Contact lenses

[Richard A Thackeray]

Suggest that you always wear cycling glasses (sunglasses) as well. If you get a bit of grit in your eye whilst wearing contacts it is really unpleasant. I've been wearing contacts every day since 1974 and I always wear glasses as well (clear at the moment).

I haven't worn them that long, but since about 1985

Initially hard, then had GP for a while
Worn soft, since 2011

I always, but always, wear glasses over them (Oakley Mumbos, which were a birthday pressie back in the early 90's)

 

[GetAGrip]

I began wearing contacts about 5 years ago and it sometimes took as long as 10 mins to take them out at the end of the day.
You will improve your technique if you persevere.
I now wear a variable lens in my left and an ordinary in my right. I only wear reading glasses when really tired now ....Brilliant.
Also means I no longer need windscreen wipers when cycling in wet weather

 

[accountantpete]

I got my first pair in the early 70's.

They were so uncomfortable that you basically wore them for an hour first time and gradually increased the duration as the eye got used to the irritation and stopped sending signals to the brain.

Modern lenses are so much easier.

 

[Globalti]

My experience of contact lenses was a disaster, starting with the fitting muppet just tinkling his dirty fingers under a cold tap then me going down with the cold virus he gave me a couple of days later. He took a lot of time with the fitting but completely forgot to tell me about cleaning the lenses so the whole experience was not a happy one and one morning I just got up and put my specs back on. End of.

My Irish pal used hard micros, which he kept losing. One day he told me he thought they had all gone around the back of his eyeballs....

 

[MikeW-71]

Well, the right eye was much better this morning, but still sore, so I decided not to wear the lenses today. It was the right choice I think, as the right eye was really feeling the cold wind on the ride. Feels like I've been punched in my right eye ... curse my ham-fistedness

They aren't going back in until this eye is completely normal again.

 

[Stephen C]

I've worn contacts since I was 15 (I think), it was brilliant to not have to wear glasses and being able to chose sunglasses! You get the hang of taking them out and putting them in, I remember the first time it took me ages and had similar red eyes, but now I can do it without a mirror in a flash. Possibly take a pair of glasses with you if you head out for the day, there is nothing worse than your eyes getting sore and no back up options!

 

[potsy]

Well, the right eye was much better this morning, but still sore, so I decided not to wear the lenses today. It was the right choice I think, as the right eye was really feeling the cold wind on the ride. Feels like I've been punched in my right eye ... curse my ham-fistedness

They aren't going back in until this eye is completely normal again.

Sounds like you've done the right thing, hopefully a day or two and it'll be back to normal and you can try again.

Not sure how they advised you to fit and take them out, my way for removal is to just 'pinch' them in one fluid motion, don't think about how close to your eyeball your fingers are.
Inserting I put the lens on the index finger of the same side eye, one drop of solution from the bottle onto it for added moisture, then my other hand lifts the eyelid up from above using the lashes whilst my middle finger of the hand with the lens pulls the bottom lid down making the target as large as possible.

Not sure if that makes sense, it's easier to do than describe

 

[MikeW-71]

Not sure how they advised you to fit and take them out, my way for removal is to just 'pinch' them in one fluid motion, don't think about how close to your eyeball your fingers are.

I was told to pinch them off, but to press on the eyeball a little to help. Of course what I did yesterday was press too much in my panic to get them out.

 

[hopless500]

I thought I'd have a trial of contacts as having to use an insert in my cycling glasses is a bit cumbersome and restricts my choice of glasses hugely. I know many Pros do it this way, anyone else on here use contacts only for cycling?

I am at least a fairly simple prescription for short-sight, and after a consultation I've now got 9 pairs of daily disposable lenses to try out for free. I'm wearing a pair right now, and it is so wierd not wearing my normal glasses!

After taking 5 tries to get the test ones in, then 6 goes to remove them again, it could be interesting/frustrating at 9pm when I need to take them out again Lets hope this is worth it. Right now, the right eye is happy, but the left eye is not so keen on having the lens there. Gahhhh!! I hope this is just a case of getting used to it.

Going for a ride tommorrow with them in for a proper test, hope that goes well

They can take a while to get used to. But much better for cycling in.
Disposables are nice large soft ones, and are pretty hard to get grit behind. Unlike the old hard ones which were a nightmare if you got a speck of anything in your eye. Which was fairly regular. Trying to prise your eye open while your body was adamant it wasn't going to open that eye open for anything was always interesting

 

[Stephen C]

I was told to pinch them off, but to press on the eyeball a little to help. Of course what I did yesterday was press too much in my panic to get them out.

I push them towards the corner of my eye first before the pinch, it seems to make it a little easier.

 

[hopless500]

I can't do the one-handed pinch. I use a finger from each hand to do the pinching movement.

 

[MikeW-71]

Possibly take a pair of glasses with you if you head out for the day, there is nothing worse than your eyes getting sore and no back up options!

A good plan. My prescription is mild enough that I could get away without using them for cycling if I had to. I'd rather not though as I can't drive without glasses.

 

[Stephen C]

A good plan. My prescription is mild enough that I could get away without using them for cycling if I had to. I'd rather not though as I can't drive without glasses.

My eyesight is really bad (I even get money from the NHS now for glasses!) so can't go without. I have spare glasses, solution and container at work in case there are any problems, and if I'm going out for a long day I'll take the necessary in a backpack, especially if I'm going somewhere with air conditioning, it really dries them out!

 

[MikeW-71]

Phew! Right eye is now back to normal and testing can resume. Gonna head out for a longer ride tommorrow, so that's my chance.

 

[Brandane]

Phew! Right eye is now back to normal and testing can resume. Gonna head out for a longer ride tommorrow, so that's my chance.

I also had problems with lens removal when I started wearing them (daily disposables). The technique I use for removal now, which might (but might not!) work for others is to hold eye open with the middle fingers (right mid finger pulling top eyebrow, left on bottom), pinch eyeball lightly between thumb/forefinger of left hand while looking directly at the join between thumb/forefinger, then squeeze the lens and out it comes!
Good luck Mike, it does get easier as others have said.