What type of contacts are the best for a new user with allergies ?

Question

I've tried contacts once but they were the hard type and kept sliding off my eye as I used to have an astigmatism. I don't have one any more so I'm getting contacts again. Any advice? I'm asking for name brands as I see the eye doctor this afternoon.

Answer 1

The doctor will know what's best for your eyes, there are so many different factors that go into picking a brand of contacts. I have many patients with allergies and they wear all kinds of contacts, depending on other issues as well as allergies, like dry eyes, the amount of protein build up on the contacts, and the size of your eyes. You don't want to go into the doctors office requesting a certain brand of contacts, the doctor knows more about your eyes and has an idea of what will work best for you.

Cost- well today you'll get a trial pair, they are at no charge, the boxes really depend on what kind he prescribes, daily contacts run about $45 a 90 pack, monthly run about $40 a six pack, two week lenses are about $25 a 6 pack.

Answer 2

Hello,

It looks like you're thinking of getting soft contact lenses this time.  Without prejudice to what's already been said, - -  if you have such a degree of astigmatism that hard contact lenses keep coming off, then I think you should be aware that 'regular' soft contact lenses are not very good at correcting astigmatism.  

In other words, if perfect 20/20 vision is really important to you, then soft contact lenses may deliver less than you expect.

You can get 'toric' soft lenses which correct better for astigmatism, but they're a lot more expensive.

If absolutely perfect vision isn't so important, - - like you want to drive but not be a pilot or a train driver, - - that's fine.

I'm a bit unhappy about this story of allergy.  Generally speaking allergies are a bit of a no-no for contact lenses, (maybe that's why you've raised this question).   Perhaps I could suggest you try out soft lenses with the usual hour or two's 'walkabout' with them in.

I'm not an optician, I'm a retired uk gp who has worn both hard and soft lenses over the last 40 years, starting with the small Polymethyl Methacrylate lenses which were the first ones available.  

I don't have a 'down' on Opticians, but in my opinion everything should be explainable (explicable) in ordinary non-medical language.  Your Optician should be able to do this for you.  If he/she won't make the effort to translate from the very extensive jargon-vocabulary of eyes, that's not always good.

I'm against the idea of  'don't think for yourself, your Optician will tell you what to do'  which I sense in the previous answer.  Demand explanations! Really ask about allergies!

I hope this is of some help.

Best wishes,

Belliger  

  

PS. Opticians are called 'doctors' in America?  :-)