Any long time contact lense wearers suddenly NOT able to wear them?

[Quiver0f10]

I have been wearning contacts since I was 15 and I am now 40. I don't even own a pair of glasses, I take out my contacts at night and put them right back in in the morning. For the last month to 6 weeks I simply cannot wear my lenses! I put them in and they seem fine for a few hours and then they start to slip around? I will have to keep blinking to clear my eye, but I can't see because they are slipping and not fittng on the eye ball right. Finally I get frustrated and will take it out and my eye feels all scratchy. The eye Dr said they are scratchy from the contact slipping around. I end up having to leave the contact out for a day, sometimes longer. WHY would this suddenly happen? I am wearing the same style lenses I have worn for ages. I do have an astigmatism, could it have changed? I went to my eye Dr, who said the contact definitely isn't fitting right and gave me another kind. Same problem.

 

Also, not sure if this is related or not but my eye lids have been SO itchy. I thought I might have an infection so I didn't wear make up for a few days. I also tossed all my make up and bought new. Still itchy.

 

I am sure somehow the itchy is related to the contacts, but I can't figure out what is going on. I put my R contact in this morning and had to just take it out and clean it and it's still sliding around my eye. :confused:

Edited April 23, 2009 by Quiver0f10

[Rich with Kids]

Over the last year, I have started having trouble with mine. My issue is dryness. When they don't feel like they are sticking to my eyes, they seem to have a film. I have never had issues like this in the 26 years I've worn contacts. At my last eye doctor visit, she prescribed me contacts that were dounble the price of my last Rx that were supposed to help. I am still having the same issues. Could it be hormonal?

[DarlaS]

It sounds like your eyes are suddenly very dry. Moisture helps them stay and place and the itchiness is really a tell-tale sigh of dryness. This is somewhat more of a problem for me lately too (I'm 39 this year :tongue_smilie:). I also have an astigmatism. Just this year I've switched to Acuvue Oasys and I like them a lot better.

 

You may also need to start wearing glasses for about an hour when you get up and then put them in. Also take them out about an hour before bed if you can remember. That seems to help me. Hope you can find some relief! :001_smile:

[Quiver0f10]

Hmm I didn't think dryness. Could be, although they don't feel dry. I am wearing acuvue oasys too. I am going to order some glasses next month and will try leaving the lenses out more. It could be my errr age and hormones :glare:

[imeverywoman]

I've worn contacts for 28 years. A few years ago, I began having the same problems you describe and changed docs. He immediately changed my lens (I, too, have astigmatism) and INSTANTLY my problems were gone.

 

Hope it's a simple matter for you; contacts are too convenient to not be able to use.

 

Here's to hope... :)

[gardening momma]

After wearing contacts for about 10 years, I had trouble with mine. It wasn't the same as yours, though. Mine felt dirty all the time, even if I had just taken them out in the morning. They did feel scratchy, though. I also had trouble keeping my eyes open--my eyes felt very tired. It took 3 weeks of going to the eye doctor on a weekly basis before the dr. and I figured out it was an allergic reaction to some mascara I had bought.

 

I don't know if any of this will help you, since our symptoms were different, and yours may not be an allergic reaction, but I also had a problem after I quit using the mascara. I could no longer use the multi-purpose contact lens solution. This was before they had the "no rub" solution, but I can't use that either (I've tried). It just wouldn't get my contacts clean. My dr. recommended Ao Sept disinfectant solution. It's a hydrogen peroxide-based contact lens solution, and I've found I can use any brand of that. If I run out of the disinfectant solution and use multi-purpose instead, in 2-3 days my lenses start feeling dirty and they start discoloring (turn yellow).

 

I don't know how that will help with lenses that slide around, but maybe trying a different kind of contact lens cleaning system will help??? You can get a store brand version of the hydrogen peroxide disinfectant for about $6-$7. It works as well as the name brand.

 

Edit: I've been using the hydrogen peroxide disinfectant for about 10 years now, and it works great. It makes my lenses last longer, too. My eye dr. is kind of ambivalent about that. He would probably prefer I not tell him how long I wear my lenses now!

Edited April 23, 2009 by gardening momma

[Quiver0f10]

Well atleast it sounds common, so now I am not as worried. I was thinking that maybe I have developed an allergy. I even tossed and bought new eye drops and cleaning solution. I am curious if possibly the contact makers have changed the materials they use? Maybe I need to try a few different brands until I find one that works.

[sixpence1978]

You should go get your eyes checked out.

 

The same thing happened to my DH, who wore contacts for a long time. He started to complain about them slipping around or sticking to his eyelid. He would also produce a lot of "gunk" overnight that was bothering him.

 

When he finally went into the eye doctor, they found that he had GPC (giant papillary conjunctivitis). This is essentially an infection that is caused by an allergy to the protein deposits in the lenses. It is usually treated with an antibiotic eyedrop.

 

After the GPC is gone, some people can go back to wearing either the Dailies lenses or the lenses that are of a higher water content. Some people can't wear them again at all. This is what happened to my DH, so he was stuck wearing his glasses for a good 10 years until we finally went through with LASIK.

 

But, you might want to go get it checked out to make sure you don't have an infection.

[angela in ohio]

I am going through very similar problems. Google "acuvue oasys problems," and you will find that many people are also dealing with this. Some ended up with cornea transplants, so I feel pretty blessed to just have had a swollen cornea, a lot of scratching, and a few weeks of steroid drops. There are also studies you can find online which show that Oasys did not perfrom well for many people.

 

I had worn contacts for years and years, and the eye doctor insisted, insisted, insisted that I had to switch to Oasys, because they ar ethe latest and greatest, even though I loved the old ones and had no problems with them (Acuvue 2.) I'm ticked (and I'm rarely ticked, LOL!)

[Quiver0f10]

You should go get your eyes checked out.

 

The same thing happened to my DH, who wore contacts for a long time. He started to complain about them slipping around or sticking to his eyelid. He would also produce a lot of "gunk" overnight that was bothering him.

 

When he finally went into the eye doctor, they found that he had GPC (giant papillary conjunctivitis). This is essentially an infection that is caused by an allergy to the protein deposits in the lenses. It is usually treated with an antibiotic eyedrop.

 

After the GPC is gone, some people can go back to wearing either the Dailies lenses or the lenses that are of a higher water content. Some people can't wear them again at all. This is what happened to my DH, so he was stuck wearing his glasses for a good 10 years until we finally went through with LASIK.

 

But, you might want to go get it checked out to make sure you don't have an infection.

 

 

OK, you have me nervous LOL! I just made an appointment for Saturday.

Edited April 23, 2009 by Quiver0f10

[lorilou]

I had the same problem and it was GPC... it's not too scary! It often happens to long-term contacts wearers. I was given a round of steroid eye drops and had my lenses changed to a different brand that I toss out more frequently...no problems now! Your eye dr will flip your upper lids up to check for it...kind of freaky! lol! Hope everything gets back to normal soon! :grouphug:

[Quiver0f10]

I had the same problem and it was GPC... it's not too scary! It often happens to long-term contacts wearers. I was given a round of steroid eye drops and had my lenses changed to a different brand that I toss out more frequently...no problems now! Your eye dr will flip your upper lids up to check for it...kind of freaky! lol! Hope everything gets back to normal soon! :grouphug:

 

Thank you! Glad to know it was easly resolved.

[elise1mds]

I developed an allergy to my lenses about the same time I developed my intolerance for chicken. I'm not entirely sure what one has to do with the other, but I have a hunch they're related somehow. I can wear my contacts (torics) for a few hours, but then no longer. It doesn't matter if they're brand new, if I haven't worn them for months, or any other factor my doctor and I could come up with. I develop severe itching/scratching sensations in my eyes that resolves after the contacts are removed. I'm going to ask about that conjunctivitis issue, though... sounds similar to symptoms I have had.

[ereks mom]

I've worn contacts since I was in my 20s (I'm now 48), then suddenly couldn't wear them anymore. I always took my lenses out each night before bed, even though they were extended wear lenses and not daily wear lenses. My eyes got really itchy, so I replaced my contacts and was extra-careful with them, but I still had problems. I noticed that I was also unable to use the brands of eyeliner and mascara I'd used for years -- the itchiness and burning were unbearable and I developed a chalazion (similar to a stye, except that a chalazion forms a hard lump inside the eyelid rather than on the outside as is the case with a stye, and may last for months rather than days). The eye doctor checked me for GPC (mentioned by a previous poster), but that wasn't the problem. We never did figure out what happened, so I finally gave up and got a pair glasses, and so far, so good.

[JoyfulMama]

I started wearing contact in HS, and when I was pregnant with #2 I could not wear my contacts - too dry, itchy, wouldn't stay put. So I went back to glasses. Figured I'd go back to contacts, but that was 4 years ago... My doc said it was hormone related.

 

Good thing to get it checked out, though... I know I like to see - helps to do things without getting hurt, and I can't see the computer screen unless I am on top of it. :tongue_smilie:

[TraceyS/FL]

After 2 years of wearing them my eyes quit making tears enough to continue. THey test fine - but the minute the contact goes in, they stop. Drove me crazy..... (and i was 19 at the time, so it wasn't hormones for me! LOL!)

 

I've relented to just having to wear glasses....

[Highereducation]

You should go get your eyes checked out.

 

The same thing happened to my DH, who wore contacts for a long time. He started to complain about them slipping around or sticking to his eyelid. He would also produce a lot of "gunk" overnight that was bothering him.

 

When he finally went into the eye doctor, they found that he had GPC (giant papillary conjunctivitis). This is essentially an infection that is caused by an allergy to the protein deposits in the lenses. It is usually treated with an antibiotic eyedrop.

 

After the GPC is gone, some people can go back to wearing either the Dailies lenses or the lenses that are of a higher water content. Some people can't wear them again at all. This is what happened to my DH, so he was stuck wearing his glasses for a good 10 years until we finally went through with LASIK.

 

But, you might want to go get it checked out to make sure you don't have an infection.

 

My story exactly. I wasn't able to wear contacts again, so I had LASIK ten years ago.

 

I know there are many horror stories about LASIK on the web, but mine worked out really well. Better than even the surgeon expected, because I was right on the border of being classified as legally blind before surgery and afterward I didn't need any correction at all.

[ereks mom]

My doc said it was hormone related.

 

 

My hormonal issues seem to be affected everything else, or so it seems, so why not?!? :crying:

[Anne in S'pore]

My solution to developing an allergy to soft contact lenses (permanent, not disposables) after 2 years was to switch to hard (rigid gas permeable) lenses - which are so much more convenient! They are smaller than soft lenses and don't rub against your conjunctiva, hence less chance of allergic reaction, but are less comfortable than soft lenses and take some time to get used to.

 

Anne

[cillakat]

. Finally I get frustrated and will take it out and my eye feels all scratchy. The eye Dr said they are scratchy from the contact slipping around. I end up having to leave the contact out for a day, sometimes longer.

 

hmmm. the only thing I've experienced is dryness when I wear them....that can be helped by long chain omega 3's (ie fish oil). It might be worth a try.

 

Katherine

[Quiver0f10]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am seeing the eye Dr on Saturday and will see what he thinks.

[Paintedlady]

I wore contacts from about age 10 up until last year at age 37 and I realized I just couldn't wear them any more.

 

They were irritated constantly, always red and scratchy feeling, etc... I finally decided I'd had enough and went to glasses only. It took a little while to get used to them but oh what sweet relief for my eyes! I doubt I'll ever go back.

[Matryoshka]

I have been wearning contacts since I was 15 and I am now 40.

 

Oh, man... I just read the thread title and before even opening it and reading anything, my first question was going to be... any chance you just turned 40?? ;) No kidding, my eyes were humming along just fine and then 40 hit, and off a cliff... no more contacts, and oh, yeah, can't read with the glasses on anymore... sigh... :glare:

 

Welcome to the far side of the big 4-0! :D

[Jeannie in NJ]

I am 55 and have worn hard lens since i was a teen. I have never had problems with them, the only thing is that about 10 years ago I had to stop wearing mascara as the fumes seemed to be bothering my eyes.

I barely remember the initial process of adjusting to my contacs when I was a teen so it must not have been that big a deal.

 

About 5 years ago, I had to also get distance glasses which I have to wear along with my contacs to drive, otherwise I just wear my contacs alone.

 

The ony time I have to get new contacs is when I lose one of them, which seems to happen every few years.

[stripe]

I wore both RGP and soft (2 week disposable) all through my teenage years and had to stop in my early 20s; my eyes felt itchy and the contacts got some weird goopy stuff on them. My eye doctor at that time was not helpful at all in explaining what was going on, and I've stuck with glasses.

[Quiver0f10]

Oh, I am going to be sad if I can't wear contacts anymore. I detest glasses and I can see so much better with contacts.

[gardening momma]

I detest glasses and I can see so much better with contacts.

Me too. I think that after my allergic reaction to that mascara (it was just one particular one), I had an increase in the amount of protein that my eyes produce. That's the only thing I can think of to explain why I can't use the multi-purpose solution anymore. My eye dr. has mentioned the extra protein, but the hydrogen peroxide solution takes care of it.

[mom2a&z]

I have worn contacts since I was a teenager and was not happy when at the age of 38 I couldn't wear them for any longer than a couple of hours every day.

 

A friend of mine suggested that I try the daily contacts that you wear once and then throw away. I love them. My eyes don't feel scratchy or itchy anymore.