Anyone use toric contacts for astigmatism?

[Jon P. Inghram]

Broke my glasses the other day (accidentally of course ) and decided it was high time I get new ones, or even better, dump the damn things altogether. Since corrective surgery is just a tad more than we can afford (an understatment of the century) contacts seemed an interesting alternative. Only problem is, I've got astigmatism besides being really near-sighted.

Anyone have any experence with toric lenses?

[VJ]

I wonder if it is good practise to dump glasses: sometimes you can't wear contacts (due to fatigue, infection, allergy, a cold, ...).

Still, I would be interested to hear experiences also (I have -5 with +2 astigmatism ).


Jörg

[Greebe]

Originally posted by VJ
I wonder if it is good practise to dump glasses: sometimes you can't wear contacts (due to fatigue, infection, allergy, a cold, ...).

Jörg

No doubt, I have mild nearsightedness (-1) in both eyes and slight astimatism (makes no difference in prescription), still the best match that can be made is only within +-0.25 diopters, add torics and you're asking for trouble.

Toss in an alergy, dust, dry eyes, infection or don't change them out often enough (even with the best day/night types) you're headed for real problems

You would still need glasses for when you can't wear contacts... just a headache.

Also remember it costs more for a contact exam and the prescripton only lasts 1 year as opposed to two years with glasses.

[Fat Tone]

I went through a vain phase when I was 18 or so and tried contact lenses. Soft torics certainly gave me good vision (I'm ~+4 with ~.75 sphere). I never got on with them, never really getting past the irritation phase, cleaning was a right pita (can you get disposable torics now?). Istr the optician saying that contacts give best results with short sighted people, but that was ~17 years ago.

My recommendation (if you can treat them gently) is to get rimless glasses. They can be very stylish and a lot less imposing than larger, framed glasses. If you want transistions lenses, you won't find many opticians prepared to do it in rimless, but I did eventually and I've never looked back!

HTH

T.

[VJ]

Originally posted by Fat Tone
My recommendation (if you can treat them gently) is to get rimless glasses.

Beware though: depending on the model, you can have the problem that sunlight reflects in the bottom of the glass (there is no rim, so this is smooth) and blinds you slightly.
This happens with my current glasses; I do think this behaviour depends on the correction and the finishing of the glasses (is the outside matte or transparant); mine have transparent sides.


Jörg

[GT98]

I'm blind as a ****ing bat...I think I'm at 7+ or something with an astigmastism (have to take alook at my concacts when I get home) but I've been wearing soft contacts over 10 years now and I dont have any issues with them. I get corrected to a 20/25 and a 20/40 I believe with them in.

I'll agree you still need glasses since the last time I went to the eye dr she said I was wearing my contacts much too much since I was starting to get blood vessies going into my irises. I was wearing contacts exculisty for a really long time with no glasses. I make it a point to take out my contacts to let my eyes get more oyxgen.

[DukeP]

The Austrian company Silhouette makes some really nice spectacles. Lightweight (like nearly NO weight) and rimless.

Quite the fashion item to booth.

~~DukeP~~

[Jon P. Inghram]

I've deciced to skip the contacts for now, if I didn't like them I'd be out of the money for the lenses (the difference in the exam cost isn't too much, $75 instead of $60) and still need new glasses.

Thanks for the advice all, good old fashioned glasses it'll be then.

[Greebe]

the difference in the exam cost isn't too much, $75 instead of $60

That should read $150 for contacts vs $60 for glasses over a two year period.

You could always opt for the Contact prescription for $75, get glasses and give a set of contacts a whirl, just to see if you can deal with them, be a change of pace at least.

[VJ]

Originally posted by DukeP
The Austrian company Silhouette makes some really nice spectacles. Lightweight (like nearly NO weight) and rimless.

Yes, I had a Silhouette once; nice built quality too!
My previous glasses were in an Air Titanium rim, the lightest rim at the time (IIRC, it was 7 g but it wasn't rimless). My current spectacles are a rimless Armani...


Jörg

[XHotKolaX]

I wear toric contacts. They take about 2 weeks to get used to, but once you do, they fit well. Before that, they shift a lot and were very uncomfortable.

I still wear glasses early in the morning and late at night for comfort. Or...glasses whenever I feel like not doing much. Silhouettes at that=)

Don't go one or the other unless you choose glasses. Contacts alone is not very wise.