Contact lens advice

[Flowerpower70]

I want to try contact lenses. I have been told by several people, friends and some colleagues who said I look better without glasses as I have "nice eyes" that you can't see when wearing glasses. I have petite features so glasses are hard to find. I have never tried contact lenses and need advice. Can you get infections and are weekly or monthly better. I need them for distance. My friend said dailies rip easily but I don't want to go with monthly as you can get infections if not cleaned properly. I also tend to get watery eyes in the wind. Please does anyone have any recommendations or advice regarding contact lenses

Thanks. I feel hidden by glasses, I have a fringe as well so see glasses before me. I was late in life wearing them. I need them for distance. I don't drive, but wear glasses all day.

I will try them thanks 😊

Thanks for your advice, very kind of you.

Thanks so much for your advice and help. I really appreciate your time and help. I will try and let you all know how I get on.

I wear dailies, over 30 years now, one toric and one just distance. I recommend the silicone ones. Game changer in terms of comfort.

Thanks so much, I have blurred distance vision. -2.75 I was late wearing glasses, my eyes have worsened with age. I don't drive. I wish I took after my dad's side of family none of my relatives on my dad's side wear glasses. I don't like wearing glasses, but now I can't even read teletext without them. I was told by a friend that I look better without them which hurt a bit. I have smiley eyes so they show the lines more, around my eyes.

In 15 years I don't think I've ever ripped a daily.

How would you know if they don't fit properly? Would they hurt? Bit worrying..

I have dailies. They never rip and I have a subscription through vision express. Mid range so about £28 a month.

I hate wearing glasses as the rims (even rimless) get in the way and feel like I can't see properly. However, it may help you to know that I also hate wearing contacts because I can't actually see that they help as much, they make my eyes dreamy as I feel them on there and not in a good way. Like im squinting or tired. Some times I struggle to take them out and some days basically every day i forget to put them in until after my make up is in and I can't risk messing it up with excess water running down my face.

Fuck these people who say you look better without glasses. Do what you want.

I have used daily disposable for years. No cleaning or storing and have ever had one rip. I wouldn't have any other type now.

I've worn continuous wear for... as long as they existed (no idea how long that actually is!)? At least fifteen years?

Never - touch wood! - had any issues with them. They've recently changed the rules where you can only wear them for a week at a time, but even when I forget about that (as I said, Ive worn them for years and I'm used to forgetting about them!) I've not had a problem

40 years ago when I got my lenses, they were a faff, clean them, disinfectant them and neutralise them. But changing to daily disposables was life changing.

As others have said, go to your normal optician. They should let you have 5 days of trail contacts and you can even keep trying different makes to find the most comfortable ones.

I’ve never had an infection and only time they were too uncomfortable were when I managed to sleep in a pair and the next morning put another pair it (in my defence I had just given birth).

You shouldn’t feel any pain from them. They may be slightly uncomfortable or feel like you have an eye lash in your eye for 5 minutes but it shouldn’t last.

I only wear mine for distance as well.

Dailies are great. I've never had one rip, just be careful when taking out the packet. They're good as there's no messing around with cleaning etc. make sure your hands are clean when you put in/out and you'll be fine.

I recommend continuous wear lenses. You can take them out whenever you like (or not), but they're much hardier and more comfortable. They're slightly thicker, but they get significantly less dry. It's not really the lenses that get uncomfortable, but your eyes becoming dry.

For putting them in, I'm sure they'll show you but I like to dry my finger on a clean bit of skin (like my knee or my arm), which stops any tiny fibres transferring onto your skin. Then pop the lens on my dry finger, put a little dot of solution in the lens, and then look up as I pop it on the bottom of my eyeball, while holding my eye open slightly. The moisture then suctions it on. Then I roll my eye around a bit to settle it and then blink a few times. Be careful not to blink too soon because you can blink them out.

It sounds complicated but it's a doddle most of the time. Again, it's easier with thicker lenses as dailies can be a bit flappy.

@DancingFerret I'm not being "rude", just telling you what my optician told me. She said she has very few clients still using GP lenses, and they are nearly all 50-plus, and had all been using them for many years. I don't doubt they are still prescribed, just not so often as in the past. It even says in the article that you link to that their usage has declined!

I myself stopped wearing GP lenses after my eyes stopped tolerating them.

If you wouldn't mind please sharing what brand of contact lens you use for astigmatism? Thank you so much. I use Toric daily disposables for astigmatism and I find after a few hours my neck and back get so tired with them, I have to take them out. I'd love to find a brand of contact lens that I could wear all day.

35 + years contact lenses wearer here. I’ve had dailies for about 10 years, they are FAbULOUS ☺️

Like other posters I’ve worked through all the different types as the technology has evolved. The no-hassle and comfort of dailies is ideal. I have astigmatism so have torics and they are so easy.

go for it!

@Summer19 I have these.

I get mine from feelgoodcontacts

Book an appointment with your optician and they'll will be able to advise you after doing the checks to make sure they are suitable for you.

Personally i use dailies as they are best for me and have never had any issues with them as long as you are cleaning your hands before you put them in and before you take them out you should avoid any infections. Ive never had an infection from wearing them in over 10 years.

Bonus for me is that Contacts make it easier when visiting theme parks as you can see all day and not have to keep taking glasses on and off and worrying about losing them 😅

Thank you so much. I think I have tried these but might try them again, much appreciated.

Talk to your optician ☺️ DS had them for just for sport when he was 11, struggled initially with his as he got anxious putting them in…but then it “clicked” and he adores them! Been a full time wearer ever since 😀

@Summer19 there are some “posher” ones than mine now (DH has them) in same range. Might be wort h a go, I think they are more “wet” somehow

My optician also told me they hardly ever prescribe RGPs now and that it is mainly people who've been wearing them for decades. Not Specsavers, small local chain. Nothing on earth would make me go back to them now, less comfortable, agony when they get dust behind them which happens far more than with soft lenses, dry out badly if you fall asleep even for a very short nap eg on a journey. The biggest problem for me was that they alter the shape of the cornea so if I got glasses prescribed straight after taking them out then the glasses were no use in the morning when the corneas had reverted to normal. If I got the glasses prescribed in the morning they were no use if I needed to wear them straight after taking the lenses out.

My left eye is wonky, so my monthly continuous wear lenses are toric. I've put my prescription on the pics, if it helps?

You won’t - we’ll look at them on your eye (with a special microscope) and see.