Some questions regarding RGP contact lenses

I'm getting back into RGP contact lenses after a long hiatus, and
reading the group has helped me a lot. I have a couple of lingering
questions, though.

1. Does having dry eyes decrease the amount of oxygen that gets to the
eye? It seems that even a hyper-Dk lens won't help if there are less
tears to deliver the oxygen to the cornea.

2. Does the wetting angle of the lens material only relate to initial
comfort or all-day comfort? My understanding is that after the lenses
have been in the eye for a little while, a film develops on the lens
that reduces the wetting angle on all materials. Does the wetting
angle really matter?

3. Does the use of eyedrops create a dependency on eyedrops? I work at
a computer all day, and my eyes often get red and scratchy. Eyedrops
help, but I wonder if I'm sacrificing long-term comfort for short-term
comfort by using the eyedrops.

I used to wear Boston ES lenses years ago, and they were OK. Recently
I've tried the Menicon Z, the Fluorocon, and soon I'll be trying the
Optimum Extra. My hope was that the low wetting angle of the Optimum
lenses might help with the dry eye. Does anybody have any opinion on
these materials (the Optimum in particular)?

TIA -- Bill.

Bill wrote:
> I'm getting back into RGP contact lenses after a long hiatus, and
> reading the group has helped me a lot. I have a couple of lingering
> questions, though.
>
> 1. Does having dry eyes decrease the amount of oxygen that gets to the
> eye? It seems that even a hyper-Dk lens won't help if there are less
> tears to deliver the oxygen to the cornea.
>

No but dry eyes can make your eyes uncomfortable. If your eyes are dry
then the oxygen can still get to your eyes more directly from the air!

> 2. Does the wetting angle of the lens material only relate to initial
> comfort or all-day comfort? My understanding is that after the lenses
> have been in the eye for a little while, a film develops on the lens
> that reduces the wetting angle on all materials. Does the wetting
> angle really matter?
>
Wetting angle and comfort will vary as lens gets older and more
deposited over the weeks and months. Variations in comfort throughout
the day are often connected with tear film quality/dry eye issues.


> 3. Does the use of eyedrops create a dependency on eyedrops? I work at
> a computer all day, and my eyes often get red and scratchy. Eyedrops
> help, but I wonder if I'm sacrificing long-term comfort for short-term
> comfort by using the eyedrops.
>
It may create a 'psychological' dependency, only in that you realise
that the drops are helping you so you want to keep using them! Eyedrops
don't adversely affect your eyes themselves - assuming you are talking
about ocular lubricants/artificial tears rather than
decongestants/vasoconstrictors etc. Keep using 'em.


> I used to wear Boston ES lenses years ago, and they were OK. Recently
> I've tried the Menicon Z, the Fluorocon, and soon I'll be trying the
> Optimum Extra. My hope was that the low wetting angle of the Optimum
> lenses might help with the dry eye. Does anybody have any opinion on
> these materials (the Optimum in particular)?
>
> TIA -- Bill.
>


Dom

Dom wrote:
> Bill wrote:
>
>> 3. Does the use of eyedrops create a dependency on
>> eyedrops? I work at a computer all day, and my eyes
>> often get red and scratchy. Eyedrops help, but I wonder
>> if I'm sacrificing long-term comfort for short-term
>> comfort by using the eyedrops.
>>
> It may create a 'psychological' dependency, only in that
> you realise that the drops are helping you so you want to
> keep using them! Eyedrops don't adversely affect your
> eyes themselves - assuming you are talking about ocular
> lubricants/artificial tears rather than
> decongestants/vasoconstrictors etc. Keep using 'em.

Errr, I work in front of a computer all day in an air conditioned
office in a very dry climate. I've been using drops every 2 to 4
hours. My doc was pretty firm that he wanted me using drops
with no preservatives or "soft" preservatives. He and I like Blink.
He says that does have a "soft" preservative that he feels is OK.
He says that if you are using drops with that frequency you don't
want to be dosing your eyes with preservatives that much.

(no, I have no idea what the difference is between "soft"
preservatives and other preservatives that may not be good
for you in quantity).

-Quick

I'm using Claris rewetting drops, and the bottle says "polixetonium
chloride 0.0060% as the preservative." I don't know anything about
that.

Quick, do your eyes get really red when you work in front of the
computer all day? Mine do, and sometimes I wonder if I'm doing damage
to my eyes. My doctor doesn't seem too concerned. At any rate, five
or six hours using the computer really takes its toll.

-- Bill.

Bill wrote:
> I'm using Claris rewetting drops, and the bottle says
> "polixetonium chloride 0.0060% as the preservative." I
> don't know anything about that.
>
> Quick, do your eyes get really red when you work in front
> of the computer all day? Mine do, and sometimes I wonder
> if I'm doing damage to my eyes. My doctor doesn't seem
> too concerned. At any rate, five or six hours using the
> computer really takes its toll.

No. But my eyes rarely get red for any reason.

I'm not up on the good and bad chemicals or how much
is a lot in eye care stuff. My doc likes Blink. I like Blink
because it seems to be just the right viscosity for me,
feels good, and (relative to the couple of others I tried)
lasts a while.

-Quick