I'll try hard contacts tomorrow...

[stephgurl1986]

Hey,
my doc suggested that I should try hard contact lenses to improve my level of pain and redness. I don't know if it works esp. because I've tried hard lenses several years ago (without dry eyes) and I couldn't bear them.
I need your advice. What kind of hard contact lenses are there? When I try them, to what should I pay the most attention? etc.....please, help me! :-)

[odydnas]

i'm not sure I understand. Are switching from soft contacts to hard contacts, or are you getting contacts just to improve your level of pain and redness? If its the latter, I don't think that wearing contacts will help your dry eye, unless you're talking about the scleral lenses you get from boston foundation. Generally, dry eyes should stay away from contacts.

But to answer your question, I've worn gas permeable contact lenses for about 10 years and I have never tried soft contacts. Many doctors agree that gas perms are better for dry eyes than soft contacts because for one, they are more gas permeable (hence the name) and the low water content. The disadvantage is that there's like a 2 week period to get use to wearing gas perms. I think you start out wearing them for 2-3 hours and then increase the wearing time daily. If you eyes are already comfortable, learning to wear gas perms can be quite uncomfortable. Also, not all optometrists and opthalmologists are good at fitting gas perms and hard contacts because not that many people wear them. Make sure your doc has experience with getting the right fit because that can make a big difference. The newer gas perms now are bigger than what they use to be and much more comfortable, so ask your doc about that as well. Some docs do not know that, unfortunately.

Right now, my eyes are too dry to tolerate my gas perms, unless I'm out in a sweaty humid bar or club. But I hope that you can get them to work for you.

If you really do not like hard contacts, maybe you should try silicone hydrogels. Dr. G in the archived section seemed to like that choice.

Good luck!

[stephgurl1986]

Thank you for your answer. I haven't worn my soft contacts for over 2 years now ... I'm really excited about the hard contact lenses, I just wish I could war contacts again, I just don't like my glasses.
So, hard lenses don't improve my level of pain/redness??? :-( I thought they would....

[odydnas]

Hey stephgurl,
Keep us updated on you're doing w/ your contact lens! Hope it's working out =)

[Podiatric Medicine Studen]

Hallo

Hi, I am very interested to find out about your contact lenses... I have never worn them, and have always wonder if it would make dry eye conditions worse or better?? Anyway, Ich hoffe alles gut bei Ihnen Lauft... Ich woehnte fuer Zwei Jahre in Leipzig und Dresden, aber bin jetzt wieder in Kalifornian, und habe mir immer die frage gestellt ob es andere neue medizine fuer Trochene Augen in Europa gibt. Ich glaube du hast meine Frage geantwortet. Anja, Viel Glueck noch!!

[atta]

Hi Stephgurl und Studen

Habt ihr Restasis ausprobiert? Selber bezahlt?Ich habe gehört dass die Kranken Kasse bezahlt es falls man einen Rezept von dem Universitäten Klinik hat. Möchte ich wissen ob jemand Erfahrung hat.

[stephgurl1986]

Okay, I think it's better to keep this in English even though I like that I'm not the only German here anymore.

So, back to the topic: The doctor I went to wanted to try soft silicon lenses first before trying hard ones. They are called Air Optix Day & Night and are supposed to be the best soft contact lenses available because of the oyxgen permeability. They could be worn 30 days and nights without a break. Of course, I'm not going to try that. So I got two lenses which I'll try during the next days/weeks. I've only worn them for 4 hours yesterday and my right eye felt better than without a lens. Unfortunately, my left eye (worse) didn't improve. But I'll try again and keep you updated- give me a few days!!!

@ the others who wrote in German: I'll send you a PM!

[Stanza]

Hard contacts are supposed to be better for letting air in and they are so much smaller, I wish you luck. I never got used to them they always caused me pain, eventually I was told my eyes are very big and that was probably why, as I had to have ones that stuck to hard to my eyeballs. That and they fell out all the time!!

good luck though, from what I know they've improved them a lot since my experiences with them five years ago.

[stephgurl1986]

Before having dry eyes I also tried hard contacts - and I experienced the same as you stanza, pain and they kept falling out of my eyes. I also have very big eyes....that is the reason why I should try silicone lenses first..

[rubyslippers]

Hard contacts can help keep the eye from feeling the air and that cold feeling. They hold the moisture on the eye. I have continued to improve a bit at a time. My new gas permeable contacts arrived today and I was able to wear them for 2 hours with only a bit of discomfort. I am to start increasing time tomorrow. These are the first of 3-4 sets of contacts until they get it right for me. He says I will get a new pair every 10 days until we get the fit perfect for my problem. The goal is that I will be able to wear contacts most of my work day and contacts in the early AM and evenings. I am so relieved to be getting better. That fish oil and the hot compresses helped me turn the corner. My attitude is getting better each day. I cannot tell you how miserable the problem was for the days when it was at it's peak. My fingers are crossed that progress with continue.

[atta]

But isnt soft lenses better for dry eyes? Im confused. Scleral lenses are also soft lenses I think.

[stephgurl1986]

Sclerals are big hard contact lenses

[rubyslippers]

My doctor said soft lenses are like sponges and should never be prescribed for anyone with dry eye. Hard contacts absorb nothing and not only float on your eye, but hold the moisture to your eye. IF they don't fit well, they can cause irritation though. For someone with dry eye, irritation can be a big deal. This is why he will keep refitting me every 10 days until I get a perfect fit.