# My Thursday Night...



## rawr (12 Mar 2010)

I just thought I'd share this, no point to it really but it's quite stupid and funny.

I'm actually visually impared but that's a whole other story. I've got glasses that I wear sometimes and have always been against contact lenses because I never liked the idea of just sticking them in my eye. But for some reason a few weeks ago I thought why not, so booked an appointment at Specsavers to try them out.

So anyway, they checked the health etc and put some contact lenses in. To cut a long story short, I was quite nervous about it and fainted. The poor opticianist looked so scared but I felt fine afterwards.  So I got booked in for a 'teach' so they could teach me how to put them in etc. 

So I went for two teaches, the first time able to get a lense in the right eye but not the left. The second I got them in both eyes about five times and we both agreed that I could take some home for a trial. I could get them out easily enogh. This was yesterday (Wednesday) and I left wearing some, took them out a couple of hours later with no difficulty and all was fine. 

I thought they were amazing, you just stick them in and they improved yoru eyesight.

So earlier today I put some in before work. I say 'put them in', I'm sure the right lense went in but not so sure about the left lense, it kinda got stuck on my eyelash but I'm pretty sure that one went in too. At least one or both were in anyway because I could see a lot better. Off I went to work and all was fine as far as I was concerned.

When I got home earlier tonight I tried to take them out but I just couldn't for the life of me, which I thought was weird because I had no trouble getting them out beforehand. Anyway, I don't remember at any point physically seeing them out of my eye but they must have come out because I could see just as well as I always could without any lense or glasses. 

I was really worried though because like I said, I never physically saw them out. The optician told me not to sleep in them because she fell asleep with hers in for ten minutes before, woke up, couldn't see a thing and they were all shrivelled up. She cut her eye the day before and apparently when you sleep the eye repairs itself. Her lense had partly healed in her eye whilst she was sleeping. Doesn't sound too nice and I didn't want that happening to me. You are also only supposed to keep them in for ten hours and the tength hour was nearing. 

As I said I was really worried after hearing that so I went to A&E. I was so sure they were out (somehow) because I couldn't see as well but at this point didn't know what was going on because I was tired etc. So after a four hour wait I saw the Triage nurse who looked in my eye and said she couldn't see anything in my eye apart from the fact it was pretty scratched up with me trying to get a non-existent lense out. 

So that was my Thursday night  I feel really stupid about it really but I was so worried. I'm pretty worried about going to sleep now actually even though she assured me they were out.

As much as I loved wearing the things, I'm debating whether to throw the rest away in the morning. i can't be having that!


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## Lisa_Perry75 (12 Mar 2010)

Awww  That sounds really horrible! My dad didnt get on with contacts. But I do know several people who have had laser eye surgery. It may be rather expensive (Â£4000) but my workmate says the best money she ever spent. I know you can get it cheaper, but with something as important as your sight you can't really skimp.


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## paul.in.kendal (12 Mar 2010)

The choice is yours, of course, Thomas, but I'd say it might be worth a bit of perseverence.  I've worn lenses for years, and allthough they're not perfect they're a sight better (pun intended!) than specs - for me at least.  I certainly wouldn't give up when you haven't really given yourself a chance to get acquainted with them.  Laser treatment is another thing entirely - I'd love to give it a go, but don't think the success rate is high enough yet.


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## rawr (12 Mar 2010)

I'm totally up for giving them anoter go, they're much better than glasses in my opinion but just don't like the idea of thinking they're still in/trying to get them out etc etc. I'm definately goin to try them again anyway.


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## Steve Smith (12 Mar 2010)

A mate of mine some years back went to try out contacts at an optitions and had a similar experience.  The optician placed a contact in and my mate instantly fainted.  I think they put it down to low blood pressure.  Certainly gave the guy a fright!


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## andyh (12 Mar 2010)

There is always lots of rumors around contacts, you can actually get lenses you can sleep in nowadays so that could something for you to consider.

Don't worry once you have worn them for a week or so all your worries will have gone, stick with it its worth it in the long run! You wont be the only one who is unsure whether lenses are still in, the worst one is when they split, but you just have to blink a lot and it works it way out. Remember there is no where for it to go apart from out the front


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## rawr (13 Mar 2010)

I don't know why I fainted really, I've only ever fainted once before. I was pretty nervous about it and could just feel myself heating up and my vision went blurry and before I knew it I was waking up again.

As I said, I really want to give them another go. My eye is really bloodshot at the moment, either because I kept the lense in too long for the first time, because that was the only eye with the lense in and it was strained or because I was fiddling around with it too much with there being no lense to take out. So I'm going to wait a day or so until that clears up. I did hear about the permanent ones but don't really like the idea of them for some reason. I know they can't go behind my eye, I still find it quite scary though. I guess it's just one of those things you've just gotta get used to.  Thanks for the advice and encouragement guys.


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## paul.in.kendal (13 Mar 2010)

As a daft aside - you know when you stand up suddenly from being crouched down low, it can make you go lightheaded, or even faint?  A good way to stop that is - wait for it - to clench your buttocks!  The big muscles force blood back up to your brain, apparently.  It was a trick used by Victorian ladies who regularly fainted because of their constricting corsets   

Just thought I'd mention it...


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## Ben M (14 Mar 2010)

i find it really annoying wearing glasses, especially as i play rugby. i have to wear an old pair. but i can't be bothered to use contacts. but i would perceiver. 

cheers


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## Gill (14 Mar 2010)

I have tried contacts and Liked them, But as I have been wearing glasses for over 20 years. I have horrid Pad marks on my Nose from wearing glasses for so long. 

On the flip side I Worked with someone who had to have Cornea Transplant from not looking after her lenses correctly. She had to wear a patch for 2 years while waiting for a suitable donor.


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## rawr (15 Mar 2010)

That's the thing I don't wear my glasses that often, probably not as much as I should do. The only time I wear them is at school to read off the board occasionally and that's it. That's why I think I noticed the difference so much. I also love the fact you don't have to physically wear anything, it might sound a bit weird but having glasses stuck to my face annoys me and seeing the frames does in a weird way too. 

Eeek, that sounds bad. See horror stories like that put me off but I suppose you get that with anything.


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## paul.in.kendal (16 Mar 2010)

I found lenses seriously liberating.  Dinghy sailing would be much, much less fun with specs, and there are many other activities that are easier/better/more enjoyable with lenses, not glasses.  I wear rigid lenses, which are easier to care for but harder to get used to.  They also give better correction, as I'm astigmatic and the rigid lenses squash the astigmatism flat.


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## George Farmer (16 Mar 2010)

I've worn glasses since the age of 8 (that's over 25 years now), and contact lenses on and off since 16.  After a while you don't notice the frames, unless you think about it.

My oldest contact lenses were horrible, thinking back - monthly disposables that were really high maintenance.  It took a week or so to get used to it, but like anything, practice makes perfect.

Now I have the latest daily disposables that even correct for my astigmatism.  Lord knows how they work, but they do!  They're over 80% water and really comfortable, right from the set off.

A couple of friends have had the laser surgery and I am considering that.  I'll break even, financially, after 6 years or so, after considering how much new specs (I generally replace ever 18 months or so) and contact lenses cost.  But the thought of the operation scares me more than sticking a finger in my eye ever did!

Keep at it, Thomas.  If you wear your glasses more you'll get used to it.  Lenses the same.


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## rawr (16 Mar 2010)

I've been weaing glasses for years now, but always loose them, forget them etc and am really lazy with them. I only really wear them for reading from the board at school because they only help with long distance. At the moment I only wear them about once a week. 

Anyway, I'm fine with putting them in and taking them out now. My eyes ache after a while but I suppose it takes some getting used to. I went back to Specsavers today after the five day trial and bought a months supply so theres no going back now! Thhanks guys.


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## Lisa_Perry75 (19 Mar 2010)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> A couple of friends have had the laser surgery and I am considering that.  I'll break even, financially, after 6 years or so, after considering how much new specs (I generally replace ever 18 months or so) and contact lenses cost.  But the thought of the operation scares me more than sticking a finger in my eye ever did!



My female workmate, Jo, had it done, and said that within 30 minutes she was back in the consulting room reading the 20/20 line. She had the LASIK ultra plus:-
http://www.ultralase.com/vites/pricing
The plus version means that the epithelium of the eye is cut using the laser rather than a machine. It can take a while to heal but Jo was back to work within a few days. She was a medical writer at the time so staring at a PC screen all day. She ended up having to have some drops to help them heal. This is about Â£4000, but she said best money she ever spent.


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