Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site sdcrdcf.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!ittatc!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!shaprkg From: shaprkg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Bob Shapiro) Newsgroups: net.med,net.consumers Subject: Re: Hard lens advise request Message-ID: <2476@sdcrdcf.UUCP> Date: Wed, 27-Nov-85 14:14:27 EST Article-I.D.: sdcrdcf.2476 Posted: Wed Nov 27 14:14:27 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 30-Nov-85 00:31:48 EST References: <697@leadsv.UUCP> Reply-To: shaprkg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Bob Shapiro) Organization: System Development Corp. R+D, Santa Monica Lines: 52 Xref: watmath net.med:2863 net.consumers:3496 In article <697@leadsv.UUCP> chris@leadsv.UUCP (Chris Salander) writes: >In article <1600@cae780.UUCP>, gordon@cae780.UUCP (Brian Gordon) writes: >> Due to the degree of astigmatism I have, there are no soft contact lenses I can >> My eye-care professional (an optometrist) is quite "thrilled" with the fit, >> > > I have gone for years without considering contacts because they >could not be used for astigmatism. Now that has changed, but I have heard >that the sort of contacts that you must wear must keep a specific >orientation; i.e. you cannot but them in just any way. They are suppose >to be heavier on one end so that that end is always down, keeping them >oriented properly. This is the story I have heard. Have people found this >to be true? (And how can you stand to put things on your eyes?) > > - Chris Salander I don't understand what you are talking about. I have worn contact lenses since 1959. They are the old-fashioned hard lenses. I put them on when I get up in the morning and take them off just before going to sleep. The only restrictions I have encountered are - you can't swim with them, you can't sleep with them, you have to use sunglasses in bright sunlight, if it is windy you have to be careful not to get dirt in your eyes, and they can really be a drag if you are extremely tired or stay up very late (like all night). In the latter case I simply take them out for a while. As for astigmotism I understand that hard lenses correct it in a natural fashion. I believe astigmotism is a distortion in the curvature of the eyeball. Hard contact lenses tend to "suck" the eyeball to conform to their curvature and thus correct the astigmotism. I believe that is the reason that I can see perfectly clear after wearing my lenses for a while and then taking them off, but I don't see well when I get up in the morning. After you take the lenses off the eyeball starts to relax and return to its original distorted shape. So, while it is probably true that there is no refractory correction for astigmtism it can be corrected. Although I am unfamiliar with soft lenses. I wouldn't be surprised if they had a problem correcting astigmotism as they probably can't suck in the eyeball like a hard lens. As for your comment about orientation of lenses. I believe this applies only to bifocal and trifocal lenses. The lenses are weighted so that the reading portion goes to the bottom and the distance to the top (similar to eyeglasses). I would normally require bifocal lenses but I simply correct my distance vision and wear glasses to read with. Therefore my lenses do not have to be oriented. Finally, the problem of putting something in your eye is no different than the problem of sticking a needle in yourself when you are a diabetic. You simply look at the alternative. My optometrist likes his patients to hate to wear glasses. Thus, they will put up with the initial inconvenience during the training period and not chicken out just because it is a little uncomfortable at first. When I got my original lenses, I would have done almost anything to get rid of my glasses, and I suspect that is why I have had such a successful time with my lenses.