One Stop Contact Lenses

Purevision contact lenses, Bausch and Lomb and a word on torics

2006-07-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

I personally think Purevision are a fantastic family of contact lenses. They are also a bit of a well kept secret. This is because Bausch and Lomb are not quite "out there" shouting out their virtues from every tv, radio and media treetop. This is very unlike some of the bigger players who use promotional mechanics to create new interest in contact lenses whilst simultaneously reinforcing consumer brand awareness for their own lenses.

Bausch and Lomb have had rather negative press coverage recently owing to their Moisture Loc contact lens solution's alleged link with fusarium keratitis. So much so in fact that I think it's time I said something about their great PUREVISION PRODUCT range!

A lot of great things in contact lenses came from Bausch and Lomb and this silicone hydrogel family is one of the best. Of course I am a little biased as I wear the Purevision Toric lenses myself, but I have to say that my patients absolutely love these lenses.

My referring ophthalmologist also wears them and when you consider that us optical people are inclined to be a tad fastidious, that's saying a lot!

Purevision is now available as a multifocal lens and has just entered the UK marketplace. This is great news for those needing bifocal or varifocal contact lenses. The material is breathable allowing more oxygen through than with conventional hydrogel lenses and the lenses are pretty durable.

A word on the toric (given my personal experience) - this has to be one of the most stable torics around giving nearly 100% consistency of sight. One of the most irritating things about toric contact lenses that opticians often fail to explain to patients is that they will not provide vision that is as constant as vision through specs.

Why? Because the contact lenses move on the eye and since torics are position dependent in order to work, anything short of glueing them on will create momentary fluctuations in visual stability. And this movement is necessary for tear exchange behind the lens which in turn flushes out the rubbish and brings in more oxygenated tears.

Specs on the other hand - when you blink, they stay put. Purevision torics come pretty close to my vision with specs so a big thumbs up to them! I'll be interested to see how the multifocal takes off as these are notoriously compromising across all manufacturing designs. Perhaps I'll write more on that later once the patients have been seen...

Do Contact Lenses Irritate Your Eyes in the Summer?

2006-06-30T03:49:00.000-07:00

If you find that your eyes become more sensitive to contact lenses in the summer, you are not alone.
Many of our customers tell us that their eyes itch which makes contact lens wear uncomfortable at this time of year.

This is often the result of a seasonal allergy triggered by the pollen count that increases when the weather is hot.

However all is not lost!

You could wear glasses whilst your symptoms persist or alternatively try wearing daily disposable lenses for a couple of hours a day.

You might also find that anti-histamine eye drops help relieve some of the itchiness. But remember, they cannot be used in conjunction with your lenses.

Another option is to use mast-cell stabiliser drops to strengthen your cell membranes responsible for your allergic symptoms.

Contact Lens Over Wear

2006-06-30T03:41:00.000-07:00

Wearing your contact lenses for longer than your optometrist has recommended can cause problems.

This is because the oxygen supply to your eye can be reduced which can cause corneal abrasions, corneal ulceration or infection.

Symptoms of these complications can include:

Blurred vision

Redness

Eye irritation or pain

Therefore: Always stick to the contact lens wearing schedule that your optometrist has recommended.

Caring For Contact Lenses

2006-06-30T03:30:00.000-07:00

Here are some rules for contact lens care:

Do:

Stick to the wear schedule provided by your optometrist

Always wash your hands before inserting or removing your lenses

Always use a fresh contact lens solution

Replace faulty, damaged or dried out contact lenses

Change your contact lens case every 3 months

Try to handle daily disposable lenses as little as possible

Before inserting monthly disposable contact lenses rub and rinse them

Don’t:

Sleep in your contact lenses unless your optometrist has told you it is okay to do so

Re-use your lens solution

Use tap water to clean your contact lenses as it can contain bacteria

Wear your contacts to go swimming

Ignore eye discomfort

New Nike MaxSight Contact Lenses

2006-06-30T03:23:00.000-07:00

Nike has recently got together with leading contact lens manufacturer, Bausch & Lomb. Together they have created an innovative new lens designed for sports people called Nike MaxSight.

Nike MaxSight are soft tinted contacts that act like sunglasses by filtering out UVA, UVB and blue light.

This makes colours seem to be less bright which helps people playing sports to see more clearly. But of course unlike sunglasses, they sit directly on your eye to reduce visual distortion and provide clear vision from all angles.

Choosing Contact Lenses

2006-06-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

There are a number of things that you need to think about when choosing contact lenses. For instance, you need to consider your lifestyle, the health of your eyes, whether you have allergies or are prone to dry eyes.

Each of these factors can affect which type of contact lens is most appropriate for you.

For example, if you have dry eyes you might find that you are very sensitive to regular contact lenses. If this is the case you might want to think about wearing lenses with a different water content, fitting or material.

Your optometrist will be able to discuss your needs and personal circumstances with you so that he/she can recommend the best contact lenses for you.