Back to being a cynic

By Mir
July 18, 2009

I spent the morning packing up for another camping trip (this time it’s the Monkey-and-friend version, while his sister is away).

I went into my bathroom and packed up my creams and gels and toothpaste and such and looked over the three different kinds of eye drops and two different kinds of saline solutions and…

… put my glasses on.

Crotchety Old Optometrist was right. I lasted four days with the contacts. FOUR. DAYS.

Hmph.

29 Comments

  1. Ani

    Aww…sorry to hear that. But…now that you have been fitted with them, you can save them for special occasions.

    PS–go to a non-grumpy optometrist, who would be willing to try out some other kids. Peripheral vision is totally worth it.

  2. MomCat

    If it made you cry instead, you might make enough tears to wear them.

  3. highlyirritable

    That’s too bad. Are they tolerable for short occasions? I’d keep them even if just for special dress up events when glasses seem like an extra, unwanted accessory.

    And don’t give Dr. Dinky McAsswipe another thought.

  4. Beth

    I agree with Ani…find an optometrist who will try different brands. My doctor said regular Accuvue lenses are being discontinued, so he wanted me to try Oasys as a possible replacement. I’ve worn Accuvue for over 20 years and never had problems with them. (I can sleep in them and wear them night and day for a week, clean them, and wear them for another week before tossing them.)

    I managed 6 hours with the Oasys lenses before the intense pain and itching forced me to take them out. I’ve since read online that other people have had similar problems. They are apparently made of some form of silicone, and some people have strong sensitivities to it.

  5. Sharkey

    Yes, try different kinds. I cannot wear any brand other than Acuvue. (I think I’m currently wearing the daily-wear lenses called “Moist.” What an unfortunate product name–who came up with that?) I’ve tried CIBA and other brands and can’t tolerate them. But these? I wear them 24/7 for FAR too long and don’t have any problems. When the hairspray build-up gets to be too much, I wear my glasses for a few days and then put in a fresh pair.

  6. hollygee

    I think you are smart not to try this on your trip. It’s fine for it to be an at-home fashion.

  7. Colleen

    I’m with the others who say to find an eye doctor who’ll work with you. The truth is there are some eye doctors, especially old school eye doctors, who hate contacts. They’re the ones who won’t let you if you’re too young, you’re prescription is too weak, you’re eyes are too dry, your eyes are too wet, your hair is too long, whatever. There are so many brands now, you’d be surprised. Don’t give up. I’ll go through stages of glasses and contacts, but like everyone else says, the peripheral vision aspect alone makes them wonderful, the cheap sunglasses in flavors that fit your mood is just the icing on the cake.

    That said, if you can’t wear them for a full day without taking them out, I wouldn’t bother with trying to deal with them camping either.

  8. jen

    I wore contacts for a very long time and then I just couldn’t anymore. I started wearing glasses almost exclusively, but I would keep my contract prescription up to date and keep a box of the daily disposables on hand. That way, if there was a rare 2-3 hour occasion when I really didn’t want to wear glasses, I could pop in a pair of the disposables and not care about ditching them at the end of the night.

    So, don’t let that doctor discourage you. As long as you have the prescription, order some dailies online and use them on occasion. They really don’t have to be all or nothing.

  9. Rebecca

    If you truly can’t wear contacts, have you considered Lasik? I did mine a year and a half ago and I am still in awe that I can see in the morning with no hassle and no glasses or contacts!

    Anyway, just a thought. Or hopefully the contacts will end up ok.

  10. Deva

    My boyfriend and I are two of the aforementioned people who have a sensitivity to the Acuvue Oasys silicone. (I can email you details of that if you really want them). I don’t think the crotchety eye doctor should be listened to, don’t let him discourage you, and don’t give up! If the oasys won’t work for you that doesn’t mean another brand won’t. Please don’t give up, I have hope for you!

  11. RuthWells

    I have failed with contacts more times than I care to count. I feel your pain.

  12. Monique

    Oh, that sucks! I totally feel your pain. I wore glasses for over 10 years. I’m with Rebecca. I had Lasik two and a half years ago and I love it! One of the best decisions I ever made. It took me over a year to stop reaching over to grab them first thing in the morning from the bedside table and from doing that push-them-up-your-nose-with-your-finger thing. (I looked it up, that’s the offical term) Each time I remembered, “Oh, yeah, I don’t have glasses anymore” It made me happy!

  13. Sheila

    No! I was so hoping that guy would be wrong, wrong, wrong!

    Is it sad that my day is kind of ruined because I wanted you to be right? I may have invested a bit too much fury at the doctor I’ve never met. And stop right there before you say I’ve not met you, either. I like to keep the fantasy going that we’re BFFs.

    (Please don’t block me. I’m harmless, honestly.)

  14. Mary Fran

    OMG – Can I just say THANK YOU to your commenters? I switched from Acuvue2’s to Oasys in April and have had so many problems with blurry eyes and torn lenses. I can’t even get them to last two weeks. I could wear the Acuvue2’s for almost a month before changing. I called the eye dr. and she made me feel like it was my fault. I am so calling her back on Monday. I googled problems with Oasys and now I know I’m not losing my mind, at least not from my contacts.

  15. Jennifer Joyner

    In the pictures I’ve seen of you on BlogHer, you look so cute with glasses! Be thankful…not everyone does.

  16. The Toweled Avenger

    Yeah – try some different kinds, and just alternate between contacts and glasses depending on your mood and situation. There are definitely times when contacts are more of a PITA, but sometimes it’s nice to have the option.

  17. Mom2Trplts

    Oh, I second (or tenth) some of these comments! I went straight to contacts at age 40. Had great luck for 8 years until the doc switched me to Oasys. Blurry vision, itchy and they seemed to rotate around in my eyes. I switched back to Focus 1-2 week and have no trouble. I was SO hoping it would work for you! I keep mine in 24/7 for a week then wear a pair of glasses for the day, then back to the contacts. Go thee to an ungrouchy doc!

  18. Mom24@4evermom

    Very sorry. I assume you built up slowly, etc. Oh well, thank God for glasses too. :-)

    Have fun camping.

  19. mom, again

    hmm, but lots of people who wear contacts just fine wouldn’t take them on a camping trip either, so don’t let that be a problem.

    It’s all about options: If you can get them in and wear them for a long enough time frame to suit you when you feel like it, you win and COO loses. it’s not like you have to switch over to them always and forever and ditch your glasses. I love contacts, but they don’t suit for days at the beach. Lots of wind and sand means I need my (newly bi-focal) prescription sunglasses. Doesn’t mean I don’t wear contacts to parties. Or other glasses when I can’t be bothered with contacts. Or I’ve run out of them.

  20. Brigitte

    What everyone else said. Anyway, even if you can never wear ANY kind of contacts, ever, there’s no need for any doctor to be mean about it.

  21. Frazier

    Totally agree with the other commenters who recommend trying other brands. I hate Oasys and other supposedly-enhanced-moisture lenses, but have had good luck for years with Bausch & Lomb’s SofLens 66 Toric.

  22. Cassandra

    I have worn contacts for twenty years and I have never hated how they feel – until I tried Oasys – on the doc’s recommendation. They were so irritating! I went back to my good old Acuvues.

  23. Karishma

    oh no! that sucks. definitely try different brands — i love o2 optix. i have worn them for a week straight and had no problems at all with them. also, why not lasik? i dream of the day when i can be shot of glasses and contacts forever. it’s well worth the investment i think, esp since a lot of people get better than 20/20 vision out of it.

  24. Betsy

    I work for an optometrist. There are hundreds of brands of contacts. A lens that works well for one patient, may not work at all for another. You should find a doctor who is willing to experiment. Diagnotic lenses are available at no charge and in our office we don’t give up unless the patient does!

  25. Deva

    Betsy, that’s how my eye doctor worked, and we didn’t give up and I did find what I liked and wanted – fit, clarity, it’s all good now! :-)

    Mir, I think what we’re all saying is DONT GIVE UP!!!

  26. hecticmom

    I seriously seriously agree with the others who say Lasik – I was completely unable to wear contacts due to dry eyes – allergy eyes, blah blah blah. I tried them ALL! And PAID for them…

    I had Lasik – a valium, 10 mins, a sleeping pill, sleeping 10-12 hours (which is seriously the best part) and you can see. It’s a miracle. It’s a piece of cake. I had it done 4 years ago and I have to say it was the best money I ever spent.

  27. Debbi

    I’m so sorry! But don’t give up yet, look at what Betsy said above…go to someone who will let you keep trying new ones!!

  28. Dawn

    What they all said. Go back to nice optometrist and see what else she has to offer.

    Sadly, I’ll never be a 12-hour a day contact lens wearer, either, but it’s nice to have the option when I really need it.

    The best time for me to wear mine is shovelling snow because the cold makes your eyes water so that they float like they do on a ‘normal’ person’s eyes. Of course, you may not have that many options to shovel snow anymore…

    I’ll get me coat.

  29. mama speak

    just to be different, I have issues w/the SALINE SOLUTIONS!!! No, I don’t have to go buy some special perscription brand or anything. I don’t remember what it is that I’m “sensitive” to, but it’s a preservative. But the kicker is that when I first take the contacts out of the foil packet, I have to rinse them for ages, cause they put TONS of the presevative in there. If I don’t, I have similar issues to you, and it’s hard to get rid of becasue NOW IT’S IN MY EYE!!!
    Anywho, now that I know, it’s not a big deal, and I just make sure I rinse like crazy the first go around. Thought I’d throw that out there cuz who knows maybe you could tolerate them better/longer if you were using the right solution. (Being a delicate flower and all.)

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