How Important is Base Curve on Contact Lenses?

Discussion in 'Contact Lenses' started by womble, Feb 26, 2007.

  1. womble

    womble Guest

    Hi there, I've been fitted with contacts with base curves of 8.4, 8.5
    and 8.6 at various time. I now only wear contacts for a few hours at
    a time (eg going out, or swimming or other athletic sort of stuff).
    That's due to dry eyes with long wear and no longer being vain enough
    to bother. I've found contacts on line for a cheap rate with choice
    of BC of 8.3 or 8.7, both just outside my usual range. Is it better
    to go slightly smaller or slightly wider? The contacts in q are
    Acuvue 2.

    thanks
     
    womble, Feb 26, 2007
    #1
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  2. womble

    womble Guest

    Thank you, yes I can appreciate that. Nonetheless, being a bit of
    risk taker, if anyone does know the answer to my question, I'd also
    appreciate that (smiley face).
    Thanks.
     
    womble, Feb 26, 2007
    #2
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  3. womble

    womble Guest

    Also, I can say that power, brand and diameter are all the same as
    I've been prescribed before, it's just they're Acuvue 2 instead of
    Acuvue Oasys or Dailies, both of which I've been prescribed in the
    past.

    .... and my guess would be it's safer to go up a little, which may make
    for slightly drier eyes, from what I've read, rather than down a
    little and have them too tight - but I'm one asking the question so if
    you're reading this, please don't think I know - I don't!
     
    womble, Feb 26, 2007
    #3
  4. womble

    Jan Guest

    womble schreef:
    It's not only the BCR which is important.
    Stepping back from Acuvue Oasys to the older Acuvue's 2 for instance
    could be a bad move.

    Do you really think you get an advice here from specialist's here who
    are making a living off just giving those advises?

    Dream on.

    Jan (normally Dutch spoken)
     
    Jan, Feb 26, 2007
    #4
  5. womble

    womble Guest

    Good point Dr Judy, and I will continue using dailies when I travel
    (for ease) and in winter when I don't swim a lot.

    But I live on the coast in Australia and in summer I swim 4 or more
    times a week, and I need to be able to see the waves, and with the
    extremely good deal I've seen on Acuvue 2, it works out quite a bit
    cheaper to use those even if only 4 times a week, than to use the
    dailies for the same period. And as I only wear them for an hour or
    so at a time, cheap is even more inviting cos I dont' get so much use
    out of them.

    I've also checked now, and the material is the same as the Acuvue
    dailies I used to use, so the one and only thing that is different is
    the base curve, so I'll go for one or the other. If it's not a matter
    of health issues and just a comfort factor, then I don't so much care,
    cos I'll only be wearing them for an hour or so, but if it's safer to
    err by having the base curve sligthly too big, rather than slightly to
    small, I was hoping for advice. But if it is too complex to be able
    to say even that, I'll just take a stab and go for the bigger size as
    in my ignorance it seems that would be less likely to be a risk.

    I'd ask my optometrist, but I just had a fitting for contacts
    recently, and the place I go to has different optometrist all the
    time, for this fitting I had 2 different optometrists, one who gave me
    2 trial lenses, which I had hoped would give me a lense I could
    actually feel comfortable wearing full time, not just for swimming,
    but they weren't comfortable enough. So when I came back there was a
    differnet optometrist, and he had no further suggestions to make in
    terms of comfort, so I just decided to go for the cheapest option, and
    stick with short wearing periods. So he gave me a list of about 7
    contacts, based on the prices in their catalog, and said I could
    choose between them rather than specifying the exact one. As far as I
    can tell, Acuvue 2 could just as well have been on the list, though
    perhaps the marginally thicker centre made it seem inappropriate in
    terms of comfort, but for an hour's wear, I don't care about that so
    much. And I don't really want to have to have another whole visit for
    just the one factor, base curve.

    Any of the ones I've tried have been equally comfortable, just not for
    long periods. When I was younger and vainer, I did wear them all day
    every day, but now, total comfort is more important. And they are
    comfortable for an hour or two.

    And I certainly do appreciate that professional fittings are very
    important, and I've had many in my 30 years of wearing contacts on and
    off, (with cleaning regimes and disinfections ranging from boiling, to
    peroxide and neutralising tablets, protein removal treatments, and the
    current all in one chemical treatments) I just thought I could get
    away without another appointment, when I've just had 2 in the last 2
    months and when most of the aspects of the lenses match ones I've
    already had, and in the situation when the actual period they are in
    my eyes is so small. I do appreciate eye threatening disease can come
    about through inappropriate behaviour around contacts and wouldn't
    want to encourage others not to get professional fittings. But as I
    said, I have had 2 appointments in the last 2 months, and am an
    experienced wearer, who is going to be wearing contacts for only an
    hour or two at a time.

    Thanks

    juliet
     
    womble, Feb 27, 2007
    #5
  6. womble

    womble Guest

    Looks like you're right Jan... (what does schreef mean?)
     
    womble, Feb 28, 2007
    #6
  7. womble

    Dr. Leukoma Guest

    There is no way that an Acuvue 2 can be cheaper than a daily lens on a
    unit basis.

    What do you propose to do with the lenses between uses?

    Do you intend to swim in them without the protection of goggles?


    DrG
     
    Dr. Leukoma, Mar 1, 2007
    #7
  8. womble

    Jan Guest

    womble schreef:
    Jan (normally Dutch spoken)
     
    Jan, Mar 2, 2007
    #8
  9. womble

    Calvin Lee

    Joined:
    May 8, 2013
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    My opinions are as follow
    1. Problem are more to material and Acuvue 2 and infact all Acuvue are not good for you and you need to get a more suitable type of contact lenses for dry eyes management.
    2. Advice not to wear contact lenses for swimming as you are in danger of contamination fpr chemical and bacterial infection. Our eyes immunization system is only to wash away any danger facing the eyes and contact lenses hold back water esp. Acuvue type of lenses.
     
    Calvin Lee, May 8, 2013
    #9
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