Knickers and the wonderful world of contact lens wearing
A few messages have come our way over the lockdown, most recently the message has been to wear face masks correctly.
It seems that if your nose is not covered, it is pointless wearing a mask at all. This brings to mind some of the training on the correct use of contact lenses this writer has had thanks to Johnson & Johnson, who supply a large percentage of our lenses.
The most memorable piece of information was that wearing a pair of one day contact lenses for a second day running can be compared to wearing a pair of knickers for a second day. Well, you wouldn’t, would you?
More really amazing information is about how the eye works with a multi focal lens. A tiny, ultra thin piece of silicone or hydro gel in a pool of liquid has the ability to help the myopic or the presbyopic see much better.
Multifocal magnificence
The technology is so utterly incredible. The multifocal has an area on the lens for near vision, one for mid vision and one for distance in circles like a target or dart board. What the eye does is get used to looking through the right bit of that tiny, tiny piece of hydro gel to focus clearly as it chooses.
Look at a book one moment and then a second later look across a room. The eye and brain together make the leap to focus clearly. Now that is technology, and the wonder of the human brain. Please see the science part below.
The biggest obstacle for this writer is, does it hurt? You would imagine being married to an optician I would be a confident contact lens wearer. Oh no, not I! There has always been the allure of the stylish frame to express my personality or hide the bags.
However, since the mask wearing days have begun the obvious irritation has become the steaming up whilst wearing glasses. Reflecting on this has led to thoughts about wearing contact lenses for comfort and to avoid the steam!
Not only is it easy to put in a contact lens it is simple to remove as well. Like wearing a watch for the first time or a new necklace, shoes or belt – there is the initial consciousness of the new, an adjustment of the body to the feel and then, well just getting on and doing it. Can it be that I have cautiously avoided wearing contact lenses through some misguided ‘fear’ of pain or discomfort yet squeeze my feet into painful high heels which cause bleeding with alacrity on a good night out…that latter a thing of the past now!
Contact lens wearing liberation
The other advantages of contacts over glasses seem so obvious now. There are no reflections of light bouncing off the lens. (Cycling in summer, under trees, will be so much easier now – just me?)
Contact lenses do not weigh anything and do not tangle in your hair when you wear them on top of your head like a head band. They are great for sport, they do not steam up – so cycling in summer under trees will be so much easier.
Finally it need not be an either or. Are you a meat eater or a vegetarian? Are you a football supporter or a rugby supporter are you a dog or a cat person? Why can’t we be both? I can wear contacts to go out in and fix the car but spectacles at night whilst snuggled up with a good book. Contact lenses are a lifestyle choice alongside glasses.
Well I can’t write any more. I am off to play tennis after cycling in the woods on a sunny day whilst reading my Lancashire Life! How liberating.
Read more about our contact lens service here.