Contact lenses woes

[Chubz]

I had to start wearing my lenses again. The problem is I wear RGP lenses which are hard plastic. Not the soft lenses like alot of people wear. My eyes feel like they are being stabbed. This is what I get for not wearing these like I was supposed to be wearing them.

[Chubz]

One big difference between soft lenses (top) and GP lenses (bottom) is their size: GP lenses have a smaller diameter. (GP lens photo courtesy of GP Lens Institute.)
What Makes GPs Different?

GP lenses were first introduced in the late 1970s; they are actually a newer technology than soft lenses. Most GPs incorporate silicone, which makes them more flexible than PMMA. And silicone is oxygen permeable, so oxygen can pass through GP lenses, resulting in greater comfort and better eye health. In fact, GPs transmit more oxygen to the eye than do traditional soft contact lenses (although some newer silicone hydrogel soft lenses are comparable to GPs in oxygen transmission).
GPs can also provide better vision, durability, and deposit resistance than soft contact lenses. They can be easier to clean, and since they're long-lasting, they can be less expensive in the long term than soft lenses.
You'll Need to Adapt

So why doesn't everyone wear GPs? Primarily because soft lenses are instantly comfortable to wear, and GPs require an adaptation period before they can be comfortable. Some other downsides of RGPs are discussed later.

GPs are made from permeable materials that allow oxygen to reach your eye.
The Benefits of GPs

GPs offer some outstanding benefits over soft lenses. For one, because an RGP is made of a stiff material, it retains its shape well when you blink, which tends to provide crisper vision than would a soft lens.
GPs are extremely durable. Although you can break them (for instance, if you step on them), you can't tear them easily, like soft lenses. And they're made of materials that don't contain water (as soft contact lenses do), so protein and lipids from your tears do not adhere to GPs as readily as they do to soft lenses. With a little care, they may last for years, as long as you don't require a prescription change.
Niches Where GPs Excel

GPs are frequently the answer for people who don't obtain acceptable vision with soft lenses. This includes:
Braces For Eyes?

• Some eyecare practitioners use RGPs to perform ortho-k, a nonsurgical procedure intended to produce good vision without glasses or contacts. Learn more about ortho-K.

• Individuals who are very fussy about the quality of their vision.
• Some people with astigmatism for whom soft contacts don't produce the desired visual acuity. (Read more about contacts for astigmatism.)
• People with presbyopia, because GPs come in numerous bifocal and multifocal designs. Different bifocal designs work well for different people, so having many choices is a real plus. Also, many people find that the best combination of near and distance acuity is obtained with GP bifocals. (Read more about bifocal contacts.)
• People who have a condition called keratoconus, where the cornea is cone-shaped and causes extreme visual distortion. (Read more about keratoconus.)

Recent studies also have shown that fitting nearsighted children with GPs may slow the progression of their nearsightedness somewhat.
GPs are also used for orthokeratology, where specially designed contacts are worn during sleep to reshape the cornea and improve vision. (Read more about orthokeratology.)
The Downside of GP Contact Lenses

Unlike soft lenses, to achieve maximum comfort with GPs, you need to wear them regularly (although not necessarily every day). If you don't wear your soft lenses for a week, they'll still be comfortable when you put them on a week later. But if you don't wear your GPs for a week, you'll probably need some time to get comfortable again.
Also, some people experience "spectacle blur" with GPs: when lenses are removed, vision is blurry, even while wearing glasses. This effect is temporary, but it can necessitate full-time GP wear. This can make GPs an all-or-nothing proposition, which some people will find inconvenient.
Finally, GPs do require care, and they require rubbing during the cleaning process. (Read more about caring for GP contact lenses.)

[Crono139]

I have soft contact lenses, but my mom used to have those hard lenses.

She absolutely hated them, and went back to glasses shortly after.

[oceanspraypink]

Have you ever thought about lasik surgery? Both of my parents had it done about 20 or so years ago and loved it. The parice has went down considerably, and if you wear glasses..not sure on the cost of contacts...your cost are what around 250 a year for your glasses, maybe more if you have bi-focals, etc. I had it priced for Ryan a few months back and it was just under 1000 each eye. And your insurance will usually give you like a 15% discount.

[Phistar]

i need to get lasik done soon!

[Chubz]

unfortunately lasikl doesnt work for my problem, which is Keretoconus

[Kristen]

Originally Posted by Chubz

unfortunately lasikl doesnt work for my problem, which is Keretoconus

The only remedy would be stabbing your eyes out, I'm sorry.

[Crono139]

Boo Lasik eye surgery.

I would never be able to get that shit done to my eyes. Freaks me out too much.

[Chubz]

Originally Posted by Kristen

The only remedy would be stabbing your eyes out, I'm sorry.

Real nice