Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 (Tek) 9/28/84 based on 9/17/84; site iddic.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!orca!iddic!galenr From: galenr@iddic.UUCP (Galen Redfield) Newsgroups: net.misc Subject: Re: Hard Contact Lens Horror Stories Message-ID: <2333@iddic.UUCP> Date: Thu, 12-Dec-85 21:32:25 EST Article-I.D.: iddic.2333 Posted: Thu Dec 12 21:32:25 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 13-Dec-85 20:49:19 EST References: <554@cylixd.UUCP> <545@harvard.UUCP> <451@ihlpl.UUCP> Reply-To: galenr@iddic.UUCP (Galen Redfield) Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Wilsonville, Oregon Lines: 44 Keywords: Gullible, naive Summary: [spit in your eye] I wonder why people are so quick to believe these horror stories?? I got my hard contacts when I was in the eighth grade, way back in 1965. I still have the original contact lens on my left eye, and a replacement that I got eight years ago (after wearing the original one for 12) on my right eye. Of course, I take them out each day, so I have not worn contacts for 20 years, but I have worn them during that 20 years (I'm trying to write precisely, here). I have never lost one of them, but I did unfortunately step on one back in 1977 when I was taking them out one night after partying too much (hic). The guy who got his contact off the cornea and down "in between the eyeball and socket" (harr!) must have pretty numb eyes!! You can feel it when this happens. He must have ignored all the literature that you get free when you get contacts. There are numerous pictures showing that kind of thing. Did you know that the outside of your eyeball and the inside of your eyelid are connected, and that you can't get anything behind your eyeball, or in between it and the socket? Well, it's true!! The danger with using saliva as a wetting agent is bacterial infection. I've used saliva when nothing else was available (probably a few hundred times over the years), and have never had any infection. My eyeballs have not dissolved. The little suction device used by novice lens wearers is real, and it is real useful until you learn how to use your eyelids to pop the lenses out. It won't suck your cornea off, anymore than the contacts do. I guess people are extremely cautious about their eyes because they are relatively delicate, for a body part, and are a key sensory organ. I don't know why, it always makes me laugh to see people blink when they put eyedrops in, because I can hold my eye open and watch the drop hit. I think it feels good, but most people, including other contact lens wearers, seem to think it is uncomfortable to get hit in the eye with a drop of nice, soft liquid. I guess I'm just weird. Oh well, it's not the first time it's been noticed.... -- Warm regards, Galen.