Forget Glasses!
December 23, 2005 was the first day I wore contact lenses. All I can say now is WOW. I don’t understand how I wore glasses for so long. If you currently wear glasses I highly recommend that you try contacts. You may be thinking “I don’t think I’d like something in my eyes!” Well, I thought that too. That was until I had them in my eyes for 30 seconds. That’s right, 30 seconds. That’s how long it took for my eyes to stop tearing and the feeling of something being in my eyes was nearly gone. It was like I had “normal” eyes again. No more parallax issues that occure with glasses. No worries about scratches. If something goes wrong with them toss them and put on a new pair. Now I can wear real sunglasses again too!
Let me dispell some of the myths surrounding contacts:
Myth #1: I don’t think I could stand to have something in my eyes – As I said above, the discomfort is gone after the first 30 seconds. At that point you can feel them but they aren’t irritating. It’s like wearing gloves or glasses. You can feel that they are there but they don’t bother you.
Myth #2: I don’t think I could stand to put them in and out of my eyes – Well, this does take some getting used to but it’s just like any other aquired skill. Practice makes perfect. Taking them in and out was a 10 minute job at the beginning. Now, 1.5 months later, it’s usually a 10 second job.
Myth #3: Members of the opposite sex will no longer find you attactive without those sexy glasses – Uh, what?
There are only a few real downsides that I can see. First, they are expensive. I have ones that are supposed to be replaced daily. They cost $40 for a 30 day supply. Instead I try to wear them for around 12 hours and then take them off, saving them to wear for one more day. That cuts my yearly cost in half. Also, if I am not going anywhere I may wear my glasses that day instead of putting the contacts in. Weekly and monthly lenses are a much cheaper alternative if the cost is prohibitive. Second, if you wear them for extended periods of time, you run the risk of conjunctivitis, infection, or other eye malady. The simple solution is to take them off daily or use extended wear lenses. The third, and my biggest complaint, is that the daily contacts can get irritating after 12-13 hours of continuous wear. At that point I often have a problem with clouding and general discomfort. The solution is to use eye drops or take them out.
Next time you see your optometrist get a free sample set and try them. You may be pleasently surprised.
