Old Contact, will you hurt me?
March 20, 2008 10:56 AM Subscribe
Old Contact Filter: To try or not to try?
I lost my last contact this morning. I thought I had a spare, but didn't, blah blah. I rush ordered another batch, but it won't get here for a few days, and I start a new job Monday. I only wear a contact in my left eye, so my right eye is compensating pretty well, but overall it's an annoying experience and I'll have to tell New Job that I am suffering from half capacity eyes the first day if my contacts don't get here on time. In the meantime, I found a lens sitting in an old case from god knows how long ago. It was still soft and in liquid. I put it in some fresh solution...but should I bother to try it, or will it give me some sort of horrid infection?
I lost my last contact this morning. I thought I had a spare, but didn't, blah blah. I rush ordered another batch, but it won't get here for a few days, and I start a new job Monday. I only wear a contact in my left eye, so my right eye is compensating pretty well, but overall it's an annoying experience and I'll have to tell New Job that I am suffering from half capacity eyes the first day if my contacts don't get here on time. In the meantime, I found a lens sitting in an old case from god knows how long ago. It was still soft and in liquid. I put it in some fresh solution...but should I bother to try it, or will it give me some sort of horrid infection?
What is your new job? Will being half-blind in one eye impact your performance, or just be annoying?
Unless it's essential, I'd wait for the new contacts. This isn't a "should I eat it" question, your eyes are a lot more delicate. Eye infections suck, and can cause permanent damage to your vision.
Worst case scenario, bluff and say you lost the contact on the way into work, so that you have the excuse, but don't appear incompetent or unprepared. This is only if the contact is a big deal. Otherwise, don't mention it, and you'll just need to suffer through a day or two of inconvenience.
posted by explosion at 11:57 AM on March 20, 2008
Unless it's essential, I'd wait for the new contacts. This isn't a "should I eat it" question, your eyes are a lot more delicate. Eye infections suck, and can cause permanent damage to your vision.
Worst case scenario, bluff and say you lost the contact on the way into work, so that you have the excuse, but don't appear incompetent or unprepared. This is only if the contact is a big deal. Otherwise, don't mention it, and you'll just need to suffer through a day or two of inconvenience.
posted by explosion at 11:57 AM on March 20, 2008
Best answer: Call you optometrist and ask them if they have any samples at or close to your prescription. They should have something that's usable for a day or two. Don't take chances with your eyes.
posted by junesix at 12:20 PM on March 20, 2008
posted by junesix at 12:20 PM on March 20, 2008
Contact the optometrist who did your last exam and see if they'll give you one. Has always worked for me, although I order from him as well.
posted by Sweetie Darling at 12:21 PM on March 20, 2008
posted by Sweetie Darling at 12:21 PM on March 20, 2008
(jink, junesix)
posted by Sweetie Darling at 12:21 PM on March 20, 2008
posted by Sweetie Darling at 12:21 PM on March 20, 2008
What Junesix said. My optician has done this for me as well.
posted by arcticseal at 12:34 PM on March 20, 2008
posted by arcticseal at 12:34 PM on March 20, 2008
I've never had that problem, but I wouldn't take the chance.. I've had a corneal ulcer (which caused me to be unable to wear soft contacts) which was very unpleasant.. It hurt like hell and my eye was completely red for weeks.
posted by majikstreet at 12:53 PM on March 20, 2008
posted by majikstreet at 12:53 PM on March 20, 2008
Best answer: Put it in disinfecting (storage) saline, in a tightly sealed contact container. Drop into a glass of water, heated in the microwave to 160 deg F, and allow it to cool off naturally. Basically, you're pasteurizing the contact lens, which will render it 99.999% free of pathogenic bacteria. Pretty much the only things remaining will be spores - in other words, the contact will now be cleaner than your own eye moisture.
If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, 160 is the temperature at which you can just bear sticking your finger in the water to the first joint, but too hot to leave it for even one full second. This isn't very precise, but pasteurization is a combination of heat + time, and you're going to leave it at elevated temps for a while, so you should have plenty of safety factor here.
Do not drop into boiling water! IIRC, contacts do bad things at that temp (crumple & shrink).
posted by IAmBroom at 1:29 PM on March 20, 2008
If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, 160 is the temperature at which you can just bear sticking your finger in the water to the first joint, but too hot to leave it for even one full second. This isn't very precise, but pasteurization is a combination of heat + time, and you're going to leave it at elevated temps for a while, so you should have plenty of safety factor here.
Do not drop into boiling water! IIRC, contacts do bad things at that temp (crumple & shrink).
posted by IAmBroom at 1:29 PM on March 20, 2008
Thirding junesix. We have done this a few times. It costs about $5 for a single contact.
posted by Sufi at 2:02 PM on March 20, 2008
posted by Sufi at 2:02 PM on March 20, 2008
I hate to sound like a downer but I would really advise you again to drop by your optometrist. With an old contact lens (especially soft contact lenses), it's not only an issue of pathogens on the lens, there may be deposits that have built up and the integrity of the lens could be compromised. Think about it - it's a thin piece of plastic that's been marinating in salt water for a long time.
If you can't make it to your primary optometrist, just call ahead to any local one and tell them it's a bit of an emergency. There have shelves of free samples to give out.
posted by junesix at 4:24 PM on March 20, 2008
If you can't make it to your primary optometrist, just call ahead to any local one and tell them it's a bit of an emergency. There have shelves of free samples to give out.
posted by junesix at 4:24 PM on March 20, 2008
@Sufi - (in general) the sample contacts that the eye doctor has to give out are free to them, and by law cannot be sold. The packaging many of them come in state this.
posted by attercoppe at 4:26 PM on March 20, 2008
posted by attercoppe at 4:26 PM on March 20, 2008
Response by poster: Thanks for the advice. My optometrist is in another state, so I would have the same problem as just waiting for the delivery. I'll just suffer with the one contact.
posted by sweetkid at 4:52 PM on March 20, 2008
posted by sweetkid at 4:52 PM on March 20, 2008
While this may be too late to be of any use, this is the exact reason you should always have a pair of glasses if you are a contact lens wearer. Always.
posted by tastybrains at 11:55 AM on March 21, 2008
posted by tastybrains at 11:55 AM on March 21, 2008
Response by poster: I have one good eye and one terrible eye due to laser surgery in only one eye (long story).
posted by sweetkid at 2:56 PM on March 21, 2008
posted by sweetkid at 2:56 PM on March 21, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by zeoslap at 10:58 AM on March 20, 2008