O2-Optix (Air Optix) by Ciba approved for two weeks wear in USA but monthly wear!
Question:
O2-Optix (Air Optix) by Ciba approved for two weeks wear in USA but monthly wear in Europe. Which is reliable?
I live in Europe so my eyes are different than Americans'? Should I rely on my doctor and European laws so I wear them for up to one month? Or do americans know better? Or the product sold in europe is better than that in america?
How long do you wear them before replacing?
(the source i noticed this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/o2_optix)...
Answers:
Different committees. The truth is that the two week lenses can be worn for a month. They could probably be worn a little longer then that. In America we are not really allowed to tell you that because the contacts were only approved for two weeks, so it's illegal for a doctor to tell you to wear them longer. Most contacts can be worn for longer then their approved time.
Now don't go crazy with that, be responsible, it's your eyes at risk here. The reason they approve them for a shorter wearing time it first because they want to make more money, but also because in America it's much easier for someone to sue for medical malpractice and win, in Europe it's harder.
You can safely wear your two week contacts for about a month if you clean them properly every day, you will know when to change them because they will feel less comfortable, you will need to use drops more often and such. Not everyone's eyes are equally sensitive, DO NOT wear them more then a month and a half if they still feel comfortable it doesn't matter, at that point they start to break down and become very prone to infection. The daily lenses you can wear up to a week.
If you wear the night and day lenses you can wear them up to two months unless they get uncomfortable sooner but even if you only wear them for one month you should take them out once a week and clean them to avoid infections.