Lentil recipes?

cafédelmar said:Alright, so we've settled that... now it comes down to the price. Next, we really need to pin down which ones actually perform better—like, what are the specific advantages of one over the other?

I’ve personally cycled through annual, six-month, and monthly options. And honestly? Even though everyone claims these monthly ones are supposedly "way better," they are the only lenses that have ever given me actual trouble.
I was just catching up with two girlfriends today, comparing notes on our experiences. Both of them dealt with eye inflammation from using monthly lenses, so they both ended up switching back to the six-month varieties.
For me, my monthly lenses just irritate my eyes. They feel constantly dry, sensitive to light, and irritated—almost like I've got sand stuck in them. I still have a two-month supply left, but once that’s gone, I’m going straight back to the six-month ones.

cafédelmar said:I wonder what the price tag on those is... I guess it depends, maybe? Not sure if they're listed somewhere specific.
Thanks!

I mean, I pay for them myself. I guess. $187 I'm looking at the price for one little box of six lenses—which covers me for about six months since I pick them up down in Indianapolis. But honestly, I think they’re way more expensive if you try to find them in a big city like Chicago. Last time I checked the prices there, they were upwards of $320 or even more.

And regarding that whole "daily" label thing... I mean, it doesn't actually mean you're tossing them out and putting in a fresh pair every single day. I think someone above was trying to calculate the cost based on that, but... I don't know, maybe they misunderstood how it works? It's not like you're replacing them every twenty-four hours. I guess it just refers to the type of lens. 😁

I used to rely on annual soft contact lenses, sticking strictly to the Allergan lineup for everything—from their Refresh drops to using Oxysept as my daily solution, even down to the weekly cleaning tablets and those Lens plus applicators to make insertion a bit easier. Now that I've switched to monthly soft lenses, I find myself returning to the exact same Allergan products to keep things simple.
All in all, my monthly routine runs about $83

I've been thinking about switching to contacts for a while now—honestly, I'm getting a bit tired of wearing glasses all day—but I really love doing my eye makeup. Is that going to be an issue? 😕 Also, what’s the best routine for putting them in and taking them out? Should I apply my makeup before or after putting the lenses in, and then do the same when I'm taking them out at night? 😕 😕

Contact lenses are actually quite straightforward... you just need a little bit of time to adjust to them.
You really ought to visit an eye doctor first, because they’ll have you try out various different types of lenses... then they can recommend the specific ones that suit your eyes best... basically, the goal is that you shouldn't even feel them in there.
I’d suggest going with soft lenses; they truly are wonderful, and there are so many different brands available.
If your eyes tend to get extremely dry, the doctor will likely prescribe some artificial tears or maybe an eye gel.

One thing to remember is that you should put your lenses in before applying any eye makeup, and take them out before you start cleansing your face. It would be quite difficult to rub your eyes with makeup remover if you still have your lenses in!

It’s all very simple, really... it just requires a lot of hygiene... keeping your hands clean, rinsing the lenses with the proper solutions... and so on.
👋

Makeup isn't even the issue. The only thing is, if you drop some powder eyeshadow in your eye while you're applying it, you’re gonna be tearing up and dealing with that mess.

Put your makeup on and pop in your contacts. If you're using any powder eyeshadow, make sure you brush off every bit of excess—seriously... otherwise, a single stray speck will have you in tears. 😁

Telegram for Elizabeth Ruiz2🙂

Give me a call on my cell, and check your inbox because it’s absolutely overflowing! :-)

I put my contacts in before I do my makeup
It’s just easier that way.

Your vision is clearer, plus the lenses don't get messed up by mascara...

But honestly, whenever you wear contacts and makeup, there's always a catch. For me, my nightly routine involves driving alone in the dark, and then my eyes start watering... it hurts... and I end up slamming into a guardrail🙄 though I guess that hasn't happened to anyone else yet.😳

swiftmason95 said:Hey Elizabeth Ruiz2, check your messages 🙂

Call me on my cell. Your inbox is blowing up. :-)

nah

Elizabeth Ruiz2 said:not even close

😢 😢 😢 😢 🙂 🙂 🙂

Elizabeth Ruiz2 said:not a chance

honestly, I'm done with this job 😢 🙂

😘

😈

So, look... I’ve been wearing soft contacts for years now—monthly Bausch & Lomb lenses, -2.50 prescription, base curve 8.40. I started out using their Ren solution, but lately I've switched over to Solo Care Aqua...
And honestly, everything used to be perfect. I’d just pop on my glasses at home, then switch to my contacts when I was heading out for work or a night out—glasses just feel weird on me, they aren't practical for what I do all day.

But here’s the thing—over the last ten days or so, I’ve dealt with three separate bouts of eye inflammation. First it hit the left eye, then the right, then back to the left again. 😢 I’ve been using Sulfasol and Dexa-Neomycin drops... but as soon as the inflammation settles down, it just pops right back up. And it doesn't even feel like your typical conjunctivitis—it’s not like my sclera is bright red, it’s more that my eye hurts every time I blink, plus there's this heavy yellow discharge—you know, the nasty stuff 😬—so I definitely have to ditch the contacts for a while until this clears up completely.

I'm wondering if anyone else has dealt with something similar?
Also, is it just me, or does anyone else have to hunt down lenses with a specific small base curve (8.40)? Usually, the standard is somewhere around 8.60 or 8.70, so I actually have to special order mine every single time.

If your eyes are irritated, you really need to ditch the contacts until everything is completely healed.
Using them while they're inflamed just makes things worse. Make sure you scrub your case thoroughly, though honestly, it’s probably best to just grab a brand-new one.

I actually wear those lenses too, but I strictly stick to Allergan Complete solution. In my experience, Allergan products are always the most comfortable.
You can find those specific lenses with the small base curve over at the Eye Care Center near King Cross.

You’re going to need to get an eye swab done.
I’d say even your primary care physician could send you for one—it shouldn't be out of the question.

There is actually a possibility that you're dealing with chlamydia in the eye. I went through this myself; it wasn't active, but my ophthalmologist insisted on sending me for testing before she'd even let me start wearing contacts—just to be safe...

And honestly? It was a good call.

Hey, could you explain what that base curve actually means? I just checked my Bausch & Lomb box and the base is 8.7—but what does that even signify?😕 😁

Robin Collins5 said:You're definitely going to need an eye swab!
I'm pretty sure even your primary care doctor can put in a referral for that.

I just assumed you had already seen a doctor.

A swab is a must. And you really have to be super careful not to mix up your lenses (left vs. right) and make sure they always go back into the correct case.

My eyes actually got inflamed a few times over the summer. It was just a combination of working 12-hour shifts on the computer plus my long commute driving straight into the sunlight. That was enough to do it—no viruses or anything else involved!

The whole thing is basically—the way they explained it to me—about the curvature of my eye. Since mine is flatter than what’s considered normal, I guess my eye just curves outward more 😕

Thanks for all the input, everyone. I think I'll go ahead and get an eye swab done and then track down that Eye Care Center over at the mall (though, does anyone know if there's one closer to the East Side of Indianapolis?)

Edward Fox20 said:Thanks for all the input! I think I'll go ahead and get an eye swab done, and I'm planning to hit up that Eye Care Center in King Cross. Does anyone know if there's one closer to the East Side of Indianapolis?

I'm not really sure. I usually stick to the West Side myself.
Those Bausch & Lomb lenses are actually pretty great—they package them under their own brand and they're super affordable, definitely less than $67.
It might be worth giving them a quick call first!

jadesailor14,
hey, do you happen to know the name of that Eye Care Center? (just so I know who to ask when I call them from my cell)...