Medical Forum / General / Vision / July 2005
Softlens 66 v.s. Biomedics (Toric) (help)
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skyt - 22 Jul 2005 14:33 GMT I just started wearing contact lenses a few weeks ago, and was given Biomedics 55 Toric lenses (for my left eye). It's all nice and good - it feels comfortable and I don't even feel it most of the time (although it takes me longer to put on this lens than the Biomedics 38 I was given for my right eye) - if not for the little problem with astigmatism.
The crux of the problem is that my left eye has astigmatism (cyl?) of -3.00, and Biomedics apparently only makes toric lenses up to -2.25. (However, apparently Softlens 66 has up to -2.75.)
The first lens I got gave me such blurred vision that after 5 days of wearing it, I couldn't take it any longer and went back to the optometrist, who ordered another lens with an increase in the compensation for myopia (overcorrection?) to compensate for the undercorrection for my astigmatism. This new lens, while much better, doesn't give me as acute a vision as I would like. She told me that if this lens wouldn't give acute enough vision, the Bausch and Lomb Softlens 66 would be another possible lens to try since they manufacture lenses that compensate for a higher amount of astigmatism.
So, after a week or so of wearing the new lens, I went back to the shop and was seen by another optometrist, who told me that the Biomedics toric was the only toric lens that'd fit my eye (at my first fitting I think they actually tried the Softlens 66 but said the Biomedics rotated less), and if I wanted any improvement it could only be on the right lens (and not the left), unless I went for permanent lenses (an idea that I'm not too keen on).
So what I'm wondering is whether I could actually try the Softlens 66 even though it supposedly fits less well than the Biomedics Toric, and whether it is true that the Softlens 66 wouldn't fit my eye (is it because of a difference in base curves?), and also whether the difference between -2.25 and -2.75 for astigmatism would be enough to justify more rotation in the lens. I'm also not sure if it's possible to just go back to the shop and ask if I can just try the Softlens 66 (even worse because I keep asking for a change in the prescription for sharper vision and hence keep getting new trial lenses - I have 2.5 pairs currently).
I'm not sure what my prescription is, but this is what's written on the blister pack of the last trial lens I got (for my left eye): SPH -5.00 CYL -2.25 AX 170 BC 8.70 DIA 14.50
Also, is it a good fit if later on in the day, the toric lens (Biomedics) tends to rotate and stay rotated such that my vision from my left eye becomes very unclear and no amount of blinking can make it clear again (unless I really really blink a lot)?
Lastly (slightly unrelated), is there a problem with the fit if, when I put the lenses into my eye, I have to move it around a bit and get some air trapped under the lens to pop up before the lens will stay in place?
Thanks (and sorry for all the questions and the trouble)!
William Stacy - 22 Jul 2005 15:54 GMT You should try the 66 toric. You've been handed a line. If the 66 doesn't fit, there are other brands to try that have 2.75 and higher cyls. Sounds like the biomedics actually doesn't fit you too well. In my experience, the 66 fits more eyes than the biomedics, but I have lots of patients successfully wearing both kinds. I also like sunsoft multiples for higher cyls.
The bit about air, normal. Just pop the bubbles with your finger or (better yet) your lid.
w.stacy, o.d.
> I just started wearing contact lenses a few weeks ago, and was given > Biomedics 55 Toric lenses (for my left eye). It's all nice and good - [quoted text clipped - 51 lines] > > Thanks (and sorry for all the questions and the trouble)! skyt - 23 Jul 2005 16:20 GMT Thanks. :) I suppose I'll go back and ask if I can just try the Softlens 66 toric then, hopefully they'll let me try them. :)
I'm also wondering if it might be a good idea to get a toric lens for my right eye (with -0.75 of astig). Would that be worth the extra approximately 26-32 (converted to USD) difference for six lenses (a six-month supply)?
Lastly, are there any problems with overcorrection for myopia to compensate for the undercorrection of astig (the current situation for my Biomedics lenses)?
Thanks again. :)
William Stacy - 23 Jul 2005 18:25 GMT If the refraction shows .75 or 1.00 then yes, if not then no.
It isa bad idea to overcorrect myopia esp. with contacts, and even worse to overcorrect astigmatism.
w.stacy, o.d.
> Thanks. :) I suppose I'll go back and ask if I can just try the > Softlens 66 toric then, hopefully they'll let me try them. :) [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Thanks again. :) skyt - 25 Jul 2005 14:23 GMT Not quite sure about refraction (what does refraction showing .75 or 1.00 mean actually? I'm not very familiar with these terms as I never had to worry about my vision with glasses previously). But went back and they're ordering the Soflens 66, with toric lenses for both my eyes. Hopefully they'll be better. :) I don't think sunsoft multiples are available here actually. They did say that maybe the blur-ness of my current Biomedics is partly due to the axis because mine is actually somewhere in between 160 and 170, and that if this was the case it wouldn't be fixed even with the Soflens 66. Oh well...
Anyway, I'm just wondering whether lenses can be worn past the one-month period if I don't wear them on weekends, and if so, will the time I wear them everyday affect this? (I usually wear them for less than 12 hours a day) And on a related note, can monthly lenses worn for say 10 days, then kept in solution for some time (such as 20 days), then worn again for 20 days to make up a month of wearing time? Is it also okay to just switch lens care systems, say from AMO's Complete to Cibavision's Solo Care Aqua, and is it possible to use Bausch and Lomb eyedrops in combination with the Complete or Solo Care Aqua solutions (since it's somewhat harder to find eyedrops from either AMO or Cibavision than the Renu eyedrops)?
Lastly, I'm just wondering whether it's safe to nap in the Biomedics lenses or the Soflens lenses, for time periods of about 40 minutes (on the train, for example, or during lectures :P).
Thanks again (esp since I've definitely gone off topic). :)
William Stacy - 25 Jul 2005 15:30 GMT > Not quite sure about refraction (what does refraction showing .75 or > 1.00 mean actually? I meant how much astigmatism the eye exam revealed or measured.
> Anyway, I'm just wondering whether lenses can be worn past the > one-month period if I don't wear them on weekends, and if so, will the > time I wear them everyday affect this? (I usually wear them for less > than 12 hours a day) And on a related note, can monthly lenses worn for > say 10 days, then kept in solution for some time (such as 20 days), > then worn again for 20 days to make up a month of wearing time? Yes.
> Lastly, I'm just wondering whether it's safe to nap in the Biomedics > lenses or the Soflens lenses, for time periods of about 40 minutes (on > the train, for example, or during lectures :P). Yes.
w.stacy, o.d.
skyt - 30 Jul 2005 13:00 GMT Hmmm I'd assume the refraction is -0.75 (since my current pair of glasses has that, and apparently my prescription hasn't changed since I got my glasses)
Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for all the help! :)
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