Contact Lens Interview with Peter Tolan

Not sure if contact lenses are right for you? You'll need an eye exam to know for sure, this exclusive LoveToKnow contact lens inteview with Peter Tolan, online manager of All About Eye Care, can provide you with basic information about wearing and caring for contact lenses. All About Eye Care was started in August 20, 2008 and aims to educate the public about eye care and contact lenses.

Contact Lens Interview with Peter Tolan

LTK: What are some of the things doctors consider when deciding whether or not someone is a good candidate for contact lenses?

PT: First of all is the eye test which is performed by your optometrist to determine your eye condition. Many people think there is an age limit for contact lenses, this assumption is wrong. There is no age limit for wearing contacts. Also the type of lenses are recommended by your optometrist after he/she determines your eye condition.

LTK: What about when they're choosing the best lenses for the patient?

PT: The doctor can recommend some types of contact lenses after he/she has the result of your eye test. There are several manufacturers with different types of lenses but the most important thing to know is what kind of eye disease you want to remediate. You can choose your manufacturer after you know precisely what your eye disease is, which [is] information is provided from your optometrist.

LTK: Can you give us a breakdown on common materials used in contact lenses and how they react with different eye types (dry eyes, for example)?

PT: There are several materials from which the contact lenses are made, such as RGP(rigid gas permeable), SH(silicone hydro-gel), soft contact lenses, etc. Dry eyes can occur by wearing contact lenses or by wearing the wrong contact lenses. Dry eyes can also occur when your eyes cannot produce enough quantity of tears or simply the composition of the tears is incorrect.

The material used for manufacturing contact lenses is a special type of polymeric material. Hydrophilic plastics, which contain water, are used for manufacturing soft contact lenses. They may contain from 30 to 75 percent water, depending on the type of lenses they are designed for: daily, weekly or monthly. In general, when a soft contact lens is worn it's more likely to dehydrate the eye depending on how much water it contains. This can cause dry eyes by evaporating the water from the contact lens and absorbing from the natural tear film of your eyes.

LTK: What are the pros and cons of soft and rigid gas-permeable contact lenses?

PT: Soft Contact Lenses: The trick for these lenses is that they have to be kept wet so they maintain their shape. These lenses are meant to offer maximum comfort and wearability. Most of these lenses are disposable and the wearing time is often limited to one day, a week or even a month.

Rigid Gas Permeable: This kind of lens is manufactured from harder material and they maintain their shape even when they dry out. RGP lenses are specifically made to obtain sharper vision for those who suffer from astigmatism. Because of the longer adaptation period, these lenses can be worn up to three years if the proper care is applied. Both types of lenses provide a solution for your eye disease, but remember that a professional is needed to provide you with the proper information for them.

LTK: What can be done about contact lens discomfort?

PT: There are several people who dropped off from wearing contact lenses because of the inconvenience and discomfort they experienced, but there is no need to suffer in silence. The remedy for this problem is in your hands you just have to consult your eye care specialist and find a remedy.

Keep in mind:

• Always do a checkup if your eyes don`t feel good.
• Many problems can be fixed by consulting with your doctor. The important thing is, always be honest and tell your doctor everything you experienced.

LTK: Are there special precautions customers should take when ordering custom made lenses or special effects lenses?

PT: Although the popularity of special effect contacts is increasing, there will always be doubts about one essential question: "How many times will I be able to use them?" The answer is dependent of a few factors which are: which brand you use, what precautions did you take to care for those lenses, what is the quality of the bought lenses. If you purchase the lenses from ordinary places like supermarkets or Halloween stores, don't expect a long term usage for them. Instead you could end up with an eye infection [from] not wearing them correctly. But if you consult a professional eye specialist and purchase quality lenses you could actually wear them several months without any problems.

LTK: Are there any risks to wearing contact lenses for the average person? Perhaps if they wear them for too long, fall asleep in them, etc?

PT: PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) can cause injuries if they are not fitted properly and even if you are wearing them while sleeping. Also they can slide off the cornea and become hidden under the eyelid. A “popping out effect” can occur if you wear RGP lenses, this type of lens has the reputation of this effect. Although this problem can occur while wearing RGP lenses, the newly designed lenses can be worn while playing sports or exercising without having the fear of losing them. Soft contacts and RGP lenses can cause, because of protein build-up, allergies. These problems however can be fixed with proper care for the lenses and cleaning solutions.

LTK: What is the best way to care for your contact lenses?

PT: It doesn`t matter what kind of contact lenses you decide to wear, proper care for your contacts is essential to have healthy eyes.

• Every time you handle your contacts be sure your hands are clean.
• Always remove your contacts before going for a swim or having a hot bath.
• Never wash or rinse your contacts or store them in water.
• Don't wet your lenses by putting them in your mouth.
• Use only approved and quality disinfectant solutions.
• Always wear your lenses as prescribed by your optometrist.
• Follow the specific contact lens cleaning and storage guidelines from your eye care professional and the solution manufacturer.
• You can use the "rub and rinse" method which is considered by experts as being a superior method of cleaning.
• When cleaning the lens case use always fresh solution. Never re-use the old one.
• Replace your lens cases regularly, they can be a source of contamination, and never use damaged lens cases.
• When not in use, handle the cleaning solution with care.

With proper care of your lenses and regular visits to your eye doctor, you may find that you can wear contacts, after all.

Love To Know Sunglasses would like to thank Peter Tolan for taking time from his busy schedule to share his expertise with readers, and wishes him continued success as manager of All About Eye Care.

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