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From: sdyer@bbncc5.UUCP (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: net.med,net.consumers
Subject: Re: Hard lens advise request
Message-ID: <76@bbncc5.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 22-Nov-85 12:51:07 EST
Article-I.D.: bbncc5.76
Posted: Fri Nov 22 12:51:07 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 24-Nov-85 06:47:05 EST
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Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, MA
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Xref: watmath net.med:2821 net.consumers:3455

>He is, however, also quite conservative.  He recommends that, until the FDA
>agrees with the manufacturer, the lenses be worn for no longer than 13 hours a 
>day, to give the cornea the other 3 hours at normal oxygen levels.
> 
>Is there anyone else out there with the background/experience to either agree
>or disagree with that advice?  Keeping up with both lenses and glasses is more
>hassle than either separately!

My only experience is as a hard-lens wearer for 10 years, most recently
with gas-permeable hard lenses.  I don't think mine are as porous as yours.

Once I was accustomed to hard lenses, I found that I could wear them for
much longer than any reputable optometrist would recommend.  Right now, my
wearing times range from 12 hours/day all the way up to 17-18 hours/day,
with about 13-14 hours being average.  My regular check-ups have never
revealed any edema or swelling due to oxygen deprivation.  I actually found
that my old hard "gas-IMpermeable" lenses were more comfortable, and I
could wear them longer, probably because the newer lenses are so
hydrophobic: they don't want to be wet by the tears, and this causes
irritation and mucus buildup.  Most people use their level of comfort
along with feedback from initial checkups to gauge whether they are
wearing their lenses for too long.

With that said, given that you are using a new product, it is only
reasonable to follow your doctor's advise.  13 hours is a LONG TIME.  What
is more, you are kidding yourself if you think that wearing contacts means
you don't need a pair of glasses, at least if your vision is fairly bad.  I
keep my glasses next to my bed for late night and early morning reading,
and when my eyes are tired from wearing lenses and need a "breather".
-- 
/Steve Dyer
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