Pros & Cons of Contact Lenses: Convenient, Cost Effective, Crystal-Clear Vision At Your Fingertips
Jul 06 '03
The Bottom Line .
Choosing a brand of contact lenses is a tough call when you look at all the options, styles, manufacturers and package deals that are offered. Before you make the decision to switch from glasses to contacts there are some extremely important things to know. Your optometrist will be able to help you make a sound decision on whether or not lenses would be better than glasses, but you are the one that is going to have to maintain, clean, disinfect and replace them so make yourself aware of the pros and cons of contact lenses before you invest a lot of time and money into them.
What Exactly Is A Contact Lens?
There are several different ways that contact lenses are made but the most common is referred to as spin cast technology. This is where a liquid monomer is injected into a mold [button sized] and it’s rotated at a fast rate of speed to create the individual lens based on the strength or power, diameter and base curve. The spin cast method allows for a better end product but is slower than the lathe method that takes a preformed disc, trims off the excess plastic and creates the various strengths, sizes and base curves. I’ve used both and in all honesty, where disposable lenses are concerned, it’s hard to tell the difference. Now, for extended or non-disposable lenses, it’s always better to go with the spin cast version so your lenses will last and not warp or stretch.
Disposable Vs. Daily Wear
If you suffer from calcium deposits or wear a lot of eye make up then the disposable lenses are the best option. They are offered in daily, weekly or two week types that allow you to toss them out and open a fresh pack. The daily disposable ones are great for those that only wear lenses once or twice a month, weekly ones are more suited for those that wear them on a daily or almost daily basis. These range in price depending on the manufacturer and the number of lenses you purchase but always be sure to ask your optometrist for samples so you can see which ones you like the best. And don’t listen to them if they say they don’t have samples – every single optometrist I have ever been to has had samples and were always more than happy to let me try new brands or tints.
Daily wear lenses shouldn’t be confused with the daily disposables. Daily wear lenses are to be worn during the day, taken out, disinfected with a solution and cleaned on a regular basis with an enzyme tablet or with a heat method. The heat method is usually only for those people that have bad calcium build ups but can’t wear standard disposable lenses. The first pair of lenses that I had were daily wear and I always lived in fear that I’d lose one. These need to be replaced about once a year if you wear them every day and cost a bit more than the disposable ones. Once I started on the disposable ones, I never even thought about going back to the daily wear ones.
Cleaning
Even disposable lenses need to be cleaned, that’s something that I can’t stress enough. If you were eyeliner, wear your lenses for extended periods of time, work with computers or work in a dirt or dust filled environment it’s better to invest in a bottle of all purpose disinfectant and storage solution for your lenses than to have to deal with scratchy eyes or build up on the lenses. One of the most popular brands on the market is the Bausch & Lomb ReNu cleaning system. Everything you need is in one bottle and you can even use it for breaking down the enzyme tablets. A large bottle is about $5.00 and should last you at least two months. There are other brands on the market but I prefer ReNu because they always have coupons [sign up for their newsletter], you only need one bottle and I’ve never had a reaction to it.
Always handle your lenses with clean hands that are lint free. Even the tiniest piece of lint or fiber will feel like sandpaper if it makes contact with your eye or is on the lens when you insert it. This goes double if you use a scented hand soap or wear perfume – it’s important to rinse your hands well before handling you lenses so that none of the residual scent or soap gets transferred to the lens. Hairspray is another killer – getting it in your eye is bad enough but when you get it on your contact lens – chances are it will be ruined. Eyeliner and mascara will build up on the surface of the lens over time and will make wearing them almost unbearable. Daily cleaning and weekly enzyme soakings will help to extend the life of your lens – even if you wear disposables. That isn’t something that most people what to hear in regards to disposable lenses – that you have to [or should] clean them since that’s the whole purpose of the lens – carefree and low maintenance. I’m not saying that you should wear your lenses longer than recommended – but with a little bit of cleaning you can have lenses that feel as soft and comfortable as the first day you wore them.
Common Issues
Eye infections are something that need to be treated by a doctor an dif you happen to get one, please mention that you wear contact lenses. More than likely your doctor will tell you to not wear that particular pair of lenses again even if you have enzymed or disinfected them. Wearing the same pair of contact, even if they have been cleaned, could lead to getting the same infection again. It’s better to get a new pair or crack open a new set than to risk getting the same infection again or have it come back worse. If you are a “contact only” person and don’t have glasses, you can check with your optometrist to see if they have daily disposables in stock, this way you can wear a new clean pair each day and not have to worry about contaminating them. Some optometrists will recommend that you not wear any lenses and, depending on the severity of the infection and how long the doctor anticipates you’ll be off your lenses, you may need to get fitted for a pair of glasses. Since my vision is pretty bad, I need to have both contacts and glasses on hand in case something happens and I need to switch from one vision aid to another.
Getting dry eyes is something that can happen to anyone, but if you are a contact lens wearer, it can be a painful and miserable event. Eye drops or rewetting solutions are available at most retail stores that carry contact lens items and are well wroth the investment. These shouldn’t be confused with eye drops or cleaning solutions, completely different products. There are some eye drops [for non lens wearers] that could do more harm than good if used by someone that has lenses in, instead of helping to rewet the lenses and remove any dirt or dust that may be irritating the eye and lens, it could end up moving the foreign object around and having it scratch the lens. Common sense should tell you that if you have any major irritation that you should take out the lens and inspect it for calcium deposits, dirt, eye lashes or other debris instead of rubbing your eyes and making a bad situation worse.
Allergic reactions are something that can happen to anyone, at any time regardless of how long you have used a product. If you notice any swelling or puffiness around your eyes shortly after you insert your lenses you might want to take them out, see if there is anything on the lens and try again. If you do have something on the lens chances are you will feel it shortly after you insert the lens. If your eyes start to swell and you have tried cleaning them with no luck, remove them and contact your optometrist about the situation and try to schedule an appointment. If you are still having the swelling after removing the lenses you can flush them with saline solution however I’d suggest trying something like cool water since you could very well be having a reaction to the saline solution. In any event, you should contact your eye care provider and let them know about the event so they can make a note in your file in case another situation arises in the future.
Can I Wear Contact Lenses?
That’s a personal choice and something that you and your eye care practitioner should discuss. Some people have trouble inserting the lens at first, others may have allergic reactions to the lens or cleaning / storage solution. My oldest son started asking for contacts a few weeks ago and while I feel that he is mature enough to wear them instead of glasses, I am still a bit hesitant about him wearing them. I’d rather see him wait until he’s a bit older and his prescription evens out before he starts in with the contacts. If you’ve worn glasses for several years and hate them, contacts could be an option for you. Depending on your prescription strength and any other vision issues you may have, contacts could be a great way to get rid of glasses without having to have Lasix surgery.
Another thing to consider is how often your prescription has changed over the past few years. Mine has been מ.00 in both eyes for over ten years so I am pretty lucky that I can get away with buying one box of lenses at a time instead of two – definitely great for when I want to try out a new brand or style of lens. I’ve been a faithful fan of Bausch & Lomb SeeQuence and Acuvue Lenses and have had god luck with them so far. As I said, my prescription hasn’t changed in over ten years so all I have to do I log on to a website, type in my strength and base curve and see what’s available. If you are a person that has frequent changes in your prescription, investing in disposable lenses could be a good choice and an alternative to getting a new pair of glasses every year or so.
The Bottom Line
Choosing contact lenses isn’t easy and should only be done with the consultation of a qualified eye care professional. Once you have your prescription you can purchase your lenses anywhere you wish, but you should always read up on the manufacturer and ask your optometrist which brands would be best for you to start out with. Be sure to get a few trial pairs to try out to see if lenses are an alternative for you and give them an honest try. Some people need a few days to adjust to them, others a little longer. There is a little bit of responsibility that comes with being a contact lens wearer so don’t go into it thinking that it’s a piece of cake. They are easier to deal with than glasses but do require a little bit of work as well.
As always, thanks for the read!
^V^ Freak ^V^
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