[plainsong]

Wow, cheaper in Finland?? Mine were €34 including the eye exam, and the contact for the right eye is toric. I'm also using ReNu, and it seems to do the job. Mom also uses that back home.

I thought I was a mentally challenged and "special" trying to first put my contacts in, but I did end up getting it right in about 30 minutes on my first try. I heard the woman say in Finnish to one of the other doctors that I was very quick. Her record for the longest time is two weeks with one client. I also took them out in that sitting and put them back in again. Good to have the basics down.

But I've been kinda not-so-bright since then. It's tough to know which way is inside out. The taco trick doesn't work...or rather works both ways. But on my right eye it's easy to tell when you put it in that it's wrong, on the left... not so much. I mean, you feel what could be dryness, and when you blink it's like you have goo on your pupil. I figured it out the other day, if you can see the numbers on the contact, that's the right way up.... and it was back to a completely 100% comfortable left eye again. Live and learn, you have to get it wrong sometimes just so you know how you react to it. It's not really a huge deal, and funny I could still wear it the entire day like that.

I didn't give away my glasses/sunglasses though. You never know when you might need them.

But ya know, I haven't had a single headache since getting my contacts. I usually have one every few days.

 

[dd3mon]

1. If you have worn eyeglasses, then did you find using contact lenses to improve your visual acuity for better or worse depending upon your usage?

I see much better with contacts than with glasses, and in fact wearing contacts keeps your eyesight from degrading further. The average glasses wearer will see his or her prescription get stronger and stronger (especially while they are young and their eyes are still growing), however contacts tend to keep a constant prescription.


2. Did you save money by going with contact lenses?

No, I kept my glasses ($200-300 total w/ nice frames and quality lenses) for 2-3 years, but change my contacts every 2 weeks or so. Contacts are a much larger expense in the long run.

3. Do you find the cleaning and replacement of contact lenses to be difficult or annoying?

Not really, the invention of "no rub" contact solution made a world of difference in the convenience of contacts for me. That said, I'd still probably prefer disposable daily lenses (more expensive and "space" consuming) or something like the new "night and day" lenses that can be worn for a full month, even during sleep! However these options aren't available to me yet as my prescription is rather strong and I also need astigmatism correction (toric lenses).

4. there are advertisements for contact lenses that claim to improve your eyesight to 20/10 vision without the different types of lasik eye laser corrective surgery: is it true and who makes such contact lenses?

I find that all contacts (if properly prescribed) correct vision better than my glasses ever could - at least as far as sharpness is concerned. Light sensitivity is another matter, and for stuff like driving in the dark, my contacts often cause "flare" of bright lights on dark backgrounds - this is the only time I even think about my contacts generally.

5. Where can I get objective and accurate medical information about contact lenses on the Internet?

Dunno? Not sure what kind of medical info you'd want, some people find contacts bother their eyes, and many more abuse contacts and cause damage to their eyes (for example, wearing lenses while sleeping that aren't meant for that, or keeping 2 week lenses in for months at a time). If used properly, contacts in general are very safe IMO.

6. Where do you shop for your contact lenses? Did you find it difficult to convince your opthamologist or optermist to give you the written contact lenses prescription so you could shop around?

1800CONTACTS.com - significant price break compared to buying from the eye doctor direct as well as fast, free shipping. Getting your prescription written can be a challenge, however Indiana legislature has just addressed this and it is now illegal for an opthamologist or optometrist to withold your prescription from you. I find anyone will do it, but you may have to put up a bit of a fuss, they make alot of profit from lens reselling.

7. Does it make any difference to use one manufacturer's contact lenses and another's contact lenses cleansing solution?

Yes and yes. I've tried a couple different brands of lenses, and a couple different brands of cleaning solutions. Unfortunately only one brand of contact lenses really fits my eyes perfectly at the moment, so the choice is easy for me (despite the possible comfort/long wear period of other lenses, I can't see quite right with them as they're not available in my exact prescription). As for cleaning solutions I find a small difference between Renu and Opti-Free (both no-rub solutions). I couldn't say which is better however.



Bottom line is I love contacts and would never go back to glasses unless I was forced (or had something like lasix done). Aside from the 30 seconds a day in the morning and evening to put them in and take them out, I very rarely even notice they're in - aside from the fact that I can see. They cause me very little grief (maybe once or twice a month I have a issue of a lens falling out or discomfort after being away waaay too long). The comfort of not wearing glasses, having better vision, being able to wear normal sunglasses and myself looking better without glasses are the reasons I'd never in a million years go back to glasses by choice.

 

[HiWire]

Ditto

 

[Gigabomber]

you could always skip all of the trouble and run up to the TV when old episodes of star trek come on, but seriously folks, Lasik surgery is making leaps and bounds in safety and accuracy, and they should be considering they charge around 3k for every fifteen minutes. Oh and did you know that Leonardo Da Vinci invented the first contenct lens for eye protection?
I always hated contact lenses myself as I was extremely blind without my glasses, and keeping them clean is an ordeal in itself. Contacts were a task but they were allright after you learn to clean them, but still quite annoying and can't be very good for your eyes and they feel like crap.
Definitely not better visually (to my eyes) as they are a dynamic material with different moisture levels as you go through your day, but they sure help peripheral vision. The main reason to switch as is aesthetic, but it definitely cost me more than a durable frame.
It really depends wether you want to hassle with the moisture and dryness enough for the physical difference, as I surely don't believe that they are better for your eyes in any respect: you're putting a piece of plastic - floating on water - suctioned to your eye. Freaking eye drops.

I went with bausch and lomg cause that was what my optometrist stocked. One month really isn't that long of a supply if you think about it, so you had better get cracking on the search if you can.

 

[Sovkiller]

Welly, not everyobdy tolerate contact leses, I did not for example....It is true that I feel to see better, but they bother me so much that I quit. Over this the risks of having an eye accident are bigger, we all know how they have improved overtime, but even though, they are a risk it is an strange object there....ands believe me you will keep the glasses anyway around....the solution if you cna affrod it.....laser surgery....I'm still thinking on it....

 

[Gigabomber]

the main issue with the surgery is that your eyes will be dry for a long time until your eyes acclimate. It took me over a year til my eyes were back to normal without any dryness ever. Then there is the slight chance of surgery complications on top of the cash: ranges from, i think, 2200 to 4k depending how bad your eyes are. Course i got mine from a premier doctor who helped pioneer the science, so it cost a bit more.
There is also the pain, which some folks say they don't have. it is the equivalent to having your eye lacerated with glass (actually how it was discovered) and having to let it heal. It really does seem to be a rather miraculous bit of medicine as it doesn't seem to have any long term ramifications, of course most folks have only had it for under ten years at this point.