Contact lenses, are they worth it?
By ShadowBrook
@ShadowBrook (71)
United States
June 8, 2008 1:35am CST
Help please! I recently had my eyes checked (after 16 years,) and guess what! I need glasses. So, while I am awaiting the arrival of them, I decided to try contacts. Well, one is for seeing far off and the other is for seeing up close and I am supposed to be training my brain to see normally while they are in, I ask, is this possible? I wore them as directed for one week and went in for a quick check and the doctor replaced the one to see up close because it was too strong. Well, I must admit, I do see better with the new one, but still see pretty crummy. I guess I thought that when I went for corrective lenses, they would CORRECT my vision and not stress me out. Any suggestions from anyone?
2 people like this
5 responses
@bhappy2 (327)
• Australia
8 Jun 08
That sounds realy strange. I always thought that the biggest problem with contacts was that they could irritate you eyes or give you an infection. Obviously I was wrong. I thought if you needed glasses for distance and also needed them for reading that you were better off with glasses and you need bifocals. I also thought that contacts could not provide both short and long distance affectively.
I hope this hasnt confused you completely but glasses are much easier.
@ShadowBrook (71)
• United States
8 Jun 08
I thought it sounded really strange too! They told me the contacts weren't bifocals but my glasses have bifocals in them. I'm curious to see how I am supposed to get used to contacts and used to glasses also. I don't have any trouble getting the contacts in or out and they don't bother my eyes as far as drying out or irritation but I just can't see very well at all! I thank you for your response and will take your advice to heart as I anxiously await my glasses arrival!
@desertdarlene (8910)
• United States
8 Jun 08
When I used to wear contact lenses, I only needed them to see far away. Now, I need Torix, but I still need them mostly to see far away. So, I didn't have the problem that you are having. I don't know why your doctor needs to do Monovision on your eyes at your age, mostly it's done on people who need bifocals. Do you have a problem seeing close-up as well as far away? Otherwise, he should only be giving you lenses either close up or far away, but not both.
I wore contacts for 18 years until I started having problems with irritation in my eyes so bad that I couldn't wear them. I plan to wear them again someday, though.
@desertdarlene (8910)
• United States
8 Jun 08
Oh, I just read the above post, so I see you do need bifocals. So, I would say just keep working with your doctor. I hear they have bifocal contact lenses now, but they're extremely expensive.
@desertdarlene (8910)
• United States
9 Jun 08
You sound like you're having the same problem that my mom had with her glasses. She actually can see better without them. I was able to see almost perfectly when I first put my contacts on, but I only had simple myopia at the time. Your prescription sounds more complicated. If you can afford it or it's covered on your insurance, you should get whatever it takes so that you can see correctly without discomfort.
@ShadowBrook (71)
• United States
9 Jun 08
Thanks for your help! I supposedly see far away with one eye and up close with the other but need bifocals with my glasses according to the doctor. The only time I have trouble seeing up close and far away is when the contacts are in. In fact, I look forward to taking them out just to be able to see again. Am I just being too sensitive or could I have the wrong prescription or something? Is it normal to get new contacts and not be able to see for awhile? If so, when will I see? My sister-in-law told me today about the Torix you mentioned and she loves hers but I wonder if they are for me because of the bifocal situation? I can ask when I go for the check-up this week. And yes, I was told they make bifocal contacts but that they are very expensive but this has all been done on insurance and wonder if I should just try the bifocal contacts and then be able to see?
@lloydbelleza (1227)
• Philippines
12 Jun 08
I am using contacts now. And I find them better than eyeglasses. On corrective lenses, I wasnt advised to use corrective lenses. I was given the right grade for my eyes immediately. And I have no problem with them. But my eyes wont be back to the 20-20 vision unless I undergo a laser surgery which I plan to undergo when I get a job.
@ShadowBrook (71)
• United States
14 Jun 08
Not sure what you mean about corrective lenses, I thought all forms of glasses or contacts with any presription in them at all were considered corrective lenses. I went back to the doctor today and they changed my left contact again, this time to a bifocal. The right one stayed the same. When I walked in, I was seeing 20-40 but when I left, I was seeing 20-30 so I consider this progress! I also got my glasses today and they're okay but wouldn't want to wear them in public, you know, that vanity thing!
@egdcltd (12060)
•
8 Jun 08
I've tried contact lenses, but the prescription that works fine in my glasses doesn't work with contacts. Sometimes, you can need a different prescription than you would normally, and, unfortunately, with contacts the only way of determining what it is is by trial and error.
@ShadowBrook (71)
• United States
9 Jun 08
Thank you for responding! My husband and I were just discussing about my glasses and contacts being very different from each other and trying to decide which one to go with. Vanity tells me contacts while reality tells me glasses!
