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From: passaro@acf4.UUCP (Mike Passaro)
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Re: contact lens fiasco
Message-ID: <4790005@acf4.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 24-Feb-86 17:16:00 EST
Article-I.D.: acf4.4790005
Posted: Mon Feb 24 17:16:00 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 26-Feb-86 05:12:46 EST
References: <303@telesoft.UUCP>
Organization: New York University
Lines: 68


Sounds very familiar.  I can definately relate to your experience.

In January, 1985, one of my daily-wear soft lenses tore.  I thought
this would be a good time to try out a pair of extended-wear lenses.  I
had been wearing dailies for about four years, and although I had some
problems with products containing thimerisol (sp?), I much preferred
my lenses to wearing glasses.

Went to Sterling Optical.  I don't know if you have them in your area,
but they are a "chain" of low priced eyewear stores.  Great deal: pair
of extended-wear lenses, 6 months of follow-up care for $98.

The brand of lenses I was fitted with was Permalens.  For the first six
months, they were great.  I couldn't believe how great it was not to
have to go through the nightly routine of cleaning, morning routine of
putting them in.  No problems whatsoever.  Follow-up visits showed no
problems either.

Six months to the day (I'm not kidding here, folks), the problems
began.  Irritated, itchy eyes.  Redness.   A great tendency for the
lens to "float" into my brains.  I brought these problems to the
attention of my "doctor" at Sterling Optical.  He didn't see any damage
to my eyes, and he suggested that I could reduce the problems by not
wearing them to sleep.  This helped somewhat--I could wear my lenses
for about 8 hours with few problems.  Tried to rationalize the fact
that I paid for extended-wear lenses, but was using them as dailies.

Then, after about 9 months, the lenses became unbearable.  Couldn't
even wear them for three hours without having to take them out.  I was
concerned that I may not be able to wear contacts any more, but I found
another doctor, and he fitted me with a pair of dailies that I have
been using -- without a single problem -- since October, 1985.

A recent article in Time magazine ("A Skeptical Eye On Contacts" --
Time -- January 27, 1986, page 59) is excellent.  Here are a few
selected quotes:

--"Carol Meltzer...was visiting friends in France when the trouble
began. ``My eye began bothering me on Sunday night...by Tuesday
morning, I was in the American Hospital of Paris.''  Her problem: a
severe infection apparently caused by her use of extended-wear contact
lenses.  Though doctors managed to control the infection, Meltzer's
cornea was so badly scarred that she was virtually blind in her right
eye."

-- Along with the "soaring sales [of extended-wear lenses] has come an
alarming increase in complications, complaints, and lawsuits against
lens manufacturers and retailers"

-- "Opthalmologists offer several possible explanations for the
extended-wear problems.  The lenses can be worn for weeks because they
contain many more tiny pores than traditional soft lenses, allowing an
increased supply of oxygen and water to reach and nourish the cornea.
But the myriad pores encourage the buildup of deposits on the lenses,
creating a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.  The resulting
infection can cause partial or complete blindness in just 24 hours.
Even if the problem is caught and treated early,...a scar often
remains, interfering with vision."

--"Another problem is the availability of the extended-wear lenses in
discount optical outlets...many of these do not give their extended-
wear customers adqeuate instruction on the proper use of the contacts
and skimp on the follow-up visits needed to uncover any hidden
problems...``The cost is not the lens; it's the doctor's time.''"

				--Mike Passaro
				  NYU