monthly contact lenses

I've been using extended wear lenses for about 15 years. Now I have a prescription for toric lenses, to accomodate astigmatism, so my vision is even better than it was a few years ago. Really couldn't be better, it's like having perfect vision 24/7. Infection risks minimised as lenses aren't removed daily; I keep some solution (Boots own brand lasts for six months from opening date) just in case I have a nasty cold when I feel horrible with sore eyes, when I remove lenses overnight, but other than that I have to put a date in my calender to remind me when to change them monthly, otherwise I'd never remember to change them. I'd never consider laser surgery, this is jsut as good, with no risks.

Sorry to be the one to buck the trend here, but I happily wore monthly disposables for years without any problems, then one day in a meeting with an eye feeling slightly scratchy becoming so painful very quickly that I excused myself saying I think I'm getting conjunctivitis, luckily there was a GP in the room and she said to me 'You are clearly in a lot of pain (my eye was streaming too) - do you wear contacts, that is not pink eye, go immediately to Moorfields' - where they diagnosed a corneal ulcer. So painful! By the time I got there, a 20 min tube trip, I was holding my hand over my eye because I could not tolerate light at all. Anyway, there I was told that there is always a risk of these with 'sleep in' contacts and that I should always take out and rinse my lenses at least once a day or if I've been in dust, touched my eye etc. It gave me a fright and for a while I took my lenses out every night but then got complacent again and touch wood - so far no problems since then. I think wise though to be aware and not do what I did and dismiss a potentially very serious problem. It was a Friday too thank goodness for that GP.

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