Contact lenses

[apolosangel8907]

Does anyone know of a good cheap brand of non-disposable contact lenses? I want to get some, but my insurence doesn't cover it, so I have to pay for them myself.

[apolosangel8907]

Also, if anyone has conatacts, do you like them? Are they comfortable? Would you recomend them?

[Krysten]

I don't want contact lenses anymore. I used to want them. I knew this one guy that had them and he had 2 in one eye. It was freaky. He got all paranoid and stuff. But I didn't want them before that.

[susie]

Apolosangel, I had Bauch and Lomb extended wear lenses years ago and I absolutely loved them. I never had a problem with them, but I was always meticulous about cleaning, disinfecting, etc. They were ultra-thin, and I remember my eye doctor tried to talk me out of them because he thought I would tear them...but again, no problems.

By the time I got my next pair, eye doctors had pretty much ditched the extended wears (there were more problems with infections than with the daily wears.) I got some Ciba Vision daily wears and I never got used to them -- they were thicker than the B&L's and they always felt like I was wearing dishes in my eyes. I hated those lenses and I eventually stopped wearing them.

I wouldn't worry about the brand right now, because a lot depends on individual factors. Go have the eye exam (you get a separate exam for contacts) and talk over your options with the eye doctor. All things being equal, ask for the thinnest lenses that are suitable for your eyes. Extended wears are once again okay, although many people take them out daily and just leave them in overnight once in a while. I wouldn't rule out disposables -- for instance, with extended wear disposables, you'll save a lot of money on cleaning and disinfecting solution. Don't forget that even regular lenses won't last forever, anyway -- maybe one and a half to two years at best.

When you get a good fit, contact lenses are wonderful. You see much better with them than you do with glasses, and of course, most people look better in contacts. They're very freeing. It takes a little while to learn how to handle them, but before you know it you are quickly plonking them in your eye with little thought involved.

Getting a slight tint on the contacts (if you can) is a good idea -- it helps you to find a lost contact more easily when it drops to the floor...and yeah, that does happen!

Let me know how it works out.

[apolosangel8907]

Thanks Susie!

[Lindsey]

Apolosangel.... I wear contact lenses, too, but I wear hard lenses. I originally got them when I was 12 years old, and got hard lenses b/c my parents had them and (I think) it was more common to use them. Now, almost everyone I know has soft lenses, but I've never made the transition. I don't mind having hard lenses, but I would definitely recommend soft lenses. I hear they don't irritate your eye as much (because it's harder to eyelashes and specks of dirt caught behind them since they're larger) and you can open your eyes under water without them floating away! lol. The only disadvantage I can see is having to reach into your eye and practically peel them off. Or putting them on upside down. lol. I just pull my eyelid and the hard lenses pop out on their own.
Anyways, that is my two cents. I don't know anything about brands, I just let my optometrist choose. I don't know if one is cheaper than the other, but you could certainly ask.

[apolosangel8907]

Thanks Lindsey

[mellie]

I wear contacts, and I have worn ciba vision, fresh look ( to play with different eye color), acuvue 2 and acuvue oasys. The acuvue oasys so far have been the most comfortable, and they are very thin. Just make sure that you are fitted for the lenses by ur doctor. Good luck if you do get contacts, and like susie said, you do see better with them.

[Bella]

Mellie's here! What's up my contact wearin' sista!

Love acuvues, by the way. Disposables are the best.

[apolosangel8907]

Thanks Mellie and Bella