Contact Lenses - Urban
Legends
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Quick Links
- General overview
- Alternatives to laser surgery
- Contact Lenses: Good choice for kids?
- Tips for contact lens wearers
- Do's and Don'ts of Contact Lenses
- Make-up and Contact Lenses
Contact lenses are small, ultra-thin, optical lenses worn directly on the eye to correct vision problems (like nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism or presbyopia). Contact lenses can be hard or soft, can replace glasses or bifocal glasses and can also enhance or change the colour of your eyes.
Most contact lenses are soft, or “hydrophilic,” meaning they are made of water. (This is how soft contact lenses stay soft.) Soft contact lenses are extremely thin and are manufactured from materials that allow oxygen to pass through them and reach the eye surface.
Almost everyone can wear contact lenses – even some babies are fitted with contact lenses when they have eye problems! Most people start wearing contacts in their early teens, but even children as young as 8 years old can learn to wear (and take care of) contact lenses. A contact lens is a prescription device and it must only be fit and prescribed by an Optometrist. Borrowing contact lenses, or obtaining them without a prescription, could lead to serious vision problems.
Although all eyes look pretty much the same, in reality everybody's eyes are slightly different. Eyes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. That's why it's important to have us fit your contact lenses for your particular eye shape and size. Even if you've been wearing contacts for years, it's a good idea to have your prescription checked to make sure that your lenses offer the best possible fit for your unique eyes.
In order to take good care of your
eyes, we recommend that you see us at least once a year. Yearly visits
can detect vision changes as well as early signs of some other health
problems.
We carry an extensive range of contact lenses that includes:
- Daily disposable contact lenses - wear them a day, then throw them away! No cleaning, no solutions, no hassle. Great for holidays, camping trips or occasional wear.
- Two weekly disposable contact lenses
- Monthly wear disposable contact lenses
- Bifocal contact lenses - no need to wear reading glasses or bifocal spectacles!
- Multifocal contact lens - see at any distance, anywhere, anytime!
- Disposable Coloured contact lenses to enhance or completely change your eye colour.
We also carry contact lens solutions at unbeatable prices.
General Overview
Looking good is an important part of our lives. We
wear the latest fashions. Get popular hairstyles. Even have cosmetic
surgery. And our eyes are no exception. The verdict is in: People look
better without glasses. In a recent survey sponsored by Bausch & Lomb,
more than three times as many adults surveyed thought that women looked
better without glasses and more than twice as many of the adults surveyed
thought that men looked better without glasses. Maybe that is why, increasingly,
people are wearing contact lenses.
A contact lens is a hydrophilic (water-loving) disc that floats on your
cornea. There are dozens of options. Like prescription glasses, a contact
lens is specifically shaped to focus light into the retina of your eye
(and to fit your eye). But because it covers your cornea, it actually
corrects your entire field of vision (unlike glasses, which you can see
over and under). Contact lenses float on the tears that bathe the eye
when you blink—so you want to keep your eye hydrated
and well-moisturized when you’re wearing contact lenses.
Sports Vision
Certain sports require contact lenses in preference to spectacles. Our consultants will be happy to assist with your contact lens queries.
To be competitive on the playing field you need peak performance from your entire body—and your eyes are no exception. Sports Vision is "full-scope" primary eye care that can help you optimize three key visual skills through contact lens wear, therapy, or treatment:
Contrast Sensitivity lets you see fine details from a distance—like the subtle contours of a golf course
Dynamic Visual Acuity keeps your vision as clear when you're running as when you're standing, so you can see every obstacle
Focus Flexibility keeps a ball in sharp focus as it moves toward or away from you
Every sport has unique demands: depth perception, peripheral vision, eye-hand coordination. And every sport poses unique challenges: glare, wind, haze, and close encounters with moving objects. To win, you need to conquer them all. Discover which visual skills are especially critical for your sport. And why.
Contact lenses are an athlete's secret weapon. In most cases, they may immediately improve your athletic performance. You can wear protective eyewear over them—such as goggles or sunglasses. And you can quit worrying about broken frames or lenses. Plus, contact lenses don't fog up, slide down, or fall off. That adds up to better vision when you need it most. Contact lenses can:
- Increase peripheral vision
- Improve depth perception
- Enhance contrast sensitivity and colour recognition
- Refine vision while in motion
Most athletes say that disposable contact lenses are the way to go. You can replace them daily, bi-weekly, or monthly—whichever schedule works for you. More comfortable. Less maintenance. Free of the protein deposits that can cause irritation and decrease visual acuity. The bottom line: You see better.
Alternatives to Laser Surgery
Many individuals who need glasses look to laser surgery to correct their vision problems. Eager to throw away their glasses, many people rush into the decision to have laser surgery without considering other alternatives.
New, Excellent Contact Lens Alternatives to Laser Surgery
You now have more choices than ever before for sharp, accurate vision. Bausch & Lomb is a leader in developing leading-edge technologies for soft contact lenses.
- PUREVISION - the first contact lens that can be safely worn 24 hours a day for up to 30 nights & days-even while you sleep. These revolutionary lenses allow oxygen to reach your eyes. They're so comfortable, you'll forget you're wearing them. Plus you'll see clearly all the time-even when you get up in the middle of the night. When worn continuously for the 30 night wear period, say goodbye to cleaning and lens care products.
- I-DAY Contact Lenses - a daily disposable soft contact lens that provides the ultimate solution for individuals who want great vision and hassle-free eye comfort. With 1-Days, you replace your contact lenses each day so you no longer need to worry about cleaning your lenses. They're an ideal option for people with allergies because one-day use reduces the chance of the build-up of pollen and other deposits.
- COMFORT Contact Lenses - cost effective, extremely comfortable lenses worn for up to 30 days before replacement. The name says it all! These popular lenses are comfortable and offer superb vision right from the start.
- MULTIFOCAL Contact Lenses are disposable contact lenses
that correct presbyopia, eliminating the need for bifocal or reading
glasses. Enjoy clear, natural vision at all distances, whether you're
reading a novel or a faraway billboard. No need for reading spectacles
that instantly age you. Don't compromise your active lifestyle!
Contact Lenses: Good Choice for Kids?
The biggest concern parents have about contact lenses for their kids is, "Is my child old enough to wear contact lenses?" There is no one answer. Physically the eyes can tolerate contact lenses at a very young age. Some babies are fitted with contact lenses due to eye conditions present at birth. And in a recent three-month study of 10 nearsighted kids who wore daily disposable contact lenses, nine of the children wore the lenses without needing their parents to help with putting them in and taking them out of their eyes.
What parents are really asking is, "Is my child mature enough to wear contact lenses?" Only parents can answer that question. If you're considering contact lenses for your child, take a look at how your child handles other responsibilities. If your child needs frequent reminders for everyday chores, he may not be ready for the responsibility of wearing and caring for contact lenses. But if he handles such duties well, he may be an excellent candidate for contact lenses.
Children are naturally great contact lens wearers if they accept the responsibility for them. They adapt well to wearing the lenses due to their flexible personalities. Kids also develop fewer complications than adults. Younger people usually heal faster and have stronger immune systems. Plus, children tend to follow instructions better than adults, so they have fewer problems with overwearing the lenses or not using the correct care solutions.
Contact Lenses Are Great for Sports Sports and contact lenses are a great combination for all athletes, including smaller athletes. Contact lenses may be a safer vision option than glasses for recreation use. Polycarbonate lenses are a must, but frames are more vulnerable to breakage. Many contact lenses offer better optics than eyeglasses. Better peripheral vision also comes from contact lenses, which leads to a superior performance.
Building Self-Esteem Contact lenses can do wonders for your child's self-esteem. Many kids would opt for contact lenses over glasses, mainly for cosmetic reasons. They don't like the way they look while wearing glasses. Physical appearance can be dramatically altered by switching from glasses to contact lenses. In many cases, this physical change prompts a self-confidence and self-esteem surge in the child. School performance and participation may also increase after switching to contact lenses. Amazingly, two thin pieces of plastic may breathe new life into a previously reserved child.
Keep in mind that switching your child from glasses to contact lenses does not have to be a permanent decision. If your child does not adapt well, or is not up to the responsibility of wearing and caring for contact lenses, we will not hesitate to recommend glasses as a safer means for vision correction.
Tips for contact lens wearers
- Set a regular day for throwing away your old lenses and replacing them with a new pair.
- Associate throwing away your lenses to a favourite event, for example, watching "ER" or another television program, garbage day, etc. That way, you'll know that after watching "ER", it's time to throw away your old lenses.
- If you follow a two-week replacement schedule, you might be able to link throwing away your lenses to your pay day (as many people get paid every two weeks). Find what works for you!
- Write your lens replacement date on your calendar. If you have an electronic calendar, such as Microsoft® Outlook® or a PDA (e.g., a PalmTM Pilot), program your calendar to remind you to follow your replacement schedule.
- When you open up a new box of lenses, take a permanent marker and write your "fresh lens" day or date on the individual lens packages, e.g., Monday for one-week wearers or Saturday, for two-week wearers.
- Be sure to write yourself a reminder to order new
lenses on your last box. You may also be able to figure out when
your lenses should run out, and have your Eye Care Professional arrange
to automatically ship you fresh lenses before that date.
Do's and Don'ts of Contact Lenses
In order to help ensure crisp, clear vision, better eye health and maximum lens wearing comfort, consider these important tips for successful lens wear and care.
Do:
- Wash your hands with a mild soap and dry them with a lint-free towel before touching your lenses.
- Handle the same lens first to avoid confusing the right and left lenses
- Clean, rinse, and disinfect your lenses each time you remove them. Follow your eye care practitioner's instructions.
- Apply hair spray before inserting your lenses.
- Apply make-up after inserting your lenses.
- Keep all solutions bottles closed when not in use.
- Use solution before expiration date marked on bottle or discard.
- Clean your lens case daily and let air dry. Replace your lens case every three months.
- Schedule regular appointments with your eye care practitioner.
- Contact your eye care practitioner if you have questions or concerns.
Don't:
- Allow soaps, cosmetics, or other substances to come into contact with your lenses.
- Touch the tip of a lens care solution bottle to any surface, including your finger or the contact lens.
- Re-use any lens care solution.
- Use eye drops or solutions not intended for use with contact lenses.
- Wear your contact lenses in the presence of harmful or irritating vapours or fumes.
- Apply eye make-up to the inner portion of your eyelids.
- Use eye make-up that is likely to run into your eye.
- Share or borrow eye make-up or applicator brushes.
Make Up and Contact Lens wear
Since minor allergic reactions can prevent you from wearing your contact lenses, take special care in choosing and applying make-up around your eyes.
- Look for products labeled hypoallergenic, for contact lens wearers or for sensitive eyes.
- Put in your lenses before applying make-up.
- Remove your lenses before removing make-up.
- Never apply eyeliner to the inner edge of the lid.
- Replace make-up every three to four months; that's when the preservatives expire.
- Never share eye make-up with anyone.
Our staff teaching how to insert a contact lens
