by Lenna Gonya

Created on: August 10, 2010

The human eye does not like foreign objects, whether it’s a bug, dust, your finger, or a contact lens. The good news is, however, it can, in time become adjusted to the last one.

In the early days of contact lenses, you could usually tell when a person had just purchased contacts by their red, watery eyes. Hard contact lenses were sometimes difficult to get used too, and took a long time for your eye to accept. Wearing times, for the first few days, or even weeks, were limited to a couple of hours at a time. It was a long, slow process, but many people still have, and wear these lenses after thirty plus years.

Today we have the gas permeable hard contact lens that allows more oxygen to the eye, and various kinds of soft contact lenses that are easier to adapt too. There are soft contact lenses available that allow an increase in oxygen, and, there are even those that replicate the effects of bifocals. There are disposable lenses, and those that you can wear twenty four seven.

Even soft contact lenses take some time to get used too, and there is an adjustment program for every lens. Most doctors recommend that you start out slowly, allowing your eyes to become used to the foreign object. This may mean that you wear them for an hour or two at a time, until you can increase the time for the entire day.

Many people experience some light sensitivity when they first start wearing contacts, and you may notice that you will need to wear sunglasses when you are outside. You will also notice that environments that are dusty, or where there is any kind of fine debris in the air can pose a problem.

Whether you are wearing hard or soft contacts, you do need to remember to keep them clean, and in solution. Following the rules that your doctor prescribes is essential for your success in wearing contacts and keeping your eyes safe. If there is a specific time required for soaking your lenses before you first wear them, then you should follow the instructions. Dry, lenses are uncomfortable and irritating. Likewise, if you discover that one of your lenses has a chip or other problem, you should replace it immediately.

If you are a little older, and just starting to wear contacts, you may very well discover that you still can’t see small print. Unfortunately, you may need to wear reading glasses as well as your contacts when reading, or doing close work.

Contacts are a great innovation, and for people who can’t or don’t want to wear glasses, they are a lifesaver. Most people feel that the time it takes to become accustomed to them is well worth the effort.

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