Wellness

[Grammycakes]

I have worn gas permeable (hard) contacts for decades, but the past couple of months I've had trouble with protein deposists/filming on them every single day.  It's so bad that I have to take them out at least once to clean them so I can see!  My eye doctor thinks it's allergies and gave me eye drops, but I cant tell any diference.  Has anyone else had this issue?  I hope someone has a miracle answer out there!

[Bhvbum]

I would Google it, I suspect there is a whole lot of information available about this because it is fairly common for folks who wear the “hard Lenses". 

[Sweetbay magnolia]

I had some recurring problems like that with RGP (it's been a few years now) and I found Clear Care cleaner to be effective.  It's the one with a vial and basket that holds the lenses for cleaning.  I had been using some other kind (Boston?) and just rubbing and rinsing at night.  I'd start the day out fine but be miserable in a few hours.  Sometimes I could barely see and they were even more uncomfortable than they usually were.  Cleaning with Clear Care helped.

I am fortunate now to be able to wear soft lenses since the technology for astigmatism has advanced.  In fact, now I wear "dailies" and don't even have to clean them.  Golly gee I hated when those RGP lenses wouldn't pop out!  Or when they popped out when I didn't want them to!  Or when dust got underneath them!   Owww

[Carmie]

I use "Clear Care Plus" to clean my lens ( I only wear one). It keeps protein from building up and keeps the lens clear.  Other cleaners have left my  lens cloudy.

My one lens costs about $1000 so I have to make it last a long time.  My current one is almost four years old and has no protein deposits on it.

i have found that the older I get, the more eye mucus I have to deal with.  I too, have to occasionally remove the lens and flush my eyes out.   My lens is a hard contact with a soft skirt attached.  I did not have this problem when I wore soft lenses.

[luvasale]

I have this issue daily!  I also use the Clean Care and sometimes I put more peroxide in it.  It does help but doesn’t resolve the issue entirely. I have tried everything but it keeps coming back.  I am due for new contacts but I am not going back to my old ophthalmologist due a bad experience and awful vision correction prescription.  

[Miami Spices]

I wore hard, gas permeable lenses for 30+ years. Then, I started having the issues you are. I decided to get lasik surgery. One of the best decisions I ever made. I had a ridge on my cornea from the lenses and had to wear glasses for 2 months prior to the surgery. The hard lenses create that ridge. 

[Carmie]

@Miami Spices   I am glad LASIK surgery worked for you.  I just had one eye done and I am just about blind in the eye now.  That  is why I wear a very expensive contact.  The contact smooths my cornea so light can refract.

My cornea was ruined and now I have keratoconus.  The good news in, I only had one eye done so I am not just about blind in both eyes.

The surgery is great if it works.  I would never take that chance again.  I can't see an elephant with a telescope unless I am wearing that contact lens.

[FancyPhillyshopper]

Hi Grammycakes,

Dry environments or dry eyes can affect the clarity of the contact lens.

I strongly recommend you speak with your eye doctor about switching to soft lenses.

A long time ago I used to wear hard lenses and after eight years they were making my corneas swell.

I switched to soft and I think they are more healthy for the eyeball.  There are many different brands and new types of soft lenses.

Make your eyes a priority!

[ceekay]

@Grammycakes  Glad to hear I am not the only RGP contact lens person left in the world!  I had a similar problem starting last year.  I switched to using the LOBOB products (had been using their ESC cleaner for years along with Boston Advanced).  But I now use their wetting and rewetting (WRW) drops (can also use in the eye when wearing the lenses if you need to) and their cleaning and disinfecting (CDS) for overnight soaking.  My eye doctor gave me some Clear Care to try and I use it once a week or so for variety.  He also suggested using a q-tip to clean inside the lens since fingers are kind of large compared to the lens.  So I do that too every few days.  Overall I am back to wearing my contacts at least 10-12 hours a day most days.  I have been wearing hard and then RGP lenses since 1972.  Good luck!!  I know I don't feel like me when I am not able to wear my contacts.  

[Grammycakes]

@ceekay  Thank you for the information.  I have never heard of LOBOB! I will check it out!  I just feel as if there should a soltuion since it's a recent problem. Go gas perm wearers!