Science Horizons

Every night, you can expect the same battle of will. It’s been a hard day’s night and all you want now is to sleep like a log. Hold that thought, especially if you are one of the 38 million contact lens wearers in the United States. What has to happen now is a cleaning ritual that may break your will, but hold firm and follow through. Your contacts and your eyes will thank you for it.

Exemption from the Four Eyes Club comes with a price. Theres no flopping in bed and clapping out the lights. You will have to buck up, plan and clean and store. The alternative is a quick descent into sleep, to be sure. But waking up with an eye infection can ruin days and weeks of your life. In addition to a constant burning sensation and non-stop watering, an infected eye is extremely sensitive to light and may require a heavy round of antibiotics to cure.

Why bother with the pain, hassle and possible expense of an eye infection? Take precautions. Make it a nightly ritual to wash your hands and then your contacts. Store your contacts in an airtight case filled with sterile hydrating solution. Some of the no-rub cleaning solutions can also double as storage solution. In fact, these cleaning solutions can penetrate deep into the molecular structure of your contacts, getting them that much cleaner by morning.

Come, come now, Watson — it’s elementary. Clean contacts require clean hands and a clear head. Do not be lulled into thinking you can get by with short cuts. A quick rinse with dirty hands is a waste of time and solution. Failure to store your contacts in solution is as good as throwing them away. There is strict responsibility when it comes to contact care, for better or worse.

Side-step the worst-case scenario and simply take precautions. Have a hydrating, no-rub solution on hand and a sterile contact overnight case as well. You will also need some soap and warm water for your hands. Short-changing the process is essentially short-changing yourself and an invitation to a host of problems.

Everything involved with contact care is based on the fundament of vigilance. Stay frosty, wash your contacts and enjoy not having to bother with glasses.

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Going through a box of contact lenses in a few months may bother environmentally conscious consumers. Disposable anything tends to run contrary to the image of otters at play in fresh, clean streams. But with the introduction of silicone hydrogels in 1999, contact lenses have become extremely biodegradable. In fact, the use of silicone hydrogels has made it possible to manufacture and market disposable contact lenses.

It’s a difficult sell, but people with sensitive eyes take heed. Rather than deal with the constant discomfort of contact lenses, people with sensitive eyes are opting for glasses rather than any kind of contact lenses. To be sure, glasses allow a great deal of oxygen to reach your eyes. But with disposable contact lenses, consumers have a comfortable, gas-permeable alternative to standard contacts.

These are not your normal contact lenses. In contrast to conventional lenses, disposable lenses are the most gas-permeable. This is a due to the fact that disposable lenses are much thinner than conventional contacts. This allows more oxygen and moisture to reach the eye. Indeed, though they are extremely comfortable, they are extremely fragile and tear easily if you try to clean them with solution.

Furthermore, contact wearers who hate to clean their contacts are in luck. The brilliance of disposable lenses is the fact they need no cleaning. None. At the end off the day you simply dispose of them. No fuss, no extra cleaners, no cases needed. You can save on the cost of multi-purpose solutions and enzymatic cleaners. The cost-benefit savings are passed along to the consumer.

Brace yourself. A six-month supply of disposable contact lenses is about 20-40% more expensive than a pair of conventional contacts. In the face of having to pay more, many people opt for the conventional lenses, forgetting to take the cost of all the peripherals into account. At $10 a bottle for solution every two weeks for a year is approximately $260. Add another $10 every two months for enzymatic cleaner and now your grand total is $320. That is roughly $600 in yearly costs for solutions and whatnot. With disposables you simply wear and toss.

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It is not difficult to make he case for investing in a supply of disposable lenses. Though the perception is that disposable lenses are somehow wasteful or irresponsible, the fact of the matter is that disposable lenses are highly biodegradable and inexpensive to manufacture. Indeed the carbon footprint involved in producing and distilling cleaning solutions are far larger than those involved with disposable contact lenses.

Typically thinner and more fragile than conventional soft contact lenses, disposable contacts are actually far more comfortable than their conventional cousins. Their thinness and fragility also make them very comfortable to wear. They are the most gas-permeable lenses on the market today. Contact wearers who suffer from dry or frequently irritated eyes are encouraged to look into disposable lenses — no pun intended.

People may be put off by the up-front cost of a six month supply of disposable lenses. Though disposable contacts are more expensive, that cost is offset by the fact that no cleaning solutions or enzymatic cleaners are necessary. They are disposable and are not meant to be worn more than one day. They require no maintenance or storage. This is a very attractive aspect of disposable lenses: their convenience.

Every night bring with it a nightly cleaning ritual for conventional contacts, there is no such hullabaloo for disposables. An inherent advantage of disposable contacts is the fact their thinness allows them to be worn overnight. Though no optometrist would ever recommend sleeping with a pair of contacts on, disposable contacts are the least likely to cause infections. Indeed the protein buildup is inconsequential as the lenses are destined for the trash bin.

If you had only one pair of contact lenses that you needed to last you for months or even a year you would not want them to be of the disposable ilk. But, if you suffer from sensitive eyes and hate having to perform the daily cleaning ritual contacts require, then disposable lenses should be a definite consideration. They are more cost effective, comfortable, and leave a smaller carbon footprint to manufacture.

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If you wear contacts, you have certainly been warned of the two don’t. The first is never fall asleep with your contact on and the second is always clean them at night when you take them out. Falling asleep with your contacts on is a sure recipe for an eye infection. Failure to clean your contacts is a guaranteed case of red eyes and possible infection, not to mention it reduces the lifespan of your contacts.

The act of cleaning contacts has become rather muddled with the invention of no-rub solutions. Now, most contact wearers simply splash on no-rub solution, then dump their lenses into an overnight case. Most optometrists, however, would recommend you rub your lenses, even if you are using no-rub solution. The reason is painfully obvious: rubbing helps break up any proteins or antigens coated on the lenses. It is just one more measure that helps ensure a clean pair of contacts.

In addition to the right cleaning process, using the right kind of solution can extend the life and comfort of your lenses. Rub or no-rub aside, what you may want to consider, especially if you have sensitive eyes, is a hydrating solution. Most cleaning solutions claim to have hydrating benefits, but if your eyes are dry within an hour of putting on your contacts, you may well need a super-hydration formula.

The gas-permeable nature of multi-focal contact lenses makes them far more susceptible to air-borne irritants, like smoke, pollution, and even pollen. They need to soak in a solution rich with oxygen-rich cleaners. This will contribute to a fresh, like-new feeling when you put them on in the morning. Some solutions can leave your contacts looking visibly yellowed, especially if you are a smoker.

The label may well say no-rub, but do it anyway. No-rub solutions are very powerful, to be sure, but they need a literal helping hand — or fingers. Just make sure you use a solution that can also deliver powerful hydrating chemicals to alleviate any dry or irritated eyes. The key to maintaining a pair of contacts for months, even up to a year, is constant, vigilant cleaning.

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If you’ve been wearing glasses for a number of years, like me, then you may be wondering if contact lenses are right for you? There are a number of advantages to wearing contact lenses over eyeglasses and you may find that you like them better. Take a few minutes to read some good information about contact lenses and how to get them for yourself.

A Little History

Early contacts amazingly date back into the 19th century. At that time, they were made of brown glass and were not easy to wear. They were, however, helpful to people that could not wear eyeglasses. Contact lens technology improved in the 1940s and 1950 when they were able to make them from plastic instead. These were made out of a plastic material called polymethyl methacrylte and worked well. The only problem was that they did not allow oxygen to easily pass through them. Since then, the plastic material has improved and is now rigid gas permeable, allowing oxygen to get to your corneas. This is necessary because your corneas get the oxygen they need from the air, not your bloodstream.

Technology in contact lenses continues to improve as we’re seeing new kinds of lenses being made for people that have astigmatism or for people that need bifocals.

Why Do People Wear Contacts?

Most people’s primary reasons for wearing contacts is for cosmetic purposes, but there are also other reasons:

* Unlike glasses, the lens moves with your eye so there is no image distortion.

* Eyeglass frames can annoyingly block your side vision.

* Glasses can often steam up when you go from a cold to warm temperature room.

* Sometimes contact lenses are the only solution for people who need vastly different lenses for each eye.

* The protection of contacts can often help someone with an injured cornea.

How Do You Go About Getting Contact Lenses?

To find out if you can wear contacts, you should go see your eye care professional and get a consultation. You can’t go and order contacts with just a prescription for glasses. It’s a different kind of prescription. When you get your exam, you’ll find it’s pretty simple and does not take very long. You’ll just do some vision testing including the test for Glaucoma, which is an important test to get. It’s just a tiny puff of air that goes into your eye.

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If you wear glasses or have recently been diagnosed with a vision problem (such as astigmatism, myopia, presbyopia or something else) that requires corrective lenses, you may be considering using contact lenses.

Contact lenses are a great alternative to glasses and are popular with many people because of the comfort that freedom from bulky frames they provide. Many people also like the increased peripheral vision they enjoy as a result of the contact lenses moving with their eyes in any given direction. There are many different types of contact lenses. Some of these include soft contact lenses, rigid gas permeable lenses, daily wear lenses, extended wear contacts, colored contact lenses and more. Your eye care professional will work with you to ensure that you get the pair of contact lenses that are best for your eyes and your lifestyle. He or she will also go over the basics of inserting, removing, and caring for your contacts. If you familiarize yourself with the process of inserting your contact lenses properly before visiting your eye doctor, you will be armed with questions and may even impress your doctor!

Prepare to Insert Your Lenses The absolute most important thing about wearing contact lenses is being clean and hygienic about it. If you stray from this rule even a little bit you are opening yourself up to possible eye infection and damage. For this reason, you must wash your hands thoroughly with hot water and soap before you begin to prepare your contact lenses for insertion. After washing, dry your hands with a lint-free towel. Make sure to avoid contact with lotions or cosmetics between washing your hands and handling your lenses.

Opening the Contact Lens Package Many contact lenses will come in whats called a “multipack.” Look for the opening flap on the front of the multipack and pull it in order to break the seal. Inside you will find six individually packaged lenses. The lenses are packaged this way to ensure maximum sterility for each lens. While there may be some slight variation in how lenses are packaged from manufacturer to manufacturer, the instructions below will help you open up your contact lens package properly.

Shake an individual lens package gently and check if you can see the contact lenses floating in the enclosed solution. Next, peel back the foil covering carefully to reveal the lens. You can stabilize the lens package by placing it on a flat surface (such as your bathroom counter) in order to avoid splashing. Sometimes, a lens will adhere itself to the foil covering when opened. This will not affect the sterility of your lens.

Handling the Lenses Try to get used to handling the same lens first (right or left) every time so that you develop a habit and dont get mixed up. Remove the lens from the pack or from its storage case and examine it to ensure that it is clean and free of debris or tears. If you notice any damage on the lens, do not use it. Confirm that the lens is not turned inside out by placing it on your forefinger and looking at its profile. The lens should look like a bowl. If the lens edges point outwards, it is inside out.

Placing the Lens in Your Eye Once you have verified that the lens on your forefinger is not inside out, use the middle finger from that same hand to both steady your hand and pull down your lower lid gently. Using your other hand, lift your upper lid. Center the lens and gently place it on your eye. Release your eyelids and blink. The lens will automatically center itself.

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A healthy life style is a prerequisite if you wish to maintain the quality of your eye sight. Everything these days, is healthy this, or healthy that, but as far as your eyes are concerned, it is necessary. Once you lose your eyes they are gone forever. Science has made leaps and bounds in terms of reversing and even curing some eye diseases, that a few years ago would have left a person blind, but that said, the responsibility still lies with the individual to maintain the quality of their own eye health.

Vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A can be used in the place of fresh foods and vegetables, but it’s always better to go for fresh goods. The type of food you should be eating to help the care of your eyes are, in no particular order, liver, nuts, fish oil, carrots and fresh green leafy vegetables.

It goes without saying, that you must have regular eye check ups. Not to get too whimsical but as they say ” the eyes are the windows to the soul” or something like that anyway. But it can be true that eye check ups can lead to the discovery of illness before it gets to much of a head start on you.

Why not look around for some eye care health plans. This kind of treatment and paying for eye accessories does not come cheap. What does these days? The right kind of plan will reimburse you for any kind of eye health issues that you may have as well as such things as eye exams, glasses and contact lenses.

No eye care health plan will pay all of the costs involved, but it will cover a large proportion of it.

There are a couple of options open to you with these eye care policies. One is where you pay up front for the medical treatment or the check up and then you make a claim for what ever percentage reimbursement you are entitled to.

The treatment you have should be under the specifics of the policy in order to receive the reimbursement. So be very careful that you know beforehand just what you are covered for before you agree to a monthly premium. The policy may also stipulate the eye care specialists that you may attend.

You could decide to instigate a plan similar to a regular health insurance plan. Then there would be a benefits package and all costs for specific treatments and products would be paid by the insurers direct to the eye care specialists. This would also entail a monthly premium payment, the amount of which determines the benefits that you receive in return.

Even if your eye health is fairly good now, it will be to your advantage to have an eye care plan that covers you and your family. Aside from reducing the chance of having to deal with prior condition exclusions, you will also save a good bit of money.

There can be as much as 50% reduction in the costs of eye care accessories under one of these plans. Plus the treatments and check ups can be free. But shop around until you have found the one that suits your family’s needs at the right price. Looking online is a great place to start.

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Did you know that you can shop for, select and purchase your prescription glasses from the comfort of your home or office? Whether its’ your very first pair of corrective lenses or youve worn glasses all your life, there are some benefits to buying your next pair online. Buying prescription glasses online offers maximum selection, savings and comfort.

If you’ve never ordered glasses from a Web site, you may not know where to start. Fortunately, the process is pretty simple, and pretty similar across the board when it comes to different online retailers. Below is a general guideline of the steps involved with buying glasses online.

See your doctor

Before you even start shopping around for stylish frames on your lunch break, make an appointment to see your eye doctor first. You may suspect that you need glasses, but it must be verified by an eye care professional. A qualified eye doctor will also determine what strength prescription your corrective lenses should contain. Your doctor will give you a prescription for eyeglasses if you need them. Even if you already wear glasses, make sure to ask your doctor if your current prescription still works for you. When your doctor gives you the prescription, make sure she writes your Pupil Distance (PD) measurement on it so that the lenses will be centered properly for your eyes.

Browse online providers

This is the fun part – you get to shop! Start by checking out the major prescription eyeglasses retailers. Compare prices among different sites. Check out each sites shipping rates, available discounts, return policy, etcetera. Also, pay attention to each site’s special features. Some online eyeglass frame retailers provide a way for you to “try on” frames by uploading a photo and displaying it with the frames over it. Once you’ve narrowed your search down to one or two sites, try to find consumer reviews of each site’s customer service. You’ll be glad you did. Choosing one retailer to deal with for your online prescription glasses needs is smart because you’ll know what to expect, and if you do your homework, you’ll be very pleased with the value.

Find your frames

If you are a person that has a flair for fashion and enjoys selecting new styles for yourself, you will enjoy this process. Others may choose to keep it simple and focus on price. No matter what your approach, you will need to review various available options before selecting one. If you already know what you are looking for, it should be easy to find. You can select frames by shape, material, colour, brand name, or price. When you find eyeglass frames that you like, place them in the Web sites shopping cart.

The ordering process

Once you have selected your frames and placed them in your online shopping cart, you’re ready to fill out your order form. Most sites will direct you there if you click on “Check Out,” or some similar option. The form will request the usual identification information including name, address, phone number, email, etcetera. There will be a space on the form for your eyeglass prescription. Make sure to enter it just as your doctor wrote it down. Most sites will verify the prescription with your doctor, and some will get it directly from your doctor’s office, so make sure to have their contact information handy. After choosing your shipping option and submitting payment via credit card, you should receive a confirmation email. Though shipping times vary, you can expect to receive your glasses no later than three weeks from when you order them.

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People with vision problems can be found throughout the world. There are many reasons for vision deterioration ranging from heredity, old age, disease of the retina, cornea etc. To set right vision impediments spectacles were and are used even today. But with the advent of contact lenses and new improvements in contact lens manufacture and technology, people have started to wear contact lenses. Contact lenses are now the most preferred method to correct vision problems.

Perfect vision and Imperfect vision. Perfect vision otherwise known as 6/6 vision, means the rays of light fall on a particular spot on the retina. This enables the person to have a clear view of things. Imperfect vision or defective vision means the person is able to view things in a hazy sort of way. This is due to the light rays scattering and not falling on the particular spot in the retina.

Imperfect vision generally falls under two categories short sightedness and long sightedness. Other forms of imperfect vision are presbyopia and astigmatism. All these problems can be set right by using spectacles, which rectify the vision, or by using contact lenses. Contact lenses technology has grown in leaps and bounds and is the most preferred method as it not only addresses vision problems but also makes you look good.

Feel good factor many people who start experiencing vision problems do not like to wear spectacles. Psychiatrists and experts who have studied this phenomenon feel that more than 50% of the people do not like wearing spectacles as they feel it is a source of embarrassment. A common grouse is that they would be the butt of jokes and would not be able to gain respect among peers. However, with the advent of contact lenses, people are able to overcome this so called embarrassment and at the same time are able to view things clearly. Buying contact lenses , according to psychiatrists is a huge motivating factor for people who wear spectacles and feel depressed all the time.

Varieties of contact lenses:

With extensive studies conducted by doctors and physicians over the years, the contact lenses came into being more than a century ago. Contact lenses were originally made of glass and inserted into the eye on the corneal surface. Due to the hardness of glass, it was difficult for the person to keep wearing it for long durations. Hence scientist invented a softer better form of contact lens, the hard plastic lens. Nowadays, contact lens manufacture has come a long way and you can find soft contact lens at every dealer. These are soft on the eye, as they are made of plastic and contain water; they also permit oxygen in the eye.

Contact lenses are of the following types:

Polymethylmethacrylate lenses or PMMA lenses: These are made of PMMA plastic and are cheaper than other lenses. The only drawback being, oxygen is not allowed to reach the cornea. Many contact lens users however still prefer these types of contacts.

Gas Permeable lenses: These are made of silicone or other types of plastic, which allow oxygen to reach the cornea. These lenses provide better comfort to the eyes than PMMA lenses.

Soft Contact lenses: These are made of plastic and contain water. Soft contact lenses have a big following now and is the most preferred type of contact lens throughout the world. Since the lens is water based it allows oxygen to pass to the cornea and is very easy on the eye.

Disposable Contact lenses: This is the new craze among contact lens wearers. Disposable contact lenses are good as they decrease the possibilities of a contact lens wearer getting infected with allergies of the eye. Protein deposits on the lens is comparatively lesser than in other lenses. These lenses are to be used and discarded weekly or monthly as the case maybe.

Toric lenses: Patients who are diagnosed with astigmatism are normally prescribed toric contact lenses.

Many companies manufacture contact lenses. There are many major brands and some of the famous brands are: Acuvue, Biomedics, Focus, Optima, Proclear, Soflens, Sureview and Versaflex. Each company is vying for a huge piece of the contact lens market and is trying to go one up on the other. Hence, new technologies are being used to come up with lenses that are softer, lenses that are able to breath etc. Many websites provide free shipping of contact lenses.

Healthy contact lens wearing practices:
Make sure your hands are clean before touching your contact lenses. Wash your hands with soap and then touch the contact lenses, as it will prevent any infection occurring to your eye.

Make sure that you clean the contact lenses with the solution provided along with it to ward off infection and to cleanse it of protein enzyme deposits. It is advised to sterilize the lens case by boiling it in hot water once a week or once every two weeks. Solutions once used should not be used again as the chances of infections rise. Water should not be used as a storage medium for lenses. If a lens gets torn or damaged, replace it immediately. Do not apply any eye drop on the lens unless specified by a doctor. If any irritation occurs or if your eye gets swollen contact your eye doctor immediately. Proper lens care is essential for a healthy eye bereft of infection and for that instructions of the eye doctor should be followed as specified.

Contact lenses may not suit persons who are prone to eye infections. People who are allergic or who work in dusty environments should avoid using contact lenses. Some people do not generate tears as others do, and this is generally due to tear glands not functioning properly. Their eyes do not get moistened enough and if they wear contact lenses it could lead to problems.

You should consult your eye doctor before wearing contact lenses. Your doctor is the best judge and he will recommend or dissuade you from using contact lenses.

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Prescription glasses are expensive, they can be a touch delicate and those of us that wear them need them to perform even some of lifes simplest tasks – we absolutely, positively cant afford to destroy them or mess them up in any way by not cleaning them properly.

Theres more to caring for your prescription glasses than just wiping them on your pants when they get dirty, you have to take some special precautions when cleaning your glasses if you want them to remain in good condition for as long as they can.

Dont Dry Clean

Never, under any circumstances, attempt to clean your prescription glasses without using an appropriate liquid, like warm soapy water, to help wash away the grit and grime that may be present on the lenses. Wiping your prescription glasses with any kind of dry cloth, whether it be a paper towel, a tissue or just a soft handkerchief could do much more harm than good. If there is any dirt present on your prescription lenses when you wipe them with a dry cloth you run a serious risk of scratching the lenses – some scratches may or may not have a big or direct affect on your vision while wearing your glasses, but depending on the severity and the location of the scratch that you create by cleaning your glasses improperly – you may be rendering your very expensive prescription glasses all but useless.

A much better way to effectively clean your prescription glasses is to run them under a gentle stream of water from the tap in your sink and gently soap the dirty lenses with your hands. Rinse all of the soap away and pat the lenses dry. Even though you just finished cleaning your lenses and are certain that there is no dirt present, its very important that you pat them dry instead of rubbing them dry because the cloth or towel you use to dry them may have something in or on it that could scratch your lenses.

Dirty Frames

At times it can be more than just the lenses of your prescription glasses that get dirty, the frames can often get soiled as well which may not necessarily affect your vision, but you should know how to take care of it properly in the event that it becomes a problem.

Since youll be cleaning around your prescription lenses its very important to take the same care you use when cleaning your frames as you do when cleaning your lenses. In fact, its a good idea to use the exact same procedure highlighted above when cleaning your frames – warm water, hand wash with mild soap and pat dry – that way youll be sure that your lenses dont accidentally get scratched while you are in the process of cleaning your frames.

If your frames get particularly dirty or if they havent been cleaned in a while and you dont know if a simple hand washing will suffice, you can take them to the opticians office for cleaning. Many opticians offices have machines that they can put your frames in to clean them quickly, safely and effectively. This machine will work on just about every type of prescription glasses frames, but may not necessarily be advisable for frames that are ornately decorated with gold and jewels because the machines action may dislodge some of the frames dcor.

You wear your glasses all day, every day – they are bound to get dirty. If you never cleaned them after a week or so you wouldnt be able to see, so its imperative that you learn how to clean your glasses with doing any damage. If you follow the very simple instructions above, you should have no problems keeping your glasses clean without having to worry about doing any unintentional damage in the process.

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