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Hey everyone. I'm a Licensed Optician and a Contact Lens Fitter. I've been in this business for 10 years now. Before going to school for 2 years full-time, (50 hour school weeks at that, *sigh*) I used to be an optical lab manager for two major eyeglass companies. Not sure what to ask for if your Rx is -7.50? Want to make sure that your $600.00 investment is worth it? Think it's perfectly alright to wear your 2 week disposable contact lenses for 2+ months? You got a question? I'll have an answer...in about an hour (HA!)
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May 8, 2009 22:00
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| # ? May 3, 2024 09:57 |
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I wear my 2 week disposables for at least 5 weeks. But I am poor and they are like $300 for a year's supply! Is this bad? I actually didn't even know they were two week contacts until my last eye visit about a month ago. I thought they were month contacts. EDIT: wait they are $300 for a 6-month supply. Because I just bought a 6 month supply and plan on them lasting for a year. Trying to play the poor college student card here so I gotta get my figures right. razz fucked around with this message at 22:44 on May 8, 2009 |
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May 8, 2009 22:34
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I'd also like to know if it's alright to overextend your contacts like that. I've been using a pair of monthly Frequency 55s for about seven weeks now... I'm probably going to go blind in the near future 
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May 8, 2009 22:42
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razz posted:I wear my 2 week disposables for at least 5 weeks. But I am poor and they are like $300 for a year's supply! Well, it CAN be bad....it all depends on how often that you're wearing them. Lenses that are "2 week" lenses mean that they can be worn 14 times for around 12 hours each time. Ideally, you want the be wearing the lenses for the LEAST amount of time that works for your schedule. The lenses have a protective film that wears off after <# weeks x 12-14 hours/day>. After that coating is gone, the lens begins to lose its ability to let oxygen permeate the lens and actually get to the cornea. The lens picks up on deposits much more easilty. All of this can potentially lead to serious and irreversible damage to the eye. I'd suggest switching to a monthly lens. Usually they are a bit cheaper, but that all depends on the brand itsel. (naturally) CooperVision makes an incredible monthly disposable lens called the Encore 100 that only runs about $130 for an entire year (4 boxes)....it's only drawback is that it only comes in one base curve size.
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May 8, 2009 22:43
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I have to wear these Toric lenses so my options are kind of limited. They said I could switch to another brand that were month-long contacts but then I would have to pay some bullshit "refitting fee" and once I calculated it, it wasn't going to save me money.
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May 8, 2009 22:45
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Sukashi posted:I'd also like to know if it's alright to overextend your contacts like that. I've been using a pair of monthly Frequency 55s for about seven weeks now... For some lenses, it's perfectly fine to do so, within reason. The newer materials, (Silicone Hydrogels) are almost designed to do just that. Frequency 55's are an ANCIENT lens, and I'd seriously consider switching to a newer, healthier lens. Acuvue Oasys, Encore 100, Air Optix and Biofinity are all great, newer, and healthier alternatives.
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May 8, 2009 22:46
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razz posted:I have to wear these Toric lenses so my options are kind of limited. They said I could switch to another brand that were month-long contacts but then I would have to pay some bullshit "refitting fee" and once I calculated it, it wasn't going to save me money. Ask about Acuvue Oasys for Astigmatism, or Proclear Toric. Most pplaces that are reputible and actually dave a drat about the health of your eyes would gladly refit you into something better. What brand are you currently wearing? Go somewhere else. explain your situation and I wouldnt be surprised if the new place waived the fitting fee for you.
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May 8, 2009 22:48
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Where should I buy frames and lenses from for a good price and quality? Sometimes it feels like they're ripping me off but I just go with it. I'm -7 to -8 in both eyes w/ astigmatism and like having fashionable frames. I get my glasses from an optometry school and get my eyes checked there.
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May 8, 2009 22:52
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Well for the longest time I had Acuvue Toric but apparently they stopped making those? That's what I was told, so I'm not sure what I have now. The box is in some Japanese writing or something lol. They feel a little thicker which I like because I'm not gentle with my contacts and tended to tear the other ones accidentally. I am moving next week so I will never be back to this eye place anyway, as I've just bought a supply of them about a month ago it'll be a while before I go back. But I will write those brands down and look into it, thanks! Anything to save me a buck, it hurts getting kicked off your dad's awesome Vision insurance once you turn 23  Actually I just paid off my car, saving me about ~200 a month, so I am seriously considering saving that money up for Lasik.
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May 8, 2009 22:53
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dsh posted:Where should I buy frames and lenses from for a good price and quality? Sometimes it feels like they're ripping me off but I just go with it. I'm -7 to -8 in both eyes w/ astigmatism and like having fashionable frames. I get my glasses from an optometry school and get my eyes checked there. Well, that depends on what you define as a "good price". The quality of a frame is only really important when there is no warrenty offered for your frame. Most places, and especially major chains like Lenscrafters will warrenty their frames for 1-2 years...and it's the same warrenty for a $24 frame as the $299 one. For lenses, if $$ is an issue for you, then look for a 1.67 index lens. for most frames, the lenses will look just fine and not immensely thick. If it's Not an option, I'd recommend a Zeiss lens. By far and wide the absolute pinnicle on quality...but theres a saying that goes "Zeiss is nice, but it's twice the price." You could always buy your frames online to save money, but that comes with its own risk, and noone will warrenty a frame that you walk in to the store with. Ordering a frame online means you can't try it on, and thus cant tell if the fit and look is right. I'd advise against buying lenses online however. I can't tell you how many pairs of glasses I see in any given week that were bought online and were filled completely incorrectly.
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May 8, 2009 22:59
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Hey I hope you don't mind me chiming in. I worked in an optical lab for a year. I edged (cut) lenses into frames. Where I worked we also surfaced (made) lenses from scratch. Doctors would send us their patients prescriptions and frames and I would edge the lenses to fit the frames. The mark up on lenses and frames is RIDCULOUS. It literally should be a crime for what is charged for lenses/frames. That being said,here are some pictures I took of the process of cutting a lense to fit into frames. enjoy!  This is a Lensometer. It is used to find the prescription of a lens.  A lens is inserted into the lensometer like so.  You then look through the lensometer like a microscope where you see bands of light. This is the prescription of the lens. To make sure the prescription is correct the lines all must be perfectly straight. To achieve this you move the lens around with your hand while looking through the lensometer until the lines are perfectly straight. After this, the lensometer has 3 prongs which are dipped in ink which is then applied to the lens so you will know exactly where the prescription is when the lens is taken out of the lensometer.  This is called a Tracer. This machine traces the shape of the frame and also aligns the lens with the correct prescription to the frame shape.  This is the lower part of the Tracer. A frame is inserted and clamps hold the frame still while a small mechanical stylus travels along the inside of the frame. It sends this data back to the tracer so an image of the frame is created.  This is the image after a frame is traced. The red outline of a frame is shown, it is identical to the frame the stylus has just traced.  After the frame is traced, a lens is inserted into the middle of the Tracer. The Tracer then takes a picture of the lens and overlaps the frame shape onto it. You then line up the cross with the 3 dots that were put on earlier by the lensometer. The center dot is where the prescription is, and it is where the patient will be looking through the most. After this is done a "Block" is applied to the lens by the machine. the Block is a peice of plastic with a sticky pad that sticks onto the lens. The point of the block is to hold onto the lens while it is being cut into shape in the Edger.  This is the edger. This machine cuts the lens down into the shape of the frame which was computed by the Tracer.  The now blocked lens is inserted here. The Block gets inserted into the silver bar on the left side. The bar on the right side then closes onto the lens so the lens is beind held tightly on both sides. When the machine starts to cut the lens, the bars move the lens into the large spinning wheel at the bottom. This wheel is what cuts the lens into the shape. When it is done cutting the lens, the lens is inserted into the frame for a perfect fit.
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May 8, 2009 22:59
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Whoa, cool! Here is a silly question: How the heck do they make contact lenses? It's not like you can form them out of a solid piece like a glass lens, right?
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May 8, 2009 23:02
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razz posted:Whoa, cool! ACTUALLY, one of the ways to make a contact lens is with a lathe...so yes, they are made out of a solid piece, but of plastic, not glass. The other way is with a mould.
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May 8, 2009 23:04
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Have you had a lot of people who just cannot get their contacts in? I tried for drat near three months and I just couldn't control my blink reflex.
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May 8, 2009 23:07
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What is your opinion on Lasik?
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May 8, 2009 23:12
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What's the main difference between contacts you take out at night and ones you can keep in all the time? I'm a diabetic (type one if that makes a difference) and they've always recommended me the ones you take out at night, but that's a pain in the rear end sometimes. Is it unheard of for diabetics to get contacts you keep in all the time or what?
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May 8, 2009 23:14
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psydude posted:Have you had a lot of people who just cannot get their contacts in? I tried for drat near three months and I just couldn't control my blink reflex. When I was in school, it used ot take me 3 hours just to get one of my lenses in. Some people just can't get it. Their urge to blink is so strong that it just simply won't work. Go to someone new, maybe they'll have a different technique to show you and it will work. Don't give up! Personally, the only person that I wasn't able to show how to insert or remove them was a 12 year old girl. I'm convinced though that it had less to do with her ability to do it then her mother standng over us as I tried to teach her while proclaiming that "No daughter of hers is ever going to hear those hideous glasses."
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May 8, 2009 23:15
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I have a trial contact of Air Optix for astigmatism. I forgot to ask though which direction to put in. It has a tiny line on them, but I dunno which direction that should face?
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May 8, 2009 23:17
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blue_kameleon posted:What is your opinion on Lasik? Lasik is great if it works. Lasik sometimes will not completely correct your need for vision correction however. That depends on that type of correction you require and what is causing the vision to be off in the first place. When you are older (45-50) you'll still need reading glasses though...nothing you can do about that. I always tell anyone seeking advice about Lasik to go to three seperate places that will perfrom the surgery and to make sure you actually have the consultation with the person that is going to be performing the surgery. If one of those places think that it's a bad idea, for any reason whatsoever, then forget about it. It's not worth the risk.
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May 8, 2009 23:20
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loving Tough Guy posted:What's the main difference between contacts you take out at night and ones you can keep in all the time? I'm a diabetic (type one if that makes a difference) and they've always recommended me the ones you take out at night, but that's a pain in the rear end sometimes. Is it unheard of for diabetics to get contacts you keep in all the time or what? Besides being disgusting? I liken wearing contacts for 30 days at a time to wearing the same pair of underwear for a month, and NOT TAKING THEM OFF. Imagine how funky that would get down there. Your eyes NEED to breathe, or else they get funky too. Take the drat things out at night. Night and Day lenses are made with an exceptionally high oxygen value. (essentially) They are SAFE to wear, but no professional will advocate wearing them that way. For some people whos jobs put them in a dirty environment (like soldiers) they work great, but I always those patients fit with a different type of lens to wear when they aren't required to be in for that length of time. Being diabetic, I'm going to assume that you are getting fluctuating vision. Contact lenses aren't recommended usually for that reason alone...it's not worth the money if they only work 1/4 of the time properly. The other reason is the oxygen. Your eye needs it to keep healthy. Thunderpussy fucked around with this message at 23:28 on May 8, 2009 |
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May 8, 2009 23:25
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RegularK posted:I have a trial contact of Air Optix for astigmatism. I forgot to ask though which direction to put in. It has a tiny line on them, but I dunno which direction that should face? As long as it's not inside out (You know how to tell that, right?) you can't go wrong. The lens will orient itself after it has been on the eye in a matter of minutes. That line you see is actually for sn fitters to tell if the lens is centering itself correctly. Thunderpussy fucked around with this message at 23:31 on May 8, 2009 |
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May 8, 2009 23:27
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I have rigid gas-permeable contact lenses. A few questions: 1) I think I'm the only person I've ever met besides my optometrist that even knows RGP lenses even exist, let alone that wears them. Why are they so rare? From what I read, they're better than squishy contacts in a lot of ways. The only crappy thing is how much more it hurts to get dirt in your eye. 2) I'm 24. How long will it be before I need 4 pairs of glasses to be able to see anything like most old people seem to require? Will wearing contacts make this time longer or shorter?
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May 8, 2009 23:51
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I have astigmatism and used to wear Acuvue Advance for Astigmatism. My prescription is expired though and I need to go get a new one. Are those new Acuvue Oasys for Astigmatism good? Also, what are your thoughts on color change lenses. I have brown eyes and would really like to have green eyes. What's a good brand, or do they have them for people with astigmatism?
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May 8, 2009 23:58
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HondaCivet posted:I have rigid gas-permeable contact lenses. A few questions: 1) RGP lenses are hands down the absolute best lenses you can possibly wear. Please, don't stop wearing them. They are fairly rare for a number of reasons. a. There is little to no advertising for them. b. They are HARD lenses. Perople don't want to put anything hard on their eyes. c. They require a significant time investment on the part of the fitter to make sure they are right. Not many people out there want to spend that kind of time. Those that do are few and far between. RGP lenses are your best option if you have ALOT of astigmatism, a very strong Rx (+/- 10.00), or if your Rx hasn't changed in awhile. Rgp's can be bought once and used for 10-15 years. (assuming that they are taken care of and the Rx doesn't change much.) I recommend them to everyone that I see where I feel it would be of benefit to them. I usually fit 1 person with them ever few months. 2) Probably when you are in your early to mid 40's, depending on your Rx. The crystalline lens in your eye losed its ability to change shape at that point, which is why you need help to focus of things close up. Contact lenses will have no effect on this at all. It'll happen when it happens.
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May 8, 2009 23:59
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Aluminum Record posted:I have astigmatism and used to wear Acuvue Advance for Astigmatism. My prescription is expired though and I need to go get a new one. Are those new Acuvue Oasys for Astigmatism good? Oasys for Astigmatish are the next step up from the Advance. Most places offer then at the same price as the Advance, so give 'em a whirl. You'll notice that they are more comfortable if the 9-12th hour of wear, and besides that they are healthier for you. Color change lenses are okay for a once in awhile use. They are made of a much older material and no company has updated them in years. Freshlook by Ciba are the onces I use most often, although Expressions by Cooper is good as well. For a toric colored lens, I'd say go with Freshlook...however you are limited to only 4 colors to choose from. Depending on your Rx your astigmatism might not even need to be corrected per se, so that might open up the door for more colors as long as you are okay with a bit of comprimising on the quality of your vision for the color change it would provide. I hope this stuff is helping peoples!
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May 9, 2009 00:12
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This isn't really about eyeglasses nor contact lenses, but thought I'd take advantage of the doc... Are floaters normal? I have not so good vision -3.75 but for the past year or so I've been seeing floaters in both eyes. I notice them pretty often now (there always seems to be 1 or 2 strands). I got my eyes checked and the doctor said it was normal. I'm turning 22 and feel that I'm pretty young for my eyes to be deteriorating... should I change doctors and get another opinion?
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May 9, 2009 00:21
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lolercoasterrr posted:This isn't really about eyeglasses nor contact lenses, but thought I'd take advantage of the doc... Well, first off, I'm not a Doctor. I'm an Optician and Contact Lens Fitter...but I do know a fair amount of anatomy and physiology of the eye. Floaters are fairly normal to have from time to time. I wouldn't worry about it in the least. Generally, floaters the the remnants of the Hyaloid Canal that broke down while you were in utero. You're fine!
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May 9, 2009 00:28
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I have astigmatism in both eyes and just started wearing contacts for the first time. My Dr. set me up with some Proclear Toric trials. I am having a hard time focusing in front of my LCD monitor all day. Will another brand be any better? Will my eyes get used to the focusing? I started wearing them on Monday.
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May 9, 2009 00:46
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Thunderpussy posted:You're fine! Thank you sir!
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May 9, 2009 01:02
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Just how bad is it that I regularly wear monthly contacts for ~3 months 24 hours a day? I usually change them when I start noticing the discomfort. Eye doctor has never commented other than once, asked if I slept in them and I said "sometimes", he said "ok well they are a little red so try giving them a 1-2 day break when you change contacts" and thats what I do, I usually wear glasses for ~week when I change out my contacts.
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May 9, 2009 01:03
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What's the downside to buying contacts online? Eyeball rot? Allergies? Question about colored lens: Do they look natural and do they cost more then normal prescription lenses? I have dark brown eyes and have been thinking about changing things up with different colored eyes. I'm not entirely sure though, because when was the last time you saw an filipino person with blue eyes? lols! Do you know of any websites with untouched pictures of people wearing colored lenses so I can try it out? Lastly, do people's eyesight improve with contact lenses? It feels like I've worn these things for forever and nothing's changed.
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May 9, 2009 01:29
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Thunderpussy posted:1) RGP lenses are hands down the absolute best lenses you can possibly wear. Please, don't stop wearing them. I used to wear RGPs because of my bad astigmatism, but my main problem with them was that I had to be really careful with them. "Crap, I dropped my lens, nobody move or you'll break it." I think they cost at least $75 each, so losing one was kind of a big deal. I mean, overall they saved me money because I had the same pair for about 3 years, and my vision actually got better, not worse. But the second time I had to replace a lens, I just opted to go with soft lenses. Sure, overall they cost more, but now when I lose a lens, I just put on a new one. I'm currently wearing Acuvue Advance for Astigmatism, and they're giving me dryness problems, so maybe I'll check out the Oasys ones.
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May 9, 2009 01:45
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Do the really, really super thin lenses reduce the distortion you can get in high prescriptions - the way that it makes it look to someone else like the glasses wearer's head caves in towards their eyes? I recently bought a pair of glasses, the first new pair I've bought in about eight years (since I switched to contacts). My prescription for glasses is -6.25 in one eye and -9.5 in the other, so I know that unless they're made of unicorn farts I'm not going to have thin lenses, but I'd kind of like to be able to wear glasses in public without having it look from head-on like my temples got crushed in a vise. Also, would a place like Lenscrafters or wherever be willing to just sell me new lenses, since I've already got the frames? And while I'm at it, is there a particular reason why my prescription for glasses is a full diopter and a half stronger than for contacts?
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May 9, 2009 02:45
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murderknobs posted:Just how bad is it that I regularly wear monthly contacts for ~3 months 24 hours a day? To a lesser extent, how bad is it if I sleep in my contacts, maybe once a week at most. Also, I remember seeing a commercial for contacts (I believe Acuevue, or whatever) and they apparently were able to make your vision better than 20/20. Is that bullshit, and if not, can you tell me if it's really worth it?
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May 9, 2009 03:25
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What is the "healthiest" brand/type/whatever of soft contacts in your opinion? I guess by healthiest I mean least eye complications after long term (20+ years) use. Currently, I use Ciba Vision's Night & Day which advertises 30-days of continuous wear. I never wear them when I sleep, but I extend their lifespan to about 2 months since I am too lazy to go back to my optometrist and get more. Speaking of that, is there anyway to get contact lenses WITHOUT a prescription/optometrist visit?
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May 9, 2009 07:18
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Are you saying that you cannot even get a refill on your current contact prescription without going to your optometrist? If that is the case, you are going to a weird optometrist. At least in my case I have an on going prescription for my particular brand and when I need a new box I just call in and they have them delivered to me. The only time I need to see the contact specialist is if I want to change my prescription or it has been several years since my last change in brand/type and new technology has come out.
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May 9, 2009 08:16
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Totally Negro posted:
probably not applicable, but third world countries. I bought contacts in bolivia with my half assed spanish, and the only thing the 'optician' wanted to know was 'que numero?'
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May 9, 2009 08:18
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Do you have experience with OrthoK (orthokeratology) lenses? I've been on OrthoK for almost 8 years, and it's pretty awesome stuff. Perfect vision without surgery, and without having to wear glasses or contacts during the day?  ! How come there's so little publicity about it?
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May 9, 2009 08:23
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I don't understand how people can leave their monthlies in for any longer than a day. If I ever accidentally fall asleep in mine (I have to be drunk for this to happen anyway), I wake up completely blind and my eyes feel sore. I'm fairly young (19) and my prescription changes pretty much every time I get my eyes check. That is, they are getting consistently worse. At what age does this usually stop?
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May 9, 2009 08:27
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HondaCivet posted:I have rigid gas-permeable contact lenses. A few questions: Hey RGP buddy. 
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May 9, 2009 12:41
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