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Giving Contacts Another Go

I'm giving contacts another try. My prescription - or really, my astigmatism - shifted slightly from where it was in 2007 when I was last checked and got new glasses

As it's been about a decade since my last pair of contacts, I have to do the whole "fitting" thing again. I got a new eye exam last Wednesday and today got a single pair of trial lenses. They're written up as follows:

              SPH        CYL        AX        BC
Right Eye:   -1.75      -1.75       50       8.5
Left Eye:    -0.75      -2.25      150       8.5

These numbers seem consistent with what the doctor told me: that my vision hadn't changed much, but the astigmatism had shifted a little. The right eye was a bit "worse" and the left eye a bit "better."

Unfortunately, with the contacts in, vision out of my right eye is quite blurred. These are weighted (toric) contacts (due to the astigmatism), so I've flushed a few times and tried to re-set the contact to make sure it is in the proper orientation. Still blurry.

Next appointment: eight days from now. In the meantime I'll have to decide if the vision is good enough to wear at the next hockey game on Sunday.

4 Responses to "Giving Contacts Another Go"

  1. Good luck with the contacts.

    I can't count the number of times I've tried them. No matter what, it always feels like I just walked through a sandstorm, with my eye lids held open with toothpicks.

    I'm heading down the Lasik path - scheduled for Jan 2nd '09.

  2. Try closing your eyes and gently massaging them, if that doesn't work blink a few times and try eyedrops (i love systane).

    also, ask about other brands. like Kevin I've had some horrendous contacts that felt like what he says, but I tried a couple other brands, and the ones I have now (acuvue oasys for astigmatism) I can't even realize i'm wearing, even if I've worn them past the two weeks (these are 2 week disposables) by accident. I think this comfort preference is really up to the individual, cause I know friends who'll never go with acuvue because they thought it was uncomfortable.

    if it doesn't improve, maybe the prescription is not correct?

  3. I also have toric lenses. As mentioned, eye drops help but keep going back until the eye doctor gets them right. It took a lot of trial pairs but he finally got them dialed in for me.

  4. Ditto the above. Sounds like experiences I've had in the past where a toric lens isn't seating itself properly. I had this problem a couple years ago, and my doctor discovered that the lens company had sent a lens that was out of spec. If it doesn't feel right (by feel, I guess I mean "work"), don't let the doc tell you to just get used to it.