Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site celtics.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!think!harvard!bu-cs!celtics!roger From: roger@celtics.UUCP (Roger Klorese) Newsgroups: net.med Subject: Re: contact lens fiasco Message-ID: <969@celtics.UUCP> Date: Tue, 25-Feb-86 17:14:17 EST Article-I.D.: celtics.969 Posted: Tue Feb 25 17:14:17 1986 Date-Received: Fri, 28-Feb-86 07:46:32 EST References: <303@telesoft.UUCP> Reply-To: roger@celtics.UUCP (Roger Klorese) Organization: Celerity Computing (Eastern Region), Framingham, MA Lines: 114 In article <303@telesoft.UUCP> bruceb@telesoft.UUCP (Bruce Bergman @favorite) writes: >[line eater offering] > >Excuse me for being so bold as to intrude into the middle of >your discussion (really?), but I have a question for all you >med-types. > >First, let me give you some background to help determine >the problem: > >I was fitted for my first pair of contacts some five years ago >and was given hard lenses. These lenses always performed as >good as could be expected, but in January of 1985 they, well, >existed no longer. > >I decided it was time to try some new contacts. Ones that >would give me sleep-in ability without the maximum hassle >of soft contacts. > >Enter Dr. X. Dr. X is a kindly older gentleman; good natured. >He was recomended to me by a good friend. I went to see Dr. X >about some new contacts. We discussed the relative merits >of several different brands and makes, and decided on a >somewhat new brand - SILSIGHT. I was fitted for these new, >dandy contacts and given a pair the same day. My vision >was back to normal and I could sleep in these for 30 days. >I was, needless to say, in heaven! > >These SILSIGHT contacts are manufactured by Dow & >and are rated as extended wear contacts. The are slightly >smaller than soft lenses, slightly bigger than hard. Since >I have a somewhat large eye, they fit exactly on the colored >part of my eye, with no edges showing. They have a delta-K >rating of 320 (or close), so they should have no problem >being in my eye for weeks on end, eh? > >These contacts were great! For the first nine months I >just loved the babes (with an exception - later). About >month 10, I noticed that they were slightly hazy on >certain days. Month 11 and 12 and things were getting >pretty bad. I could count on these puppies to remain >clear as long as I didn't blink too much (hard to do!). >I decided that this wasn't normal contact behavior. > >I went to Dr. X and explained to him my concerns and >the symptoms. He looked at my contacts, tried cleaning >them, etc., all to no avail. He sighed, came back into >the examining room and said "Well, I guess they're just >worn out. These contacts have a tendency to wear out >in a year or so and yours just went out faster." > >I was NEVER told that these contacts would wear out in >a year or so (why should I even think so, since my hard >lasted so long), so I was stunned! I can't afford to >fork out $90 a lens for these contacts. I would assume >it is something a good doctor should tell their patients >before they make their choice. > >My question is: > >Is this normal for contacts? I can understand that hard >lenses would last longer than soft, but by such a large >margin? > >Also, has anyone had similar experiences with these >SILSIGHT contacts? I hear that Dow isn't selling them >anymore (maybe due to the short life?) and B&L is >thinking about picking them up. Anyone have any ideas >as to what these contacts are really supposed to do? > >Last, any suggestions about what I should get in the >way of replacements? Should I make Dr. X give me >a replacement? > >I really don't want to make a big stink out of this >whole thing, but if Dr. X was just not doing what >he was supposed to do, I intend to get either my >money back or new contacts. > >I know I'm going to have to get new contacts. This >is fact. I want extended wear, and would prefer a >contact that won't disappear in 12 months. I'd even >consider SILSIGHT again, if this was just an isolated >incident. > >I'd appreciate any responses - I really am bothered by >the whole fiasco. > >thanks! > >bruce >-- > bang!- >allegra!\ \ >crash! \ gould9!--\ >ihnp4! \ \ > >--sdcsvax!---->--telesoft!bruceb (Bruce Bergman N7HAW) >noscvax! / / >scgvaxd! / sdencore!--/ >ucbvax! / / > talaris!- It is VERY normal for extended-wear lenses to last 10 to 12 months. I had one pair that lasted 18, and was told that was a MAJOR rarity. -- *** Speak for the company? Naaaah, it's hard enough speaking for ME! *** ... "What were you expecting, rock'n'roll?" Roger B.A. Klorese Celerity Computing, 40 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701, (617) 872-1772 UUCP: seismo!harvard!bu-cs!celtics!roger, ucbvax!sdcsvax!celerity!celtics!roger ARPA: bu-cs!celtics!roger@harvard.ARPA, celerity!celtics!roger@sdcsvax.ARPA