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Making the switch from glasses to contact lenses is not
usually a hard adjustment. There are more steps involved in contact lens
care, but most people find them easy to use. However, it helps to know
what to expect before making the switch. Choosing a contact lens type is
a big decision. There are several lens types available, including hard,
rigid gas permeable, soft, extended wear, and disposable. The kind of
lens chosen will determine the amount of care and adjustment needed. For
the purpose of this article, a choice of RGP or soft lenses will be
assumed.
On the positive side of wearing
glasses, the glasses are not placed on the eye, they are easily taken
off to give the eyes a break, they last a long time and they are easy to
keep clean and well maintained. On the other hand, wearing glasses can
seem like a chore sometimes. They get dirty, fall off, slide down the
nose, get scratched, etc. Some glasses wearers feel that they affect the
wearer’s outward appearance, and would rather not have a pair of glasses
sitting on the nose. For these reasons, and countless others, many
people opt to wear contact lenses.
When adjusting to contact
lenses, the first concern is how the lenses will feel when they are
placed in the eyes. Contacts will be uncomfortable for a little while.
They are a foreign object in the eye, and it will take a time for the
eye to become used to that sensation. The sensation is similar to having
a piece of dirt in the eye. Soft contact lenses will begin to feel
comfortable almost immediately, while RGP lenses will take a few days
before the eye is comfortable again.
To put the soft lenses in
and out of the eye, you have to put a finger in the eye carefully.
Wearer of lenses adjust to this. However, if you find it difficult then
stick to wearing glasses. You need to grasp soft contact lenses in a
sort of pinching motion when taking them out of the eye. You can also
take out RGP lenses by pulling on the outer corner of the eye and
blinking. Both types of lenses require placing a finger in the eye to
get the lens in correctly.
The maintenance of contact lenses at
the end of the day is more involved than that of glasses. Contacts need
to be cleaned by gently rubbing them with a cleaning solution. They need
to soak overnight in a soaking solution to prevent them from drying out.
Some soaking solutions also disinfect the contacts. Care must be taken
not to put soft lenses in water, as this will destroy the lenses. RGP
lenses can be rinsed in water without doing damage to the lenses.
Occasionally, contact lenses will need to have the protein buildup
removed by use of an enzyme preparation.
Contact lens wearers
should always have their lens case and glasses available, especially
towards the end of the day. Contacts can become dried out after being
worn for several hours, and the eye will need a break. There are
rewetting solutions available to help combat the dryness and some
wearers find them useful. For the times that the lenses need to come
out, it is helpful to have the lens case and glasses nearby to make the
switch back to glasses for the rest of the night. It is also a good idea
to have those nearby anytime of day in case a lens is lost or gets dirt
on it that won’t come off until properly cleaned. No one wants to be
stuck with only one lens in or both unable to be worn and no glasses to
help with vision.
When traveling overnight, the contact lens
wearer will need to have the appropriate paraphernalia. This includes
lens case, cleaning solution, soaking solution, rewetting solution and
glasses. It may seem like a lot to remember, but it will soon become
habit. Making a list and placing in the overnight bag will serve as a
good reminder for these items.
Other things to remember when
making the adjustment to contact lenses include not rubbing the eyes
with the lenses in them, keeping the eyes closed when underwater to
prevent the lenses from floating away and buy a good pair of sunglasses
as contact lenses can make some wearers more sensitive to bright light.
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