I’ve had my specs for just over a year. Now my prescription appears to have stabilised, I’m thinking about getting contacts, but I’m not sure I can face sticking my finger in my eye.
I’m guessing you get used to it, but how uncomfortable is it at first, and what versions (1 day) etc should I be considering. And yes I will be discussing it with the optometrist tomorrow.

I use monthlies, so you only have to put your finger in your eye one a month. Costs £10 a month from Specsavers, with free lens checkups every 2 months or so. Lenses are Bausch & Lomb Purevision 2.

Had to take them out when I was swimming, as risk of infection is increased given the increased wear times. Other than that, I genuinely forget I have them in 95% of the time.

I would go and see your optician about it, don’t ask on here.

You’ll get over the finger in the eye (actually you don’t touch your eye directly), there’s lots of different daily disposables out there, the better ones let more oxygen through. That said I’m still on really cheap old fashioned ones and have few problems and have my annual check ups promptly. You may need to try a few different brands to find ones that fit you. FWIW I use ASDA opticians and get the lenses by post.

I would go and see your optician about it, don’t ask on here.

I don’t think he is asking us to write him a prescription.

I started wearing contacts in about 1987. The optician took an age to put them in my eye for the “trial” I think I may have even punched him at one point.

They were gas permeable lenses that I had to clean every so often ( but didn’t). When I first started wearing them I used to have to get up an hour earlier, just to put them in.

Now, many many years later I’m using Comfort plus daily disposable lenses and they’re ace. Maybe they are better these days, maybe I’m used to them but they’re fine for most of the day but start getting on my wick after about 12 hours so wiz them.

Speak to your optician. They’ll give you various ones to try etc to see what type suits best.

Daily disposable ones for the win though, I’m not even sure you can get anything else these days anyway.

I’ve had contacts for a long time and have been using daily disposables from Daysoft ( delivered from Channel Islands at £12 for amonths supply) and they are excellent.

You need a proper prescription, so I would definitely recommend going to an optician until you are confident and know what suits you.

took me ages to get the hang of putting in and taking out had many a tantrum in the bathroom in the am, once I developed my own technique easy peasy.

Only wear one lens in left eye for reading right eye does distance. Occupational nurse couldn’t understand this when at works medical, when asked to read wall chart with alternate eyes.

Obviously asking on here for real world experience seems reasonable.

Wearing them for 20years. Make a massive difference. You get used to putting them in and taking them out. The first time you have to dig them out from behind your eyeball because you rubbed is quite freaky. But again you develop a technique and get used to it. After reading this thread I’m going to look at monthly leave em in lenses. So it’s answered at least one query.

Only wear one lens in left eye for reading right eye does distance. Occupational nurse couldn’t understand this when at works medical, when asked to read wall chart with alternate eyes.

Chances are I will only need 1 as my left eye is virtually ok.

Took a while to get right lens and strength and my eyes to adjust to this, and my lens prescription is different from glasses. But it works for me and well worth it.

I ended up with a horrid eye infection last year after wearing mainly monthly disposable contacts. Tried a few brands over the years. Checkup showed that I had some veins growing in the eye – you can google this, but it’s not very pleasant. Can’t remember what it’s called. I was on monthlies but taking them out every day if that makes sense. I’m useless at cleaning and over-wearing so when eye got better switched to the very best / thinnest i could get. And I don’t over-wear them now.

Mainly as I can’t read anything 🙁 Sticking ’em in now is second nature. Amusingly these newest ones are so thin, occasionally I can’t find them when taking them out. Always, always, ALWAYS make sure your hands are scrupulously clean before you insert/remove them.

And as said up there, regular checkups, one set of eyes and all that.

I wear mine for one month and then replace them, taking them out every night. Glasses for last thing at night and first thing in the morning and reading glasses for close work (it’s an age thing for me). New pair of lenses tomorrow – luxury!

Specsavers for my check ups and Vision Direct for my supplies.

Very comfortable (very slightly less so towards the end of each month) and so much better than glasses. I am -7.5 -8.0 though, so my glasses resemble beer bottle bottoms!

I’ve been wearing contact lenses for about 25 years with no problems and never want to go back to glasses. Contact lenses are great for sports (I was caving regularly a while back, and glasses are a nightmare in caves) and have been brilliant for me.

Thanks for all the advice. I’ll see what the doc says tomorrow.

Been a regular user since 1975 time and had regular check ups…

Buy dailies but put them in solutions each night. Get 18 – 20 days from a set and my eyes are healthy…

I wear gas permeable and have done for twenty years plus . I also use daily disposable soft when on holiday and camping . gas permiable took a fortnight to get used to building up an hour per day to 8 hours . they give clear vision are easy to get in or out can wander round the back and hurt like buggery if any grit gets under them (or cs gas) soft disposable are more comfortable harder to get out less likely to wander and less precise to look through they also can go blurry towards the end of the day . all my own personal experience . don’t drop a lens next to a canal clean it by sucking on it and put it back in using a dirty finger lubricated with spit.

I was put off for ages from wearing them thinking I wouldn’t get on with them and the hassle of putting them in and taking them out. My optician does a free consultation where they show you how to do it and get you to have ago till you are comfortable doing it.

I wear Dailies one a day and only use them when running and cycling and glasses the rest of the time. I was given some different free ones which are meant to stop your eyes drying but I found them to thick and very uncomfortable though only in the left eye 😕 so I stuck with Dailies.

Buy dailies but put them in solutions each night. Get 18 – 20 days from a set and my eyes are healthy…

This has got to be THE most stupid thing I have ever seen written on this forum PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ignore this……

It take a couple of times to get used to them but after that it’s easy. Soft lenses are easiest on your eyes. Barely notice them after a little while.

Here’s the stuff your optician won’t tell you.

The first time you put them in, you’ll believe you’ll never get them out.
Different people have different tolerances, it’s not a sign of weakness if they hurt like jiminey. Blue eyes hurt more by the way.
When you’re drunk, they’re harder to get out. You’ll leave at least one in at least once.
At one point, you’ll find one down the back of your eye with no idea how it got there.

For me, (my prescription is similar to JulianA’s but i have astigmatism as well), when I’m wearing contact lenses, cylindrical things look much bigger. This is actually a good thing.

Why is that hustler ? No complaints from my optician….

Different people have different tolerances, it’s not a sign of weakness if they hurt like jiminey. Blue eyes hurt more by the way.

This is my fear – my tolerance of discomfort (not even pain on some folk’s radar) has a certain Lord Lucan quality to it.

Maybe try getting drunk before putting them in for the first time. Should help ease the discomfort.

For the record, you can always try stuff like this (available at boots, tesco, superdrug etc) if you need a little bit of help:

Why is that hustler ? No complaints from my optician….

1 they are much thinner than a mothly so can rip more easily
2 the oxygen content on most decent monhlies is much better
3 dalies dont alow as much oxygen to the eye therefore creating a greater risk of corneal problems including corneal ulcers which quite often lead to blindness

FFS you only get one set of eyes is it really worth the risk for a few quid………

I use extended wear ones, so like Jamie only change once a month. Specsavers gave me some new ones recently that are super thin and even more comfortable than before. They are fantastic. Never get dry and rarely uncomfortable.

You can forget different sized wheels or dropper posts; contact lenses have done far more for my biking enjoyment than anything else. And they do the same for all other sports too!

& get a front mud guard like the Mucky Nutz.

Once you get used to putting bits of crap in your eye you tend to not notice when you get bits of crap in your eye.

Lots of great advice on here, the only thing I would add is that I try to give my eyes a rest from them at least once a week, its not a “must do” thing but if I wear lenses continually for days at a stretch I tend to find blurred vision tired eyes and do on. YVMV

The idea of popping a lens in and leaving it there all month is weird. Weirdos 😆

Buy dailies but put them in solutions each night. Get 18 – 20 days from a set and my eyes are healthy…

No complaints from my optician….

Really ? surprised, genuinely… 🙄

I’ve been using them for 20 odd years, recently changed from 2-weeklies to dailies for the convenience.
Coincidentally, this week is the very first time I’ve had to not wear them as I have a weird “itch” in my right eye.
Most of the time they are simple and perfect for cyclist’s use.

Weirdos

I can just go straight to bed without faff, and get up without faff. It’s brilliant!

No, it’s weird. 😆

I understand it can be done, had a loooong conversation with my optician about it, who also seems to think they’re ok.

But you’re all wrong, it’s weird

I was a bit “squeemish” about using them but it only took me a couple of attempts to realise it was OK. However, I also found them useless for cycling as my eyes water up easily and I would just wash them out. I tried various specs over them to reduce the problem but it made no difference. I eventually just gave up and bought prescription Oakleys instead. Luckily, my prescription hasn’t changed in the last few years so I reckon they’ve been really good value.

I’ve worn lenses over 20 years, for 10-14 hours a day.

I’m extremely squeamish, especially with eyes, but never had a problem putting lenses in or out. You don’t touch your eye directly anyway. Only when the bastard things fold themselves in half and disappear round tbe back of your eyeball.

Hydration makes a difference I find. If I get really thirsty my eyes seem to suck the moisture from the lenses which makes them harder to get out.

If I can do it, anyone can. But please don’t make sit through MrsMC discussing her laser eye surgery. Ewwwwww!

Only when the bastard things fold themselves in half and disappear round tbe back of your eyeball.

Just to ease anyone’s concerns, this is far from common! It’s never happened to me in 17 years, although there was one time one tore in half. But in fairness, that was because I’d assumed that monthly wear lenses were good for 30 actual days of wear spread over 5 months or so, which isn’t true!

If I get really thirsty my eyes seem to suck the moisture from the lenses which makes them harder to get out.

Yeah the older tech soft lenses are made of mostly water so that the oxygen can transfer to your eye, and they dry out after 14-16 hours or so which is unpleasant. The newer ones and extended wear lenses (like mine) aren’t water based, so they can’t dry out. My eyes get a little dry sometimes but it’s not enough to cause any discomfort.

But you’re all wrong, it’s weird

I have been using them for 10 years with no mishaps. Had a contacts lens checkup yesterday as it goes, and everything is just peachy.

Joooooooooiiiiinn ussssssss 8)

It took me ages to get the hang of putting them in, however taking them out was easy.
As Samuri says, everyone I know has one that does a disappearing act, Hubby had to use a torch one night to find my missing one, that was stuck right at the bottom of my eye, not an experience I want to repeat.
Disposable dailies are the ones I use but only for sports.

Specsaver chap was very rude to me when I went for a trial, saying my eyes were very small and deeply set, so there was no way he could get them in. Luckily a customer of mine who’s an optician gave me confidence and said specsavers were talking nonsense.

the other thing to add to Samuri’s list (if you use daily lenses) is that at some point you will drink too much, leave the lenses in when you fall asleep and then be very confused in the morning by the fact you can now see better without your glasses than with them. Took some time to figure that out through a hangover 😳

I can’t remember how long I’ve been using contact lenses, but must be over 20 years and I’ve never “lost” one in my eye. For the past about 8 years I’ve used extended wear lenses that you leave in all the time for a month – it’s amazing being able to see when you wake up, and they don’t dry up at the end of the day like all the others.

Rickmeister, if your optometrist is OK with you wearing/ cleaning lenses for almost three weeks at a time then you need to find a new one, one not giving you negligent information. But on the up side if you were ever to develop a sight threatening infection, you could sue his negligent ass. Providing all is documented on your records.

I’ve been wearing them for 20 years. Generally brilliant.

Recently I’ve needed my glasses changing for close up work. A quick tweak and I can continue using my contact lenses. One eye does distance and one close up.

If you can use the dailies then do. They have been the most comfortable ones.

And you soon learn to put them in and take them out without pain.

Pro tip: avoid taking your lenses out just after cutting raw chillies.

Another vote here for dailies:

I don’t wear mine every day – I wear my glasses to the office because I found that the aircon really made the lenses uncomfortable by the end of the day.

I only put my lenses in if I’m playing sport/biking, going out, or at the weekend if I’m going to the beach.

I have my eyes checked regularly, but get the lenses from contactlenses.co.uk (who also deliver to Oz!) which works out pretty cheap, but most importantly, they deliver next-day when I inevitably forget to order more.

The key to learning to get them in and out is perseverance! That and remembering that they will be more difficult to get out if you have worn them all day – if your eyes are moist, the lens will be easier to get out.

If you are having trouble getting a lens out: STOP. Put some eyedrops in, make a cup of tea, and then try again in 20 mins.