Daily Contacts

Daily contacts are supposed to be daily used. But what would happen if you reuse them a number of times? I do it all the time, but since my last eye visit my sight has decreased by -.50 in both eyes. I don't think they're related, but does anyone know. Also, because my eye doctor thinks that its too much to give that increase in prescription in one year, she just upped it by .25 and I ordered new contacts etc but can't read sign posts still... should I go back, will my insurance cover it if I return them?

If you have been properly trained in how to clean contacts, you may reuse them for up to 30 days, at least based on people in this thread (who claim their eye doctors tell that is OK):

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/85/health-fitness/daily-disposable-contact-lenses-reuseable-370639/

I do it w/ no problems. Clean them and store in FRESH SOLUTION each night. Rub, even if you use no-rub solution. Solution is cheap. Don't wear over night. You'll read about infection if you Google re-wearing dailies. It comes from spitting/licking lenses, overnight wear, reusing/not using solution. NOT from re-wear. Be-ware! My eye doc even warns against wearing overnight even the lenses designed for it.

More info... About your increase, it probably won't happen due to re-wear, but people have written books on why they think it happens!

If you are between age 13 and 25, and have myopia, expect a regular increase as long as you are doing close work. You can compare your prescription 'sphere' number now with the first one you had, and if it was, say, -1 when you are 13 and is -3 and you are 18 now, it will probably end at -5.5 or so.

Scientific studies have proven that the retina (or brain) somehow recognizes BLUR and converts it to myopia (eye stretches). Not surprisingly another study found that not having a strong enough prescription (e.g., distant signs are BL:URry) causes slightly faster increase in myopia. Some studies have found reading w/ bifocals (if you're under 20) to very slightly slow down myopia. Unfortunately, either way, you've got myopia, you need SOME glasses. Don't worry about increases - except for cost of new lenses. UNLESS: If you're -8 or higher, though, it gets dangerous (retinal detachment goes above average there) and you should find an eye doc to put you in Rigid contacts - the only eyewear proven to significantly reduce myopia. But that is hard. If weaker than -7 read on; you can stay in soft contacts cheaply and have perfect vision.

A lot of people suggest that wearing contacts/glasses when reading, or too strong of glasses, or accommodating, increase myopia. Studies have not found this. Even a study on kids with eyes that veer out (exotripia??) found that a common cure - wearing too strong glasses, sometimes buy as much as -3 too strong - did not increase their myopia faster than those who wore their exact prescription. But too weak of glasses does increase it.

Reading causes peripheral blur b/c your eyes are moving so fast. Hence myopia. Not 'closework.' TV/Computer = less motion, therefore less blur, therefore less myopia (not b/c they are farther away).

But if you're lingering around -5 or less strong, you SHOULD enjoy 20/15 vision if you're going to bother wearing contacts. Get soft contacts in your REAL prescription or at least .-25 stronger (to avoid night myopia - the regular script is your hyper-focal infinity distance of a pupil in medium light; night opens the pupil, decreases depth of field, and screws up that calculation. Look those terms up.)

A tip - .5 is a very small increase. if your myopia is -3 or less, order focus dailies from globallens.com (you don't have to send a script to them). $30 for 20 lenses (a month/pair = almost a year). Oh but your myopia will go up by .5 in that year, likely. When entering the script increase the strength therefore by -1.25 from the eye doc's you have (that is too weak). .25 for the 'too low' he gave you; .25 for night myopia; .5 for the increase; .25 just to be safe ;-). So really just .75 higher (today) than -1.25 is much less extra power than the -3 that didn't cause myopia in the exotrpia/overminus study.

Why will you be able to clear with too much power, but not too little? Your eye is designed to 'focus in' to neutralize it. It makes 'plus power' up to +10 if you are young (so +.75 to to against -.75 is a small percentage, like looking at a sign 60 inches away). People lose this ability to focus by age 55, so they need reading glasses. Surprise - these are listed as '+1.25, +2, +3, etc!'

Then go back in a year. If your increase is at or less than .5 - re-order the 'too strong' lenses. I wear -6 at age 28 but I'm only -1 in reality. But I'm a bit of a junkie and love the feeling. Don't try that unless you're just as low. I also wear torics, they seem to work better with the higher script. -2 would be just a fine.

But if you went down faster then .5, I'd say go straight to hard lenses. Tough to get used to but the vision can't be beat - usually 20/13 or lower - and they slow your myopia. Worth it!