Trouble wearing contact lenses?

Tracyarts · 03-12-2003, 06:52 PM

Does anybody else have trouble with contact lenses?

And if so, has your doctor said that it might be linked to PCOS and/or insulin resistance?

I started wearing contacts again after a brief struggle with them in high school. But this time, I was determined to make it work.

No matter what type of solution, brand of lens, etc... I try, I can realistically only wear them for 6 hours before they really start to bother me. Good enough for a night out and a respite from glasses when I want, but so many of my friends and family can just stick theirs in and leave them and forget they're there. All day, even overnight lenses. Mine are 12 hour maximum lenses but I have only been able to keep them in for 6-7 hours without starting to feel discomfort enough that I had to take them out.

My endocrine doctor said that people with insulin resistance or diabetes often have trouble with sensitive eyes and dry eyes. And the reason why I could never adjust to contacts at all in high school, was because my IR wasn't being treated. Now that it is, I can tolerate lenses much better.

I was really disappointed that I couldn't manage to work up to wearing them all day, every day.

Anybody else have this problem? I have to wear toric lenses for astigmatism, I've settled on the Fresh Look torics, they seem to work as well as any others I have tried. Any better ones out there for ultra sensitive eyes?

Tracy

simone · 03-12-2003, 07:42 PM

Intolerance to contact lenses is listed as a potential side effect of taking bcps, so your problem is probably hormonal.

Simone

guineapig · 03-13-2003, 01:55 AM

Hey, I have an astigmatism also! I was unable to tolerate contacts (mysteriously almost overnight) for almost 2 years...tried every brand, used to go blind-as-a-bat to clubs because I hated my glasses so much...I couldn't even wear lenses longer than 2 HOURS per day. I found out that my eyes build up lots of gunk on the lenses and they must be replaced very often--I can't keep lenses around for months & months like the general population. Since then, I've used Johnson&Johnson Acuvue Torics...replace every 2 weeks, for almost 4 years now with no problems! I was ready for Lasik before I found them. And I have to use the Opti-Free solution; others irritate my eyes more. And I never sleep in contacts period.

jannie_b · 03-13-2003, 05:39 PM

My optometrist says that I have incredibly dry eyes and he strongly recommended that I either NOT wear contacts, or consider daily use ones that I can wear for short periods of time (like for parties or swimming or picking out glasses LOL!) and then toss. I took the latter route but then found myself never wearing the lenses. I have 2 pairs of nice glasses and some prescription sunglasses, and it doesn't really bother me to wear them.

I had not heard that this could be related to insulin resistance tho. Interesting.....

Janet

LULU · 03-13-2003, 07:29 PM

Before I was diagnosed with diabetes, I found it impossible to wear my lenses for any length of time and I had been wearing them for about 20 years by this point!

Once my blood sugar was under control, I was able to wear lenses again though 8 hours per day is about my limit now. I try to give my eyes as much rest as possible from lenses (by wearing glasses at night and weekends if not going anywhere).

I also wear Frequency 55 toric lenses(monthly disposables) from Coopervision and use Opti-free! These lenses are made in the USA!

Insulin resistance and blood sugar levels are definitely connected with eyesight problems. In fact, my doctor predicted that I would be wearing lenses again once the metformin kicked in and he was right!

Gizmo · 03-13-2003, 07:32 PM

There's a new solution out that is supposed to make your lenses stay moister all day long. I forget who makes it, but it's something you would buy in a store, not something you need to get on line or anything. I saw a commercial for it just a few days ago... I was to say it's Alcon but I am really not sure.

I don't seem to have much trouble with contact lenses, my biggest problem is I am too lazy to put them in.

I only wher them when I want to look nicer, like a nigh out or an interview or whatever. I do find my eyes feeling dry after a while, I usually just take them out at that point. I think a lot of people use re-wetting drops at some point so I don't think this is anythng super unusual. I know that with one BCP I was on, wearing them became unbearable... this slight dryness is nothing like that!

jennifer_klassen · 03-13-2003, 10:49 PM

Ya know what?! I just realized something... I had a TON of tests done last June for fear that my optomitrist couldn't figure out why nothing made my right eye sharper and my mother having malcular degeneration and thinking maybe it might be the beginning for me ...

Anyhow, I was on the birthcontrol pill from Jan 02-May 02 and I think it was around the end of April that I noticed the sight was getting fuzzy in this one eye, that's why I made the appointment. Anyhow, did all this testing, got new perscription, no probs wearing the contacts, but still to this day, things seemed to corrected itself, but my one eyes gets a little tired and i noticed it when i wear my glasses in the evening that it's not fuzzy at all yet it's hte same perscription! And i wear a new pair of contacts every month. But yeah, I dunno if the bcp "wears off" over a period of time, but I'd say it's the BCP.

AimeeLoren · 03-13-2003, 11:45 PM

I have been wearing contacts since my senior year in HS, fairly regularly with no problems, but I do not have astigmatism. I wore regular soft lenses for many years. About 2 years ago I started with the 2 wk disposables and can usually stretch that to 4 weeks because I am good about keeping them clean. I never had a problem with them when I was on bcp and I have always seemed to be able to wear them for extended periods of time. Some days now I wear them from 6am till 10pm. I guess I am lucky that I can wear them without any problem. I am pretty active with dance classes and step aerobics and I hate it when I have worn glasses to these classes.

tlz769 · 03-14-2003, 12:38 AM

I also have trouble, wearing contacts. I've been wearing them since I started HS (in 1996). But, things have improved a little bit, since then.
When I was in HS, our building was undergoing construction, making for a lovely, dust-filled environment (the very first year I started with my contacts!!) But, they would get extremely dry around 7th period, and rewetting drops didn't help. (for about 10 minutes, they were ok, but then they would just get even more itchy and dry).
One night, I forgot to take the contacts out and slept in them all night,...but the next day, they did not get dry in 7th period. So, I started letting my contacts in for 7-10 days at a time. Which was wonderful, or so I thought.
The next time I saw my eye Dr. he said I was lucky to have my eyesight; the lack of oxygen (due to almost always wearing contacts) was causing lines/wrinkles on my eyes, and eventually, I would've lost my vision.
So, do NOT let you contacts in for more than 2-3 days, if you let them in overnight at all (from what you've said, I gather that you don't,...but just incase somebody else reads this!!).
Anyways, to the good stuff...
I use a special brand of solutions, called Pure Eyes, made especially for dry/sensitive eyes (which is pretty good). Also, my cotacts are for really sensitive eyes, and are supposed to be really great with moisture. They come in a green and white box and they are called Mediflex 55UV. I've been using them for about three years and I have definitely noticed a big improvement, since my last ones.
Another thing I recently began doing, is rotating two pairs of contacts. I will wear pair A on monday, wednesday, friday, etc., and pair B on tuesday, thursday, saturday, and so on. So, each pair has a regular nite in the case and then an additional 24 hours. I find that by doing this, I can wear them at least til midnite, versus 8pm.
Also, they are the disposable kind, so I only use each pair about 4-5 weeks, before starting a new pair. It is amazing how clean a new pair of contacts feels on your eyes!!!
Of course, another factor in the big improvement could be that my IR is FINALLY being treated, so that is probably coming into play, somewhere.
I can't help you as far as the anti-stigmatism goes,...I'm not quite that lucky!!!
I wish you luck with your eyes, because I hate wearing glasses and know what a hassle they can be!!

tigger57 · 03-22-2003, 12:09 AM

This is interesting. I've been struggling with dry eyes for awhile now. I even have punctal plugs in the upper and lower lids and still can't wear contacts because of the dry eyes. I have also been diagnosed in the past with cysts on my ovaries. Recently I had a ultra sound done which showed a couple of cysts on my left ovary (my right one is hard to find as it's small.... whatever that means). Six weeks later I had another ultrasound done and one of the cysts has doubled in size. Now I'm wondering if it's all related. Thanks for the info.
Tigger

happytoknow · 03-22-2003, 02:49 AM

I also have astigmatism and wear Fresh Look torics. When I first got contacts quite a few years ago, they didn't really bother me. Now, they seem to dry out very easily. I am going to see if trying a different brand might help. I also have SEVERE light sensitivity. I can't go outside without having sunglasses on. I have like 5 pair- 1 in my car, 1 in DFs' car, 1 in my purse, 1 in the kitchen by the back door and 1 put away in case one pair breaks. It sucks!

moonshadow · 03-24-2003, 05:16 PM

i don't need glasses or contacts, but i thought i'd reply anyway. i have really sensitive eyes- super red when swimming, after a bath/shower, etc. my eyes get very red around allergy time, and most of the time (like right now) they are mildly irritating, and not quite stingy. i can't even put eyedrops in my eyes because they hurt so much (i've tried multiple kinds). i mostly put up with it and try to stay away from the things that irritate me most (except for swimming, during which i either wear goggles or keep my eyes shut, which reduces the sting, but not the redness). when it gets really bad i put cold stuff on my closed eyes. milk on cottonballs is supposed to be good on closed eyes, but i don't use dairy products.

i've been like this since i was really little, so i don't think i can link it to pcos.

BKuntz · 03-24-2003, 05:31 PM

I've actually just started wearing contacts-mainly because at 35 I'm too vain to start wearing glasses all the time.

My doctor prescribed the Acuvue 2's and I find them amazingly comfortable. Unfortunately, I also get really dry eyes and can only wear the 2 week ones about a week, and I usually only wear them when I'm working, since I sit in front of a computer all day.

I found the solution that my doctor gave me to really moisturize my eyes (when I'm not at work because my office is sooooo dry). The solution is called Complete and its a no rub solution that does everything-cleans and moisturizes. They also make a rewetting drop that's great if your in someplace dry and need a little extra moisture.

I don't know if that helps, but I thought I'd add my experience.

Beth