I've been putting it off for some time now, but I have grown increasingly frustrated with my vision. I guess I am almost 40 so I shouldn't be surprised that I need glasses, but I think I've been in denial. I just got back from the eye doctor and am sitting in the house with all the curtains closed, waiting for my sensitive eyes to undilate or re-late or whatever they do when they stop looking all scary and huge. And, yes, the good doctor informed me that I do indeed need glasses. I asked him about contacts (I am concerned that glasses would get in the way of photography and martial arts). I'm a little freaked out about the whole thing though. I'd love to hear from any contact-wearers out there - advise, tips, things you wish you'd known? I'm considering getting the daily disposable kind.
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I'm allergic to them, so I went from soft contacts to gas permeable ones and then back to glasses before getting PRK done. I think I need a PRK adjustment - it's probably been 10 years and my astigmatism has come back. I haven't had my eyes checked that whole time and I'm starting to get headaches. I guess I'm in denial, too.
Can you still focus near-to-far? Or are you getting "reading glasses"? If your eyes still have the flexibility, you can get Lasik or PRK. I wouldn't want to do martial arts with glasses. I know people *do*, but I was always the one who got hit in the face and ended up with my glasses embedded in my face. And that was playing sports, not martial arts, where people are *aiming* for your face.
Thanks for the feedback Jo. I am slightly nearsighted and have astigmatisms in both eyes.
And, yes, they do tend to aim at your face, don't they? :0
Welcome to the world of the hard to see. Glasses darling are going to be your best friend and worst enemy.
I have contacts, but have chronic dry eyes from staring at tiny objects and computer screens. I just wear them when I want to look purty. :) Although, they do make some now for dry eye so I've thought about trying them.
Also, i'm COMPLETELY eyeball-phobic and I can take them in and out! All by myself!
Ann, thanks. I'm glad to hear that it's not too freaky - I'm not thrilled about all that eyeball touching. And you always look purty.
Hey MrsMama - been reading for awhile now, can't remember how I originally found you though.
I've worn contacts since 8th grade (that was a looooong time ago). I wear the gas permeable kind since that is what was all the rage then. I like 'em because they "pop" out (no putting my finger in my eye to retrieve 'em). Plus I buy a pair about every 5 years or so. Way cheaper in the long run than the disposables. They also fix your vision better than the soft one. (Laser surgery is #1, then gas perm, then soft contacts, then glasses.) That's in relation to how close you can get to "perfect" vision.
What I don't like is that they can "pop" out when you don't want them too! My toddler has nailed me in the corner of the eye and sent one flying a few times. I never lost one playing sports though (and I played a lot of sports for a lot of years). Never did martial arts though, so not sure about that. They're also much harder to get used to when you first start. Your eyelids have to build up calluses to them.
Either way (gasperm or disposable), contacts are actually really easy and convenient. Much more so than glasses for me. I hate putting on glasses and not having good peripheral vision. Or spots on the lenses (did I mention my 2 year old?). Or getting them bashed into my face. Ororor...I've got a long list of why I hardly ever wear my glasses. : )
Good luck with whatever decision you make!
bdaiss - I'm glad you delurked! I appreciate your informative remarks. It sounds like something that I might actually be able to do. At least, perhaps, I don't need to *totally* freak out. I have my fitting and Contact care class next week so I'm sure I'll post more about this new adventure.
I've been wearing disposables since middle school. I've done everything from 2 week disposable to 1 year disposables. I've landed at 3 months, not too short, not too long.
I too am eyeball-phobic and have no trouble taking mine in and out. I feel like such a big girl :)
I really want Lasik surgery though. Maybe some day...
Hope it isn't too late to respond. I just found your blog. I have worn contacts for years and now wear 2 week disposables and have no problem. I will tell you that when I first got them, they had me practice at the doctors office. After one hour of practice, almost a full box of tissues from runny nose and eyes, and cutting my fingernails down to nothing (I was afraid of scratching my eye), I failed and they sent me home without the lenses. I could get them in, I couldn't get them out. They wanted me to pinch them out by placing a finger on each side of my eye and pinching the lense between them. I couldn't do it.
After thinking about it at home, I figured out I would be more comfortable holding my upper eyelid up a bit, placing fingers on the top and bottom and my eye and pinching that way. This way I wasn't worried about scratching my eye with my nails (which are not long to begin with). The doctor's office didn't think that would work, but it did and was able to take home my new contacts on my second visit.
Dorrie, thanks for your comments. It's encouraging to hear how you overcame and conquered contacts! I've had mine for a few days now and am still rather stressed out about putting them in and out. I think time will help...
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