Disappointed in Acuvue Advance lenses

Hi All.

I have recently switched from B&L Optima FW to Acuvue Advance contact
lenses which my optometrist recommended after I complained about my
dry eyes. So far I am very disappointed in the comfort level provided
by Acuvue Advance due to its rapid accumulation of deposits.

Here is a summary of my one and a half month experience with Acuvue
Advance and 5+ year experience with Optima FW:

Acuvue Advance lenses feel slightly more comfortable then Optima FW in
the first three days of daily wear. Thereafter, its comfort level
drops *dramatically*. As the result, I find it uncomfortable to wear
the same pair of Acuvue Advance lenses after a week.

On the other hand, the comfort level provided by Optima FW stays
fairly constant during the first two weeks of daily wear. In fact I
can easily wear Optima FW lenses for up to four weeks before I need a
new pair. The only complaint I have for Optima FW is the dry eye
sensation.

I have tried several cleaning and disinfecting method on Acuvue
Advances lenses and here is the summary of my experience:

1) Using Miraflow for daily cleaning and hydrogen peroxide solution
for daily disinfection. This has been my standard practice for many
years. Under this practice, I can barely wearing Acuvue Advances
lenses for a little more then a week before I need a new pair. If I
wish to stretch the wearing period to two weeks, I have to spent extra
5+ minutes every day to rub my lenses with extra Miraflow solution.
But usually the lenses simply become uncomfortable to wear after 10
days.

2) Using multi-purpose solution for daily cleaning and disinfection.
Under this practice, I need to toss away my lenses after five days.

3) Using Purilens cleaning system. I bought a Purilens system a week
ago and had high hope for this cleaning/disinfecting system after
reading about the system's superb ability to clean deposits from
contact lenses on the web and Usenet. However, to my disappointment
this is the worst cleaning/disinfecting system to use with Acuvue
Advance even if I use Miraflow for daily cleaning. In fact, the first
time I used Purilens I followed its standard procedure and place my
lenses into the holder without rubbing the lenses in any daily
cleaning solution. The result was a noticeable transparent layer of
deposit on the surface of the lenses. Needless to say, I decided to
throw a away that pair of lenses which I wore for only two days.

After experimenting with various cleaning/disinfection method, it
seems Miraflow plus hydrogen peroxide is the best.

Does any know a better way to clean Acuvue Advance?

May be I should dump Acuvue Advance for other lenses.

If anyone has positive experience with Acuvue Advance, please let me
know how you handle daily cleaning/disinfection.

Thanks.
-JL

 

I have just started wearing the Acuvue Advance lenses, and so far am
impressed with the comfort. Patients have also been making similar
comments.

There are different causes of "dry eye", and many variations in the tear
film of people with "dry eye." I have not found a single lens that works
universally for people with dry eye. In fact, I have started to categorize
my dry eye patients with respect to which lens works best.

If you got along better with the Optima FW, then that is the lens you
should wear. Your eye doctor should have given you a trial pair of Acuvue
Advance before selling you any.

I agree with your cleaning system.

DrG

 

I forgot to mention that I had a trial pair of Acuvue Advance lenses.
And they happened to be the only pair I was able to wear for a little
over two weeks without much discomfort. The subsequent lenses I got
are from the retail packages and the individual lens packaging inside
look a little different than the trial lenses I got. I remember the
packaging of the trial lenses only have the word "galyfilcon A"
printed on it and has a red color line on it. The packing of the
retail lenses have both "Acuvue Advance" and "galyfilcon A" printed on
it and does not have any red color lines or words printed on it.

I probably won't go back to Optima FW since I experienced more dry eye
sensations wearing those lenses although they don't accumulate
deposits as fast as Acuvue Advance.

As soon as my currently supplies of Acuvue Advance runs out, I will
ask my optometrist about alternative lenses.

What other daily cleaner would you recommend?
Miraflow seems to be okay but if there is something better at getting
rid of lens depoists, I may want to try it.

-JL