Thats why you could try getting eyedrops. I may have to do the same
thing in order to keep contacts comfortable. However being "only" a
-4.5 my glasses arent thick and dont minify very much unlike your -12s.
If your thinking of lasik, it wouldnt be a good route to go. If any,
you should look into IOLs instead. Of course just sticking to glasses
is saftest.

Dom wrote:

- quote -

Thanks for the info. I replied to Mike upthread, but I'm starting to think
dry eye. Don't ya just love getting old?

Mike Tyner wrote:
- quote -

Yup, US. I called today. My doctor's out of the office until Friday, but
the receptionist said she'd have my glasses and contact Rx in my file for me
to pick up with my new glasses, whenever they get here. Just out of
curiosity, I asked what my glasses one was and it's -12 right and -13 left.
I know there's some astigmatism, but I didn't write that down.

- quote -

Well, the doctor always says my lenses look very clean, even after a year.
Since we've had some problems before with new contacts being "not quite
right" and having to be replaced (high power/more problems, he says), I
never thought having a new lens every week/month would be a good thing.
I've never lost one and the only tear is in that really old lens (and I
don't remember it being torn when I stashed it away, could be age). I don't
wear them overnight because I did that for a while and got some blood
vessels growing into my cornea (? vague memory). In general, they've been
so comfortable that I forget they're there. I'm starting to think my eye's
just getting dry. I sleep on my left side - maybe I crack that eyelid in my
sleep?

Beth Peace wrote:
- quote -

Since you purchased a new lens one year later and it felt the same, my
first thoughts would be that your eye has a problem. If I were your
optometrist I'd check for GPC (irritation underneath your eyelids) and
dry eye (very common in females a little older than you are!).

As Mike Tyner said, you really should be wearing dispoable lenses. We're
living in 2006 not 1979! If your optometrist hasn't even suggested them
to you he's not doing a good job in my opinion. I'd go a step further
and recommend the newer silicone hydrogel material (it's still a soft
contact lens) for much higher oxygen transmission. Two brands that go to
-12.00 (at least here in Autralia) are: Purevision (Bausch & Lomb) and
Acuvue Advance (Johnson & Johnson). Much, much better for your eyes.
However if it turns out that you have GPC then I wouldn't recommend the
Purevision after all (that's another story).

Dom

I also wished contacts were comfortable for me but of several brands
ive tried, all of them cause the same symptoms you describe. I will try
focus day and night but theres no way im sleeping in them, ill use them
as regular contacts, perhaps napping in them but no longer than nap and
remove them every night before I sleep. It takes less than 1 min to
remove them and im not THAT lazy I cant even take em out before hitting
the pillow! This is unusual you can function without reading glasses
over your contacts at 45! I am only 23 and although I can read without
reading glasses, its blurred like shown below:


http://img305.imageshack.us/img305/6...spaper27vx.jpg


The blur looks like that. When I had an eye exam they tested me at
20/50 near point with my glasses on. The lady did hold the chart pretty
close, like 10 inches. I dont have 4 diopters of accomodative
amplitude.


Perhaps your eyes are drier now that you are 45? have you tried refresh
eyedrops or something? I can see why you hate glasses, being a very
high myope they minify significently and are thick and heavy.

"Beth Peace" <beth.fuzzpeace[at]earthlink.net> wrote

- quote -

It sounds a little odd. Spectacle prescription release has been required by
the Federal Trade Commission for about 30 years, and since 2004 a contact
lens consumer law requires them to deliver you a copy of your contact lens
prescription at the end of a "reasonable fitting period." Assuming you're in
the US.

I prescribed "durable" contacts (replaced once or twice a year) for many
years after disposables became available. There may be some situations where
they are still appropriate but it's getting pretty rare. The primary reason
is that keratitis and corneal ulcers are far less common when lenses are
replaced once a month or more. A year's worth of "one-month" lenses might
cost around $150, so the economics no longer favors "one year" lenses. A
single pair might look cheaper, until you add in the average cost of
lost/torn replacements and emergency office visits.

Some people avoided disposables because they "are made for overnight wear."
That doesn't mean you have to sleep in them; it means they're safer. Others
avoid disposables because they're "more fragile." Some of them are, but many
of them aren't. And even so, you have replacements readily available and
you're less often "forced to wear" damaged lenses.

It's a delicate situation. If you call your doc and tell him some Joe from
the internet recommended you try a "steeper-fitting disposable" it's very
likely he'll find several objections.

IMO, you have the right to expect comfortable lenses, meaning you don't feel
them most of the time. There are some people who can't get there, but you
can't decide that based on one or two attempts.

-MT

Mike Tyner wrote:
- quote -

I've never had short term lenses. Ever. They've never been offered and I
never cared. But I only wore the 3 year old lens one day (and no, my doctor
didn't suggest it, I doubt he even knows I still have them). I just wanted
to see if I was misremembering the comfort. I wasn't.

- quote -

I'll call in the morning and see what can be done. From vague memory, one
eye is -15 or so, but my memory ain't what it used to be. I would like to
know my actual prescription, but for some reason the few times I've asked
for a hard copy, the office staff makes it seem like that's a very unusual
request. Maybe they don't want me to go elsewhere for glasses/contacts?

"Beth Peace" <beth.fuzzpeace[at]earthlink.net> wrote

- quote -

Most doctors feel "durable" contacts carry undesirable risks (*3* years
old???)

Many of the 2-week and 1-month lenses are now available (at standard prices)
up to -12.00 (Acuvue, lots of others), -15.00 (Focus Monthly), and -16.00
(Precision UV). The Gelflex EWII goes to -20.00.

Assuming your CL Rx is -12.00 or less, you might find the comfort pleasantly
surprising with an Acuvue2 8.3. Ask for a free trial pair.

If your optometrist says 3-year lenses are better, find another doctor.

- quote -

Most often I attribute your symptoms to a lens that fits "too flat." Flat
lenses move too much and often feel "dry," sometimes pop out and may be
difficult to insert.

-MT, OD

I've been wearing contacts for 15 years or so to correct pretty severe
myopia. I know I'm > -10 in each eye, probably more, but I don't have an
actual Rx. I'm 45 and should be presbyopic, but I'm still "a few clicks"
from needing reading glasses. I'm also a long time T2 diabetic with no
evidence of eye problems (I get a dilated eye exam from an optho yearly as
well as one from a my regular optometrist).

I've been going to this same optometrist for all 15 of those years, and have
been very happy with the contacts (and full correction) until the past 2
years. Now I think I'm going nuts.

The right contact lens has been bugging me. Last January I got a new pair.
The left lens was fine, the right seemed off center and frequently blurry.
I got that one swapped out and it was better, but still not really good.
This January I got another pair. Same thing. The right lens is just a
little off. Slightly blurred and often dry feeling. Yet some days it's
fine. I want to ask for a new lens, but the last 3 haven't been good, so
what are the chances it's the lens and not "me".

My optometrist says there's only one company that makes contacts for my Rx.
They used to be clear and now they have a light blue handling tint. I
swear, my 3 year old right lens with a slight tear is more comfortable than
any of these new ones!

Is there a chance that my lens is not the right size and not floating well
enough? Some days it really does seem normal, and I can see fine, but most
days I'm happiest to get out of the contacts and go back to my 10 year old
way out of date Coke bottle bottom glasses.