Hard (gas permeable) vs. soft contact lenses?

Jim_R

Jim_R

Pattern Altitude
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Messages
1,848
Display Name
Display name:
Jim
I've been wearing corrective lenses since 2nd grade--glasses, then soft contacts from high school until now (middle-age). I have pretty bad astigmatism...I've always been on the hairy edge of what soft contacts can correct, and often have only been able to use one or two manufacturers because "no one makes your prescription".

As my vision has worsened through the years, the contact manufacturers have increased their offerings so that I've always been able to find a good fit.

But the last two years, I've been unable to get a good set of contacts. My astigmatism has grown so bad that even a very slight (5-10 deg) drift of the lens on my eye will noticeably compromise my vision.

My ophthalmologist has told me in the past that if I ever want to give up on the soft lenses, he is confident he can put me in gas permeable (hard) contacts and solve my vision problem.

I'm wondering if it's time for me to give that a shot.

Anyone here wear hard contacts? Anyone ever transition from soft to hard?

I *really* want good vision. I want to think that I could handle any temporary discomfort during the "getting used to it" period.

Anyone here wear gas permeable lenses? What's it like wearing them on a daily basis? Can you wear them all day long comfortably, once you're used to them? I normally put my soft lenses in ~7am and take them out 9-11pm...could I wear hard lenses that long?

How long did it take you to get used to them when you first started wearing them?

What other questions should I be asking or concerns should I have?
 
Last edited:
I've been there! Hard lenses are tough to adapt to. I not only have a high degree of astigmatism but have a condition known as keratoconus. My ophthalmologist has a super contact lens guy who fitted me with a hybrid lens. It's a hard gas permeable surrounded by a soft skirt. With the lenses, I enjoy 20/20 vision in both eyes. So much more comfortable than hard lenses, yet not quite the comfort of soft lenses.

The key is finding the right contact lens specialist.

Oh, and just be prepared for the cost... $900 for (2 pairs). Each pair will last approximately 6 months. I could go for a cheaper option, but then I need to see the runway.:yes:
 
I used to wear the gas permeable hard lenses - they take a few days to get used to, but then you can wear them all day. The only problem is if you get grit or dust in the eye - that is real annoying.
 
I wear a combo lens that is soft on the perimeter and hard in the center. I too have a very bad astigmatism issue. These have worked well for me for the past two years.
 
Thanks for the replies.

Interesting to hear a couple of folks have the hybrid soft/hard combo lenses...in the little bit of digging I've done, I got the impression those were newish/rareish, but maybe not. That seems like a pretty good idea, to me.

Is anyone wearing bifocal or progressive gas permeables? I got my first pair of progressive glasses this year, and I'm wondering if that's also something I should consider for my contacts.
 
I wear hard contacts when I need to do something physical, but I wear glasses 99% of the time.
 
I wore glasses for years. When the AF approved contacts I flew with them for 15yrs. (soft lense) I had to be able to go from contact to glasses with no detriment to vision and always had to carry glasses in my pocket while flying in AF jets. No such requirement in the civilian world.

As I aged and need reader cheaters, I tried the bifocal soft lense contacts. Worked for a couple of years but then I felt I was missing things at great distance or distant "targets" we're double images. I was no longer active duty AF, but I passed the civil requirements.

About 3 years ago I gave up the contacts and just fly with my lifeless bifocal glasses. I don't miss the contacts.

Yes AF approved LASIK, but I never really felt I needed to have it done. Some day I'll need cataract lenses which I'll do for distance and carry the readers.

Edit: when I started the bifocal contacts, my eye care provider told me I could expect about a 10% loss at both distance and near. Bifocal contact technology was not perfect.
 
Last edited:
I tired hard contact lenses. I really did. I wore those awful things for a couple months before I wised up and got a pair of glasses. I'd rather be blind then wear those Odin-awful things.
 
It's been awhile since I wore gas permeable (and non-permeable) lens. Generally speaking, they won't be as comfortable or long wearing but you can get better performance with a bad 'stigmatism.

Since you are old enough to want bifocals and such I would say 2 things after a lifetime of corrective lenses:
  1. For best distance performance, get non-bifocal lenses and use reading glasses when needed
  2. Older eyes are less tolerant of exotic hardware and software. A 20-some can do a lot more than a 50-some.
Best of Luck!
Bill "I wear glasses when flying" Watson
 
I've been wearing hard contacts for nearly fifty years. No problems with all day wear.

Paul
 
steingar said:
Paul Hamilton said:
I've been wearing hard contacts for nearly fifty years. No problems with all day wear.

Paul
Click to expand...

We have two names for people like you. The polite one is Masochist. The I'm polite one is unsuitable for this application.
Click to expand...

Hah! I really value good vision, and while I can and do wear glasses (have always done so at night, of course, and all day for the last year while I was unable to find soft lenses to satisfy me), I really prefer the full field of view and uncompromised peripheral vision of contacts.

I figure this will be a grand experiment. Hopefully, I end up like Paul, and steingar can call me names, too.
 
Bad astigmatism here too plus 20/700-or worse-vision.

I wore hard and then gas-perm lenses from age 12 to age 40. Once I turned 40 my opthomologist suggested I get away from contacts and go to glasses. "Your eyes don't make nearly as much moisture as they did when you were twenty and you're doing damage to your eyes every day you wear contacts once you reach middle age."

I heeded his advise and went to glasses.

8 years later (and six years ago) I had lasik done, best thing I ever did.

I still wear glasses, mostly for the "safety" aspect (I'm always cutting, grinding, welding, etc.) and also for the readers. But I can easily function without them since I now have 20/20 R & 20/40 L. I hadn't been able to say/do that since I've been 14 or so.
 
Last edited:
timwinters said:
Bad astigmatism here too plus 20/700-or worse-vision.

I wore hard and then gas-perm lenses from age 12 to age 40. Once I turned 40 my opthomologist suggested I get away from contacts and go to glasses. "Your eyes don't make nearly as much moisture as they did when you were twenty and you're doing damage to your eyes every day you wear contacts once you reach middle age."

I heeded his advise and went to glasses.

8 years later (and six years ago) I had lasik done, best thing I ever did.

I still wear glasses, mostly for the "safety" aspect (I'm always cutting, grinding, welding, etc.) and also for the readers. But I can easily function without them since I now have 20/20 R & 20/40 L. I hadn't been able to say/do that since I've been 14 or so.
Click to expand...
I wore hard/gas permeable lenses from age 24 to 75 (changing to gas permeable when they became available). But in all this conversation I have not heard anyone mention 'monocular vision' (one near vision, one distant). They were a Godsend. I quit the contacts altogether, when I had cataract surgery with corrective implants. Now it seems I need some correction again, and plan to ask at my next appointment, if I would
be a candidate again for monocular gas permeable. (I am 91).
 

"An applicant will be considered monocular when there is only one eye or when the best corrected distant visual acuity in the poorer eye is no better than 20/200. An individual with one eye, or effective visual acuity equivalent to monocular, may be considered for medical certification, any class, through the special issuance section of part 67 (14 CFR 67.401)."
 
Hah! Imagine my surprise to click on this re-awakened topic to find that I was the OP! :biggrin:

FWIW, I did switch to hard lenses with some success for a few years, but as my eyes continued to decline it became harder and harder to achieve satisfactory vision correction with contacts. Every year it took 3+ trial pairs, with the typical 1-2 weeks between appts, etc. To my doc's credit, he was willing to go through as many trial pairs as necessary to make me happy, but I was the one who eventually got tired of the hassle and gave up on the contacts. For several years now I've just been wearing my specs with progressive lenses.
 
Jim_R said:
I've been wearing corrective lenses since 2nd grade--glasses, then soft contacts from high school until now (middle-age). I have pretty bad astigmatism...I've always been on the hairy edge of what soft contacts can correct, and often have only been able to use one or two manufacturers because "no one makes your prescription".

As my vision has worsened through the years, the contact manufacturers have increased their offerings so that I've always been able to find a good fit.

But the last two years, I've been unable to get a good set of contacts. My astigmatism has grown so bad that even a very slight (5-10 deg) drift of the lens on my eye will noticeably compromise my vision.

My ophthalmologist has told me in the past that if I ever want to give up on the soft lenses, he is confident he can put me in gas permeable (hard) contacts and solve my vision problem.

I'm wondering if it's time for me to give that a shot.

Anyone here wear hard contacts? Anyone ever transition from soft to hard?

I *really* want good vision. I want to think that I could handle any temporary discomfort during the "getting used to it" period.

Anyone here wear gas permeable lenses? What's it like wearing them on a daily basis? Can you wear them all day long comfortably, once you're used to them? I normally put my soft lenses in ~7am and take them out 9-11pm...could I wear hard lenses that long?

How long did it take you to get used to them when you first started wearing them?

What other questions should I be asking or concerns should I have?
Click to expand...
I’ve worn oxygen permeable hard lenses for quite a while. Definitely, the transition to hard lenses will be an adaptation

I started with hard lenses, so can’t comment on how long it takes to go from soft to hard, but it only took a few days to get used to wearing hard lenses for me.

Definitely doable- with numerous advantages- slightly sharper vision c/w soft, things can’t grow in the lenses.

I have my optometrist special order clear lenses - most “off the shelf” are tinted. I’d advise trying both to see if you find a difference.
 
Back
Top