#BlogLife48 - Things people say to contact lens wearers

I've been wearing hard prescription contact lens since I was about 16yrs I think and I get asked or told the same things over and over again.

It takes every ounce of self control not to roll my eyes. This is for the curious amongst you and my lovely fellow lens users.

I could do never do that, I hate touching my eyes.

You get used to it.

All that effort, is it even worth it?

What effort? Oh you mean buying saline to store the lens in and rinse them from the cleaner?

Purchasing a tiny overpriced cleaner to disinfect the lens from moisture, makeup, eyelashes, scratches, general dirt?

Obtaining overpriced protein tablets to get rid off build up from your eyes watering?

Getting lens cases that are designed to leak so you waste product and then cannot even see if your lens are even safely stored.

Plus you can't even see how far to fill it up because it is transparent. Who was the idiot that designed those?

But yes it is worth it.

Why?

You people with perfect vision have no idea what it is like to look out and see blurriness. It's actually a pretty scary experience.

There are times when in the morning, my glasses have fallen and I need those to see where my lens case is or to see in general.

I used to love swimming but I hated removing my lenses and walking around only sensing blurry outlines. It's a horrible feeling.

The same as being outdoors when it's dark and then I can't make out shapes at all. I recall when I was little before I had lenses and getting up to go to the bathroom or kitchen and not being able to see the light switch.

I knew the layout of the house obviously but somehow not being able to see made everything turn around. I wasn't able to get my bearings.

But still though, I don't want to deal with that, I'll just wear glasses.

That obviously means you do not have an insanely high prescription like I do. I am extremely short sighted. My world was tiny wearing spectacles.

I couldn't see out of the sides. I couldn't wear sunglasses. I would get lots of headaches from the sun and general eye strain. I could see but not well.

I struggled with reading, writing, signs, numbers and especially seeing people from a distance. It was all unrecognisable.

People were always offended that I ignored them. The truth is I couldn't see who they were, sometimes even up close. I was unsure.

I still don't understand what makes contact lenses worthwhile?

The only way I know how to explain it, is this. When I wore glasses it felt like I had 50% vision. The day I tried on lenses, my eyes were watering..

The optometrist was shouting not to blink but despite all of that, when he said go walk around and see how it feels.

I was amazed. Accurately it isn't true but I felt like to me I had 100% vision. I could see completely from the front and sides. I found everything easier.

I was constantly told my vision wasn't weakening but improving and that I was doing well.

That is why I love that I am a contact lenses wearer even though I lose the tiny suckers all the time. It still beats the alternative!

I hope that clarified everything to anyone interested. Yes my eyes water every morning and occasionally it burns when the lenses are in, as the cleaner lingers on the lens but it is life.

I forgot to mention the random fogging up on the lenses that are clean but when I blink, laugh, get warmer, it goes all hazy and I can't see properly :D

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to get in touch.