Scamula
21st February 2007, 05:26 AM
I've been wearing contact lenses for going on three years and I like them a lot. I used to wear glasses when I was younger which I hated. Now I wear glasses occasionally and I've matured to the point where it is no big deal to wear glasses. But if you're extremely nearsighted like me, contacts make it easier to attend to personal hygeine (i.e. washing your hair, bathing and other stuff like that that you can't do with your spectacles on) and they don't fog up in certain weather.
Now, here are some tips.
1. Clean those paws whenever you are going to handle your lenses. You must use a soap that doesn't have any emollients or perfumes and stuff in it. I love Ivory Soap and I have a bar just for washing my hands before I handle my lenses. Ivory soap is pure and it has no colors or lotions or perfumes and stuff in it that could get on those lenses. I experiment with other soaps such as Clearly Natural Glycerine Soap or Dove Fragrance Free for regular bathing. After cleaning, dry your hands with a lint free towel or better yet a paper towel (preferably one that has no dyes in it...just pure white).
2. Don't dick around with your cleaning schedule. When you're supposed to clean and disinfect them nightly do it. You must be meticulous with your cleaning routine. Contacts are laying right on your eyeball so you cannot afford to be careless or you could risk your vision. If you aren't down with the daily cleaning and maintenence thing, then ask your doctor about One Day contact lenses such as Acuvue 1-Day or Focus Dailies or even Freshlook One Day for my colored contact lenses fans. With the one day lenses, they are exactly like the name says. You wear 'em you toss 'em at the end of the day and that's that. You get a new pair in the morning. No messing with cleaning solution. They are the ultimate in convenience yet they do cost more than regular contact lenses. Another option for lazy folks are extended wear lenses. You just put 'em in your eyes and leave 'em in. You sleep with 'em in. This may be ideal for you if you have a crazy schedule (let's say you work at nights). Extended wear contacts are not for all and the risk of eye problems does go up when you use extended wear lenses. But if you are interested, talk to your doctor.
3. Those online contact lens replacement places are good for cheaper lenses. I love 1800 contacts because they are friendly, they ship fast and they take care of problems quickly. Once when I had a defective lens in my box, they sent me a replacement pair right out. The same thing happened when those assholes at Coastal Contacts and they kept saying that they couldn't send me a replacement pair and they just credited my account for like $2.08. Bastards. 1800 contacts is the best. I've ordered from other places as well and Sears is the next best believe it or not. I called their tollfree number and they shipped my beautiful gray lenses right out to me. And they have good prices too.
4. Speaking of ordering lenses online, most companies do say they verify prescriptions. But I've sent forged ones many times and they take it at face value. I had my eyes examined and fitted for lenses in February 2004 for the first time and all was good. They told me that I had to get my eyes examined every year with contacts and like the naive sucker I was I did it and my prescription hadn't changed at all and I was out of a couple hundred dollars in 2005 just for the exam. After that, I said screw this, I am only going every couple of years or when I notice a change in vision or have problems. I'm not throwing away any more money that can be used on the lenses themselves. So, when my real prescription ran out, I simply forged and faxed and no one was the wiser. But this year, I'm going to get an examination for real as I want to try a more comfy brand of contacts that offer better optics.
If you have any more questions on contact lenses or contact lens care or wear, then post 'em up here and I'll try to answer them. Cheers. :laugh:
Now, here are some tips.
1. Clean those paws whenever you are going to handle your lenses. You must use a soap that doesn't have any emollients or perfumes and stuff in it. I love Ivory Soap and I have a bar just for washing my hands before I handle my lenses. Ivory soap is pure and it has no colors or lotions or perfumes and stuff in it that could get on those lenses. I experiment with other soaps such as Clearly Natural Glycerine Soap or Dove Fragrance Free for regular bathing. After cleaning, dry your hands with a lint free towel or better yet a paper towel (preferably one that has no dyes in it...just pure white).
2. Don't dick around with your cleaning schedule. When you're supposed to clean and disinfect them nightly do it. You must be meticulous with your cleaning routine. Contacts are laying right on your eyeball so you cannot afford to be careless or you could risk your vision. If you aren't down with the daily cleaning and maintenence thing, then ask your doctor about One Day contact lenses such as Acuvue 1-Day or Focus Dailies or even Freshlook One Day for my colored contact lenses fans. With the one day lenses, they are exactly like the name says. You wear 'em you toss 'em at the end of the day and that's that. You get a new pair in the morning. No messing with cleaning solution. They are the ultimate in convenience yet they do cost more than regular contact lenses. Another option for lazy folks are extended wear lenses. You just put 'em in your eyes and leave 'em in. You sleep with 'em in. This may be ideal for you if you have a crazy schedule (let's say you work at nights). Extended wear contacts are not for all and the risk of eye problems does go up when you use extended wear lenses. But if you are interested, talk to your doctor.
3. Those online contact lens replacement places are good for cheaper lenses. I love 1800 contacts because they are friendly, they ship fast and they take care of problems quickly. Once when I had a defective lens in my box, they sent me a replacement pair right out. The same thing happened when those assholes at Coastal Contacts and they kept saying that they couldn't send me a replacement pair and they just credited my account for like $2.08. Bastards. 1800 contacts is the best. I've ordered from other places as well and Sears is the next best believe it or not. I called their tollfree number and they shipped my beautiful gray lenses right out to me. And they have good prices too.
4. Speaking of ordering lenses online, most companies do say they verify prescriptions. But I've sent forged ones many times and they take it at face value. I had my eyes examined and fitted for lenses in February 2004 for the first time and all was good. They told me that I had to get my eyes examined every year with contacts and like the naive sucker I was I did it and my prescription hadn't changed at all and I was out of a couple hundred dollars in 2005 just for the exam. After that, I said screw this, I am only going every couple of years or when I notice a change in vision or have problems. I'm not throwing away any more money that can be used on the lenses themselves. So, when my real prescription ran out, I simply forged and faxed and no one was the wiser. But this year, I'm going to get an examination for real as I want to try a more comfy brand of contacts that offer better optics.
If you have any more questions on contact lenses or contact lens care or wear, then post 'em up here and I'll try to answer them. Cheers. :laugh: