Talk to me about contacts

[katespade]

Do you have them? Love them? Hate them?

I just got new glasses two months ago and the lenses are great, but the frames are a pain in the butt. I've had problems with every pair I've ever gotten. They never fit right, no matter how many adjustments I get. They slide down my nose constantly, they push on pressure points that cause headaches, the make my ears hurt, and I'm over it.

Since I just got them two months ago, however, I would have to pay OOP for contacts. I've never had contacts before so I don't want to spend all of that money only to find out that they're even worse then wearing glasses.

So... Talk to me about contacts.

[HoneySpider]

I love contacts, I wear them pretty much all the time. Sometimes the eye doctor will give you a sample to try

[bk1]

I wore them all through high school but had a hard time seeing the board in college so I switched back to only glasses.

I like how simple it is to just grab my glasses and go. I don't have to walk to the bathroom to put in my contacts. Given, I have pretty bad eyesight. But really, that's the only thing I didn't like about them. I LOVED getting to wear sunglasses. Honestly, I've been thinking about getting contacts again, but I'm in the same situation as I would have to pay OOP (no eye insurance).

[megkat]

I adore mine. I hated learning how to put them in, but once I got comfortable with it, it's not a problem at all. I love being able to wear sunglasses in the summer. And also having peripheral vision

[megkat]

And yeah, I would definitely see if you can get a sample pair to try before spending a bunch of money on them, in case you decided you don't like them. DH absolutely hates them

[mac08]

They definitely take some getting used to, but I can't imagine not having them as an option, for me.  I had some eye issues last year where I couldn't wear my contacts for like 3 months, and it was torture.  Unfortunately my eyes never got fully better and now I have to use daily disposable ones, and my eyes can no longer handle wearing them everyday.  So I wear my glasses probably 4 days a week and contacts 3.  But even though I wear my glasses more frequently now, I still like having the option of contacts, I definitely think I look better with them.

[MrsMB]

They do take some getting used to....but I prefer them. Eye docs will definetly give you samples to try. You always want to make sure you clean them well, regularly change out your cases, and never ever sleep in them. (Of course, I no longer do it!)

[ginkgoleaf]

Ill probably be the longest be dissenter. I had them in high school and then switched to glasses. I had samples last year and just could not get used to then again, which is too bad since I think I see better with them.

[Deleted]

I love mine! I pay OOP for mine. I just go to Walmart vision and its $99 for the exam and sample pair.

[pooh8402]

I wear contacts pretty much 99% of the time. Mine are Acuvue Oasys, they're designed for drier eyes. They're supposed to be changed every 2 weeks, but I go a month to save money. I use a peroxide based solution so they get cleaner. I never sleep in mine. My optometrist gives me a pair to trial, then I have a follow up appointment a week later. That way I can assess for in the real world.

I do want lasik eventually (so I can stop messing with glasses/contacts altogether), but we can't afford it just yet.

[MrsMB]

If you have a Health Savings Account through your medical plan, you can use funds from that to purchase contacts.

[estrellita]

I've been wearing contacts since 7th grade. I have terrible eye sight so I either always have to be wearing those or my glasses (which happens more often lately because I'm tired and lazy, haha). I actually really hate the ones I have right now because they dry out easily and I feel like every little particle floating through the air ends up on them. There's always dust and stuff caked on them when I take them out. I need a new kind but I haven't been into the eye doctor lately.

Anyways, when I have a brand that works, I love them. I like being able to wear sunglasses, not worry about my glasses fogging up in the winter or getting spots on them when it's raining (like today) and I like how I look more with contacts in. I have no idea how much they are OOP but places like 1800contacts might be cheaper? Just ask for the prescription and you can shop around. I did that with my glasses but never ended up getting a new pair like I should..

Like pooh8402 I don't sleep in mine even though they are a kind you technically should be able to sleep in. Mine are too thick though (you should see my glasses  :? ). I also really want Lasik but can't afford it!

[katespade]

Jun 3, 2015 17:30:21 GMT -5 MrsMB said:

If you have a Health Savings Account through your medical plan, you can use funds from that to purchase contacts.

I have so many medical bills that I've blown through my HSA account balance. I still have bills to pay so I'm making payments to my doctors every time more money is deposited from my paychecks.

[katespade]

You've all convinced me. I called my eye doctor and they do give you samples before you commit to purchasing a bunch, so I'm going in on Saturday for my fitting appointment.

[anyastroud]

Jun 3, 2015 16:50:13 GMT -5 bk1 said:

This.

 I have always wanted contacts but never wanted to pay OOP. My ins. pays for glasses not contacts. I have always wanted purple colored contacts though *materialistic* me. Glasses have been my go to since the third grade. 

[katespade]

Does anyone use the dailies?

[melsamoony]

Jun 3, 2015 22:02:24 GMT -5 katespade said:

Does anyone use the dailies?

I haven't ever used dailys. Always monthlys.

[krystee]

I use the dailies and really like them.

Also, if you are paying OOP, don't buy them from your eye doctor! There are a zillion contact web sites where I can buy boxes for $40 whereas my optometrist charges $80. That's a difference of over $300 for a year's supply.

[Skyesthelimit1212]

If my mother would have let me I would would have worn them in high school. I love my contacts and I have pretty awful eyesight, I put them in when I get up at 6am to go to the gym before work, lol.

[katespade]

Jun 4, 2015 7:14:31 GMT -5 krystee said:

I use the dailies and really like them.

Also, if you are paying OOP, don't buy them from your eye doctor! There are a zillion contact web sites where I can buy boxes for $40 whereas my optometrist charges $80. That's a difference of over $300 for a year's supply.

H and I talked about it last night, and this is what I was thinking. I think Costco sells contacts, so I'll probably be ordering from them. I don't want to buy a bunch right away anyway, in case I end up not liking them or using them in the long run. My insurance offers a discount on contacts, since it doesn't cover them at all, so I'll definitely be shopping around.

[grover]

I do not use dailies. I used to have ones that were soft, but lasted for a year. The brand I have now is every 2 weeks.

I will say, don't leave them in for extended periods of time. In high school I would wear them from 6:30 am (bus got me to school by 7), and thenleave them in through school, bowling practice, and working at my retail job until I got home at 10:30/11 pm. I landed up with scarring on the inside of my eyelids, so I stopped wearing them for a few years. Now I will wear them, but it's for only a few hours and it's few and far between.

[awick14]

I have glasses, I don't love them but I'm terrified of contacts.

I almost lost my sight once because of over the counter eye drops for my allergies. I have no idea what was in them that I'm allergic too but I ended up in the ER and almost had to have surgery because of it. So glasses for me.

pooh8402- the place here that does Lasix will not do it on woman until they are done having kids/breastfeeding all together. I guess hormones of pregnancy/breastfeeding can change your eyes and then you may have to have the procedure redone.

[pooh8402]

Jun 4, 2015 8:46:06 GMT -5 awick14 said:

pooh8402- the place here that does Lasix will not do it on woman until they are done having kids/breastfeeding all together. I guess hormones of pregnancy/breastfeeding can change your eyes and then you may have to have the procedure redone.

Yea, I pretty much figured that. I can already tell a difference in my eyesight between now and last year's exam.

[katespade]

awick14 - That's crazy! I've used OTC eye drops before, but only a handful of times when I was a kid. I'm nervous about whether I'll be able to handle putting them in and taking them out, but I hadn't even thought of having a reaction to them!

[mac08]

I have to use dailies now, my eye gets really red and irritated when I reuse contacts now. I use acuvue 1 day moist, and I like them, they are similarly comfortable to the acuvue oasys that I used to use. They are more expensive though. I just ordered a 6 month supply from 1800contacts and it was about $500. But, I only wear them about half the time, so that should last a year.

[awick14]

Jun 4, 2015 8:56:51 GMT -5 katespade said:

awick14 - That's crazy! I've used OTC eye drops before, but only a handful of times when I was a kid. I'm nervous about whether I'll be able to handle putting them in and taking them out, but I hadn't even thought of having a reaction to them!

I guess it's a very rare reaction to the eye drops, well and the 16 year old me was like wow my allergies are bad let's take more of these eye drops to see if that helps. :/ lol when it's the eye drops your having the reaction to that's not a good idea.

I could get allergy testing done to see what part of the drops in allergic to but that scares me.

pooh8402- a friend of mine went through the whole consult to get Lasix done and the very last thing he asked her is if she is done having kids/breastfeeding, when she said no he told her to come back when she was done.