EYE TO EYE CONTACT (Contact Lenses in general)

Member Name: jingles

Product:	Contact Lenses in general
Date:	20/08/01 (858 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Vanitey - no more specs, The new formatts available are much more convenient

Disadvantages: Can prove tricky when inserting/removing, Some may find it squemish

I have had rapidly deteriorating eyesight since the age of 15. I can remember sitting in my GCSE maths class, squinting at the black-board, it was then l realised that l needed to go to see an optician. So off l went to Curtis Opticians, Carlisle Road, Londonderry, where l was told l was short sighted with a slight astigmatism in my right eye. So there l left with my Deirdre Barlow style frames in a subtle apple green and navy blue – SEXY!

I wore my specs right through until very recently. When l graduated in 1996, mum said she’d get me contacts as a present. Why choose such a pressy? Well generally l didn’t wear my specs out at night (-vanity is an awful thing!) and evening my friends and l were at a night club (Burberrys in Portrush, Co Antrim to be precise!), and in my state of blurred vision l could not see a thing (NO l was not drunk!). Apparently, l was 100 feet from my friends but l could not see them – although they could see me, and l was starting to get distressed thinking they had gone off and left me. Eventually, someone had to wolf whistle to me like you would call a pet, to attract my attention! After that debacle, l decided it was not worth not being able to see!!

I went to Specsavers, Ferryquay Street, Londonderry and had my contact consultation. I was told that because of my astigmatism in my right eye l would require special lenses. I needed a lens that made my right eye work; therefore l did not at this point qualify to wear the daily or monthly disposable.

I tried the gas permeable lens on and my optician requested me go for a walk about outside to see if l liked them or not. After almost getting run over at a pedestrian crossing l realised that these were not for me!

I was finally fitted with soft lenses, with a soft toric lens in my right eye. My dad paid for these and (l think) they cost £100, inclusive of all required solutions and lens care packages.

I tended to wear t
hese lenses only at night and only when l could be bothered to fiddle with my eyes. Needless to say that they eventually got forgotten about, and when l lost a lens l did not bother getting it replaced. I continued on being a spectacle wearer.

At the beginning of 2001, l decided l would give contacts another go. So off to Specsavers l headed again, for my consultation. I inquired if l would need a specialised toric lens in my right eye, but things had improved and my optician suggested we go for the monthly disposable. This was quite a result as far as l was concerned! The toric lens was required to be fitted/inserted in to your eye in a specific way and so could take a lot of tricky manoeuvring to get right.

For the princely sum of £12.99 a month l would receive a new set of lens each month. This l pay by direct debit mandate – basically for convenience sake. I am now also on their service know as lens mail, which means l do not have to go to the shop to collect my supplies, rather postie delivers straight to my front door. This was at no extra cost.

Specsavers offer in their “EasyVision” range a variety of lenses’ to suit each individual:

* ALL DAY * [This is what l wear]

These are comfortable daily wear lenses, which are cleaned after use daily with a simple one step solution. I pay £12.99 per month for these. You dispose of the lenses after wearing for a month and begin with a new pair.

* ONE DAY *

These are the daily disposable lenses – no cleaning is required you simply throw the old pair away after usage. The costs can vary with 30 pairs starting from £40. You should note that Specsavers will charge new customers/wears an initial one off £25 consultation fee – be warned!

* ALL DAY/ALL NIGHT *

You can wear these lenses 24/7 for an entire month without ever having to remove them. There’s no fiddling in and out of your eyes or no cl
eaning required. These cost from £33 a pair.

Many people feel the couldn’t wear lenses as they could not touch or fiddle with their eyes. In my case this was not a problem, although it did take a while to become used to wearing and inserting the lenses. The staff at Specsavers were excellent though, l was not allowed to leave the shop until l could insert and remove the lenses satisfactorily. I now have become so used to them l do not need to have a mirror to take them in or out.

Cleaning my new lenses is now easy – simply use a one step solution and store them in it overnight so, as they do not dry out. Previously, l had to follow numerous processes – cleaning and monthly protein removal – it really was a torture.

There are 3 forms of lenses available:

 SOFT LENSES

These are flexible and porous. As they absorb your tears it means they are soft and pliable. They tend to be more comfortable and so can be worn longer.

 HARD LENSES

These are rarely used today. Made from an optical perspex and so are not porous to oxygen. They are usually much less comfortable that soft lenses.

 GAS PERMEABLE LENSES

These are rigid lenses, similar to hard lenses except they do absorb oxygen. It can take up to 4 weeks for the wearer to become accustomed to wearing them.

People often ask me can you not feel the lenses in your eyes? The answer is yes and no really. When l first put them in, l am aware that they are there but l soon forget about it. I would say that if in pubs/clubs l tend to notice them more as the smoky atmosphere irritates my eyes. Also, if l have been wearing my lenses for a long period my eyes tend to dry out (l think due to lack of oxygen) and so become irritating. So, if anyone out there knows of any available eye drop solution, suitable for soft lens contact wearers, l appreciate hearing from you!

Please ignore
the myths surrounding contact lens wearing too – for example lenses cannot get lost in your eyes, they may move around, but are easily replaced.

Contact lenses are great, but my specs are always in my bag. After the initial consultation, your optician will suggest the best form for you. There are some downsides, but overall my experience has been fine. I found Specsavers to be an excellent optician and their customer service and after care skills excellent. At present l am having no problems with the All Day Easy Vision Contact lenses and for anyone thinking about wearing these lenses l would recommend them thoroughly, but always consult your optician first.

Heather

Summary: