I think I may have been given the wrong contact lenses, and I need some advice.

Story – I went yesterday for my eye appointment and wanted to get contact lenses. I don’t wear my glasses very often, mostly for driving and when I’m at school or work. But going out? Not really. Basically, I can live without them, but it’s definitely better when I wear them.

But, I’ve been noticing for about a year now that my glasses do not help as much as they should. I have to squint a bit while wearing them. Since I hate wearing my glasses, I figured I’d go get contacts and then problem would be solved.

I went to Lenscrafters and did the usual tests. After about an hour, the doctor (who was a sub, not the main), says that she thinks I need bifocals. I know nothing about this, and she’s the expert, so I go along with it. She explains that since I’m in there for contacts, I can try the new bifocal contacts and they should work perfectly for me.

So, after learning to put them in and to care for them, I go home. Now it’s the next morning, and I’m pretty sure these are the worst things for my eyes. Almost everything is blurry. Not to the point that I can’t see, but to the point that I could see better with no lenses at all. When I look down at the ground, it seems pretty far away. My computer screen is pretty blurry, and things far away are not clear.

Now, I was told that I need to slowly get used to these, and this is why I’m coming to you guys. I assumed that contacts would… ya know… make my eyes better. Not worse. Not only that, but these things are expensive too. Definitely more than the traditional contacts. If these are the types of contacts I need, I’m going to tell them no thanks, and then go back to my old glasses and call it a day.

So – Opinions. Should I make an appointment for tomorrow morning, or is this what contacts will be like until I’m “used to it”.

I put this in emergency, because I’d like to get in there tomorrow morning(unless the masses say I’m dumb).

I don't wear contacts, so I'm hardly an expert, but a couple of thoughts;

1)If you're squinting in your glasses, then your glasses prescription isn't right either. So don't go back to that.

2)Call the optometrist. Tell them you just got new contacts that were a pretty significant bump from your old script, and now you can't see a thing. And find out if they want to see you. What's the worst that happens, they go "Nah, we're cool..." and say they don't need you for anything?

First question - are both your eyes the same prescription? Mine are different enough that if I confuse them things go wonky.

If switching them doesn't help, then I agree with T - call the office where you went, and ask to speak to one of the drs. Explain what is happening, and ask what they recommend you should do.

You may want to also ask for an updated glasses script, so you have those on hand too!

Hopefully this was a trial pair that you did not pay for already...? Contacts do take awhile to get used to, I just switched brands and it took me about a week to get used to the new ones just because they are so much softer and I thought I could feel them slipping around in my eyes. Bifocals take even longer to get used to because they are so different. If you only need glasses for some things, bifocals might be what you need. That being said though, if you don't like the new contacts it isn't worth buying them.

So if it was just a trial pair I encourage you to try them for a couple more days and make another appointment, tell them what you didn't like and get fitted for a new pair. If they made you purchase a whole supply you should call them immediately and ask if you can bring them back and get fitted for another type and try them out for a week or two.

Well, we put the right in the R container when we were at the store, and that is the first one I started with this morning. I'm sure they're the correct ones.

And yes, this is a trial pair. They want me to go for 2 weeks like this, but it's now been 5 hours, and I still see no change (adjusting).

I think I'll call after work and explain. We're supposed to get a LOT of snow in the next 24 hours, so it might have to be a few days anyways.

I'm just so confused how I went from wearing almost no glasses, to being told I need bifocals. I'm just frustrated.

Hm. Are they a trial pair? Usually the doctor will give you a trial pair and schedule a follow-up appointment.
Are they daily contacts that you take out each day, or contacts you sleep in? Did you properly remove them and soak them in contact solution? Are the lenses dirty? Are you putting enough solution on them to get them wet enough?

These are really stupid questions, I know, but: If your eyes are different prescriptions, are you sure they're in the right eyes? Could they be inside out? If you look at them from the side on your finger before you put them in, they should look like this.

Also, did you get your eye exam done at Lenscrafters? If possible, I would highly HIGHLY suggest going to an opthalmologist for a second opinion (they have more training and have to pass medical school rather than just a state board exam), or at least an optometrist in a doctor's office. Describe what the Lenscrafters people said, what you're experiencing, and see what the optometrist/opthalmologist says. It might just be a matter of getting used to the contacts, but you could also have the wrong prescription or something (or bifocal contacts might just be a bad idea, haha).

Promises, promises they were in correctly for each eye. Not inside out, right was in right, etc.

Update though - I took them out. I can see my computer screen so much better. And the notes around my cubicle, can see clearer too. I'm pretty convinced I don't need bifocals. Also, the doctor said to keep them in for only about 6 hours a day and work my way up.

A 2nd opinion is probably a better bet. Or maybe the house doctor for this lenscrafters. The older one whos worked there for a long time.

And yes, I removed them and cleaned them correctly. But taking them out is so much better.

The more I think about it, the more I think she might have just been a weirdo. She put in a pair of astigmatism ones first, then these bifocal ones, and decided on bifocals. Which seems like 2 different routes to choose from.

Did you have the lenses in for quite a long time? I know from experience that being in front of a PC for a long period of time with the lenses in - especially at the end of a long day - can kind of make them feel uncomfortable and blurry. I think they can dry out quite easily too.

I know when I first got mine I had a 1hr trial period where I walked around the town with them for 1hr and the difference and clarity in vision straight away was amazing. I could see everything, so I think the blurry vision could mean that you need a different prescription.

I would book another appointment and explain what happened and that the vision wasn't good. They will probably alter the prescription or lens type to something that will work better for you. Definitely go back and explain though.

I think maybe wait a few days just to see if it is just a case of your eyes not being used to them and then go back if the problem persists.

Lenses are so handy, and I'd be lost without mine!

Claire.

I second going to an optometrist/opthalmologist. I live in contacts and certain brands work better for me than others. for instance my optometrist has to special order old style contacts because they sit correct on my eyes and feel so much better that any of the newer brands. They fully test my eyes (I admit I hate the air puff test, I *always* flinch and they have to do it a gazillion times, lol) and then have me do a vision test and then give me my prescription for glasses and contacts. Last time I got a year's worth of contacts and the full exam with no insurance for cheaper than my mom did with insurance. So it's honestly not that bad.

Concerning your trial lenses, are they actual multifocal lenses or are they monovision lenses? My mom has the latter and she said adjusting to it was a nightmare because you have to retrain your brain on how to see. Basically your dominate eye has a lens for seeing far and your weaker eye has a lens for close. Multifocal is all in one. But definitely see someone to get it fixed because it sounds like the tech maybe doesn't quite know what they're talking about.

BloodyDanceToes wrote:

She put in a pair of astigmatism ones first, then these bifocal ones, and decided on bifocals. Which seems like 2 different routes to choose from.

Uhhh yeah, I don't think she knows quite what she's doing. Don't go back there for a second opinion; head to a totally different optometrist/opthalmologist in a totally different clinic.

I have an astigmatism in both eyes and i went to an optomitrist who insisted that contacts for astigmatism were the way to go... it made my vision worse... i argued with a different eye dr a few yrs later and she insisted they were different... i still couldnt see.

I was actually told by one not to get the contacts for astigmatism., because of the way my astigmatism is angled.

Bottom line if you are unhappy go back and they can recheck the fit. I personally found daily disosables the best as they were thinner and more flexible. There are lots of variations between brands too.

I would go back when your actual doctor is there.

EDIT- Some contacts have to go in facing a certain direction. Could they be upside down?

Bifocals are for when you have problems with reading up close as well as far away. Do you have a problem with reading up close? Can you read fine print easily? Going from not wearing your glasses often to wearing bifocals isn't exactly abnormal. Near sightedness and Far sightedness are different. If your having problems with the bifocals, I would ask about getting regular contacts for your nearsightedness (for everyday things like driving and life in general) and a pair of glasses that you can wear over your contacts for the farsightedness when reading. That way you won't be dealing with the extreme effect of the bifocals, and only need to use the glasses as needed, like you have been doing, but this time they would be correcting your other vision problem.

^ what she said. The problems BDT is describing has nothing to do with eye strain or a possibility of the contacts being dirty or in the wrong way, I think she gets that part of contact ownership. The bottom of Bifocals are for closeup viewing, whereas the top is for far away. This is why it is hard to get used to. There are different kinds, but that is the most popular type. Get a second opinion. If another doctor states that you do need bifocals, try a different type. Like I said, there are many different types of bifocals which might work with your eyes better, especially if you do actually also have astigmatism, you may need something else.

Are they one far and one near lens, one in each eye, or multifocal lenses? I wear multifocal and it took about a week to get used to them. The brain has to adjust. I know that is sounds weird, but it's true.

If, after a week, you are having issues, some people cannot adjust, and you may need to go with single focus lenses and if you need reading glasses, use them when you read.

Moonlite - I called and described your setup pretty much. And they said that yes something is wrong, and I now have an appointment earlier.

Knowing better how to describe this, and that it's not just me, definitely helped. Thank you everyone!!