Got contacts for the first time, questions.

I just got contacts, I am nearsighted, just a little bit the doctor
said. Before the contacts my vision tested at 20/30, then once they
put them in I read the lines and my vision was 20/10. Then we took
them out and they let me put them back in so I could practice. After
that, my eyes watered up and I couldn't hardly see anything, they said
it would get better so now its been 5 hours later and hasn't gotten any
better, still can't see much. Just took them out and now I can see
again. Is this normal, is this just something I will have to get used
to and it will clear up over a few days?

Wooly wrote:
>
> Sounds as if in all the in-and-out action you contaminated the lenses.
> Wash your hands thoroughly with a drop of plain dish detergent, paying
> special attention to your fingertips. Then clean the contacts using
> the solutions provided to you by your optometrist. Soak them
> overnight in fresh solution and try them again tomorrow.

And consider the possibility that you switched right and left lenses. Yes, it
sounds stupid. Yes, I've done it myself :-(

> On 24 May 2005 14:32:13 -0700, (E-Mail Removed) spewed forth :
>
> >I just got contacts, I am nearsighted, just a little bit the doctor
> >said. Before the contacts my vision tested at 20/30, then once they
> >put them in I read the lines and my vision was 20/10. Then we took
> >them out and they let me put them back in so I could practice. After
> >that, my eyes watered up and I couldn't hardly see anything, they said
> >it would get better so now its been 5 hours later and hasn't gotten any
> >better, still can't see much. Just took them out and now I can see
> >again. Is this normal, is this just something I will have to get used
> >to and it will clear up over a few days?

--
Cheers,
Bev
---------------------------------------
That's my opinion. Ought to be yours.

Is that your final opinion?

For one thing, I would rarely try to put a contact lens on somebody who
had 20/30 vision, but that is a moot point.

The poster did not say whether the lenses were rigid or soft. It could
be that the lenses aren't wetting properly, especially if they are RGP.
There was no mention of pain, and so I tend to dismiss that it could
be a corneal abrasion.

DrG

Dear Reggiet,

Had you been wearing prescription
glasses before the contacts?

What was the prescription?

-1 diopter?

Maybe the prescription was
stronger that necessary.

Can your OD check this
for you?

Best,

Otis

Dr. Leukoma wrote:
>
> For one thing, I would rarely try to put a contact lens on somebody who
> had 20/30 vision, but that is a moot point.

I don't think it's moot. I put contacts on 20/30 eyes all the time.
What exactly would be the problem with putting contacts on a 20/30????

w.stacy, o.d.

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

> Maybe the prescription was
> stronger that necessary.

Re-read the post, otis. He had an improvement from 20/30 to 20/10,
meaning he could read, at 20 ft, letters 3 times smaller than he could
without the lenses. Then something happened. He couldn't even read
20/30 after re-inserting the lenses. Do you really think that too
strong lenses could do that? Obviously, he contaminated the lenses,
smeared them up, or something between removal and reinsertion. This is
not exactly rocket science. I do hope he posts what finally happened,
and I guarantee you it was NOT that the lenses were too strong...

w.stacy, o.d.

Thanks for all the replies. They are soft contact lenses. We made
sure the right and left eye were correct and we made sure they were not
inside out. There was no pain. Right now i'm subscribing to the idea
that they got dirty or smeared up with me learning, because it did take
awhile for me to get them in and out. I have not put them back in yet,
they are soaking in the solution and I will try again in the morning.

I do have eyeglasses that I only wear when I drive at night, but I play
golf and I am unable to see far distances and reading greens is tough
with my 20/30 vision and wearing the glasses while playing screws up my
depth perception, I imagine playing with the contacts at 20/10 will be
a dream. Hopefully they will clear up tomorrow I will post and let you
guys know. Thanks again for all the replies.

I believe they said the prescription was -.75 for the right and -.50
for the left.

Bill,

The point is moot because the poster was already wearing contact
lenses.

I don't have a problem with YOU prescribing lenses for visual acuities
of 20/30 or better, if that is your practice pattern. As I said
before, the signal-to-noise ratio tends to be too low for my tastes.
Nearly half the time those prescriptions wind up being astigmatic --
compound or mixed, and you know what that means: toric lenses that
fluctuate. However, I will do it if the patient insists.

DrG

I agree. However, if the poster gets three full lines of improvement,
and IF they don't dry out during the wearing time, then it would be
worth it.

DrG