Friday, December 07, 2007

A Brief Interlude to Solicit Advice

I’m going to take a break from our Hailey School Saga (although it continues) to share with you a brief but amusing story from my own adventures. Yesterday, I decided that it would be a good day to try to get contacts. I’ve never worn contacts and hate having things near my eye so I can’t imagine why I thought this was a good idea. Picture me looking up at the optometrist approaching with this innocent little lens. Now picture the struggle that ensues as he starts prying my eye open to put it in. He keeps saying, “open both your eyes!” And, I would think to myself “they are open” only to realize that they were indeed clenched shut. This happened about 10 times before he finally got both lenses in. It was really an absurd scene. What kind of a moron can’t open her eyes I thought afterwards. Anyway, it was kind of like the Friends episode where Rachel has to put drops in her eyes.

So, the contacts are not at all as comfortable as I imagined. In fact, I found them totally irritating and itchy, but I’m determined to give it an honest try so I do not run home and take them out. On the contrary, one decided to fall out on it’s own (with maybe a little help from me rubbing my irritating and itchy eyes). At this point, I’m sitting on the floor playing with Hailey only to find this contact coming out of my eye ball. I swoop her up, run to the bathroom, and convince myself that I must immediately get the other lens out before I end up with migraines, eye infections, and other seemingly unlikely repercussions. Of course, as I’m fiddling with my eye in the mirror, Hailey decides that she should start sticking her finger in her eye. This, I thought, was a perfect time for her to go to bed. After putting her down a half an hour before her bedtime, I continued to struggle to get the lens out. It took about 10 minutes, which doesn’t sound like long; however, I was repeatedly poking myself in the eye during that time, which makes it seem much longer. Needless to say, I’m back to glasses today.

If you happen to be a successful contact wearer and have any words of advice, I’d certainly appreciate it. I have until Monday before I have to tell the eye doctor whether I’m going for glasses or contacts. You can imagine which way I’m leaning.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've had contacts since I was 9 years old and other than the hard ones that I had to wear for the first few years I've never had any trouble. My mom didn't need glasses until she was an adult and has had a terrible time adjusting to contacts. After eight years she has still never been able to wear them for more than a few hours at a time. I think that when you wear them continuously for a very long time you no longer feel them in there but it makes sense that adjusting to something being suctioned to your eye ball would be uncomfortable at first. My best advice is to try to touch your eyes as little as possible while they are in and make sure that you use the rewetting drops if your eyes start to get dry. But if by Monday you still hate the way they feel and you're not too bothered by your glasses then don't force it. You look great in glasses and there is no reason that you should needlessly torture yourself if you just really can't stand to have something in your eye.

Katie

Anonymous said...

OK contacts are not that difficult. Make sure they are sized properly. When you wear them do they feel like they are hitting the sides of your eye? I worn contacts for many years and mine were exceptionally large because the smaller ones bugged my eyes. Whenyou put them in pull your lower eye lid down look straight ahead in the mirror and place the contact in your eye. Only wear them for 2 to 4 hours until you get use to them. Should be no problem after a few days. Stick with it after a while you won't even know they're there.

Love Mom

ann said...

It's refreshing to known I'm not the only one with "issues."

COOL!

Nancy said...

I know everyone's advise is from personal experience and only you will be able to decide if you can wear them or not. I've worn lens now for over 30 years..yikes, I'm old! And like Katie, never had a problem wearing them or putting them in/out. However, there have been episodes of the doctor trying to fit me for new lens that weren't right for me at all...only to have complications with excessive dryness or discomfort in some way. Just ask for a different kind of lens and indeed make sure that you're sized correctly. Did you know that different soft lens have different percentages of water in them and if you tend to be dry-eyed you can get lens that will help with that. Just be honest with your dr. and perhaps he can "adjust" things for you..but do give it time.
On the other hand, Gary has tried to wear them off and on for years and just simply can't do it! So, there you go!
All in all, I just LOVE your stories, they're extremely entertaining and hilarious!
Let us know how it turns out...love you, Nancy ~from Franklin ;)

nro said...

i have worn contacts for over half my life (i can't believe i can say i have been doing anything for half my life, but there you go) and love them. i like the peripheral vision, ability to put on sunglasses w/out having to cart around 2 sets of glasses (even though i still somehow end up w/ greg's in my purse). okay, why am i trying to sell you on contacts? you clearly want to try them. so, for my experience - overall good, but like nancy, i have had issues getting the right brand of contacts. in fact, last year, my optometrist tried to switch my brand (why i even agreed to try is beyond me), and i put them in and said - no, take them out now. i tried for a day (one horrible, long day) and went back to the same kind i had before. so, just a matter of finding ones that work for you. i am so used to mine that sometimes i get into bed, and realize that i forgot to take them out. and while i can't relate to your eye issues, greg can't even watch a visine commercial w/out tears running down his face (or, him running from the room). good luck! - nikki
ps - stop rubbing your eyes! of course that makes them fall out!