posted
Ever since I came to Chicago, I've noticed something. My contact lenses have been getting a lot dryer than usual. I wear the monthly overnight kind, so I'm used to some dryness, since I often go for long periods of time sleeping in my contacts. Since I've ocme up here, however, I've noticed that I've been having more and more trouble with my lenses. They sometimes get so dry that they just fall out on their own.
It wouldn't be a big deal if I was still wearing daily disposables, but I only have one pair of overnight lenses left, and I'm not sure when I'll be able to get another box. I had to leave class early today because one of my eyes was hurting so badly that I had to get the lens out of my eye, and I couldn't just throw it away, so I had to get back to my room.
It's not just dryness, though. I've been having a lot more irritation than usual. I don't know if maybe it's allergies...I've had problems with those in the past, but I'm not sure what I could be allergic to here.
So what could I get for rewetting/allergies that might also help with the irritation in my eyes? I'm unfortunately allergic to preservatives (at least the ones in normal lens cleaning solutions...I have to clean mine in peroxide), so I'm not sure what I can use that won't cause a reaction. Once a lens has been exposed to whatever preservative it is that I'm allergic to (I don't know the name; can anyone help me out? What do they put in those OptiFree lens cleaning solutions?) I usually have to throw it away.
...I'm also apparently allergic to any kind of saline that says "Sensitive Eyes" on it. My eye doctor explained to me that even those have the preservatives that I'm allergic to.
posted
You could see an optometrist. They can suggest drops and help you with replacement lenses.
Some pharmacies will "compound" drugs for people. If you asked one of those pharmacies if they could "compound" a saline solution fit for delicate eyes without preservatives they could probably do that. The Medicine Shoppe made my cat's eye drops this month so I know some places can make eye drops.
Antihistamine eye drops take a prescription, you might ask an optometrist or the college health center for one to try. Optivar, patanol, etc.
Posts: 1014 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Sterile saline bullets for inhalation make fine, preservative-free eye drops. They are just salt and water, sterile and in 3 cc individual plastic squirts. Once you open a bullet, you throw the rest away, so some saline will be wasted (let's see, there's 5 drops to 1 cc, so 15 drops in a 3cc bullet. And you'll be putting 2-3 drops in each eye, and throwing away the other 2 cc's of saline in each bullet)
They are sold, by prescription, at the pharmacy for use in nebulizers.
Ask your eye doctor for a prescription for these, if appropriate.
But, if eye dryness is a persistent problem, your doctor may advise you that contact lenses aren't for you.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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