contacts?.................?!


Question: Contacts?.................?
I am 18 and I want contacts. I have had glasses for about 5 years. I am kind of scared though. Are they hard to put in and take out? Also with the actual eye exam do they do anything that hurts or is different than an eye exam for glasses? I know daily you have to clean them and everything. Is it hard to keep up with them?

Answers:

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I just got contacts less than a week ago, so I know your apprehension!! I know it's nerveracking at first, but the key is to relax as much as possible - easier said than done, I know. I JUST got mine in yesterday after trying every single day since I got them - it is ridiculously frustrating at first, but once you get them in it gets easier. If you feel like you will absolutley never be able to get them in at first, don't believe it. I was 110% convinced I would never get it. It doesn't hurt or anything, it's just really weird touching your eye at first. What helped me was practicing touching the white of my eye (gently, and with clean clean hands! And, with some eye drops on your finger, so it's more comfortable).At first you'll just get the corner before blinking, but soon you'll actually be able to rub your eye a bit. Don't poke it though, and don't touch the middle of your eye - just the white! Once you have that down, practice just touching the contact to the white of your eye (this is assuming you have soft contacts). Eventually the blink reflex won't be as strong and you can put that baby in there (and slide it over twoards the center of the eye). Once it's on, look around and slowly blink. when putting them in I look to whatever eye I'm not putting the contact into, so I have a bigger area of white to put the contact onto. Make sure before you put them in you rinse them with the solution they give you, and after you wash your hands, make sure if you dry them theres no little "fuzzies" or anything on your fingers. The best advice I can give is don't get discouraged if it takes you awhile - practice practice practice!!
As for the exam, it wasn't any different for me. The only weird thing was the doctor put the contacts in, there - that wasn't really comfortable, but it's a lot better when you do it yourself. After they're in she or he will look at them through the thing you look through for a regular exam, and you'll read off the chart, etc. Then they'll have you practice taking them in and out. Don't worry if you can't do it there! I couldn't. Believe me, if I can do it (we're talking someone who had an eye phobia and had to take valium to got the eye doc), you can too. Just remember it's not a race, theres no pressure to get it in right away - you'll have plenty of time to practice at home.
You will LOVE contacts, it's so amazing to see without glasses! You can't even feel them after a couple days. You will be able to wear sunglasses, and your eyesight won't get foggy when you go inside after being out in the cold...and you won't have annoying glasses weighing down your face! :)

Good luck, and enjoy!!

New contact wearer



I got mine when I was 15 and have never looked back. I had an issue with touching my eye, but I got to the point where I couldn't stand my glasses so I sat up close to the mirror and practiced touching my eyes.

The exam is a little different just because they have to take different measurements to get a proper fit since they sit on your eye and need to sit a certain way on your eye. Nothing bad though - nothing where they touch your eye or anything like that. It's just a matter of looking at your eye and asking you to tell them what's clearer and not. Similar to your glasses test.

It might take a few tries to get it right for taking them out and putting them in, but not long. And soon you won't even need a mirror to do it.

Not hard to keep up with them. Just care for them properly, and there won't be any problems. The only thing to watch for is when you are tired. I have more than once over the years put the contacts in the wrong side of the case - left in right spot, right in left spot. That's easy enough to fix if your eyes are significantly different. You'll notice right away and can just switch them back.

Also, if you have an astigmatism in either eye, be sure you get toric lenses. Regular lenses won't work for you. But your eye doctor will know that and won't prescribe regular lenses anyway.

Lens wearer for over 20 years.



I've been wearing contacts for like 20 years. I hated my glasses. The first few times I was leary of touching my eye. Now it's second nature and I don't "feel" it at all. The exam is the same for glasses except they take measurements of your eyes to get the right fit. The doctor may let you try on contacts then so you can get a feel, then you are on your way. Just be sure to clean them or change them as directed, sleep in them only if you have the overnights and put the right Lens in the right eye. Your glasses will still come in handy though. Especially at night when you take the contacts out and when you get out of bed in the morning!



Contacts can be hard to put in or take out the first few times you do them, but you'll get you used it. It's not that it hurts, it's more that you're scared to touch your eye or you keep blinking. The eye exam is the same, I believe... I don't find them hard to keep up with. You just need to change pairs after the amount of time required (which your doctor will tell you), clean them every day, and remember to take them out before you sleep. Good luck. :)

I've had contacts for 6 years.



I've had contacts for about a 1/2 year now and they're working out pretty good! At first I was a little scared too, but its no biggy! The only thing that is weird is when my doctor first put the contacts in. It felt so weird and my eyes were getting a little watery. This was just because I wasn't used to having them in my eyes. The eye exam isn't really different. You just cover one eye and read as many letters as you can. When you first get them, cleaning and putting them in will seem a little hard. It will probably take some time to put them in and take them out. But this will become a regular routine, and before you know it you'll be a pro at using your contacts. ;) And for cleaning them, at first you may seem like you need to clean off every single spec that might be on your contact lens. Don't worry if there is a spec or two. They don't bother your eye at all. And if for some reason they are, just take out your contact and clean it off again. Hope this helps! :)



no, you'll be fine. you'll get used to putting them in and taking them out. no, there's nothing unusually different in the eye exam. they just need your prescription and measurements and look generally at your overall eye health.
I started to wear contacts as a teen & is so great once you have them. Great when you don't want to wear them or when doing activities when glasses get in the way:)



yes, they do slightly more testing/measurements for contacts, but none of it is painful. some measurements of your corneal curvature, and some trying on contacts for sizing. its not scary, its all very exciting!

it is not hard to keep up with them or learn how to care for them. its easy! go for it!

optometrist
http://myeyepod.blogspot.com/




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