How can I tell when it is time to replace my contact lenses?!
Question: I just got contacts because I couldn't find a pair of glasses that I could see out of. I have Acuvue2 that say I can wear for 6 days straight or 14 days if I take out. What's the difference?
Answers: I just got contacts because I couldn't find a pair of glasses that I could see out of. I have Acuvue2 that say I can wear for 6 days straight or 14 days if I take out. What's the difference?
If you wear the contacts for 6 straight days and nights, they will be much more likely to get deposits from the protein in your eyes, and oils from your tear film--things that do not clean easily after so much wear time. Therefore the manufacturer recommends tossing them out after a week.
If you're cleaning them nightly (particularly manually rubbing them) and not wearing them overnight, the rated life is twice as long, or two weeks...
The truth is that many people get more wear time than that from contacts.It all depends on your eyes, your protein and oil levels your individual eyes produce, and how well and with what you are cleaning them. But I know people that get 6-8 weeks out of one pair of contacts.
However this is not recommended by the manufacturer or most OD's. It's really up to you. Most people can tell when the visual quality of the lenses are starting to go, and it's time to replace.
It is a common (and potentially dangerous) idea that the patient "can tell" when it is time to throw away a disposable contact lens. The thought is that as long as the lens remains comfortable it is safe to wear. The comfort of a contact lens is based upon the amount of surface deposits the lens develops. The more deposits you have the more your lid and eye can sense the presence of the lens. BUT, a person who is blessed by relatively clean tears may not develop surface deposits for a prolonged period of time. A disposable lens, though, over time will lose its ability to transmit oxygen to the cornea even though the lens has not become deposited. And the eye has no capability of sensing oxygen deprivation. So it is possible for a lens to feel good but not be allowing sufficient oxygen to the cornea. This oxygen deprivation can stress the cornea and lead to several sight threatening consequences. I saw a patient just yesterday who was wearing her two week disposables on average about 6 weeks. She had developed corneal neovascularization (growth of blood vessels into the cornea where they are NOT supposed to be). This was caused by the cornea needing more oxygen and therefore stimulating the vessels in the white part of the eye to grow into the cornea to supply oxygen. If this growth should continue she could permanently loose vision. So, the best way to decide when to throw a disposable lens away is by looking at the calendar on the wall. If your lens is a two week disposable, then it is best to throw it away in SURPRISE ----- two weeks. It's really very simple.