Daily Contact Lenses

[Captain]

So, my optometrist tells me that if I leave my Daily Contact Lenses in for multiple days it's bad for my eyes. He says that daily lenses don't allow enough oxygen to the surface of the eye ball and need to removed daily.

I'd agree except this conveniently requires me to buy a ton more product from him....so I'm thinking maybe he's biased in his assessment.

Anybody here know anything about it? I'd like to save some money but don't really want to go blind doing it.

 

[iflyforfun]

I remove my daily wear contacts every night but only pitch them every 3-4 days and haven't had any problems. No reason to leave them in over night as it is a bit rough on your eyes. Also no reason to throw them away every day.

 

[Fredbob711]

My optometrist gave me the option of daily contacts or sticking with my month long ones. I stuck with the month long ones, but I imagine most of the same issues can come from either.

1. The oxygen thing is a real problem. A friend of mine in high school had to go a month without wearing contacts because he had been wearing his contacts 24/7. Eventually the blood vessels in his eyes rose to the surface because they couldn't get enough oxygen through his contacts. I've had a minor case of that in one eye because I typically have my contacts in for about 16 hours a day. I don't know what the long-term issues from that can be, but I'd trust the optometrist on it.

2. The issue with keeping contacts for longer than they're listed has to do with mineral build-up and bacterial build up. The mineral build up I believe can cause scratches on your eye if they get bad enough. The bacterial build up can cause infections in your eye if you're not careful. I don't know how much of a problem this would be on dailies.

Having said that, I've had month-long contacts in the past that I've worn for 6+ months and had no issues with it. However, realizing my eyesight is kind of important to me in the long run and my optometrist went to school to learn about eyes (and I sure as heck didn't)... I'm doing my best to listen to her advice. Is it more expensive because I can't go 3 years between eye doctor appointments? Yes. But I'd rather be safe than sorry with my eyes.

 

[Van Johnston]

I'd agree except this conveniently requires me to buy a ton more product from him....so I'm thinking maybe he's biased in his assessment.

Says who? Should be able to get your prescription and go to Wal-Mart, Sam's, Target, Costco, 1800-contacts, et al and buy them direct.

 

[oregonboy109]

I like the monthly kind but taking them out and cleaning them every night is important with all lenses. And they can last longer than a month if you're in a pinch.

 

[N64543]

Get fit with lenses designed for the wearing schedule you are comfortable with. Overwear eventually causes problems. Treat people on a regular basis that abuse wearing schedule.

 

[Silvaire]

The dailies are cheap and comfortable. The biggest advantage is being able to just pull them out and toss them at the end of the day without ever fussing with cleaning and storing. Leaving them in overnight sometimes causes a problem where one migrates and rolls up or down under the lid and can be a real PITA trying to find it and get it out.

 

[Art VanDelay]

Yes "captain" once again you have miraculously encountered an individual that knows more about a subject than do you. It's hard for you to believe I'm sure.

 

[N64543]

Wearing lenses overnight is the worse thing you can do to your eyes. Most corneal ulcers I see are caused by overnight wear.

 

[Captain]

Yes "captain" once again you have miraculously encountered an individual that knows more about a subject than do you. It's hard for you to believe I'm sure.

My asking for knowledge being a certain tell of me knowing it all...idiot.

 

[Captain]

And to the rest of you all...


Thanks, really.

 

[weilke]

Wearing lenses overnight is the worse thing you can do to your eyes. Most corneal ulcers I see are caused by overnight wear.

Get extended wear lenses, keep them in weeks at a time and by all means, sleep in them (ideally while drunk). Cornea surgeons have to eat too. And what else is the eye bank going to do with all those donated corneas ?

 

[BillTIZ]

Says who? Should be able to get your prescription and go to Wal-Mart, Sam's, Target, Costco, 1800-contacts, et al and buy them direct.

Exactly.
I used daily wear for years. Took them out every night into the cleaning solution overnight and wore the same pair for a week. The cost was no more than a pair of glasses.

 

[Captain]

Exactly.
I used daily wear for years. Took them out every night into the cleaning solution overnight and wore the same pair for a week. The cost was no more than a pair of glasses.

Interesting, that seems like the thing for me being cheap and all...

I didn't know you could do that with daily wear. Thanks

 

[wsuffa]

Interesting, that seems like the thing for me being cheap and all...

I didn't know you could do that with daily wear. Thanks

Depends on the kind of daily wear. Some are daily wear, daily replacement.... and some are daily wear, longer replacement. And most docs will recommend that extended wear lenses be taken out daily and cleaned overnight. YMMV.

I gave up contacts as they became uncomfortable to wear as I got older and presbyopia set in. Progressives now....

 

[Everskyward]

And most docs will recommend that extended wear lenses be taken out daily and cleaned overnight. YMMV.

This is what my doc recommends and what I do.

I gave up contacts as they became uncomfortable to wear as I got older and presbyopia set in. Progressives now....

I have tried progressives, and I can pass the medical with them, but I feel as though I see better with contacts. I do need cheaters for reading, though.

 

[Bob Noel]

fwiw - Under the care of my optometrist, I've been wearing disposable contacts for many years. Frankly, I don't remember when I switched to disposables, probably more than 15 years ago.

I wear them for a month (cleaning them once a week, more often if they are uncomfortable) and then toss them.

I also go to my optometrist for an exam every 6 months.

Having said all that, if my optometrist told me that I need to change the pattern, then I would.

 

[BillTIZ]

I gave up contacts as they became uncomfortable to wear as I got older and presbyopia set in. Progressives now....

I tried bifocal contacts for a year. Never really liked them. Felt like I was missing part of the picture. A few years ago the report was you would loose about 10% in distance and close up. I just went to progressives and no more contacts.

Wore contacts for almost 20yrs. And 10 of that was with military flying. Just had to keep a pair of glasses in my flight suit pocket. That was before I needed the bifocals.

 

[ChrisK]

I find this convo interesting. Due to keratoconus and a subsequent cornea transplant followed by a procedure to reduce astigmatism last year, I really don't get the best vision from glasses. I'm scheduled for a contact lens fitting next week, and despite the fact that I MUCH prefer glasses, I'm going to switch back.

I hear people complain about soft lens care, but I have to say at least you guys don't have to wear rigid lenses.

One of the exciting things I found with my last visit was the invention of "hybrid lenses", that are a soft lens with an RGP core. These are cared for like a soft lens but offer the enhanced vision correction of a rigid lens, and are WILDLY more comfortable. I understand that they come in progressives as well. I know that my issues aren't the same as some other folks, but I was able to nail 20/20 easily with the lenses, and I'm 42.