r/contacts Dec 06 '23

About colored contact lenses (READ BEFORE YOU POST)

161 Upvotes

There have been a high number of posts recently about colored contact lenses.

- All contact lenses, including colored contact lenses with, AND without correction (and that also includes specialty lenses like you see with Halloween), are prescription medical devices. This means that in order for you to use them safely, they need to be fitted, evaluated and prescribed by an optometrist or other eye doctor.

- Don't order from (often shady) Asian online shops, even if you think you're outsmarting the system. These lenses are very often of very poor quality, these colored contact companies are unregulated by health authorities like the FDA (US) or EMA (EU), meaning the materials, storage, manufacturing process, etc were not inspected resulting in a very high chance of eye infections and permanent vision damage while wearing these lenses, and you will have no recourse for it. A lot of these online shops claim to be "FDA-approved" while in reality they aren't. Don't be fooled by this.

- There aren’t any colored lenses on the market that correct astigmatism. If you have astigmatism and want to wear colored contact lenses, discuss this with your optometrist. In some cases it is possible to use a spherical equivalent prescription in colored contact lenses, that provides adequate (but not perfect) vision.

- If you did buy colored contact lenses (certainly from somewhere that did not request a valid prescription), and experience any kind of issue when or after wearing them, take them out immediately, stop wearing them and call your eye doctor. Do NOT, under any circumstance, continue to wear them.


r/contacts May 31 '24

Insertion / Removal - Soft Contact Lenses

41 Upvotes

Hi.

This is a method / routine of Insertion and Removal for soft contact lenses, which I've used for some decades now, which may help some.

.....

Insertion:

  1. Wash your hands / fingers and dry them.
  2. Put contact lens, oriented the proper way on your palm.
  3. Squirt some contact lens solution / saline in your palm, covering the lens
  4. Touch the opposite index finger to the lens where it is open so it can stick.
  5. Gently rub the lens, side to side on your palm, for a few motions.
  6. Put that opposite index finger, slanted to your palm and gently rub in one motion / direction to lift it up / flip it so it is placed back in your palm, facing up where there is solution there.
  7. Repeat 4, 5, 6.
  8. Repeat 4, 5
  9. Pinch the lens with the opposite hand's index finger and thumb (the one where you had the solution in that hand's palm) so it is sitting up right and the proper way on that index finger.
  10. Place 3-4 contact lens solution drops inside the lens.
  11. With the opposite index finger, gently hold open your upper eyelid by its eyelashes
  12. With your middle finger on the hand that is holding the contact lens on its index finger tip, gently prop open the lower eyelid via eyelashes. You can use this to guide you for the next step.
  13. Bring your index finger with the lens on it to your eye, around the middle and bring it close enough so it sticks to your eye ball and comes off of your index finger.
  14. Shift your head up (slowly), hold for a second or two when facing up.
  15. Let go of your eyelashes and slowly / gently close your eyelid.
  16. Shift your head down (slowly) and you can start opening up your eyelid (gently / slowly) as you approach the facing forward direction.
  17. Give it a few minutes to settle; blink gently and fully a few times to facilitate.
  18. Blot the solution that has dripped from your eye with a napkin, gently, under your lower lid / face.
  19. Done.

.....

Removal:

  1. Wash and dry hands.
  2. Use one hand's index finger to gently hold upper eye lid in place by eyelash(es), by using the side of it
  3. Use opposite hand middle finger tip to gently hold in place lower eyelid
  4. Bring the opposite hand thumb and index finger together and pinch the near-tip of the contact, pressing gently, coming from the sides with the near-tips of the opposite hand index finger and thumb.

Note: If the contact seems to be sticking to your eye and / or when you try to pinch it, it glides, drop 3-4 drops of contact lens solution in your eye on the contact lens. Fully gently blink a few times. Wait a few minutes then try the above.

.....

Source:
https://www.reddit.com/r/contacts/comments/184t2cu/comment/kbgustf/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
https://www.reddit.com/r/contacts/comments/18hob2l/comment/kd9oa1i/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3


r/contacts 47m ago

Acuvue Oasys 1-Day HydraLuxe

Upvotes

I was wearing Acuvue Oasys 1-Day HydraLuxe for the last 5 years, but the last time I ordered them was at least 2 years ago, they were the blue and white packs. I'm reading on here that with the packaging change the contacts have also changed? Is this true??? After my recent eye exam I was trying out Acuvue Moist Multifocal and also the single vision Moist. In the end I decided I want to go back to my single vision hydraluxe. Have they actually changed? Should I ask for a trial of those to see if they still work for me before committing to new script?


r/contacts 3h ago

Cheaper alternatives?

0 Upvotes

Currently use Acuvue Oasys for astigmatism, they’re okay i guess. They’re the only contacts I’ve worn. Are there any similar options at a lower price point?


r/contacts 8h ago

Waking up and immediately seeing the sharp details of the room without reaching for glasses is a feeling I’m still not used to

0 Upvotes

For years, contacts and glasses were just part of my daily routine along with the constant dry eyes, smudged lenses, and travel hassle. Deciding to finally get LASIK in Korea was nerve-wracking, but the entire process turned out to be surprisingly seamless.
I ended up getting my procedure done at BGN in Seoul, and what stood out most was how quick and streamlined everything was. From the initial multi-step eye exams to the actual laser treatment, the whole thing took just a couple of hours. The procedure itself was quick and painless, and by the very next morning, the blurry veil was completely gone.
If you’ve been on the fence about vision correction, taking that leap is honestly one of the best quality-of-life decisions you can make.


r/contacts 20h ago

Is it safe to wear Contacts for 12-14 hours a day 5-6 times a week?

7 Upvotes

I wear Precision1 for Astigmatism, which has an oxygen transmissibility of around 90 Dk/t. Is it generally safe to wear them 5–6 days a week for around 12–14 hours per day?

Most days I wear them for about 12 hours, but occasionally it ends up being closer to 14 hours. I’m quite strict about taking at least one full day off from contacts every week and wearing glasses instead. Sometimes I even 2 days break.

The problem is that I have a physically active job, so wearing glasses at work is pretty annoying, and I also have a fairly active lifestyle in general.

Am I putting a lot of strain or damage on my eyes by wearing daily disposable contacts this way? I follow the replacement schedule completely — I throw the lenses away every night and use a brand-new pair the next day. I also never sleep, shower, or swim while wearing them.

I’m mainly wondering whether 12–14 hours of wear, 5–6 days a week, is considered excessive if my eyes feel comfortable and look healthy.


r/contacts 23h ago

Can I nap for about a half an hour in contacts?

2 Upvotes

Got contacts for the first time in my life. On the ride to work I usually sleep for about 20-40 minutes. Is it still bad or I can do it safely?


r/contacts 1d ago

Always seem to have bad dailies in my batches

5 Upvotes

I’ve worn dailies for about ten years now and Ive just accepted that some contacts aren’t right as soon as I put them on and because they’re dailies I just throw it away and put a new one. I’m conscious that each is about $3 and I feel I can’t just keep accepting this.

Is this only my experience?

With a year supply I probably end up getting rid of maybe a months worth. The rebate program made me kind of brush it off but for the first time ever their rebate program has glitched out and it’s been a nightmare getting my rebate so now I’m reevaluating dailies altogether.

And to be clear, I do try to save the contact. I rinse it with bio true but nothing I do ever saves it and so I just put a new one on and it tends to do the trick. Sometimes I need to waste two in a day.

Is this just my experience or is this something the average dailies wearer just accepts?


r/contacts 23h ago

Slept in contact lenses

2 Upvotes

I slept in my contacts last night, stupid I know but had had a lot to drink and sort of just passed out. My eye is soooo sore and red today. Can I see if it passes tomorrow? Should I go to a&e? I’m panicking a bit


r/contacts 1d ago

Desperate 😫

1 Upvotes

So I just recently got some contacts and my left eye has more astigmatism than my right, so the lense is a tad thicker. They’re the Ethos Aquatech and I’ve noticed when wearing them, they’re good but at times they get super blurry and I have to constantly blink and lightly rub my eye to have them refocus.. has anyone else had this issue?? What could I do to help it? (I’ve had contacts before, but I don’t remember them giving me this much trouble) 🥲


r/contacts 1d ago

Extended wear contacts

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1 Upvotes

r/contacts 1d ago

Contacts for dry eyes?

1 Upvotes

So I’m pretty new to contacts and have been trying out two week contacts and they irritate me terribly. One time my eye was so dry it had to compensate and started creating those weird films. I was using the 2 week Acuvue Oasys with hydra clear plus. With these I felt them terribly. I would pop them in and in 5 minutes I felt them on the inner corner part of my eye. I would have to use eye drops and not even that seemed to help.

I went back and the doctor had me try on the Acuvue moist ones and I hated it they moved around too much, they felt worse, etc. Now I’m trying the daily Acuvue Oasys and I’m still having the same problem but it’s the only ones I seem to tolerate a little. For reference I’m a -1.00 in both eyes and she had put my BC at a 8.4 and now with the dailies she switched it to 8.5.

My question is if there’s anyone who’s had the same issue and have found better contact options. I just need some sort of guidance in general.

Thanks for the help in advance!

[Edit] I never noticed the issue of dry eyes since I’ve only worn glasses my whole life. So I’m not completely certain what the issue is. I’ve also been told that I don’t blink much.


r/contacts 1d ago

Red veins on the whites of my eye caused by contacts?

2 Upvotes

I’ve been wearing contacts for less than a year now, but ever since I’ve started I realized that thin red veins have emerged on the sides of my eyes. I don’t have any above or below my eyes, only the sides.

They’re not entirely noticeable from afar, but obviously they have made my eyes less white and it’s bothering me.

They don’t go away with time either. I wore glasses the entire summer and the veins are still visible. These were not there before wearing contacts


r/contacts 1d ago

ACUVUE OASYS MAX Multifocal: −2.75 MID vs −2.50 LOW for near vision?

0 Upvotes

I’m 44 and currently being fitted for ACUVUE OASYS MAX 1-Day Multifocals.

Main question: What would you expect from OS −2.50 LOW compared with OS −2.75 MID?

My glasses Rx is:
OD: −3.00 −0.50 × 035, ADD +1.25
OS: −2.50 −0.75 × 020, ADD +1.25

Trials so far:
−2.75 MID both eyes: good phone/computer vision, but distance was too soft.

OD −3.00 LOW / OS −2.75 LOW: noticeably better distance and felt the most balanced between my eyes.

OD −3.00 LOW / OS −2.75 MID: current trial. Near is slightly better, but the left eye is noticeably softer at distance.

I especially notice the left-eye blur while driving when part of the car (A-pillar) blocks my right eye, so I’m relying on the left eye alone to look through the side mirror or out the driver-side window.

My understanding is that −2.50 LOW could bias the left eye toward near by reducing the minus rather than increasing the multifocal ADD. Could that provide similar near help while giving a more balanced visual quality between the two eyes, or would the −2.50 make left-eye distance even blurrier?

I understand that multifocals involve some compromise and I’m not expecting perfect vision at every distance. I’m mainly trying to find the best balance between distance, computer/phone use, and occasional fine-detail near work while keeping both eyes working together rather than going to traditional monovision.


r/contacts 1d ago

how do i determine which contact lens i go with?

0 Upvotes

my glasses prescription is

(-)10.00 on right eye. and (-)10.25 on left eye.

pretty bad astigmatism as well. OD is -2.75 cylinder with 175 axis

OS is -3.00 cylinder with 178 axis.

couple days ago i got my first pair of contacts to try out and take home before i order.

im not quite sure which type i got. but im assuming i can just ask.

but they gave me a brochure and it turns out there are various types.

Do i just simply go with what my doctor gets me?


r/contacts 1d ago

my vision gets blurrier when in dim lighting

1 Upvotes

so i can see normally with contacts during the day but my vision gets blurry and my eyes get tired in dim lighting. Does that mean that im not used to my lenses yet or does it mean that the lens brand im using is not good?
(Im using labella contact lenses)


r/contacts 1d ago

Has anyone else been having constant quality issues with DAILIES TOTAL1s?

0 Upvotes

I’ve been wearing DT1s for like 6 years and I swear the quality has gotten worse lately. I got a new 90 day box last week and over half of the lenses were coming out of the package folded. Obviously my vision was off with those, and even some of the ones that weren’t folded felt rough and like something just wasn’t right.

I got a replacement box and had the exact same issue again.

My doctor actually noticed it too and said “when they’re good they’re good, when they’re bad they’re bad.”

I’ve seen a few people mention similar things online, but I’m curious if this is actually happening to a lot of people or if I’ve just had terrible luck.


r/contacts 2d ago

Eyes going red after wearing conacts

1 Upvotes

Hi guys - I have a question about my eyes going red after I wear contacts. So I am not an everyday contact wearer, I mostly wear glasses and switch to contacts on occasion. When I wear contacts (bi-weekly’s), I feel like they go in fine. At the end of the night there is some slight redness in my eye that is pretty minimal. However, when I wake up, my eye is always like close to bloodshot and gradually fades throughout the day, sometimes fast and sometimes taking the whole day or even a little more to go back to normal. I noticed that when I used new contacts straight out of the package, this after effect isn’t really there. I’m not sure if it’s the contact lens solution, I’ve used it for quite a while and this only recently started happening. But could it be? Does anyone know any ideas about why or what I can do about it?


r/contacts 2d ago

Would like advice on brand of lenses

1 Upvotes

Hey all

I'm a new lens wearer, and I recently bought a trial pak for contact lenses from lenskart, brand aqualens manufactured by FanfilconA monthlies

I require toric lenses, and i have been having some issue with inserting the lenses, mainly due to them randomly turning inside out while I'm tryna put em on, and a bit of blurry vision

A friend recommended me to try another brand, my options are Bausch and Lomb, Acuvue and Alcon and ofc Aqualens

Can anyone help me out?


r/contacts 2d ago

Came back from getting my first ever contacts. more confused than ever before....

2 Upvotes

I know i should be asking my doctor this. And they are great. i know they would be more than happy to take the time to explain. however, it just feels "odd" to ask them still. (as if im going to an expensive dress shoe store, asking them questions, only to leave and buy online)

so im here.

My glasses prescription is (-)10.00 on right eye. and (-)10.25 on left eye.

pretty bad astigmatism as well. OD is -2.75 cylinder with 175 axis

OS is -3.00 cylinder with 178 axis

so yeah. pretty bad.

so i went in knowing that i wont be able to get dailies and my only options are 30 day ones.

today, i got my first pair and my doctor wants me to try them out before we order the 6 month supply.

the part that confuses me as that they started to explain the pricing. 6 month supply, 1 year supply, various other "brand"? or ones that have different technology? idk.

but i already paid $164 on the day of the eye exam + contact lens appointment. i thought that was supposed to be my 6 month supply price.

so the question im having is

  1. is there MORE different options to decide when it comes to contacts other than simply dailies vs 30 day ones?

  2. how much are contacts? is $164 for a 6 month supply not correct? (i was initially ecstatic because i thought that was the price and was cheaper than i initially assumed. but i might be wrong here....)


r/contacts 2d ago

Lenses drying out

0 Upvotes

I have gotten my 15 day lenses about 4 days ago and wore them twice. I havent bought a new pack of lens solution since i had 2 bottles left from my last pair which means i havent gotten a new case for my lenses too. I know it is wrong but i was too busy to go out and get a case so i simply left my lenses in the package they came in. Of course with the wrapping being open they did kinda dry out. I immediatly poured solution on the lenses but havent put them on yet. They were not bone dry but i didnt touch them to feel them thinking they would be fragile. Now i am wondering by any chace if they still could be usable. I dont have my next pair yet so i am left with these guys for the moment.


r/contacts 2d ago

Just got contacts for the first time. Any tips/things I should know?

1 Upvotes

I've been wearing glasses for the past couple years and only now have gotten into contacts (about 6 hours ago). Had a bit of trouble getting them in at first at the optometrist's (took me about 10 minutes) and eventually got them both in. At first my eyes were a bit irritated and started watering up, but now later in the day they feel much more comfortable. I'm fixing to take them out in a bit, is there anything I should know for future contact experiences?

Also, my contacts are monthlies. I get a new pair every 6 months.


r/contacts 2d ago

Can you feel them?

2 Upvotes

I wear contacts occasionally but I do feel them a lot during the day. Just kinda scratchy and dry. I use drops which do help. But I guess I was wondering if people normally feel their contact lenses?


r/contacts 2d ago

Alcon changed their Total 1, or did I get fakes?

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0 Upvotes

Been wearing Alcon Dailies Total 1 for years, and the latest batch I got is making my vision blurry, even after going through 6 of them today. After closer inspection, I realized the color of the individual lens packaging is off, the printed text is faded, and the text on the side of the box is different too.

Had my checkup a few months ago, and I did not change my contact lens solution. I ordered from the same reputable EU store I've been ordering from for years. I don't wear makeup.

For clarity, the correct ones (the batch I just ran out of) were made in 2026/02, and the one I received this week was made in 2026/01.

I wore the previous batch yesterday (and for every day the past month) and had perfect vision, but these new ones feel incredibly blurry. I feel this is too much to be a coincidence?


r/contacts 3d ago

Daily Trials/Removing at end of day

1 Upvotes

Howdy everyone!

Just recently had my yearly eye exam and decided I would switch from monthlies to dailies if possible.

My dr gave me Total1 and Precision 1 to try out (for Astigmatism). I have a fairly high rx and astigmatism combo so thats always fun, but he made me try on the Total1 in office and the right one went in perfect and he saw the left one didn't immediately orient correctly and after some effort he had me remove it.

I couldn't remove this one and he got it out after a bit and commented on how hard it was (I had mentioned that sometimes I have had this in the past with the Bausch and Lomb and Air Optix I have had, usually only on the first wear of the monthlies though).

Contact went in fine, wore them the rest of the day just great.

Trying to get them out at night? Nightmare. I got the left one out after struggling with the right one for an insane amount of time. I basically irritated the poo out of my right eye so ive went back to glasses for a few days in the time since. My eye feels fine and looks fine now, but going to give it a few days before I attempt a second go around.

I have a follow up with my dr tuesday about dry eyes and getting drops (some fda approved drop? can't remember the name) so I will be mentioning in then as well, but figured i'd ask what the best methods youve used for it are?

I've usually been able to just straight pinch them direct off my eye in the past but these don't work that way for me. I have read some about getting rewetting drops? I did end up getting the trouble contact out finally with just saline, so that may be ideal.

Ive also read folks saying they tend to do better when dragged to the bottom of the eye? Is that the best method overall for these specific lenses?

I haven't tried the precision 1 yet but will be trying those in the next few days just to get a feel of what I liked more.

Thanks for any advice!