Contact Lens safety

En_lizard

are contact lenses dangerous for eyes? i hate glasses. another question is that is there any contact lenses which are colored and also do glasses job too?

Moonbear

I split your question into a new thread. It's sufficiently different from the original thread you posted it in to warrant its own discussion.

PROPERLY used, prescription contacts are not dangerous for the eyes...improper use can be dangerous (like not cleaning them properly, leaving them in longer than recommended for the type of lens you get, etc). And, yes, you can get colored corrective lenses...they aren't just cosmetic (some get them without a prescription if they don't need to correct their eyesight and just want the cosmetic color).

En_lizard

thanks moonbear.

Confused

I've tried contacts (acuvue). They were the ones you had to throw out and replace every 2 weeks. To be honest, if I wasn't so self-conscious about my appearance I would just stick to glasses. Contacts made my eyes itch, and putting them on every morning is a hassle, especially if you have really bad hand dexterity like I do. The worst is when you drop them on the floor.

gravenewworld

they make lenses now that you put in while you are asleep and that will reshape your eyeball in order to improve your vision to 20/20-20/40 when the contacts are out. no surgery needed.

Invictious

Those corrective contact lenses just send shivers down my spine. They are not applicable to all cases (ie when your astigmatism is high enough), and when your myopia is severe enough.

If i had the choice, I would go for lasik either way.

gravenewworld

Lasik scares me even more. Do they even know the long term outcomes of lasik eye patients yet? Look at the comic Kathy Griffin who had lasik. Something went wrong and she ended up getting a cloud over her eye that blocked her eye sight. It took multiple surgeries before it was corrected.

Greg Bernhardt

My mother and grandfather both got Lasik and recommend it. Just find a doctor that has done like 2000 operations. Personally I only wear contacts on big occassion or for sports. Otherwise contacts really bother me and usually I can't see as well as glasses.

desichick07

but how safe is Lasik? I've heard success stories as well as some scary ones, and i'm really now willing to take a risk with something as important as my eyes.

jim mcnamara

The deciding facotr on procedures like Lasik are:
1. Number of procedures the physician has under his belt.
2. % of those procedures that have resulted in secondary problems, like infections, damaged cornea, etc.

Any responsible physician will answer both of these questions. Many of the real disasters come in US states that license non-MD's to perform procedures like Lasik, or with "new" Lasik physicians.

mgb_phys

I once built a system to measure and profile eyes for laser surgery. It was for a company that specialised in correcting previous poor laser surgery!
While doing the research I talked to lots of opthalmic surgeons, none of them would have laser surgery and in fact none would even wear contacts.

The main risk from laser surgery is not the laser. It is a combination of poor surgical care, the procedure generally requires the surgical removal and re-attachment of the cornea, and the treatment being prescribed for unsuitable prescriptions.
The main optical side effect is out of focus night vision, how bad this is will depend on your prescription.

Personally I'm sticking with specs!