Diary - getting used to my RGP's

[John Smith]

Pat,

I think that as long as the trend is upwards, you should indeed "listen to your eyes". However, I'd underline Sweet's point by saying that ideally you should stop wearing a lens BEFORE it starts to hurt!

Of course, you did know that you had to be psychic too, didn't you?

[Pat A]

Thursday- so far!

Lens has been in a while now - nearly 2 hours - which is a fantastic improvement on yesterday.
I am cat (at least on my lap!) and fluffy jumper free today too.

It is definately not hurting today but is still as uncomfortable as ever under that upper outer eyelid and lens edge still a big problem. I'm going to give Moorfields a ring tomorrow about that and see what they say as there doesn't seem to be any change at all there.

I'm off to the gym in about half an hour so I'm going to try driving (very carefully!) the mile & a half with the lens in as it is feeling "ok" and see how I go. (But I'm going to take it out when I get there!!)

I'll report again later....

Once again thanks for your help & support!

[Mathew Curr]

Pat,

I think that as long as the trend is upwards, you should indeed "listen to your eyes". However, I'd underline Sweet's point by saying that ideally you should stop wearing a lens BEFORE it starts to hurt!

Of course, you did know that you had to be psychic too, didn't you?

I agree with John here. I can't remember how long it took me to get used to my RGP's but I do know it was at least a couple of months. One thing I will always do with both my soft and hard lenses is take them out if i get any signs of discomfort. For me it's better to take the lens out early and try again after an hour or so rather than try to keep it in and end up not being able to wear the lens for a few days or even worse do some damage.

Remember, If in doubt take it out.

P.S. Pat it doesn't sound like your lenses are a very good fit, I can only speak from personal experience but it sounds like all the signs I have had.

Hope it goes well for you.

[Pat A]

Update (2) Thursday.....

3 hours today - getting better. I was sooooo down yesterday but you guys really helped.

Got to gym safely although felt really strange driving! One slight disappointment though - I have always measured my KC by a particular set of pedestrian traffic lights, and how many lights I see. I am still seeing a ghost second light even with my RGP in although it is clearer than with my soft lens (and without I see about 8!). Could this be because it is not fitting correctly? Would that make sense?

But I do now know what the signpost actually says at the roundabout!!!

I will definitely phone MEH anyway..

[GarethB]

It could be the fit.

There is a certain amount of weight to the lens which does alter the corneal shape slightly. This is why if the discomfort is mile irritation rather than pain I would continue to 8 hours and leave it at that. Then next time you are at the hospital to have the fit tested (for me that was 4 weeks after getting the lenses) the adjustment is easier.

I know some optoms find the only way to ease comfort is a different lens size which can in some cases reduce visual aquiety. Having said that they still have good vision to drive legally, just not 6/6, one or two lines offf of that but the comfort and wear time is far more beneficial than reduced lens wear with 6/6 or better vision.

KC is so variable that you may be able to have a slight lens adjustment and still get 6/6.

My lens fit has never been improved upon and we tried for six months.

[Sweet]

I have been really lucky to have a fantastic fit in my right eye from the start. Piggy backing is even better. It has never taken longer than twenty minutes to find a perfect lens.

My left though i have never been able to put a lens in so finally went for a graft. I am hoping to get a lens for this eye soon, am just waiting for the very nice people who make them!! LOL!!

Wishing everyone loads of luck with this!!!

Sweet X x X

[Pat A]

Friday - no, no, no,

Well folks, I listened to my eyes today as you suggested. 3 five minute tries and I decided to call it a day!

Obviously my psychic powers are naff too!

Moorfields here I come!

[Susan Mason]

Hi Pat

When do you go back to have the fit checked?

If you have managed with soft lenses previously I would have hoped that RGP's would not be too bad to get used to, maybe the fit is not quite as it should be.

My eyes were really odd, what looked ok at the hospital and seemed ok at the pick up visit almost always seemed to give me problems when I went away with the lenses for the 3-4 weeks test wearing period. Result being I had them swapped when I went back for a fitting check and after several months I finally got sclerals,which made a huge difference.

If you have not done so already I would give them a ring. If your employer is anything like mine was they wont understand why if you have your new lens(es) you are not fully back to normal vision. Even now several years on I find it sometimes a battle and frequently feel they have no idea of just what I can/cannot see and how I cope day to day.

Best wishes

Susan

[Pat A]

Monday - I'm afraid over the weekend I chickened out and decided that I would rather have the naff vision than the discomfort and possible pain of RGP as I had lots of different things to do over the weekend, so it stayed in it's little case until this morning.

I managed just over two hours of reasonable wear this morning until my eye started to feel a bit dry and sore. Have dosed it with systane since - forgot to put any in before I put the lens in - and given it a rest but will try a couple more hours tonight as I'm fed up with sitting on the floor so that I can see the TV reasonably clearly!

Have not managed to get an earlier appointment (than March) with Moorfields yet unless I could have gone this Friday afternoon and waited....unfortunately my Eurostar waits for no-one and I'm not missing it! So I'm going to my own Optician on Wednesday - he's said he'll have a look at it for me and see what he thinks.

It's strange though - I do find the RGP so much easier to put in and get out than the soft lenses - which are a daily battle for both inserting and removing, but I do have quite small eyes - and a droopy eyelid on my left eye (which is the one in which I'm wearing the RGP) and I wonder if that might be what is causing this irritation under my eyelid....

[Matthew_]

Hi Pat,
Sorry you've had some tough times. I too found the RGPs easier to put in than soft lenses. I find them very difficult to get out though and now use one of those plunger jobs to get the little devils!
I used to refrain from lens use over the weekend at first to give my eyes a break. However, my optom said I should try to wear them a little bit over the weekend or I might find it a bit harder come Monday as the cornea will have changed shape a little in the absence of the RGP. I tried this and it worked. Now I give my eyes a break for a couple of hours in the middle of each day and wear them over the weekend for just a couple of hours each day. It works very well for me. It took me 3 months to get to this stage however. I think listening to your eyes as you are doing is the best way. Well done.