Are contact lenses suitable for me?

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Ant - 24 Feb 2005 15:50 GMT

Hi,

Recently I went to the optician and was told my long distance eyesight was
not so good but my near vision is fine. I don't like glasses so that's not
an option.

I forgot to ask the optician this but I was wondering are contact lenses
suitable for me? So that I would have better long distance eyesight but my
near vision would not be affected (or improved too maybe)

I work a lot at a computer

Also I've got some floaters and I reckon theye been caused by my not too
good long sight (as I'm only 20), well either that or retinal detachment...
and maybe if/when I do get contacts these floaters might go away? I read
somewhere that they're more comman in nearsighted people so maybe if that
problem is corrected the floaters will just float away? (or is that just
wishfull thinking!)

I'm asking here because I dont want to have to pay another opticians fee
just to be told I may not be suitable for contacts. Although Ill have to
make another appointment to get a prescription as I can't remember what it
was, something like -1 I believe.

Any contributions appreciated!
Thanks
--
Ant

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Dom - 25 Feb 2005 11:51 GMT

> Hi,
>
> Recently I went to the optician and was told my long distance eyesight was
> not so good but my near vision is fine. I don't like glasses so that's not
> an option.

How do you know you don't like glasses?

> I forgot to ask the optician this but I was wondering are contact lenses
> suitable for me? So that I would have better long distance eyesight but my
> near vision would not be affected (or improved too maybe)

Contact lenses suit most people these days, but you need to have not
only your vision tested but also the health of your eyes assessed
individually to make sure you're suitable. From what you've said, your
near vision should be fine with the contacts in.

> I work a lot at a computer

If you do get contacts (or glasses) you may be better off not wearing
them while sitting at your desk at work... perhaps just use them for
driving, TV, etc. Depending on what your optician told you.

> Also I've got some floaters and I reckon theye been caused by my not too
> good long sight (as I'm only 20), well either that or retinal detachment...
> and maybe if/when I do get contacts these floaters might go away? I read
> somewhere that they're more comman in nearsighted people so maybe if that
> problem is corrected the floaters will just float away? (or is that just
> wishfull thinking!)

Floaters are associated with high myopia but not really with myopia of
-1.00. They are also linked with retinal detachments, but if you really
had one of these, hopefully you'd be in hospital now having it operated
on rather than writing to internet newsgroups!! Floaters are very common
and usually benign. Getting contacts won't make the floaters go away.

> I'm asking here because I dont want to have to pay another opticians fee
> just to be told I may not be suitable for contacts.

Nobody on this newsgroup can really answer your question except the
person who tested your eyes. You could try phoning to ask the question
as they may already have done some of the assessments as part of your
initial examination. They'll probably just tell you to make an
appointment anyway, but it doesn't hurt to enquire over the phone initially.

Although Ill have to

> make another appointment to get a prescription as I can't remember what it
> was, something like -1 I believe.

You should be able to collect your glasses prescription without another
appointment. But for contacts you do normally need extra fitting
appointments.

> Any contributions appreciated!
> Thanks
> --

No worries.

Dom

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Ant - 25 Feb 2005 23:42 GMT

thanks for replying

>> Hi,
>>
>> Recently I went to the optician and was told my long distance eyesight
>> was not so good but my near vision is fine. I don't like glasses so
>> that's not an option.
> How do you know you don't like glasses?

I would find it irritating not having a clear field of view, I'd always be
trying to look out the corners etc. I've tried on ppl's glasses before so I
have a feeling of what it would be like.

>> I forgot to ask the optician this but I was wondering are contact lenses
>> suitable for me? So that I would have better long distance eyesight but
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> while sitting at your desk at work... perhaps just use them for driving,
> TV, etc. Depending on what your optician told you.

Ah, I had a suspicion that would be the case but I dont think it's a
practical solution to keep taking out / putting in contacts all the time.
It would be great if I could wear them constantly and for any activity
(within reason)

Reply to this Message

The Real Bev - 26 Feb 2005 00:09 GMT

> thanks for replying
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> trying to look out the corners etc. I've tried on ppl's glasses before so I
> have a feeling of what it would be like.

Does this mean you can't wear sunglasses? It's amazing the nuisance I'm
willing to put up with in order to actually see :-) I don't think you
can know that until you actually try wearing glasses made for YOU. I
could, however, be full of sh.t. When I got glasses at 16 (I tried on a
friend's glasses and was amazed at how much clearer things were) I
didn't wear them because they were too strong. I was dumb then, I
didn't go back and complain.

> Ah, I had a suspicion that would be the case but I dont think it's a
> practical solution to keep taking out / putting in contacts all the time.
> It would be great if I could wear them constantly and for any activity
> (within reason)

I normally wear contacts for distance and add 99-cent reading glasses
for reading and computer work, which occupies perhaps 85% of my waking
hours. Not a problem, and it would be almost totally great if it were
possible to fit me properly with contacts (which it, unfortunately,
isn't).

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Cheers,
Bev
=================================================================
"There's an apocryphal (I hope not !) story about a Bristol bike
thief found cold, wet and bedraggled one morning, D locked by the
neck to a local bridge." -- Anon

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