Oasys Lenses

[calli66]

I currently wear Extreme H2O, but my doctor gave me Oasys to try because the oxygen transfers better.
First day they felt great, but subsequent days have not been comfortable at all (main symptom is constant grittiness, foreign body sensation). Cleaning routine: I rub with cleaner, rinse in saline, and soak overnight in Opti-Free with a drop of protein remover (all Alcon products). Are these OK for silhy?
My eyes feel rubbed and raw after I take out the lenses--friction? Would the steeper BC be doing this? Thanks
C66

[DrG]

Dear Calli,

I wear Acuvue Oasys lenses, and they are my favorite. However, I have found that some dry eye patients do not do well with silicone hydrogel lenses, and it has to do with surface friction. So, you are not alone. All of these lenses need to have special treatments to improve their wettability.

My dry eye patients can literally be put into two categories: those who do better with silicone hydrogel lenses, and those who do better with hydrogel lenses like Proclear. Have you tried Proclear?

By the way, unless you are sleeping in a lens, ultra-high oxygen permeability really isn't all that necessary.

Opti-free is an excellent wetting agent and works well with all silicone hydrogel lenses. I even recommend it for my RGP patients.

[calli66]

Have you tried Proclear?

Yes, I tried them and wore them before I switched to ExtH2O (2002, I think). This was for several months in late winter when I was not working outdoors. They seemed all right. The "special coating" and tear response was noticeable, but nothing special for me--it only lasted for the first day or two of wear. When I started to work outdoors again, I found that they dried on my eye, and because they seem thin/floppy, they actually "folded in two" from blinking and wanted to come out--I couldn't even keep them hydrated with drops.

And thanks for the feedback on wearability experiences and lens solutions--much appreciated.
C66

[DrG]

The Proclear lenses are thin, and the water content is higher than the Extreme H2O, which may account for them drying out on your eyes. Some people do swear by the Extreme H2O lenses. I have found that people will have preferences within a general class of contact lenses. In fact, I just finished a fitting of a young (teenage) female patient. She had no luck with the silicone-hydrogels, and was only "OK" with the Biomedics XC (Proclear material), but likes the Acuvue 2 best of all.

The only rule is that there are exceptions to the rule. I don't make rules, but I see trends and patterns, and those are what guide me in my choices.