GTi-R23

Ok, I know there is a broad spectrum of people on here, so who better to ask for advice

Basically my eye sight is gash, I have a pair of glasses for driving as I'm short sighted, but thinking about going down the contact lens road because I could do with wearing glasses all the time now as my sight has deteriorated over the last year or so. I do alot of MTB'ing and ride without prescription glasses which is probably really dangerous, and the protective prescription glasses cost £££'s.

So basically want to know other peoples experiences with contacts as I'm not that keen on sticking things in my eyes and have heard stories about them drying up and tearing etc.

I'm going to get an eye test asap to get my latest prescription, and in the mean time decide if I should just fork out for a couple of pairs of glasses or go down the contact lens road.

Peoples experience and views much appreciated.

PS: I might liven this thread up with some pics of naked ladies after, as I realise it aint exactly the most rock n roll topic ever posted

Frenchy0204

I'm going in for a trial run tomorrow, and I'm a first time contact lenses wearer, so i will post back here with my experiences.

Ignore the horror stories. Technology has moved on a great deal now. The only advice i have had is not to wear them for more than 12 hours straight, and not to sleep overnight in them unless i get a pair that are made for that purpose.

arch

I wear both *though not at the same time, normally put me lenses in if it is raining or I am going on my motor bike. I use the daily disposable ones, a company called Daysoft. They are quite cheap.

Putting them in an out is very easy mate, a bit of practice and you will not think twice about it.

There is always laser?

DanW@FastFord

iTrader: (1)

I've worn daily disposables for the last few years, and think they're ace. Chuck them in in the morning. Forget about them till bedtime then whip them out and throw them away. No lotions and potions to worry about, and no worry about loosing one and it costing a fortune.

I was doing a monthly plan with Vision Express, but it works out much cheaper to pay for an eye test once a year, and buy the lenses on the internet - I get Focus Dalies from www.contactforlenses.com and 45 days worth is £26.

Not sure how you'd get on with them if you're 'eye squeamish' though.

sm

ive been using contacts for over 15 years as being a bmx'er it can be quite dangerous riding whilst wearing glasses

ive tried allsorts of contacts, hard lense, soft lense daily removable ones and now use 30 day continuis wear ones

cost £15 a month delivered to my door and includes free check ups

basicly u put them in then 30 days later remove them and rest ur eyes for a couple of hours or overnight then pop in a new set

never had any probs and once u get used to them u forget ur wearing them, it will take a liitle while to get used to them in ur eyes but its worth it

ZTSI

do a trial, i did one liek 5 years ago, and they said if i keeped up with it would have mucked up my eyes for ever! which was nice of them! They have got better over the years tho, my problem was that my eyes dryed out too much with them in. but then like i say these days they are mostly made of water anyways. ill give them another go oneday. made my life so much easier when riding.

Stu @ M Developments

iTrader: (12)

Me too. These things are life changing mate, if your prescription allows you, then try them. After a couple of hours you will love them.

Brian ST-2

iTrader: (1)

Been using mine for over a couple years now, and they're great.
I was apprehensive about the putting in and taking out etc but as said already, easier to get used to than you'd think.

Oh, and Specsavers plan is a lot better than Vision Express as saves you a third of the cost. Mine are only £13 a month, and I get three sets delivered, quarterly.

Brian

BM08

I tried contacts but i couldnt get my eye lids to stay open to allow me to put them in, even the optician couldnt get them in, he just said ive got very strong eye lids? you can only try for so long until they say off you trot, and then you can make another appointment to try again or just leave it like i did maybe i should try again

wirralphil

Been wearing contacts for 8 years, when i first got them i was weary of putting something onto my eye ball but as you are shown how to put them in it is quite easy, dailys are easier but i suffer from a thing called Astigmatism which is i have Rugby ball shaped eyes which makes my eye site really bad (ie have to read a book from 6 inches away)

When you first try them the cool liquid makes them quite refreshing.
When they are old they can cause discomfort, bit like sand in your eye but if you change them regular then you won't have a problem. When they are new i cannot feel them at all.

All i can stress tho is if you fall asleep with them in and you wake up let them breath (keep them in) for atleast 30mins as they get dehydrated and grip the cornea, had it happen once and it's not nice.

Other than that go for it.

PS also i wear them for around 15hrs aday, in 6 years my script has changed once.

wirralphil

I had a simular problem, i changed which eye i put them in first. Am left handed to put the right in 1st, tryed the other way and i couldn't do it

LHD220Turbo

iTrader: (4)

Been wearing contacts for approx 10 years now.

thankfully the choice of lenses is varied and you will find its trial and error until you find the lense that best suits your eyes - IMO one lenses make isnt better than another just because it costs more

i use Focus Dailies (one day through away)


i tried 2 different type of lenses before these and couldnt get on with them, i tried the very expensive Johnson & Johnson Acuve lenses, but i found they didnt suit my eyes.

my advise would be to ask for a few different makes and see which ones suit best.

there are lots of options with conatct lenses, you can buy ones (as said) which you keep in for a month (sleep in them too) and then throw away.

i find the the dailies suit my life style, and if you are only going to be using them occasionaly (2/3 times a week) then this route will probably suit you best.

my other bit of advise is to build up the use of the lense, dont stick them in for 8 hours straight away, maybe 3/4 hours to begin with. I still have glasses and i take my lenses out around 9 at night and wear glasses until i go to bed.

now, where are the naked ladies??

BM08

Strange, im right handed but i cant remember which eye i tried to put it in
I just dont have much patience so i suppose that didnt help

wirralphil

Helps with me but every spaz is different. Way i put them in is to put the contact on my index finger and use the little finger on the same hand to pull the bottom eyelid down, use the other hand to pull the top eyelid by resting the hand on the forehead to make sure you don't poke yourself in the eye.

Once you try it a few times it gets easier.

LHD220TURBO, when i 1st sarted using them i done a week at 1-2 hrs then worked up, once they felt like they were causing discomfort they got took out

DaveZS

I use 1 day acuvue moist, costs around £100 for 90 pairs which will last me 3-4 months as I wear my glasses instead sometimes. Local opticians do a price match and will also deliver them free.
Best thing you can do is do a load of trials with different makes. See which ones suit you.

arch

I tried these as a few at work wear them. After a few hours they had to go, just couldn't get on with em. They felt too thick for my eyes.

Shame really, as they seem the better option.

GTi-R23

Ok cheers for all the advice everyone.

I'll get my prescription renewed and try out a few, I like the sound of the dailies, as I can choose not to wear them for a day or whatever and not have to worry about storing them and lotions or whatever.

I think I'll be ok putting them in, it's getting the fuckers out that I'm not sure about

wirralphil

their easier taking them out than putting them in. You 'pinch' them to take them out , thats the reson you take the cornea off if you do it straight after waking them up and taking them out.

furqall

i also wear contacts and have done since Jesus was born lol

i started of on daily disposables (Johnson acuvue)

then switched to the monthly ones (30 days in) but found my eyes have dried out due to constant use (4-5 years) and they were starting to irritate me

i have since switched to daily disposables again ( focus dailies ) and i find them sooo comfortable better than the Johnson acuvue and i pay £20 ish for 30 pairs

smokey

Great advice. I was stuck with Specsavers for a while before I realised I was being robbed!

RWD_cossie_wil

iTrader: (9)

Don't bother, get lasik ... I have been a spekky cunt since the day I can remember. I had laser eye surgery last year, in November. I now have PERFECT eyesight, and I was massively short sighted, as in -11.25 diopters!! Wish I had it done years ago, no fucking about with lenses or glasses, just perfect vision 100% of the time!

THAT is life changing, if anyone wants to talk to me about it pm me your number

LHD220Turbo

iTrader: (4)

that's all good and well; but i dont mind paying a bit more through my opticians for the service i receive

an an example i had a lense split in my eye, only half come out and the other half had wedged - my optician saw me straight away and got it out.

so i dont mind paying extra for that piece of mind

wirralphil

also optician's can help with fitment a your eyes can change sizes, they also see heredatry (sp) problems and blood pressure etc.

Alex_86

iTrader: (2)

contact lenses... well i remember the first time i was going to use them.. actually the optican guy at the store was going to set them on i closed my eys befor he even was near the eys lol

anyway its a bugger the first 10-20 times to put on your self!

but learning buy doing

i use 1 day contact lenses take them on in the morning and trow them at night.
yeah you could use them for 2 days, but they get dry!

also if you shower/bath/dive with them they (on my that is) gets dry in the evning/night.

i use daily active something something

squizxr

Contact lenses are mint, so glad i changed from glasses!! I also have Pigmentary Glaucoma, so they was weary about me using them but ive had them jus over a year now and if anything they help my condition!!! I have 14 day lenses, take them out every night, drop them in some solution, then put em back in!!! Tis a bit long coming in stoned and having to play with ur eyes, but you soon get used to it!! Best idea ever

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

ive wore contact lenses since i was 16 im 30 now. The ones i wear. I wear for 2 weeks then throw them away. As long as they are kept clean they are ok. Im short sighted too and i thought about lazer eye surgery but it was gonna cost me 3 n a half grand.

RWD_cossie_wil

iTrader: (9)

I paid £3400, and it was worth every penny , as I said I wish I had done it years ago

riks2rst

iTrader: (1)

How long have you had it done for? is it possible it could make your eyes worse?

Cheers,Rick

wirralphil

All eyes are different, prices vary.

In some cases it could go wrong but that was in the 90's, whe i hit 30 i will be getting it done.

jammerrs

my mate wears contacts for bike riding and is fine, as long you as you have a spare left and right and dont wear them for 12 hours straight you will be fine he says

noramlly wears glasses when just in the house etc, but for going out he uses contacts, they dont look hard to put in but i wouldnt fancy it haha

Frenchy0204

Well, I said I would post back with my experiences...

I went in on Wednesday for my trial. The woman called me over and proceeded to ask me health questions, and then started to check my eyes over. She then popped in my pair for me, and told me to come back after half an hour.

All I can say is WOW. My prescription has changed very little according to the eye optician, yet the difference in sharpness is amazing! I must admit, when she first put them in, it felt as if someone was stabbing my eye with a bloody pin, and for the first 10 minutes, they were watering like hell. We decided to have a coffee and wait to go back, and my eyes felt more comfortable minute after minute. I kept on putting my hand upto my head to adjust my glasses frame, but there wasn't a glasses frame there...

So, during this 30 minutes, it feels a little odd. Not only are your eyes getting used to having a foreign object in there, but they also need to focus. I was struggling to judge distances for the first couple of hours which was very annoying but it eventually settled down. Anywho, after the 30 minutes, we went back and the same woman took out the contacts for me. She then shown me how to insert and remove them, which took me about 10 minutes. It does feel horrible doing it yourself, and your eyes are very sensitive at first.

Fast forwarding to today, I am an even happier man. Putting them in and removing them is still a little tricky, but I'm getting better after every day and my eyes are becoming less sensitive which is also making it easier. One thing you really have to be careful with is your hygiene due to the risk of eye infections. Lets say you insert them after cleaning your hands, then put your finger in your hair and then need to adjust the contact, you need to wash your hands again. It's all very precise. My eyes are STILL getting adjusted though, and things like focusing are still improving, so it can only get better!

I've also been picking tips up off of YouTube. Some people find it easier to "pinch" the contact when removing, but I tried sliding it off the side of my eye like I seen on YouTube, and it is much easier and quicker. Everyone is different though!

Anywho, I've got to go back in next Saturday to discuss what contacts I go for. After some thinking, I think i may go for the 24 hour Monthlys that you can sleep in. I'm not too bothered about sleeping in them, but I'm picking them just incase I accidently fall asleep in them as they then wont require surgery to remove!

I'm going to bed...

wirralphil

frenchy I muct admit when i first put them in it was wierd, full clear eyesight not just where the glasses lense is.

foreigneRS

contact lenses are awesome as you're just starting out down that road, you're best off sticking with a good optician and as time goes on you may then choose to buy off the net later if your prescription doesn't change.

tell the optician that you want to go in for lenses as it requires a specific appointment for that rather than just a sight test for glasses

Stu @ M Developments

iTrader: (12)

Excellent news mate, well done.

hamerish

I need to get some contacts becuase atm the moment the only think i wear my glasses for are driving, pc and tv. Just before the masters came on me and a mate got right back into snooker but with my eyes being worse than what they used to be(about -3 now) I cant see a clear outline of the balls, i tried to wear my glasses before remember why glasses don't work for snooker even upside down.

Got any tips for learning to touch your eyes, because thats my biggest problem. I had an appointment about 2 months ago, he put them in (I was about to hit though). I did the whole walk around thing and then i had to take them out myself and i couldn't do it after about 20mins i just gave up and he took them out and said go home practice touching your eye and then book another appointment. I never did book another becuase i stil have a huge problem touching my eyes. So any tips?

Stu @ M Developments

iTrader: (12)

Yes, for me this works best:
Roll your eyes to the top as high as you can at last minute just before your finger makes contact and put the contact on the WHITES of your eye. The pupil is ULTRA sensitive, the whites are not.

RWD_cossie_wil

iTrader: (9)

Since November mate, there is a tiny tiny chance it could go wrong, but it's miniscule. As said, I had mega short sight, now it is perfect! So happy it's u real, people don't realize what a bind glasses/ contacts are!

Frenchy0204

A quick question for you long time contact users.

I forgot how often I am meant to change my solution in my little case thingy. I've been putting fresh stuff in every time I have to put them back in there case. Am I doing it right?

FYI, they are 12 hour Monthlys ATM. I will then go onto those 24+ Continuous Monthlys.

squizxr

Yea new solution every day mate!! Glad ur happy with them, mine are mint!! Altho went for a check up the other day, the optician said my glasses needed a stronger perscription burt she was leaving me lenses the same I dont wear me glaases, like ever!! After a ten minute moan from me she upped them, tis much better now!!

The touching your eye thing is hard to get used to, but give it a week and it'l be second nature

wirralphil

i change the fluid every 2 days. i clean then and rinse just before i put them in my eyes not before.