For contact lense wearers....

rjroubi

rjroubi

Cathlete
Recently, I've been having trouble seeing. I changed last year from my favorite Accuvue lenses (I hated and barely ever wore glasses) to Ciba Night & Day contact lenses (more expensive, thicker but supposedly gave more oxygen to your eyes). I wasn't real pleased with the change because I couldn't wear them for really long periods of time....they were annoying and I would change to my glasses more frequently (once a week instead of once every 3 months). I'll be darned...the reason I have been having trouble seeing is that my prescription has now changed for the better from a -4.25 to a -3.50. The eye doctor says my eyes are probably not swollen now from wearing the contact lenses for such long periods of time. (By the way, I am absolutely not interested in Lasik or otherwise....I know two people personally who had botched surgeries and are very sorry for ever doing it and contacts, honestly, do not bother me that much to take such a risk.) Has this happened to anyone else? Is vision improvement really odd?

Robin
 
Gosh, Robin, i've worn contacts for years and never heard of that! I have been wondering about eye exercises though, and if they can really improve vision.

Sparrow


___________________
www.scifichics.com
 
My vision improved once, and it has remained at that level for a few years. I just had mine checked again and the doc said my vision "should remain stable now" whatever that means. I'm 28 and about -2.5.

ANYWAY, I attributed my vision improvement (doc said nothing) to the fact I was out of work, home reading a lot, and not wearing my glasses much (I'm nearsighted).

I like the explanation you got. That sounds good. So did you get a new type of lenses?? I've been really happy with my Focus dailies. I also use Patanol eye drops- it's an antihistamine (so when my cats sleep on my face and their fur gets in my eyes, my eyes don't get red and irritated if I use it). I'm with you, no lasik for me! Contacts are always improving, anyway. I really can't recommend Patanol enough- it made a huge difference for me- I can wear the dalies about 6 hours/day longer than before.
 
I detached my retina 4 years ago and was blind in one eye for 7 months. By the time I figured out what was wrong (long story, pregnant, nursing another, working full time, etc....) I finally met a doctor who was able to fix my eye. For the first year I could not wear a correction because it was still healing. My prescription in that eye has dropped .25 in that contact for the last 3 years. Every year I have gained a line on the eye chart. My eye doc says it is very common for the eye to change. As we age (and I'm pretty sure I have this right, but it there is someone more medical than me, feel free to correct without repercussions) the vitreal wall (the wall on the back of your eye) begins to separate. That is why your vision may be better/worse as you get to the 40s. Mine separated violently and that is how my retina detached (or I got hit by my toddler!). Anyway - I just got another new contact script and it is lower once again!

Melissa

Keep you head in line. Your butt will follow.

http://www.picturetrail.com/pellmel
 
Melissa, you win the prize for Scariest Post I've Read Today. shudder. I'm glad you're doing well now!! ;)
 
Hi Robin,

How old are you? Vision , especially nearsightedness can actually improve, most often this occures as we get older, into 40's due to reading becoming more of an issue. Also, it is common to not be able to wear contacts for long periods of time, as we age. If the contacts are uncomfortable, and tend to dry out, try silicone hydrogel lenses. Acuvue Advance(Vistakon), Night & Day, and O2 Optix (Ciba) and Pure Vision (Bausch &Lomb). Sometimes, it is a trial and error, some brands work for some people, and not others. Maybe Night & Day's aren't as comfortable for you, try another brand.;(
Ann Marie
 
>How old are you? Vision , especially nearsightedness can
>actually improve, most often this occures as we get older,
>into 40's due to reading becoming more of an issue. Also, it
>is common to not be able to wear contacts for long periods of
>time, as we age. If the contacts are uncomfortable, and tend
>to dry out, try silicone hydrogel lenses. Acuvue
>Advance(Vistakon), Night & Day, and O2 Optix (Ciba) and Pure
>Vision (Bausch &Lomb). Sometimes, it is a trial and error,
>some brands work for some people, and not others. Maybe Night
>& Day's aren't as comfortable for you, try another brand.;(


Anne Marie,
I'll be 46 years old in March. Wow, the eye doctor had said the exact same thing (about the nearsighted improving with age). He had also mentioned possibly trying the O2 Optix as you had mentioned. What happens to people who have had their vision corrected and then it changes again as they age??? I wonder....

Robin

Robin
 
Robin,

They are coming out with all types of surgical corrections for vision. With the lasik, as your vision changes, some people may have to wear glasses. Mostly, this isn't too much of a problem because many people that have had the lasik are really nearsighted, and the glasses were heavy, and "coke bottles". Most natural changes aren't extremely dramatic, however, if underlying systemic issues are the problem, visual changes can be very dramatic!

Ann Marie
ps. I took a look at your photos, and all i can say is HOLY COW! you look AMAZING!
}( }( }(
 
Hi

I wear the night and day too but I take them out every night and they are fine. Are you taking them out every night...I couldn't get that from your post? If not, I would suggest treating them like other contacts and take them out each night.

Tina
 
I'm SO glad that I'm not the only one who's upset about Accuvue discontinuing those contacts! I've gone through 3 different kinds since my last pair of those, and STILL haven't liked one! Compared to my old ones (same brand and style for over 10 years), everything else feels like potato chips in my eyes!!!

MJ
 
I have had my vision improve since I've gotten older. I just turned 40 and the last time I went for an eye exam I was less nearsighted. My Dr. also told me that this was a common occurence as we get older.

I hope this helps :)
 
I have had to wear contacts for the past 5 years and almost every time I go in I have to get a lower prescription. Like Amy, my doctor said reading a lot may be why my eye sight continues to improve (and like Amy, I am in law school which means all I do is read.)

I wear Purevision lenses that you leave in for 30 days straight. I never have to take them out - it's fabulous. I almost forget they are there. So I guess everyone is a little different because my eyes never really get a chance to breathe. Although my lenses supposedly let in more oxygen than other kinds.

Jessica
 
>
>I wear the night and day too but I take them out every night
>and they are fine. Are you taking them out every night...I
>couldn't get that from your post? If not, I would suggest
>treating them like other contacts and take them out each
>night.

I wish I did take them out every night...but I love to fall asleep with the television sleep timer on (background noise is great). Although I do wear glasses more frequently now, they are definitely not as much fun to fall asleep in. (There is nothing worse then waking up with a great big dent in your face in the morning...Ouch.) I think I am going to try the Optix as Ann Marie mentioned or go back to the Ciba Night and Days (it is nice to know that my eyes are getting more oxygen even if they do feel a bit like "potato chips" in my eyes compared to the older ones ...I love that saying....because it is so true...LOL.) Secretly, I also feel like the Ciba Night & Days (aka the "potato chips") may have helped my vision improve because my eyes were no longer swollen from lack of oxygen and overuse. I would never dare to state it as a fact (although my eye doctor did mention it as another "possibility")....it is just a gut feeling.

Robin:9
 
Robin--
I used to work for an ophthamologist when I first got out of nursing school(20 years ago--yikes!). To explain this without all the mumbo jumbo, as we get older the "strands"(I'm keeping the eye anatomy out of this)that allow your eye to change while reading and then looking at a distance lose a portion of their ability to do so. It happens to everyone to some degree as it's part of the aging process(unfortunately). I've worn contacts since 1988 and love them even though I'm only a -0.50 which doesn't sound like much but they tested me with my eyes dilated and I truly am nearsighted enough that I get eyestrain without wearing them or my glasses. I use the Accuvue II lenses(I got changed from the Accuvue lenses because these allow more oxygen to the eye)and though you can leave them in overnite, I don't. I'm not sure I'm agreeing with your doc's explanation, though there is something to be said for wearing them for long periods of time(maybe you had them in too long??) before you take them out. I average about 12 hours a day, so I'm just wondering if they fitted you incorrectly(the measurement for the shape of your eye, not the prescription itself, or maybe both) for your contacts, which would make sense with the eye discomfort issues you're having. Contacts SHOULD NOT BE UNCOMFORTABLE, and the only time I take them out is when I'M getting tired--I can always tell when it's time to take them out.

I would try the Accuvue II lenses and think about asking around for advice on maybe changing docs(not that there's anything WRONG with the one that you've seen)optometrists do the contact lens fittings more than the ophthamologists, but if you get an ophthamologist that does fit contacts, even better.

FYI--If you still have the info from your Accuvue lenses take a look, not at the prescription, but there's another number that will tell you the "shape" of your eyeball, if it's different from lenses that are giving you so much trouble, you may want to get measured again, or ask them about trying the Accuvue II lenses out with the measurement from the Accuvue box. Contacts are WAY too expensive not to have ones that you don't use.

Hope this helps at least a little bit.

Mary:)
 
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