rcj (01/16/83)
I have wanted soft contact lenses for several years now -- since I have finished putting myself through college (except for those student loans, ugh!!), I can afford them. My question is this: What about Permalenses (or other gas-permeables) as opposed to other soft or semi-soft lenses. I would appreciate any info you could give me concerning comfort, EASE OF CARE (I'm very lazy), longevity, etc. Also, if you recommend a certain type of lenses, prices, cookers vs. chemicals for cleaning, fragility (i.e., will they disintigrate if hairspray or something gets in my eyes), etc. would also be very nice. Plez reply to me by mail unless you feel that a lot of people would be interested. If you would like a report of my results on lens preferences posted to net.med, say so in your mail and I will do so if interest warrants -- otherwise you will get your own copy via electronic mail. My addresses follow: Thanks 4 ur time, The MAD Programmer alias: Curtis Jackson ...!floyd!burl!rcj ...!sb1!burl!rcj ...!mhuxv!burl!rcj
markp (01/18/83)
I have some experience with contact lenses... First I had hard lenses. I wore them for about a month, but for all my efforts I never became acclimated to them. In fact, my comfort level deteriorated as I wore them more. According to my optometrist, I may be allergic to the type of plastic used for hard lenses, and/or may just be too sensitive to wear them (I have very fair skin, red hair, and gray eyes -- supposedly people such as myself are more sensitive to the irritation than those more swarthy types are). Care of these took about 5 minutes per day, and they're quite sturdy. No chance of sleeping for more than a few minutes with them in your eyes. Riding my motorcycle with these was impossible without goggles, and hell with them -- hards are very bad when they get dust under them. Next I got soft lenses -- Bausch and Lomb B3 Soflens to be precise. It took about 3 weeks to get used to them, by which I mean that I no longer realized at any conscious level that I had them in. I wore them for about two years, for 16-18 hours nonstop every day. I was very pleased with them. They took about 10-12 minutes per night to clean. They are pretty sturdy -- they hold up well to stretching and elastic deformation, but they can be torn by an errant fingernail (you must keep some of your nails short for that reason). I never tore mine in two years. I use the heat sterilization system, and I make my own saline each night-before, so that by the next night the little salt tablet will be dissolved. Pop 'em in the heater, and next morning -- presto -- they're ready to wear. The weekly enzymatic protien removal is no real hassle. Also, I could go for 3-4 days without cleaning or sterilizing them, although comfort does suffer... In a tight spot, I could sleep for up to 6 hours with them in without ill effect. Sleeping for, say, an hour nap is no problem. No problem at all to ride motorcycles with or without goggles. They do not blow out of my eyes. I have even worn them while swimming -- just keep your eyes closed underwater. Then I got extended-wear lenses -- Coopervision Permalens to be precise. (I got tired of the nightly cleaning routine -- it was like having to get over a hump to get to bed and sleep -- it can be a real drag if you're really tired, or otherwise in a hurry to get to bed.) I LOVED THEM! The visual correction was sharper than with my B3's, and I could literally wear them for two weeks without ever removing them. They were a little "leathery" in the mornings, but the steam of my shower seemed to take care of that. They required biweekly cleaning which took about 20 minutes. The *only* problem was their fragility. I was using a "hydra-mat" to clean them, and they were so flexible that they escaped their protective baskets and were shredded by the swirling agitation of the cleaner, so for now I'm back to my B3's. Be sure to get insurance on these! I did, so it'll "only" cost $60. to replace them, rather than $200.! The range of correction available is much greater with the Permalens than with the Soflens. My -5 diopter correction was the "strongest" Soflens available, but Permalens goes to -20 diopter! This may be why my Permalens contacts seemed sharper. Also Permalens has astigmatism correction available, but I don't recommend it because of the price, and because unless it's quite severe astigmatism can usually be adjusted to. It may seem awful at first, but you'll develop the ability to reach into your eye and touch the sclera (white) without even blinking -- but never the cornea! Sorry to be so long-winded. Mark R. Paulin ...decvax!teklabs!tekmdp!markp
markp (01/21/83)
In my article of a few days back, I left out some things... In many cases with Permalens, and in some cases (like mine) with Soflens, eyeglasses may be dispensed with ENTIRELY. I have not worn mine AT ALL in about six months. This is not to say that you will NEVER need them, just that you may never HAVE to wear them. I last wore mine when I wanted to watch the total Lunar eclipse last summer, because I wished to keep my eyes open for longer stretches of time than are comfortable with contacts. The biggest advantage (for me) of Permalens is that, in a sense similar to that in which you forget that you're wearing contacts as you get used to them, it is possible to forget that you have bad vision *at all*. I've had bad vision for as long as I can remember, so it was a real shock to me when, after wearing my contacts for two weeks straight, and removing them overnight for cleaning, I awakened the next morning and was confused for a few moments because I couldn't see. It took a second for me to remember that I wear contacts! That's a real experience for someone with 20/400 vision like mine. Also with regard to the Thimerasol (sp?) and Ascorbic acid preservatives -- I strongly recommend that you simply make your own saline daily, if it's okay by your doctor. Believe me, it's not time-consuming or difficult, and I know that my eyes are much happier, even though I am not allergic in any big way to the other stuff. What could be better than a solution of NaCl in distilled water for your eyes? Mark R. Paulin ...decvax!teklabs!tekmdp!markp
bill (01/23/83)
I've heard that if one works in dusty air (specifically, sawdust and such) that it is UNSAFE to wear contacts, as the fairly large particles can lodge under the lens, causing cornea damage. Anyone have any more information? This would make it impossible for (e.g.) woodworkers or homeowners who do fix-up work to wear contacts exclusively. An amateur woodworker who is very interested in contacts... bill cox ...seismo!uwvax!bill bill@uwisc
branish (01/25/83)
it seems to be a well known fact that some wearers of soft contact lenses are allergic to thimersol. how about wearers of hard lenses? are there any other hard contact lens wearers that can't use solutions or cleaners containing thimersol? gus branish penn state univeristy allegra!psuvax!branish
mccamy@topcat.DEC (07/11/84)
From: "...decvax!decwrl!rhea!Topcat!McCamy" Merrimack, New Hampshire My wife is very much interested in wearing soft contact lenses. There is only one problem with her desire, she is very sensitive to having anything come close to her eye. The doctor has a tough time just putting drops into her eyes! Is there anyone out there that may have had a similar sensitivity that overcame the problem? Is this common to most individuals? Is my wife a poor candidate for contact lenses because of this phobia?
sdyer@bbncca.ARPA (Steve Dyer) (07/12/84)
I have worn contact lenses for the past 8 years, and I started off with
much the same aversion to eye drops and the idea of an object in my eye.
I got over it fairly rapidly, as my facility for inserting and removing
the lenses grew.
If your wife has a real phobia, something which would prevent her from
even trying to insert and remove lenses, I think she's not a very good
candidate. However, if she's motivated and willing to suspend her
distaste, it's worth a try. In my mind, contact lenses, hard or soft,
have it all over glasses: no more foggy vision when coming in from the
cold, no more need for "windshield wipers" in the rain, better peripheral
vision.
By the way, I STILL can't get those damn drops in my eye!
--
/Steve Dyer
{decvax,linus,ima}!bbncca!sdyer
sdyer@bbncca.ARPAeagan@phoenix.UUCP (Marianne D. [Sarno] Eagan) (07/13/84)
Subject: Re: CONTACT LENSES References: <2472@decwrl.UUCP> Unable to mail this directly to you I had to post it: Well, 10 years ago when I first tried contacts (hard), the doctor put them in my eye and I passed out! I really scared him; he said he never saw anyone have such a bad reation. He worked in Columbia Pres. Hospital in NYC --one of the best. I think what bothered me most was having someone ELSE put them in my eyes. He made me come back once per week and practice infront of him before he gave me them to me to take home. My eyes always teared up. But, he said I had an incredidable amount of determination, and he was sure that I'd eventually be able to wear them. Before him, my former doctor said I could never wear them since "my eyes were too sensitive". He was wrong. I have been wearing lesnses ever since. Good luck ------- End of Returned Message
edhall@randvax.UUCP (07/14/84)
My eyes' protective reflex is so strong that it once took about five minutes for an opthamologist to measure the internal pressure of my eye (i.e. a `glaucoma test'), usually a 10-second procedure. I simply could not keep my eye from blinking or moving. But I refused to be talked out of getting contact lenses--and I'm glad. The first few times I put the lenses in were shear agony; not that they were uncomfortable once inserted, but simply from the effort of keeping my eyes open while putting a foreign object in them. I've worn (soft) contacts for several years now, and never have problems inserting or wearing them. In brief, I got used to them in a matter of days. -Ed Hall decvax!randvax!edhall
scooper@brl-tgr.ARPA (Stephan Cooper ) (07/20/84)
I am quite liek that. I abhore anything coming close to my eyes. But I found the only way to overcome this was to hold the eye open and just live with the initial stimulus. It will only take a little while for this to be overcome...three days or so And then the eyes will have adjusted. There is no "quicky-cure" that I know of top substitute for the sensitivity.
curl@wjvax.UUCP (Jim Curl) (01/07/86)
I have recently purchased a set of soft, daily wear contact lenses.
A friend of mine, who has a pair of soft, daily wear, toric lenses tells
me that he uses distilled water to rinse his lenses after cleaning them
instead of saline solution in order to save money. I asked my fitter
about this was told that using distilled water, even for rinsing, would
damage the lenses by bloating them with water and increasing their size.
This strikes me as odd since saline is primarily water and since the
enzymatic solution which the lenses must be routinely soaked in is in part
composed of distilled water.
What gives here? *Is* pure distilled water harmful to soft lenses, or does
my fitter have stock in a company that produces saline solution?
I have also run into a number of people who wear their daily wear lenses
as if they were extended wear lenses, siting that the only difference between
the two types of lenses is thickness (and not a very significant difference).
I wouldn't mind leaving my lenses in over night once in a while, but all
those warnings that I read about my eyes falling out if I don't clean them
every day keep me from trying.
Jim Curldr@ski.UUCP (David Robins) (01/09/86)
> A friend of mine, who has a pair of soft, daily wear, toric lenses tells > me that he uses distilled water to rinse his lenses after cleaning them > instead of saline solution in order to save money. I asked my fitter > about this was told that using distilled water, even for rinsing, would > damage the lenses by bloating them with water and increasing their size. > This strikes me as odd since saline is primarily water and since the > enzymatic solution which the lenses must be routinely soaked in is in part > composed of distilled water. > > What gives here? *Is* pure distilled water harmful to soft lenses, or does > my fitter have stock in a company that produces saline solution? Pure distilled water will swell the thickness of soft contact lenses, especially if they are soaked rather than rinsed. This can make the lenses uncomfortable by temporarily changing the curvature. Also, the lenses may adhere to the eye, resulting in a corneal abrasion. Repeated cycling of the lens in this manner can permanently disrupt the plastic structural bonds, ruining them. However, some contact lens specialists are recommending rinsing, after the application of lens cleaner, under running tap water; they say this removes the viscous cleaner more easily than bottled solutions, without causing permanent damage. This is followed by heat sterilization in saline, or cold sterilization in hydrogen peroxide solutions. Note that the lenses are not soaked in water. Enzyme tablets are usually dissolved in saline, not water. The most important factor here is that any RINSING solution *AFTER* the lens is sterilized, should be sterile also. Distiller water, out of the bottle, is *NOT* sterile. Many corneal ulcers have been attributed to the use of home-made saline used to rinse lenses after sterilization. It is fine to use the home-made saline to rinse lenses after cleaning, but before sterilization. No rinsing should be needed after sterilization, but if the case arises, the now-sterile saline in the lens case can be used, or a commercial sterile (preferably non-preserved) saline can be used. Saline tablets are very cheap- rinse with home-made saline, rather than just distilled water. > I have also run into a number of people who wear their daily wear lenses > as if they were extended wear lenses, siting that the only difference between > the two types of lenses is thickness (and not a very significant difference). > I wouldn't mind leaving my lenses in over night once in a while, but all > those warnings that I read about my eyes falling out if I don't clean them > every day keep me from trying. The chief difference is the oxygen permeability of different contact lenses. Extended-wear lenses are more permable, due to high-permability polymer, high water content, or extreme thinness. The Bausch & Lomb O-series lenses were introduced originally as a daily-wear lens, being 1/4 thickness of the original thicker lenses. (the U-series lens is about 2x as thick as the O-series.) They found that the O-series had enough oxygen permeability for extended wear use. This in not true of all soft lenses. Many have insufficient permeability for extended-wear, and could lead to painful, temporary problems such as corneal edema or corneal abrasions with lens adherence. The reason is that with the lids closed at night, less oxygen is available for transmission through the lens. In additions, the lacrimal system produces less tears at night, and less oxygen is carried under by tears. Also, since much less lens movement occurs at night, there is more tendency for adherence to occur. A more subtle problem, if the lenses are not painful, is neovascularization of the corneal. In response to chronic oxygen deprivation, new tiny capillaries grow in from the limbus (edge of the cornea). Some of this occurs in many contact lens wearers; significant (over 1-2 mm.) growth is an indication for discontinuing the lenses. -- ==================================================================== David Robins, M.D. Smith-Kettlewell Institute of Visual Sciences 2232 Webster St; San Francisco CA 94115 415/561-1705 {ihnp4,qantel,dual}!ptsfa!ski!dr The opinions expressed herein do not reflect the opinion of the Institute!
jsdy@hadron.UUCP (Joseph S. D. Yao) (01/12/86)
I suspect (but don't know) that the need for saline over water
has something to do with osmosis. The way osmosis works is that,
if there are neighbouring solutions with differing concentrations
of something, they will try to equalise by passing the solute to
the less concentrated side or the solvent to the more concentrated
side or both. This may or may not be directly a problem with lenses
swelling. However, once you put them on your eyes, this will cause
problems with your eye's fluids. Distilled water in the lenses may
try to draw the salt solution in/on your eyes out.
I wouldn't have a problem washing and storing lenses in (sterile)
distilled water if there's need. But I'd soak them in two changes
of saline for several hours each before putting them back in my
eyes. (While this is hypothetical for me, as I wear glasses, I've
just gone through this whole discussion with a sister of mine.)
--
Joe Yao hadron!jsdy@seismo.{CSS.GOV,ARPA,UUCP}