Contact lens wearers

Serene Tamborine Mummy · 04-21-2004, 03:45 AM

I was just reading another thread and this lady had found that PCOS had contributed to her dry eyes as the hormone imbalance effects eye lubrication. I have worn glasses since I was about 16 (now 31) and a year or two ago tried contacts. I think they are fantastic and it felt great not to have to wear glasses, but after a few hours, my eyes were killing me because they were so sore (from being dry). Whilst drops helped, it annoyed me to have to keep putting them in every hour or two. So now I am back to wearing glasses most of the time and only wear contacts on special occasions and put up with sore eyes. This lady in the other post suggested a particular brand that was really good for dry eyes. As she it was an American post, I am guessing that the brands would differ. Has anyone in Australia had a similar problem and found a brand that is dry eye friendly?

Tas · 04-22-2004, 03:09 AM

You'd do best to ask your optometrist. How long did you wear them for initially. Maybe you didn't give your eyes enough time to adjust. When I first started wearing them (when I was 21, now almost 40) I used the drops a few times, but after a short time I didn't need them anymore. I have been wearing them all day every day since - well almost every day :o. Of course, your eyes may be different to mine.

I'm hoping to get lasik surgery very soon so I won't have to worry about lenses at all

Serene Tamborine Mummy · 04-22-2004, 08:28 AM

I wore them almost exclusivley for about 6 months and just got sick of it ( about 2 years ago). But I have been thinking about it since I wrote the post and maybe I should have another go because I have felt wonderful (hormonally) since first falling pregnant and still feel great now that I have had Mackenzie so maybe my hormones getting a kick up the backside has helped my PCOS and therefore maybe my eyes wouldn't be as bad now....mmmm. I will talk to my optometrist and see what he says. Worth giving at a go. I have heard about lasik but don't really know what it. I thought it was the step before laser surgery? What is it exactly?

Tas · 04-22-2004, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Donna Allan
...I have heard about lasik but don't really know what it. I thought it was the step before laser surgery? What is it exactly?

...What is LASIK?
LASIK, or Laser in-Situ Keratomileusis, uses a laser to reshape the cornea of the eye, without cutting it, to correct vision problems such as short-sightedness (myopia), far-sightedness (hyperopia) or astigmatism.

LASIK is one of 2 main types of excimer laser refractive surgery: the other main method is known as PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy).

In PRK, the older of the 2 procedures, the laser is applied to the surface of the cornea. In this case, the laser shaves off tiny parts of the outer cornea. Unlike LASIK, no protective flap is cut in the cornea. Healing takes longer than with LASIK.

LASIK is newer than PRK and involves 2 steps: cutting a hinged flap from the cornea and folding it back and then applying the laser to the inner layer of the cornea. The flap is then replaced, covering the reshaped area of the inner cornea. The protective flap bonds securely to the eye by itself so there is no need for stitches. The advantage of LASIK over PRK is that healing is quicker and often more comfortable. However, both methods have risks and benefits and not everyone is suitable for the procedure so you should have an assessment at a clinic before deciding to go ahead. ...

Serene Tamborine Mummy · 04-23-2004, 03:03 AM

Thanks for the info...a bit of food for thought. Good luck with your surgery, I'd be interested to find out how it goes.