Contacs question (1 Viewer)

[Steve_Tk]

I just got contacs about 2 hours ago. I don't feel like I'm seeing as clearly as I did with glasses (which I never wore). Is this normal because I'm blinking every 2 seconds and my eyes are not used to them? He said I had 20/20 vision with them, but it doesn't feel like it yet.

 

[James T]

The blinking is normal since your not used to wearing it, but the vision should be immediate. What's the vision on the contacts? I think it should be .25 lower than what you use for your glasses since it's closer to your eyes.

The first time I put it on and went to the mall, I never realized how much clearer I could see people at a distance.

 

[LewB]

Sounds normal to me. Just don't try to go from not wearing lenses to wearing them 24/7. Wear them for a couple of hours a day. Then try to add an hour or 2 every couple of days.
If you continue to blink 'too much' or if your eyes are irritated, go back and have them check it out. There are many different brands of lenses and your eyes might need a different brand/style before you are really comfortable.

 

[James~P]

I saw FAR clearer with my contacts than with my glasses. You might want to make sure that you have the proper lenses in the proper eyes, as the prescriptions can vary between your two eyes.

 

[Cary_H]

You didn't say whether you opted for soft contacts or hard.
I have worn corrective lenses for the vast majority of my life, soft contacts for over 30 years.
Hard contacts are usually tougher to get used to than softs, in fact, some folks with more sensitive eyes will not get away wearing them.
If your lenses have been fitted accurately to the shape of your eyes, they'll soon stop floating on the excess water your eyes are currently producing, park themselves where they ought to, and deliver the clarity you'd expect.
If you got away not wearing your glasses with much regularity in the past, your prescription is pretty weak.
With soft contacts of little power, your biggest challenge initially will be getting them in your eyes. As you've no doubt discovered, they're not unlike a circular piece of Saran Wrap. It will be real easy to put them on your eyes inside out and will let you know real quick.
Hang in there for a day or two. If it doesn't improve much by then I'd suggest you re-visit the folks that you got them from.

 

[Steve_Tk]

Well I think I might have had one inside out but it's really hard to tell. When driving tonight through my right eye certain things, like taillights on cars, were real blurry and almost seeing double of them. When I would lightly pat on the lens with my eye closed (thinking an air bubble was there) it would clear up. Yes they are a pretty weak prescription.

thanks for help so far.

 

[James T]

I've worn contacts inside out. It just hurts like hell when you put them in. And when you leave it for awhile, you can actually feel the contact in your eye.

 

[David-S]

I was going to ask if they were inside out...

When I was getting used to contacts, I would occasionally put them inside out... they would kind of work, but I'd be blinking all day (till I flicked them out)...

If they're really irritating you could try some wetting drops (make sure they're designed for contacts) for a while...

 

[Steve_Tk]

I think I was wearing my right one inside out, becuase that's the only one that was irratated (could tell it was in my eye), and I honestly can't tell if it's inside out or not. I've seen the diagrams of when you put it on your finger what it would look like inside out, but I can't tell at all. Any other ways to try and figure it out?

 

[Max Leung]

Steve, if you have a digital camera lying around, you could try taking a macro (close-up) shot of your contacts and look at it on your computer.

 

[LewB]

Any other ways to try and figure it out ?

I've worn lenses that had either the manufacturer's name or the numbers 1-2-3 imprinted on the lens. If you can read the print, the lens is good to wear.
The lenses I have now don't have this. Best advise I can give you is to play with the lens and watch what it does as you flip it one way and then the other. You can see which way the lens naturally seems to want to go versus the way that it just doesn't flip as readily. Hope this helps/makes sense.

 

[Leila Dougan]

When I first got my contacts, I saw blurry for the first 2 days or so. I remember going to evening band concert a few hours after first putting them in and being completely unable to read the music! I couldn't drive or read for the first day or so, then it got immediately better. I was scared at first and called my doc but he said it was perfectly normal.

 

[David-S]

The easiest way to tell is if there's a bit of a rim at the edge that goes OUT, it's probably inside out, if the rim goes basically straight up, it should be right side out... you should be able to flip it back and forth, and see the difference

 

[ThomasC]

I've been wearing soft for a couple years now, and I still can't tell the difference between right side and inside out, but it doesn't matter most of the time, because I think I've been able to take it either way.

 

[Jay H]

I'm like ThomasC, I don't think I have ever noticed anything different no matter how I put my contacts in, right side in, right side out. The only time I notice it there is if my eyes are dry, or theres something on the contact itself like a piece of hair. Actually I never knew there was a right side in until I was bored one day and I think I read the literature that came with the lens (Optima FWs)

Jay

 

[Patrick Sun]

Usually, if you wear the contact lens inside out, it will slide around with less suction to the fit on your eye/pupil. To me, it's pretty obvious which way is the "right" side, look for the edges and see how if they curve in or curve out. If they curve in, that's the right orientation for the lens because when placed on the eye, it'll create the suction effect.

 

[Cary_H]

It's tougher to determine if you're putting a contact in inside out when the lens is of a lesser power 'cause they're real thin.
The easiest way is to put it on the tip of your finger like when you're putting it in, hold it up to the light and observe it's shape. Use a dry finger 'cause a wet finger will usually make the lens flip and mold to your finger tip. You want it to retain it's shape.
If the lens is sitting on your finger correctly it will look bowl shaped with a bevelled edge on the inside edge of it's rim. Inside out, the bevel will be on the outer, underside edge of the bowl. This usually causes the overall shape to look somewhat distorted with the bevel turned out. It will be difficult initially, but when in doubt simply reverse it, and the difference will be obvious.

Once you get up to speed, it'll become second nature. You'll take them out each night and put them in the case inside up. The next morning you'll fish one out with the tip of your "install" finger. One pinch with the thumb and forefinger of the other hand, a quick swap back onto the just dried tip of your original "fish/install" finger in the correct bowl shape, and right onto an eye.
Wean yourself off relying on using a mirror once you've got it down pat.

 

[Andrew 'Ange Hamm' Hamm]

Steve,

Do you have a high astigmatism? Are your contact lenses toric (which means they correct for astigmatism)?

If that is the case, then you might never see as well through your contacts as with glasses. I don't. Especially at night, with double or streaked images of lights. It's just the way they work; they have to be loose enough to rotate a little on your eye, which means they will turn a little bit off-axis every now and again. If they rotate a LOT, you may need a different base curve on the lenses for a tighter fit on your eye, or a contact lens with a heavier prism ballast. Both options are a bit more uncomfortable, but nothing you won't get used to in a couple days.

--Andrew Hamm, Optical Professional™

 

[Steve_Tk]

Andrew, yes. The strange thing is, the eye that is toric is very comfortable and NOT streaky at night. It does take a few minutes to rotate correctly and then is fine. The right, which is normal, is blurry and has halos at night.

 

[Ted Lee]

if you have to, go back to your optometrist and have him check the fit. he should have this device to check how well the contact is sitting on your eyeball - it's one of those "put your chin on this thing" devices.

also, try not to overdo it at first. like someone else suggested, just do a few hours at first and work your way up. i've been wearing contacts for years now, but i still can't go more then aout 12 hours before they start buggin' me.

did you check to see if your lenses have writing on them? it'll make your life so much easier.

oh yeah, you may want to keep some wetting drops handy for a few days too.