Archive for August, 2009
Contact Lenses Lost in Eye: Do not Freak out Because of That!
Some people say that have never heard about cases like that. However, those who wear contact lenses either had this experience or heard a lot of stories about that.
Yes, what I’m talking about are contact lenses lost in eye, which is actually was one of the worst experiences in my life. I can’t say it’s too dangerous, but probably it can be. Just contact lenses lost in eye really make you feel very nervous because you have no clue what will happen next.
Maybe, the experience of mine is very similar to many others who also had contact lenses lost in eyes. Anyway, I want to tell my story, since it might help somebody who is panic-stricken right now because of a contact lens lost in eye.
So, the first rule that you should always follow if you do not want to have contact lenses lost in eyes – NEVER wear them when you go to bed. This is exactly how one of my contact lenses appeared somewhere behind my eye, at least I thought so. Click to continue...
A Contact Lense Prescription: Do You Know Everything about your Prescription?
I have to work a lot at the computer, and several years ago I noticed some changes in my vision. A doctor proved that for some reasons my sight was getting worse and suggested several options how I could manage the situation.
Definitely, I decided that wearing contact lenses would be a good choice. Needless to say, at those times I knew nothing about contact lenses, contact lense prescriptions and their significance. Fortunately, my doctor was so kind to explain me everything, and now I’m glad to share my experience and knowledge with novices who are going to wear lenses as well.
So, your contact lense prescription is not just a piece of paper as I used to think at first. It is a kind of document that all those who wear lenses should have or its copy. By the way, I found out that such a status of contact lense prescriptions was protected by special legislation. Click to continue...
Soft Contact Lenses: Did You Know Before?
- The main feature of soft contact lenses is moisture absorption. When soft contact lens dries out, it loses its flexibility and becomes very fragile.
- Soft contact lenses are used in treatment of myopia, long sight, presbyopia, astigmatism and in aesthetic purposes, namely, for eye color change. There is a wide range of soft contact lenses – there are those that can be worn at daytime, 24 hours, a week, or a month.
- Soft contact lenses can be used for medical purposes, such as at aphacia, at introduction of medicine into the eye, or when there is a need to protect the eye to enhance its healing. Soft contact lenses, as opposed to hard ones, are less likely to move or to fall out. Soft contact lenses are easy in use – patients adapt to them at once.
- People with long sight can wear soft contact lenses, however, as the ways they see objects in glasses and in lenses differ, as a rule, they do not reject wearing glasses - they wear glasses and soft contact lenses by turns.
What should You Know about Hard Contact Lenses?
For years, contact lenses were known as hard contact lenses. They first entered the market in 1940s and were made of organic glass. At present day, this material is rarely used even though organic glass is firm, rather cheap, and characterized by a good transparency. The main drawback of this material is low oxygen permeability. In modern eyesight improvement hard gas-permeable lenses are used. These hard lenses are more flexible, characterized by a good transparency and a high oxygen permeability which is the most important criteria for people choosing contact lenses.
A fundamental defect of contact lenses is long adaptation period and possible discomfort at wearing them. As a result, most of patients who chose hard contact lenses at first have rejected wearing them later. However, if the person got used to hard contact lenses, he/she may benefit from using them, as, contrary to soft contact lenses, hard contact lenses enable to see better, they are cheaper, more longeval and they require less daily attention. Hard contact lenses life time is 7 years and more. Hard contact lenses, as opposed to soft ones, can be polished in case any scratches appear and may be corrected in case a patient gets new prescription from his/her doctor. Click to continue...
Contact Lens Fitting: Rules to Follow
You are welcome to consider the main steps in contact lens fitting – read the hints below, make sure you fit the lens properly and feel comfortable wearing lenses!
Contact Lens Fitting: The Basics
- Start fitting with the right eye;
- If you feel very uncomfortable after the lens has been fit – put it off and do not hesitate to contact your doctor;
- Answer the following questions after the lenses have been fit: Do I feel comfortable with my lenses? Do I see well? Do my eyes look well? - if some problems appear, visit your doctor at once;
- Use enzymatic cleaner only, do not use running water before fitting the lens.
Contact Lens Fitting: Centering the Lens
Sometimes it may happen that your lens shifts to the sclera (the white part of the eye). This may happen both at the process of wearing the lenses or at improper contact lens fitting. To center the lens do one of the following:
- Close your eyelids and carefully move the lens back through the closed eyelid, or
- Carefully move the lens back to cornea with your eyelids open – pressing slightly the edge of the superior or inferior eyelid with your finger.
Contact Lens Fitting: Putting the Lens off
- Wash your hands before putting the lens off;
- Make sure the lens is on cornea and then start removing it. There are two ways to remove the lens – nip method and method of removing the lens with thumb and forefinger – you should choose the one prescribed by your doctor;
- When the lens is off, disinfect your lenses as directed;
- If you just started wearing contact lenses – put them off near the table to easily find the lens that may fall out;
- Keep the lenses carefully separated.
Contact Lens Fitting: If the Lens is Stuck
If the lens is stuck to your eye and won’t move, use the solution recommended by the doctor. Wait till the lens falls out by itself – do not remove it manually. If the lens won’t move, consult your doctor at once.
Contact Lenses Wear: Advantages and Rules to Follow
Though most people consider aesthetic beauty to be the main advantage of contact lenses wear, in fact, there exists a number of other advantages. Let’s see the pros of contact lenses wear (they are applicable both to soft and hard contact lenses):
- Eyesight becomes more natural; dimensions are seen almost as they are. If you wear glasses, shape and size of objects may seem distorted;
- At eyes moving, contact lenses move along with eyes, therefore, there are no distortions that may appear if you wear glasses;
- At contact lenses wear spectacle frame does not restrict peripheral vision any longer;
- When it rains or snows, spots of rain or snowflakes do not contact with lenses;
- Contact lenses do not weep at temperature or moisture change;
- If there is a need of vision correction for eyes which see in a different way, contact lenses are the only way to get your eyes function in concord;
- At contact lenses wear some people who suffer from squint, tend to improve the control of oculomotor activity;
- At contact lenses wear there is no need to resort to vision correction frequently;
- Contact lenses can protect cornea during its recovery (soft medical lenses);
- Contact lenses may become a component for more complicated visual system for visually impaired;
- In some cases, contact lenses are the only way to help people having bad eyes – when cornea is wrong shaped, disabled, or at keratoconus (erosion and evagination of cornea central part as a taper).