Is it normal to have blurry vision while adjusting to contacts?

Question

I've been wearing glasses for the past year for an astigmatisim. I recently got a contact lense exam from a new (better) doctor and was told that I also have a slight myopia (-1.50, -1.00). The contacts were blurry when the dr put them in but was told that it would take a while for my eyes to adjust. After about two hours I had to take them out. The next I put them in and the blurred vision bugged me so much that I took them out immediately. Is this normal? Should I suck it up and try to adjust or is there a possiblity that my prescription could be wrong? Oh...and on a side note, my lenses have small hash marks on either side of the lenses. What is the purpose of these? Thanks.

Answer 1

You are wearing a toric contact lens (which corrects for astigmatism as well as near or far sightedness..depends on which the doctor prescribes).  The hash markings are to let you know what direction to insert the contact lens in the eye.  It depends on which brand you are wearing, but usually the hash marking need to be directed such that they land at 12 and 6 o'clock on the eye(doesn't matter which is at 12 and which at 6).

You should be having a bit of adjustment for the first 20-30 minutes after inserting your contact lens where the vision can get blurry, but it shouldn't remain uncomfortable after that point.  The reason you got contact lenses is to see clearly! Try inserting the lens the way I mentioned above, because if the lens is rotated, then it will make things blurry also.  If the blurriness continues after that, go back to the doctor and let him look at the lenses on your eyes.  he/she may need to make an adustment in them.

Answer 2

Those markings are because they are Toric lenses ( for astigmatism)

All torics have a marking like that of some type so that the rotation of the lens on your eyes can be measured and corrected if they don't sit at the right axis on your eyes.

When you put them on, the lenses will rotate to the right position, when all works right...It doesn't matter how you put them on, the lenses will rotate after a few blinks to the right position, if it is going to at all.

It usually takes 15- 20 minutes or so the very first time you put torics on for them to get comfortable and clear, but after that it should only take a few seconds.

Something is wrong with them. They shouldn't be blurry after that long. It is most likely the rotation of the lenses that isn't right, so they are off axis.

You will have to head back to the Doc with them again and tell them.

Once they see them on your eyes under the slit lamp, they will probably see the problem right away, because of those markings that are most likely in the wrong position.

Or, the Rx is just plain wrong to begin with.