Contacts to glasses fail

**Debbiemhull** · 10-19-2014, 12:40 AM

Dearest opti boarders,

I am in desperate need of your help. I spend all day every day helping people find the perfect glasses and am yet to solve the mystery of my own eyes.
I am almost 25 and have been a full time contact lens wears since I was 13. I always had a back up pair of glasses but never really wore them for longer than a few hours at a time. About a year ago I became an optician and find myself in love with the world of all things optical.
Of course I would love to wear one of our frames in the office so we ordered hi index 1.60 with just a premium AR- one of the cheaper wholesale but many of the girls in our office get them because they work great and cost next to nothing.
I wore them for maybe 3 days or so before I started to get this feeling of eyes train and terrible headache. We went through the usual things making adjustments, checking the measurements and the RX etc and everything checked out. The dr checked my RX again and that was still fine, I haven't had any changes for about 3/4 years now so I hope it is finally settling down. My RX by the way is OD -3.25 Sph OS -3.00 Sph.

Weeks passed and I would try my glasses again and again but couldn't do it for more than two days in a row.
i tried a new frame- same thing. Then we started playing around with the material even tried poly and same issue. So then the dr took a closer look and diagnosed me with exophoria. So basically my eyes are struggling especially up close and my glasses are inducing prism unlike my contacts for obvious reasons.
So next I tried prism. I really thought we had solved it as I could feel a definite change when wearing them but alas, after a few days my eyes were back to their strainy selves!
i should add that literally within minutes of switching to my contacts I feel relief.
so then the doc suggested just trying cr-39 Plano over my contacts and if that didn't work they had no idea. And... You guessed it. Same issue.

So here is where I need your help because I am at a loss. I'm thinking about trying digital and a better AR but the other opticians and docs I have spoken to don't seem to think that will make much of a difference.

obviously I am fine to just wear contacts if I have to. My main worry is I just want to figure this out while I can because sooner or later contacts will not be enough.
Each time I wear my glasses it gets harder and harder, I'm now struggling to wear them for even half a day.

please help!

thankyou thankyou thankyou

**Chris Ryser** · 10-19-2014, 02:06 AM

It might just be a simple base curve issue, you have not even mentioned.

**opty4062** · 10-19-2014, 08:52 AM

AR change won't help. What does your optician in your office suggest? Base curve may be worth a look but also consider trying them every other day, then slowly build up time adjusting to the glasses. What shape and size is your frame, plastic, metal? How heavy are the glasses on your face?
If it's been 12 years of basically full time CL wear, you will have to adjust to the difference that vertex distance creates in your vision and the change in periphery over contacts.
Did your optician compare your current back up glasses to the new ones on respect to material, PD, BC etc?

**Debbiemhull** · 10-19-2014, 09:49 AM

Yes they compared my old glasses and everything seemed fine. Base curve might be the next step yes.
I have tried building it up to try to get used to it. It has been more than six months of trying which seems like far too long.
I have tried two different frames, one is a lafont smaller and more square and the other is a plastic modo big round cat eye- very light.
Going back to base curve, a friend suggested I need something with more curve because in used to the curve of my contacts. Does that sound right? Also, the doctor said the vertex distance is not going to change my prescription enough to notice. Is that true?

**Golfnorth** · 10-19-2014, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by Debbiemhull

Yes they compared my old glasses and everything seemed fine. Base curve might be the next step yes.
I have tried building it up to try to get used to it. It has been more than six months of trying which seems like far too long.
I have tried two different frames, one is a lafont smaller and more square and the other is a plastic modo big round cat eye- very light.
Going back to base curve, a friend suggested I need something with more curve because in used to the curve of my contacts. Does that sound right? Also, the doctor said the vertex distance is not going to change my prescription enough to notice. Is that true?

You should know the answer to that yourself as you are a dispensing optician or are you really a consumer?

**Debbiemhull** · 10-19-2014, 11:21 AM

So glad you are making me feel so welcome..
I am a dispensing optician but new to the industry. I'd like to think this was a community where I can learn from more experienced opticians but apparently I am supposed to pass some kind of test.
Nevermind, I will find help elsewhere. I hope you don't treat everyone who is wanting to learn like this.

**Golfnorth** · 10-19-2014, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Debbiemhull

So glad you are making me feel so welcome..
I am a dispensing optician but new to the industry. I'd like to think this was a community where I can learn from more experienced opticians but apparently I am supposed to pass some kind of test.
Nevermind, I will find help elsewhere. I hope you don't treat everyone who is wanting to learn like this.

Thank you very much for your post. I come from a province where licensing is mandatory and your post looked like it was from a consumer who are prohibited from posting on this site with the exception of the "Just Conversation" thread.

"Going back to base curve, a friend suggested I need something with more curve because in used to the curve of my contacts. Does that sound right?"

Btw you asked a friend for optical advice? Just saying.

**Debbiemhull** · 10-19-2014, 12:00 PM

Haha my 'friend' is the manager of one of the biggest labs in the state and has been in the optical industry for over 35 years. I can have friends in the field right?

**Golfnorth** · 10-19-2014, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by Debbiemhull

Haha my 'friend' is the manager of one of the biggest labs in the state and has been in the optical industry for over 35 years. I can have friends in the field right?

I provided an explanation with respect to my original post.
I hope you have a wonderful career.

**revein** · 10-19-2014, 02:27 PM

What's your CL RX?

**Debbiemhull** · 10-19-2014, 03:12 PM

The same as my gls.

**Wes** · 10-19-2014, 03:34 PM

"cr-39 Plano over my contacts and if that didn't work they had no idea. And... You guessed it. Same issue."
Then your issue isn't coming from the lenses.

**Wes** · 10-19-2014, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by Debbiemhull

Going back to base curve, a friend suggested I need something with more curve because in used to the curve of my contacts.

Unrelated. The curve on your contacts is in the 45-48 diopter range. The curve on your glasses is in the 2-5 diopter range.

**Wes** · 10-19-2014, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by Debbiemhull

Haha my 'friend' is the manager of one of the biggest labs in the state and has been in the optical industry for over 35 years. I can have friends in the field right?

Your friend needs to brush up on ophthalmic optics before comparing contact curves to spectacle curves.

**Wes** · 10-19-2014, 03:53 PM

"Also, the doctor said the vertex distance is not going to change my prescription enough to notice. Is that true?" Most likely true, given the power you specified. Much higher, however, and it makes a difference.

**Debbiemhull** · 10-19-2014, 04:18 PM

Thank you so much for your help. The base curve comparison makes sense. Would you still suggest trying a different base curve then?

**Fezz** · 10-19-2014, 04:32 PM

I can not tell if this is an average befuddled consumer, or real situation!

**rbaker** · 10-19-2014, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by Fezz

I can not tell if this is an average befuddled consumer, or real situation!

I have been retired from the eye care business for twelve years now. As such, I have a lot of time on my hands and when this is combined with my natural tendency to be a trouble maker I frequently stop in to various eye care establishments and ask the help some technical questions concerning glasses or contact lenses. In nearly every case I am amazed at the lack of knowledge of the most basic concepts of ophthalmic dispensing shown by these "opticians." I also enjoy wearing an old beat up pair of glasses and asking for an adjustment.

I know that I should really be ashamed to practice this behavior but, damn, its so much fun. But then again I feel for the poor customer - if they end up with a functional pair of glasses they are lucky in that they just happened to visit an optician that knows his cookies, and they are a dying breed, few and far between.

Now you do realize that I am not refering to you so dont feel offended.

**Debbiemhull** · 10-19-2014, 05:12 PM

I had heard that this site was a complete waste of time but thought I'd give it a go. I'm just gonna go ahead and delete my account and be thankful that I work with good people who help me to become a better optician and not the rude judgmental people who call themselves experts on here.
And to all those who assume I'm just a consumer I hope that one day you can come to my office so I can tint your lenses green, induce prism and ruin your glasses *evil laugh*

**Golfnorth** · 10-19-2014, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by Debbiemhull

I had heard that this site was a complete waste of time but thought I'd give it a go. I'm just gonna go ahead and delete my account and be thankful that I work with good people who help me to become a better optician and not the rude judgmental people who call themselves experts on here.
And to all those who assume I'm just a consumer I hope that one day you can come to my office so I can tint your lenses green, induce prism and ruin your glasses *evil laugh*

Nice parting shot!

**Steve Machol** · 10-19-2014, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by Debbiemhull

I had heard that this site was a complete waste of time but thought I'd give it a go. I'm just gonna go ahead and delete my account and be thankful that I work with good people who help me to become a better optician and not the rude judgmental people who call themselves experts on here.
And to all those who assume I'm just a consumer I hope that one day you can come to my office so I can tint your lenses green, induce prism and ruin your glasses *evil laugh*

Or you could have just responded to my private message verifying your occupation and place of employment.