Lentils: Best ways to cook them?

Douglas Green31 said:You're a new lens wearer, so you can wear them without fearing complications for at least the next 10 years.
But once your eyes have been deprived of oxygen for 10 to 15 years straight, corneal issues will start showing up. You don't need to be a genius to realize that.
I learned basic eye anatomy back in elementary school, so common sense dictates that the stories about lack of oxygen aren't made up.

😲I have to admit, that didn't cross my mind at all. Am I really going to have to deal with those kinds of issues down the road?

Harold Evans7 said:Man, I pay for those same two lenses—just one pair $333😠
every single year😠.

🤣 🤣 😍

Douglas Green31 said:I wore those exact lenses for years, and they were honestly the best ones I ever had.
If they’re thinking about discontinuing them, I don't think it's because there's anything wrong with the product itself. It's more likely because everyone is switching to silicone hydrogel lenses now. Those allow for much higher oxygen permeability, which makes them significantly healthier for your eyes. I'm not sure how familiar you are with this, but wearing low-oxygen soft lenses long-term—especially from sunrise to sunset—can lead to complications due to oxygen deprivation.
The cornea doesn't have blood vessels; it gets its oxygen directly from the air. Since lenses act as a barrier, the cornea starts growing blood vessels into itself just to try and get enough oxygen.
This is called corneal neovascularization, and it damages your vision by reducing the transparency of the cornea.

Just for context, Optima lenses have a Dk (Oxygen Permeability) of 8.5, whereas silicone hydrogel lenses have a Dk of over 100.

That's exactly why I switched from Optima to silicone hydrogels (Air Optix).
Specifically, those have a Dk of 110.

So, it isn't just some attempt to "upsell" you on more expensive lenses.
I’ve been wearing soft lenses for 15 years, and I've actually started seeing early signs of neovascularization myself. It's nothing serious; it clears up once the cornea starts getting sufficient oxygen.
Since it only showed up after 15 years, it suggests that oxygen deprivation isn't an immediate crisis for everyone.
However, it's highly individual and depends entirely on how your specific eyes react.

The bottom line is that the cornea needs oxygen, so your ophthalmologist definitely wasn't giving you bad advice.
Now, whether it's absolutely mandatory is a bit debatable. But it is undeniably better for your eye health.

Uh, now you've got me worried too. I've been wearing soft contact lenses for 15 years.
Every time I place a new order, I have to switch manufacturers because the ones I used previously aren't available anymore.
I've tried Johnson & Johnson, CIBA Vision, Bausch & Lomb, with prescriptions of +2.50 and +2.75, and various water contents—most recently 74% because my eyes get incredibly dry.
Now I'm being offered Bausch & Lomb Optima again, claiming they're the best, with 38.6% moisture.
They come in packs of four, which lasts three months, so that covers a year.
So two packs would be $187.
They also offered me silicone versions, but I didn't know enough about them, so I passed.
I actually ordered them, and they should arrive tomorrow, but what exactly is oxygen permeability, and where is it noted on the boxes? What labels should I look for?
The big issue is that the salespeople often don't have a clue what they're actually selling, so how are you supposed to decide what to buy? That's just my experience.
😕

A few months back, I finally made the jump to contact lenses—specifically the rigid gas permeable kind—because my prescription seems to be skyrocketing faster than a rocket...
The issue is, ever since I started wearing them, I’ve been dealing with these frequent headaches.
Before the switch, I just wore glasses, and I rarely had any head pain, even though I spend pretty much all day staring at a computer screen.

Since I've been wearing these lenses non-stop for three months now, I really don't think this is just a case of "getting used to them."

Is it possible my eye doctor prescribed me the wrong base curve, or could there be something else going on here?

I’ve been wearing semi-rigid toric lenses since November, and for the most part, things have been fine. I had a few minor gripes—like lights bothering me a bit at night—but nothing deal-breaking. Then, about a week ago, I get a call from LensCrafters. They tell me they’ve sourced some brand-new toric lenses specifically made for me! They claim these are the latest thing on the market and offer much clearer vision. They asked when I could swing by to try them out. Honestly, my first thought was, "WTF?" But then they told me to just come in, pay an extra $67, hand over my old ones, and we're good to go.
Since I've been swamped with work, I couldn't make it when I originally said I would. Today, they called me again. This time, the guy tells me to come in and test the lenses, and that I can actually get them for FREE, as long as I leave my old pair with them.

I don't know, guys, but this whole situation feels incredibly sketchy to me. Does anyone have any idea what might be going on here?

Brian Sanders7 said:A few months back, I finally made the jump to contact lenses—specifically the rigid gas permeable kind—because my prescription seems to be skyrocketing faster than a rocket...
The issue is, ever since I started wearing them, I’ve been dealing with these frequent headaches.
Before the switch, I just wore glasses, and I rarely had any head pain, even though I spend pretty much all day staring at a computer screen.

Since I've been wearing these lenses non-stop for three months now, I really don't think this is just a case of "getting used to them."

Is it possible my eye doctor prescribed me the wrong base curve, or could there be something else going on here?

I've been wearing contacts for about four or five years now...
and they only started bothering me a couple of months ago...
now, if I wear them for more than four or five hours, my eyes feel totally exhausted... sometimes I even get those headaches you mentioned... though I can't tell if it's the lenses or maybe just my sinuses.
Do you usually struggle with sinus issues?

It’s definitely possible that’s the culprit.

Honestly, I'm thinking about switching brands soon. These might just not fit my eyes right anymore, even though they aren't technically expired yet.

Maybe go see an ophthalmologist, just in case?

I get those headaches too, especially lately—it seems to hit harder when I'm exhausted or haven't caught enough sleep. Yesterday, I had this really intense pain right above my eye. I actually went to see my doctor about a month ago, but they can't even fit me in until next year. I don't think it has anything to do with my soft contacts, though. Yesterday, I mostly just rested and wore my glasses because the headache made wearing lenses feel impossible. But today? I wore my contacts and didn't have a headache at all. I've actually just started an IT course, and starting tomorrow, we'll be stuck in front of a computer for three full hours at a time. I’m going to try to squeeze in a quick walk outside during the break. I just hope the screen time doesn't trigger another headache.

mistyjackal842 said:I get those headaches too, especially lately—it seems to hit harder when I'm exhausted or haven't caught enough sleep. Yesterday, I had this really intense pain right above my eye. I actually went to see my doctor about a month ago, but they can't even fit me in until next year. I don't think it has anything to do with my soft contacts, though. Yesterday, I mostly just rested and wore my glasses because the headache made wearing lenses feel impossible. But today? I wore my contacts and didn't have a headache at all. I've actually just started an IT course, and starting tomorrow, we'll be stuck in front of a computer for three full hours at a time. I’m going to try to squeeze in a quick walk outside during the break. I just hope the screen time doesn't trigger another headache.

It's probably the screen time... honestly, it does a number on me when I spend too much time on forums or anything similar. I'll be staring intently, trying to concentrate, and then my eyes start aching... sometimes my head follows suit.

Sometimes my eyelid even gets swollen...

So yeah... we should probably all try to distance ourselves from the computer screens.😁

Oh yeah, that’s actually solid advice. But honestly, I wasn't even at my computer much yesterday—maybe an hour tops? I think I feel way more comfortable wearing my contacts rather than glasses. So, I’ll probably just stick to wearing them most of the time now, except maybe for a day or two over the weekend to give them a break.

mistyjackal842 said:Oh yeah, that’s actually solid advice. But honestly, I wasn't even at my computer much yesterday—maybe an hour tops? I think I feel way more comfortable wearing my contacts rather than glasses. So, I’ll probably just stick to wearing them most of the time now, except maybe for a day or two over the weekend to give them a break.

Haha, we all know how it goes, 😁 we just rarely actually follow through. 😢

There's always some rabbit hole to fall down online... movies, whatever... honestly, I can find myself staring at a screen for five or six hours straight without even realizing how much time has slipped away.

🙄

Anyway, you should check if it's actually the contacts. If it isn't (like what you were mentioning yesterday), then just go see a doctor, just to be safe.

It definitely isn't the contacts..
Your computer is probably the main culprit here... if you're feeling that tension right in your forehead,
but if the pain is specifically around your eyes—above, below, or behind them—then you're likely dealing with sinus issues.

I’ve never really struggled with sinus issues, so I don't think that's what's causing this. Honestly, I suspect it might just be exhaustion and burnout. When I'm actually well-rested, I never deal with headaches or that pressure above my eyes. Thanks to everyone for the input. I do plan on seeing a doctor, it's just that my schedule is so hectic right now. I have a week off coming up soon, so hopefully, I'll finally have some breathing room.

So, about two weeks ago, I started wearing Bausch & Lomb Optima Toric lenses on my eye doctor's recommendation. For the first few days, I was honestly tripping over how crystal clear everything looked—they felt super comfortable, zero irritation. But then, about two days ago, things took a weird turn. My vision starts getting all blurry, almost like I’m looking through a pool of water, and then suddenly it clears right back up. It keeps happening constantly, which is a total nightmare, especially when I'm behind the wheel driving. These are supposed to be two-week replacement lenses, and I’ve been following the cleaning routine exactly how my doctor showed me and just like the instructions say. Does anyone else deal with this, or am I just losing it?