Sick Boy's Diary (Contact Lenses in general)

Member Name: Sick Boy

Product:	Contact Lenses in general
Date:	16/08/01 (180 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: For the first time ever i can see without having an unsightly contraption strapped to my face

Disadvantages: Do i really know what I'm getting myself into?

Ever since I was a wee laddie I’ve been forced to parade around a pair of spectacles on my bonce, using only the power of the bridge of my nose coupled with a pair of slightly deformed ears. For 15 goddamn years, like a conjoined twin they have stuck to my face, never to be removed lest I be rendered blind to the world. Every morning I have had to fumble around my bedside and every night remove them once more, with the only time in which I can be free of their clutches being when I come in contact with water; showering, swimming, and washing. Perhaps this is why I do those three things so often. Or maybe its because I smell so bad.

Behold, the (female) knight in shining armour come to whisk me away from this evil optical instrument that has held me back all these years: the contact lens. She shimmers beautifully in the glorious sunlight and outstretches a soft tauric hand to me. But what is this? She seems to be drifting away, slowly out of reach! Why is she doing this? Why can’t I have my contact lenses now? Wait, the strange little optician man is talking to me. ‘What the **** do you mean I have to come back in a week?’

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Rather than this being my review of my contact lenses, or my opinion on contacts in general, I am writing about the rigmarole it takes to get a pair of the buggers. At present I am still in a speccy state, but am in the process of achieving my first pair of contact lenses. I hope to complete a diary of every event that takes place in getting my lenses, and if I can be bothered, updates as to how they change my short-sighted life. Please, if you feel the need to give this opinion a ‘not useful’ try it again in a week or so. It may have changed for the better.

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Friday 10th August 01

The decision has finally been made, as has the appointment with my usual optician, a small fi
rm in the centre of Sunderland. At the moment I know nothing about contact lenses, and even if I am eligible for a pair, what with my eyesight being significantly impaired due to my severely retarded eyes. Hopefully I will learn a lot more tomorrow.

Saturday 11th August 01

The appointment went brilliantly well. As it was with my usual optician, and I had only been in for a regular eye test a few months beforehand, there was no need for the usual ‘read the chart on the wall’ and ‘is it clearer with lens number 1, or number 2, number 1, number 2, 1, 2….’. However it was necessary for a few more tests; nothing too intrusive, no sticks or needles in the eye, merely ten or fifteen minutes in a reasonably comfortable chair with my head on a chin rest.

Due to my bong eyes, I was limited to three choices:
Hard regular lenses: these reached around £100, but I was told they weren’t quite as comfortable as the other two types, and have a habit of falling out. Great. Said to last anywhere from 2 to 3 years, although hard to predict exactly how long they would last.
Hard tauric lenses: reached around £200, yet are a lot more comfortable and would fit my eye a lot better, therefore less chance of falling out. Lifespan same as the regular hard lens. (Please correct me if I have mis-spelt ‘tauric’)
Soft tauric lenses: Monthly lenses, at around £20 per month, with the same quality of fitting as the hard tauric lens.

After all this, which took around half an hour, I decided to take another half an hour to go off and think long and hard about which, if any, I was to choose. But in all honesty, I had already made up my mind. I decided on the monthly lenses for a number of reasons. Firstly, if you lost or damaged a pair, you would have the option of merely moving on to next month’s pair, and wouldn’t have to fork out a large sum of money for a replacement pair. Secondly, I had b
een told that my eyes might still be changing, which would mean a whole new prescription and different lenses, something easily done with monthly lenses. Thirdly, it would keep my options open, and if I suddenly decided that hard lenses would be a good idea, I could easily divert to them.

I was told that they would be able to get a trial pair for me within the week, and that I would receive a phone call when this happens. I have no idea whether this ‘trial’ includes taking home a pair, but I won’t have too long to wait till I find out. I live in hope.

Thursday 16th August 01

After recieving a call to tell me the contact lenses are ready for a trial, I rang them back to make an appointment. Little did I know that i would either have to drag myself out of the house for ten o'clock next monday morning or wait till August 29th. Giving thought only to my dooyoo opinion, I decided to make the process as quick as possible and opted for the monday appointment, allowing me to get down all the facts in opinion as soon as possible. No need to thank me.

Summary: