contact lenses. Am I allowed to donate/give them away, and if so, what's the best way to do so? Google has turned up conflicting information, so I'm looking for first-hand knowledge. I'm in NY if that matters.

Where's the right place to buy contact lenses online?

gleuschk — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:19:43 -0800

Where's the right place to buy contact lenses online? Is this a bad idea for any reason? (Calling all spammer slimebags, come hawk your sketchy site!)

O, say can you see?

natalie b — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:35:27 -0800

Need to order contact lenses. Where? I relocated a few months ago and went to see a new eye doctor last week. He gave me a prescription for my usual disposable lenses. My old doctor's office used to order them, but the new one's office doesn't. The doctor recommended CostCo or BJs, but I don't belong to either and don't want to join just to buy lenses.

There are tons of places on the web that sell lenses. Any that are better/cheaper/more reliable? Or anyplace I ought to avoid?

I'm in the US, and the lenses are Acuvue 2.

Thanks