How do you get your contacts?

Community
#1

I always wear glasses, but today after my Mom looked at my Ravenholme photos she said “You need to think about contacts”.

In order to look more “in character” and for a bunch of other reasons I decided to get contacts, therefore would like to ask for advice:

  1. Where do you people get the contacts? General medical centres or some eye-specifical centres with doctors who only deal with eyes?
    2 .Does anyone know good places like that around Central Auckland or in Takapuna?
  2. Does the price differ much depending on how strong the contacts are? I’ll probably need something like 4.5 diopters.
  3. I saw some people using extremely cool coloured contacts for their characters. Are these things availaible with diopters as well? (though I guess that would make their price completely unacceptable :cry: )

Thanks,
Lucy

#2

When I see you tomorrow I should be able to answer most of your questions.

#3

Can you answer them on the forum? I think people would be interested to know! :smiley:

#4

I understand laser surgery to correct vision is an option for some people these days, too. I know a couple of people who’ve been very pleased with the result.

#5

go to an optomitrist (spell check please) they will measure your eyes to work out your prescription takes about an hour tops, then you get your lenses and just get used to them.

I reccomend disposable lenses, wear them once and then biff em, no solutions no cleaning hassles nice and simple. and cheaper in the long run because you can wear them only when you want to.

my last lot of lenses lasted a year.

I only wear my contacts to auditions and re-enactment/larp events and when you are camping it is great to be able to just flick the lenses out and thrown them out of the tent, rather than going the hassle of trying to clean them or store them.

#6

in answer to the other half of your question, fancy party lenses don’t come with prescriptions… at least, not unless you get them custom made, at which point i think the cost would be prohibitive.

You can buy the weird looking contacts off TradeMe and there is a company that had a stall in Glenfield mall before Christmas that is hoping to get their product into chemists this year. They were charging about $40-$50 for a pair.

Laser surgery is fantastic btw, but very expensive. Over $2000 per eye now i think.

Kara

#7

Oh, where did you get your prescription for your glasses? They should be able to set you up with contacts.

#8

[quote=“theotherphoenix”]You can buy the weird looking contacts off TradeMe and there is a company that had a stall in Glenfield mall before Christmas that is hoping to get their product into chemists this year. They were charging about $40-$50 for a pair.[/quote]I recommend not. I watched a news clip once talking about the propensity for infections and loss of eye sight from novelty contact lenses that were bought off the shelf. At least talk to your friendly local optomotrist about it first.

#9

I’m pretty sure that you can get coloured contacts that are perscription but i’m not sure of novelty contacts.

#10

[quote=“theotherphoenix”]

You can buy the weird looking contacts off TradeMe and there is a company that had a stall in Glenfield mall before Christmas that is hoping to get their product into chemists this year. They were charging about $40-$50 for a pair.[/quote]

NOOOOOOOOOO!!! think about it you are buying something that you are going to put in your eyes from basically a street vendor.

if you want to buy contact lenses go to someone who will get the right size for your eyes, when dealing with anything that you put into or onto sensetive parts of your body go to a professional

#11

Fuck. That explains it.

#12

I wore novelty contacts that I bought via TradeMe when playing Obsidian. No probs, just hard to get on.

Alan (Von Braun) OTOH seemed to get headaches from his white contacts, not sure if they were novelty though.

I suppose the moral is to pay attention to your body, and take the contacts off if you suspect they are causing you trouble.

My father-in-law is a retired opthalmologist (eye surgeon) and he is of the opinion that laser surgery is excellent. But it does not last forever, and you get most bang for buck if you get it while you are young. Some health insurance companies may still cover it in the policies, which could save you money.

#13

I saw a documentary section on the same thing. As far as I understood it, the main problems with it were sizing of the lenses not being right for the eye, and improper care of the lenses.

Nevertheless, it put me off for life.

#14

I’ve seen a documentary that says we never went to the moon. Also ones about ufo’s and alien abduction.

Not saying that buying lenses off Trademe is the smartest thing to do, but the problems are far more likely to be people who have no clue how to care for lenses, than the lenses themselves. Most likely people who buy them and chuck them in without cleaning them or anything, or leaving them in for days etc. BIG contact lens nono’s. Buy em, clean em, try em, if they irritate, TAKE THEM OUT! lol. :slight_smile:

Can you even get specialty lenses from an optometrist? I’ve never seen them.

Kara

#15

[quote=“theotherphoenix”]I’ve seen a documentary that says we never went to the moon. Also ones about ufo’s and alien abduction. [/quote]If you’re happy risking your eyesight based on a random assumption that a documentary you haven’t even seen is lying to you that’s entirely your own business. Heck, for all I know you’re an opthalmologist of 50 years experience. I doubt it, but it’s possible.

Myself, I think that springing for a consultation fee and getting your eyes checked while you’re about it isn’t that big a price to pay.

#16

[quote=“theotherphoenix”]I’ve seen a documentary that says we never went to the moon. Also ones about ufo’s and alien abduction.

Not saying that buying lenses off Trademe is the smartest thing to do, but the problems are far more likely to be people who have no clue how to care for lenses, than the lenses themselves. Most likely people who buy them and chuck them in without cleaning them or anything, or leaving them in for days etc. BIG contact lens nono’s. Buy em, clean em, try em, if they irritate, TAKE THEM OUT! lol. :slight_smile:

Can you even get specialty lenses from an optometrist? I’ve never seen them.

Kara[/quote]

Yes, you can get specialty lenses from optometrists, but they’re rather expensive - and I’m not meaning perscription lenses either. Last time I checked (which I’ll adit was a few years back) for script lenses you’re happily looking at $400-550 per set.

#17

[quote]If you’re happy risking your eyesight based on a random assumption that a documentary you haven’t even seen is lying to you that’s entirely your own business. Heck, for all I know you’re an opthalmologist of 50 years experience. I doubt it, but it’s possible.

Myself, I think that springing for a consultation fee and getting your eyes checked while you’re about it isn’t that big a price to pay.[/quote]

Nope, not an opthalmologist, and certainly not 70 years old, just an ex-wearer of contacts. I agree, eyesight is very important and I wouldn’t ever buy anything I was going to wear longterm without a 'scrip and an eyecheck. I also wouldn’t (and couldn’t!) pay $500 for party lenses boggle. But then, I’ve not yet worn party lenses, so I’ll let ya know after I’ve tried em… if I can still see to read forums :stuck_out_tongue:
I can pretty much guarantee one thing, they’ll be uncomfortable if you have astigmatism, and that goes even for ordinary ones, mine used to itch because one edge didn’t sit quite flat on my eyeball. Drove me nuts, so I got laser surgery.

Kara

#18

My contacts, which are monthly desposables, cost me $90 per 3 months. Im getting laser surgery as my 25th birthday present from my parents.

Now adays they dont recomend you have laser surgery until you are 25. Only 2 more years of suffering for me. :stuck_out_tongue:

#19

That’s awesome Nikki! I had mine done for my wedding when I was 23. I have NEVER looked back, and nowadays I think you get to take home the anaesthetic drops for after, which they didn’t do back then. Lucky you!

Oh, if you can, request to go first in the session. Otherwise the smell is terrible! Sorry, probably TMI, but it IS a laser, after all. :open_mouth:

Kara

#20

found this site if anyone is still interested, they are FDA (usa, obviously) approved and do some styles in prescription lenses. As I thought, not for astigmatic people tho. :frowning:

Sclera lenses are expensive!

vampfangs.com/Contact-Lenses-s/6.htm