Help with Soft Perm Lens

[acnap]

I am a kerataconus suspect for 2 years. My soft toric lenses became intolerable not due to vision but due to an "allergic reaction". One eye after a few days would just get swollen and red and I would be unable to wear a lens. I went into RGP lenses for the past 6 months but i dont see that well and the comfort has never been there. I went to a new Dr. who has now fit me with soft perm lens. I had them in my eye for the first time yesterday and i have never seen like this in my life. However, after some hours, one eye felt very sore and today my eyes are watering a bit. does this mean a bad fit? can it get better? is it just because its my first day wearing them? I am supposed to wear these for a week and then next week the newest soft perm lenses are coming in which apparently have better oxygen flow? Does anyone know about these? Are they more comfotable? Anyone think soft perms are risky/bad for the eye? Also they are extemely expensive lenses, is it true they are very likely to tear? Would appreciate any assistance anyone can give me.

[John Smith]

Hello acnap, and welcome to the forum!

Congratulations on getting good vision. Your symptoms today do however sound a little like "overwear syndrome". Unfortunately, if we get good vision through our lenses, human nature means that we will attempt to wear the lenses as long as possible. If you wear them until your eyes are sore, you've already over-worn them.

Like all new lenses, it is a good idea to wear them in gradually, increasing a little each day. Make sure you inform your optician next week of the incident, and ensure that you cut back on the wear time, at least at first.

John.

[jayuk]

Hi

As its early days (as in you have only worn them for ONE day) I would continue wearing them whilst also monitoring how they feel and the affects they have on the eye.

SoftPerms in generaly have recieved alot of flack over the years but I beleive that was mainly due to the initial materials they used. The newer material is meant to allow more oxygen through and I am sure will make a difference.

SoftPerms do give really good visual results; and I have probably seen the best with SoftPerms when comparing RGPs / Hybrids. I had worn them for around 2 years in 2001/2002 when they were released and was fortunate enough not to have had any issues with mine. In fact I never even tore any either?!..which was more luck than anything else!

I think if you are routinely checked, and the lens feels fine,the fit is great than there is no reason why they should be a risk......

J

[Asif]

Having worn lenses for a few years now the lens type that I found most suitable at the time of wearing them regarding comfort and vision were softperms. I had worn them for a year and had got on very well with them until the point were my KC progressed and the soft perms were no longer suitable.

The previous soft perms did have a fairly low oxygen permeablity compared to rgp lenses. They were prone to tear as they are made from two lens materials fused together, but I never torn mine. They are a new lens for you and may feel slighty awkward at the initial stages so keep wearing them, if the problems persis after 2-3 weeks have ur contact lens fitter take a look.

Your situation with sore eyes does sound as your overwearing your lenses as mentioned by John. You shouldnt wear your lenses for more than 8-12 hours even if it does feel comfortable beyond that time. I would wear the soft perms for up to 12-16 hours continuosly for about 7 days and for the next 3 days my eyes would feel sore that i would not be able to wear them. If that does happen than give your eyes a break for a few days and then wear your lenses again for normal.

I was no longer able to wear softperms after a year. They were only available in i think 3 diameters. As my KC progressed even the largest diameter became tight and uncomfortable so my wearing time reduced to 8ish being the point i would be over wearing them and the soreness for a few days of continuosly wearing them would occur.

Try the lenses out for a few weeks, if you get on with them then try sticking with them as they were comfortable for me and my vision was 6/6 with slight ghosting.

I am currently wearing a new rgps lens similar to softperms. Try reading this thread http://forum.keratoconus-group.org.uk/v ... highlight=

Good luck

[acnap]

Thanks so much for the quick feedback. I wore the lenses for about 3-4 hours today. The odd thing is once they were in my eye the right eye felt fine. Its once I took them out that my eye fees sore, watery and just not right. I am hoping this is not going to be another allergic reaction story that I developed with the soft toric lenses. Is it strange that this only happens in my right eye? That my left eye with soft toric, RGP and the soft perm lenses have never had a problem?

[GarethB]

Back in June I had an allergic reation to the RGP lens. After initial treatment with steroid drops I moved on to Systane which has reduced the allergic effects by about 90%.

The lens wear is not as it was at 12 hours, but I can get 8 hours regular wear and occasional 10 hours wear since using Systane. It puts a lubricating layer across the cornea and the ey lids. This means the eye does not react quite so much to the lenses.

I put a drop in each eye 10 minutes to putting lenses in and immediatly after removing lenses.

It was also necessary for me to build up the wear time far slower than was recomended to me when I first had the lenses.

Initially build up the wear time slower than you would normally and give a lubricating eye drop ago. The best eye drop is a bit of a trial and error job, Systane works well for me, but I know others would recomend others.

Regards

Gareth

[acnap]

I spoke with my dr. today who told me to stop wearing the lens until nexr Monday when the newest softperm on the market arrived. But even after only wearing the lens for a few hours, 2 days later my right eye is just still sore. Is it possible for 1 eye to just become allergic to contacts? I hope this isnt true. It is my left eye that is the KC problem, the right eye shows no signs. Could the right eye have a separate issue that 4 Dr.'s cant catch? I just want the soreness to go away so i can wear the RGPs at least and see somewhat.

[GarethB]

Hi ACNAP

It is posibble you have become sensitised to one component of the soft perm and is worth investigating just for peace of mind and so that it can be managed like mine is now.

I know there is a difference between allergic reactions and becoming sensitised to something and the doc will be able to answer that.

Now winter is here, it is not so bad, next time you see the optom ask to see the specialist too.

[David Bennett]

Hi All,

fwiw it's VERY unusual for someone to be "sensitive" to a component in the softperm material in my opinion. I've never seen one in 16+ years of cl practice...(that;s not to say there isn't any though!!) The usual culprits for sensitisaiton are preservatives or solution components so i'd get the optom to review those first. The symptoms don't "sound" allergic to me but then I'm not you and I haven't seen your eye!

Hope that helps???

David

[Lynn White]

Hi acnap...

I have come across this before and it can just be that one eye is simply being more sensitive than the other.

What does help is looking at potential drying out issues, which Gareth explained very clearly - Systane DOES help many times.

It is hard to be more helpful because I cannot see what your eye is like after wear.

David, I agree that sensitivity to a material is rare but I have to say I have experienced it myself, with my own lenses! It progressed to the point that with certain soft materials, my eye would react within minutes and be extremely painful for days afterwards. (The lenses were stored in normal saline, so no solution issues)

Thankfully, I seem to have "grown out of it" but the experience taught me never to rule anything out!

However, I agree solutions should be looked at first and foremost as they generally ARE the culprits followed by dry eye which may mean the lens tightens up too much.

Lynn