acuvue oasys -- BC other than 8.4??

I currently wear acuvue Advance (BC 8.7, Diameter 14.0) contact lenses.
They are very comfortable, my vision is crisp, but they get dry after
sitting in front of the
computer all day (which unfortunately is part of my job). On the
weekends, I have no problem
with my contacts getting dry.

I really want to try the acuvue oasys, but it seems to be only
available with BC of 8.4.

Does anybody know when the oasys lens will be available in a BC of 8.7
or 8.8?

Also, how critical is the base curve? Would I be wasting my time if I
tried to get fitted with the oasys lens (BC of 8.4)?

Thanks

 

id imagine base curve is quite important, if its wrong they may be too
tight or loose and just not fit on your cornea properly. As for dryness
of eyes, thats what contacts do to me, especially from computer. If you
can see well enough to use the computer without correction, by all
means do so! Otherwise glasses for computer, contacts for anything else

 

to the best of my knowledge no other base curve is planned for AV
Oasys.

base curve is not very critical for most brands of disposable contact
lenses. I would recommend that you try AV Oasys.

 

I am an eye doctor that has recently done some research on Acuvue Oasys
lenses. I have also worn them myself. Clinical evaluation from
Vistikon has determined that a flatter base curve is not necessary to
provide a safe, comfortable fit. Do not let the 8.4 BC scare you. Every
CL material and brand behaves different for each patient.

If you currently experience symptoms of discomfort at the computer, ask
your eye care provider for recommendations for improvement and whether
Oasys lenses are appropriate for you.

-NBW

FWIW, I have no stake in, nor profit from, Acuvue lenses.

 

I agree with what you say within certain limits. However, there are
corneas in the steep and flat ends of the spectrum for which steeper
and flatter base curves are required for optimum vision and comfort.
The one-size-fits-all philosophy certainly simplifies things for the
practitioner as well as keeps the costs down for the manufacturer, but
ignores the needs of the unusual patient. Every large manufacturer is
targeting the central 2/3 of the normal distribution of corneal shape.
Certainly lenses like the Acuvue Oasys would seem to fit into some
future de-regulated scenario.

DrG

 

I don't know your situation, but I had problems with dryness at work.
When I had a little cold, it would invariably get much worse at work,
due to the dryness of the air (I assume). I also was OK on the
weekends. I had a contact that just didn't work out. It seemed OK at
home, but at work it would dry out, and either pop out or otherwise
cause problems. I got a different contact, which worked fine. Still, I
put in eye drops at work when it "seemed dry". If plain old saline
drops aren't doing it, there are drops that last longer (and cost more).
In the US, they are available at any store with a reasonable selection
of eye products.

 

Dr G and all,

Certainly your statement is more accurate than mine regarding
fittability of Oasys. The point I was trying (and failing) to make was
that if patient the is already in discomfort, there are other options,
Oasys being one, and there will only be improvement if the patient lets
the doctor know about thier concerns. Then they can work together to
find a better contact lens.

Thanks.

-NBW

 

In addition to what greg said, you also have variance in asphericity,
so two 7.8 corneas e=0.2 & e=0.8 will have a different fitting profile
with the same lens.

One advantage i am seeing with the new SiH lenses is that with less
dehydration and more O2 supply, comfort is increasing, even though the
fit may not be as loose as we used to like it.

I still find that change in base is not necessarily going to resolve
the drying in all cases and changing material, design or brand is a
better option.

grant

 

Thanks, I appreciate all the replies.

Since I am currently wearing acuvue Advance (BC 8.7), then if I tried
the Oasys (BC 8.4), the fit would be tighter, is this correct?

What are the advantages/disadvantages of a tighter fit?

Is there any coorelation between tight fit and contacts getting dry?

The main reason I am interested in trying the acuvue oasys is that
acuvue's website states that the oasys has "reduced contact lens
related dryness". I only experience contact lens dryness at work
(mainly after 4 or 5 hours), as I sit in front of a computer all day.

 

Tight lenses feel dry because they don't moove and you get no tear
exchange, so focal areas of dryness occur and this dehydrates the
cornea. Looser lenses provide better tear movement so better wetting of
the posterior surface of the lens.

With SiH lenses, drying is less, so you don't have the issues with
focal drying as you get with regular hydrogels.

Try Ciba O2Optix lenses, they work pretty well also and are great for
dry eyes.

dr grant

 

This post is peripheral to your main question, but I (although definitely
not an expert) don't see how sitting in front of a computer can make your
contacts more dry. What is most likely the case, is that the room at work
where you sit in front of that computer is drier, than wherever you are on
weekends.

If you have that room at work to yourself, you might try bringing a
humidifier there. If there are a couple co-workers you share the room with,
you could ask them if they mind your doing so. In fact, it is possible that
they also suffer from the overly dry air. If there are hundreds of other
workers in the room, then it would be harder to ask them all. ;-) You could
ask your supervisor.

I could see how looking at a computer screen all day (especially a CRT, I
think LCDs are better) could cause eyestrain, but I don't see how it could
affect dryness.

 

People tend to blink far less often when looking at a
PC screen. It is also true that office environments tend
to be drier than home environments.

-Quick

 

This post is peripheral to your main question, but I (although definitely
not an expert) don't see how sitting in front of a computer can make your
contacts more dry. What is most likely the case, is that the room at work
where you sit in front of that computer is drier, than wherever you are on
weekends.[/QUOTE]


Been there, done that. Using a computer does in fact dry out the eyes.
People stare too hard, and forget to blink. Of course, if they follow
the standard advice to look away every few minutes, and remember to
blink, then they don't have as much of a problem.

You are correct, though, in that many office environments have air that
is too dry. I used to try to work when I was sick. This was a
disaster. After way too many ear infections, I learned that when I was
sick, I needed to stay home, or I would be off work even longer. I also
noticed that contacts that worked OK on the weekends didn't function at
work. I switched contacts, and tried to remember to put in eye drops
periodically. I got special eye drops, which I really didn't need at
home.

 

Besides the decreased blink rate while working on a computer, we tend to
open our eyes a bit wider exposing more ocular surface .

Been there, done that. Using a computer does in fact dry out the eyes.
People stare too hard, and forget to blink. Of course, if they follow
the standard advice to look away every few minutes, and remember to
blink, then they don't have as much of a problem.

You are correct, though, in that many office environments have air that
is too dry. I used to try to work when I was sick. This was a
disaster. After way too many ear infections, I learned that when I was
sick, I needed to stay home, or I would be off work even longer. I also
noticed that contacts that worked OK on the weekends didn't function at
work. I switched contacts, and tried to remember to put in eye drops
periodically. I got special eye drops, which I really didn't need at
home.
[/QUOTE]