How do I wear my boston gas permeable contact lenses more comfortably?

Question

I'm 51 years old, have dry eyes from allergies and sometimes sinus pressure. I wore contacts since I was 19, but for the last 4 or 5 years they have become unbearable to wear. I was considering Lasik but because my eyes are dry to begin with, I wouldn't want to make them even more dry from the surgery. My doctor didn't recommend soft contacts...I think he would have if I were able to but I am very nearsighted. I think my prescription is a -7.

Answer 1

I had a similar situation. I switched to soft lenses last year after 30 years of wearing hard lenses or gas perms. It got so I could barely tolerate wearing hard lenses, and my  eyes were always bloodshot.

If I were you I would go back and ask about soft lenses. They are SO much more comfortable. I don't think my vision is as sharp as before, but it's a tradeoff I'm willing to make. And, no, you're not too nearsighted. I was -8.5 last year and backed off to -8.0 in my right eye. My left eye is undercorrected with -7.0 for reading.

There are a couple things you can do for dry eyes, and I'm a little surprised that your eye doctor didn't mention them. First, there's a prescription eye drop, Restasis, that is supposed to help with tear production. It's expensive and takes about a month to take effect. (The benefit I got from it didn't justify the cost, so I stopped taking it.) The second thing you can do is have your tear ducts plugged. It doesn't help with tear production, but it prevents them from draining away so quickly. They do a trial with a plug made of collagen to see if it will work for you (the collagen plug will eventually dissolve). If that helps, you can have a more permanent plug installed. I haven't needed to have this done, but I'd be willing to give it a try. It is not a new procedure.

My advice is to go back to the doctor and press for better answers. If they can't offer suggestions like I've mentioned above, you need to find another eye doctor. You've got too many years to live!

p.s. In order to get surgery, you will need to stop wearing hard lenses in order to let your corneas stabilize. During this time, your prescription can go all over the place. The process can take months if you've worn hard lenses for many years. I went through this when I switched to soft lenses. It was a pain in the neck, but I'm glad I did it.