Support NeoGAF

[aoi tsuki]

Is it common for new users to experience pain in the back of the head like a mild "vision" headache?

Yesterday, i got a trial pair of contacts instead of glasses. i needed something to replace the recent loss of my glasses, and i figure i can get contacts now and a pair of glasses from one of the Chinese sites in the linked Fatwallet thread (http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.php?start=0&catid=18&threadid=321786) of the recent glasses thread here for about the same price as glasses locally, so why not.

The trial lasts a week, and it's basically to see how the contacts fit. The first day i'm supposed to wear them for five hours, six the next, basically adding an hour per day. i had a little trouble getting them on given the newness to it, and i'm still not sure if they're on the inside out or not, but in terms of improving my vision, they're perfect. Unfortunately, there's the pain mentioned above, which i noticed after the first hour of wearing them.

i'd really like to continue wearing contacts, and i hope this is just an adjustment issue, like the eye and nose watering. :/

 

[Morbo]

I wear "hard" contacts and I did find them very uncomfortable in the beginning. If you feel the need, ease into it more gradually and you should adjust. Good luck.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Is it common for new users to experience pain in the back of the head like a mild "vision" headache?

It's been so long since I started wearing contacts that I don't really remember, but I don't recall any pain/headaches. Onc time I went to one of those discount eye places and the doc measured my eye wrong. The contacts I got from there caused a lot of irritation, but it took a couple of weeks to develop. They were fine at first, but got worse the longer I wore them and I could see redness where the contact sat on my eye.

i'm still not sure if they're on the inside out or not

Set the contact on the tip of your finger and look at it in profile. If the rim is bending out (like, say, a flower petal), the contact is inside out. Flip it, and you should see the rim not bending out.

 

[Fatghost]

It took me a day or two to get used to wearing contacts. Of course, I was only 16 then and it's possible it takes longer if you're older.

I didn't get any headaches but I did have the eye watering thing and sometimes my eyes felt a little strained.

 

[cloudwalking]

i'm still not sure if they're on the inside out or not

Your situation sounds very similar to mine when I first got contacts. It turned out for me that the reason I was getting headaches and the contacts were very uncomfortable was beacuse I had been wearing them inside out unknowingly. You see, the optometrist neglected to tell me that they were supposed to go in a certain way, so I simply assumed they could be placed on the eye without knowing it was possible for them to be inside out. As a result, I had a lot of trouble with them for about the first 3 weeks. Headaches, irritation, and dryness were the big ones. Once I learned to put them in properly, though, it was much better.

 

[jiggle]

To tell if it's inside out or not, just look for the company engravings on the contacts. I've only used Acuvue, but I'm assuming all companies does it? Acuvue saids "AV" when looked at from the outside of the contact.

 

[Nos_G]

I was considering dropping the frames for contacts... this thread scares me. :O

 

[aoi tsuki]

It turned out for me that the reason I was getting headaches and the contacts were very uncomfortable was beacuse I had been wearing them inside out unknowingly.

Thing is, the lady at the optometrist's office confirmed that i had put them in correctly, and after the first hour, i noticed the pain, mild as it was. i'll see how i do tomorrow to see whether or not i call the optometrist.

i just took them out to go to bed, and it's like night and day - i miss them already. Well, i miss the clear vision. But aside from the pain, at about the third hour into wearing them, i had forgotten i even had them on. They felt completely natural, and it was like just having natural vision. i really hope it works out, because i'd like to have the option of wearing them.

 

[cloudwalking]

I was considering dropping the frames for contacts... this thread scares me. :O

You should give it a try. I wore contacts for years -- I first got them in 7th grade. After wearing glasses for so long, it was a wonderful change.

Contacts aren't perfect, and they do take a bit of getting used to, but there are lots of people who swear by them.

It's mostly a personal preference thing. You might end up hating them, you might love them. I switched back to glasses a while back for personal reasons, but I don't regret giving contacts a try.

 

[cloudwalking]

Thing is, the lady at the optometrist's office confirmed that i had put them in correctly, and after the first hour, i noticed the pain, mild as it was. i'll see how i do tomorrow to see whether or not i call the optometrist.

i just took them out to go to bed, and it's like night and day - i miss them already. Well, i miss the clear vision. But aside from the pain, at about the third hour into wearing them, i had forgotten i even had them on. They felt completely natural, and it was like just having natural vision. i really hope it works out, because i'd like to have the option of wearing them.

It's good that you were told how to put them in. It sounds like you're probably just getting used to them... like you say, they feel completely natural after a while.

Real bad pain is not a good thing, though. If you can't stand to have them in for very long, then there's probably something going on.

Typically, it should feel like you have an eyelash in your eye for a while, and as you get used to them, you soon don't feel them at all. Contacts tend to desensitize your eyes after a while. When you've been using them for a long time, you'll sometimes not feel it when you get a small hair in your eye, for example.

Is dryness an issue at all? Perhaps you could try rinsing your eyes with a bit of saline solution a few times a day, and see if that makes things feel a bit better.

 

[MIMIC]

I've never experienced this sort of "pain" before.

I started wearing contacts in the 8th grade...but a few years later, I learned that I had to switch my prescription contacts with disposable ones because they would irritate my eyes in the summer and I couldn't keep myself from scratching.

I wear my glasses when I'm too lazy to pop my lenses in.

 

[Macam]

I don't recall having any pain when I first began wearing contacts, but it may be a simple adjustment issue or you may be wearing them incorrectly, like inside out. They should feel perfectly natural, and I imagine the pain is probably temporary. I love contacts, but I have a pair of glasses as well. There are some days when your contacts just don't want to cooperate and go in smoothly, notably when you're in a rush to work or school. Of course, if you forget to wash your hands after you've been handling something you wouldn't want in your eye, like hair cream or food, then that'll certainly irritate your eye when you put your contacts in.

 

[Pochacco]

Never experienced pain.
A little discomfort, due to things 'looking' a bit different (and this went away in a few days), but never pain.

To tell if they are inside out (if they don't have any markings), place the contact lense ontop of the palm-side of your hand or finger, where you bend you joints/palm. After you place the lense there, just fold it by bending your joint/palm. If the contact is inside-out, it will fold outward...if it should fold inwards.

Hard to describe, but that's how I've always figured out whether it was inside-out...

 

[Beezy]

I want contacts, but my mother is saying shit like "they'll scratch your eyes and make it worse" and other stuff. I don't like how I look with glasses and I hate the marks the that the little rubber things leave on my nose.

 

[Fatghost]

I want contacts, but my mother is saying shit like "they'll scratch your eyes and make it worse" and other stuff. I don't like how I look with glasses and I hate the marks the that the little rubber things leave on my nose.

They won't scratch your eyes.

 

[Beezy]

That's what I said, but she still doesn't want me to get them.

 

[Aruarian Reflection]

They won't scratch your eyes.

Yep, contacts definitely won't scratch your eyes. Contacts can slightly wear away the epithelium layer of the cornea, but that's not a problem because the epithelium regenerates. Another common myth is that contacts can slide around your eyeballs and end up in your brain. Er... :lol

aoi: I think you might be suffering from slight light sensitivity. I remember when I first got contacts, I had symptoms similar to yours, i.e. "vision headaches". That's pretty normal until you adjust to them, but it might be worth talking to your optometrist if the problem persists or is seriously bothering you.

This is a subject that greatly interests me though. I'm interested in being an ophthalmologist (i.e. an eye surgeon )

 

[Pochacco]

If nothing else, contacts are absolutely necessary for (some) sports.

 

[Mupepe]

You'll get headaches probably for the first week. I did. They'll go away. My eye doctor told me it's because contacts are clearer that glasses, or vice versa. But there's nothing to worry about.

And as for scratching your eyeball, that's dumb. If you've ever touched your eyeball, you should know that it takes a lot to hurt it. They're very resilient.

On another not, has anyone here had lasik? I'd like to know if it's worth it. My mom had it done, but now she can't see things up close, they told her that's normal, but if it is, i'd rather just stick to contacts.

 

[reggieandTFE]

Contacts are amazing. I wear sets that I can wear for a month straight (sleep and all) without removing. I don't even remember them until just after a month when my eyes get a bit drier and I know i need to slap in a new pair.

 

[Deleted member 4784]

The mild pain that you sometimes get when you first start out wearing contacts is the same that you may have had when you first started wearing glasses. Your eyes are getting adjusted to looking at the world in a different way, which can put extra stress on them in the beginning and cause pain. I went through the same thing when I first was prescribed glasses and also when I started wearing contacts; eventually I got used to both and didn't have pain anymore.

 

[aoi tsuki]

They were much more comfortable today. i wore them for for seven hours, up two hours from yesterday. There was still a little discomfort, but it wasn't bad at all and went away throughout the day.

Getting them on is still a bitch though. It took me a half hour to get both in as my eyelashes got in the way. Even when i thought they were in and did the "look up, down, left, right" bit, the contact would appear on my lower eyelid, folded up, as soon as i opened my eye. Almost made me late for work. Hopefully my ninja contacts skillz will kick in tomorrow.

i'll probably wear them for a couple more hours tonight when i go out. i was supposed to wear them an hour more or so each day, but i could really use them tonight.

 

[Space Age Playboy]

To tell if it's inside out or not, just look for the company engravings on the contacts. I've only used Acuvue, but I'm assuming all companies does it? Acuvue saids "AV" when looked at from the outside of the contact.

When you assume you... well, you know the rest.

The non smartass answer is no, most companies don't do that.

 

[Red Dolphin]

Contacts are amazing. I wear sets that I can wear for a month straight (sleep and all) without removing. I don't even remember them until just after a month when my eyes get a bit drier and I know i need to slap in a new pair.

I too wear contacts that can be worn for a month plus without taking them out. They are bit more expensive but definately worth it because you don't have to change them daily like other contacts. And each time you take them out of your eyes you are risking them getting bacteria or muck in the contact which will irratate the shit out of your eye the next time you put them in.

I've worn them up to 2 months before. They rock! For anyone that hates putting their contacts in, you can't go past them.

 

[Mupepe]

I too wear contacts that can be worn for a month plus without taking them out. They are bit more expensive but definately worth it because you don't have to change them daily like other contacts. And each time you take them out of your eyes you are risking them getting bacteria or muck in the contact which will irratate the shit out of your eye the next time you put them in.

I've worn them up to 2 months before. They rock! For anyone that hates putting their contacts in, you can't go past them.

that's awesome. how much more expensive are they? and what brand do you use?

 

[Lambtron]

It's a bummer that you can't get those wear-them-for-a-month contacts if you have astigmatism

I get to go to my optician and get some new glasses this month. Should be an amazingly expensive experience. :<

 

[Space Age Playboy]

Those 30-day wear lenses have a greater risk of eye problems than normal lenses.

 

[XMonkey]

I've stopped wearing the 30 day ones after a year or two of using them. The protein buildup got to be so bad after 2 weeks that I couldn't stand it (even with soaking them overnight). When I first started wearing them they were awesome and I routinely wore them more than a month (not so good looking back at it..), but now my eyes can't deal with it. I've switched to 2 weeks now and they are working a lot better, plus they're cheaper.

 

[Jewbacca]

I wear the Night & Day contacts... 30 days continuous wear.

They arnt for everyone, I really dont have protein build up, HOWEVER they can get dirty has hell, not to where you cant see or it screws with your vision but you do want to give them a little rub cleansing every now and then. (I do it every 2 weeks)


They called Night & Day by CIBA Vision (A Novartis Company) I think they are wonderful... Just dont go to sleep if your eyes feel irritated or a little dry... thats just asking for trouble, take them out and go nappy.

 

[Dragona Akehi]

They were much more comfortable today. i wore them for for seven hours, up two hours from yesterday. There was still a little discomfort, but it wasn't bad at all and went away throughout the day.

Getting them on is still a bitch though. It took me a half hour to get both in as my eyelashes got in the way. Even when i thought they were in and did the "look up, down, left, right" bit, the contact would appear on my lower eyelid, folded up, as soon as i opened my eye. Almost made me late for work. Hopefully my ninja contacts skillz will kick in tomorrow.

i'll probably wear them for a couple more hours tonight when i go out. i was supposed to wear them an hour more or so each day, but i could really use them tonight.

First of all I'm surprised you weren't given specific instructions on contact lens insertion and care. :\ Most places will walk you through how to put them in and how to care for them before you even leave the shop, though it appears you got this from an internet source. This is not a good thing: I'll explain why below.

Anyway it does sound like you're wearing them inside out. Possibly. The other more serious possibilty (and the one I'm more inclined to believe) is that they're not the right base curve. Not big enough or too big. "Tight" lenses (to low a base curve for your cornea) can cause alot of discomfort. You need to see an optician and have them view your contacts on your eyes with a slit lamp. This is very important to ensure you've got the right fit. Wearing the wrong base curve can lead to corneal abrasions and even ulcers. (Not a nice thing).

#2, what brand of contact lens are you wearing? You may simply not be doing well with them. The WORST brand to wear is AcuVue. They're absolute total shit bollocks on a stick. I don't know how people don't go blind on them, seriously. Not enough oxygen to the eye.


ANYWAY if it IS because you're wearing your contacts inside out, here's the scoop:

First of all the easiest method to see if they're not inside out is to do a couple of things:

1) Hold the lens on your index finger and try and look at its profile. If it's cup chaped like a U it's good. If it's "dish shaped" with the outward edges going on "out" it's inside out.

2) Hold the wetted lens in your index finger. Take your thumb and try to press the lens together. If it "sticks" right away it's the right way. If it doesn't, it's inside out.


Anyway, I'd reccomend seeing a certified contact lens fitter (optician) to make sure you have the correct fit, cos otherwise it's not a good thing ™.