Need advice about my options for my eyes

[trales]

Before Thanksgiving I had an eye appointment down at Harvard Med School to get a definitive answer about my vision issues. The good news is that the vision problems I was having were genuine issues that can be corrected. Not just normal complaints or my being overly sensitive as previous eye doctors have told me. I got some great drops for the dry eyes that work wonders when I remember to put them in. I can now finally read the digital cable menu in the evening. And, the cupping on the optic nerve is physiological rather than glaucoma related, no need to worry about further.

Now for the part I need advice on.

I have not been able to comfortably drive at night in a long time due to severe "halos" around anything that emits or reflects light. It turns out this is due to some pretty large ridges on the surface of the eye that reflect the light differently. There is a good chance this can be fixed by wearing rigid, gas permeable contact lenses.

Note the good chance, it is a not a sure thing. So . . . 1. Contacts scare me, I have never had them and it seems weird to put something in my eye. 2. They are rigid so I assume they are harder to deal with than the disposable ones. 3. They are an expensive investment if they do not work, if they work they are priceless.

Would you give it a try and put out the money with a chance it won't work. Are they as scary as I think.

Talk to me, tell me what you think.

Thanks for reading.

[wolverine2]

I used to wear gas permeable contacts, and currently wear disposable, so I can at least speak to that. Contacts do take some getting used to, but personally I think they are SO worth it. (Of course, I've been wearing them for over 20 years now). Yes, disposables are easier in some ways (like if you drop one you don't need to worry about finding it), but I actually found gas perms easier in other ways (more durable and actually easier to pop in and out). If you start with gas perms and have never tried soft, you won't be able to compare the comfort factor, so it probably won't mattter to you. I do find soft more comfortable, but I wore gas perms for 13+ years and never really found them uncomfortable.

Personally, I'd invest in the risk and make sure you have a very kind and reassuring person to assist in teaching you how to wear them. Don't leave 'till you're comfortable putting them in and out.

Good luck!

Carrie
DS 10/04
DS #2 any day now...

[bubbaray]

I've worn contacts for almost 30 years. Always soft lenses mind you, but still -- the technology for gas perms has improved so much, the new ones now are probably similar to the soft lenses I wore at the beginning, KWIM?

My optometrist told me last month that he actually has some patients that prefer gas perm lenses because they are a lot easier to work with than soft lenses, particularly disposable lenses.

I would totally go for it. Clear vision is priceless!

[brittone2]

I've worn contacts for years. If they work for you, I'll bet you'll be pretty well adjusted to them in a matter of days or a few short weeks. It seems worth a try!

I hope you can find a solution that works for you!

[elephantmeg]

absolutely! The first few weeks are rough, but I love my contacts!

[caheinz]

I'm another long-term contact wearer. I started with gas perms almost 30 years ago, and went back to them about 5 years ago, with various soft lenses in between. I can't stand my glasses -- I love having peripheral vision with contacts.

They're easier to clean and generally take care of than soft lenses. They do take a bit of getting used to, but I went back to the hard ones after years of soft without any trouble.

One big difference is that with the hard lenses, your eyes probably won't tolerate anything at all getting into them (eg, eyelashes, dust, etc). But, it's easy to pop a hard lens out and put it back in -- easier than the soft lenses for sure.

They're not really that expensive in most cases, certainly not when you compare to a few boxes of soft lenses. And you don't need to spend any money on expensive frames!

[kdeunc]

I wore gas perms from the time I was 11 until I had LASIK 16 years later. I never wore anything else but I did like the durability factor. I never had problems with discomfort. As someone who has halos (before and after LASIK) I think the contacts would be a great option for you. Good luck.

[niccig]

I think it's worth it. I feel so helpless when I can't see. Do you have vision insurance that may help cover the cost? I wore disposables for years, at first they took a bit to get used to. I wore them for 1 hour the first day and increased the time. Now, I mostly wear my glasses, easier to grab in the morning, but I can pop my contacts in anytime and they're fine.

[mommy111]

hards take a lot of getting used to, but they're sooooo worth it. Find someone patient to take you through it and stick with it for at least a couple of weeks before giving up (because you will feel like giving up the first week).

[trales]

Thanks for the advice, I feel much better about the rigid ones.

The only big decision to make is the initial cost if they don't work. They would be without any prescription for vision correction. The hope is that they will smooth out the surface of my eye and create a smoother place for light to reflect. I will still have to wear my reading glasses.

If you don't mind my asking . . . how much do these run with no vision insurance? How do you find a good person to help you fit them and learn to use them?

Thanks for the help.

[caheinz]

Going off the top of my head here, but I think I only paid about $100 for a pair at Costco this year. I *think* it was less than that, but don't recall for sure.

And mine are a pretty strong prescription -- I think in a range that is a bit more costly.

It will totally be worth it if you can see more clearly!