EYE DAMAGE FROM ACUVUE LENSES

Acuvue Oasys lenses are the most comfortable lenses on the market.  Unfortunately, they cause more damage than any other lens I've seen.  This occurs primarily because the edge of the contact lens steepens.  In this case, you can see the damage from the edge hitting the eye.  But because it is so comfortable, patients don't let us switch them to anything else, even if they KNOW there's a healthier alternative.  These lenses are too dang comfortable!  So my advice is to wear Acuvue Oasys lenses no more than 12 hours a day, 5 days a week. Those patients seem to do well with no damage. Whenever I see damage to the eyes, it's always from wearing the lenses longer than that.  And don't wait to replace your lenses until the contact lenses are irritating and the eyes are already damaged.  That's like waiting to do an oil change until the car smokes.  Or waiting to add chlorine to your pool until it's filled with algae. 

RETINAL HOLES

Every day people go blind from retinal detachments that could have been prevented if they had been caught as retinal holes.  The retina is so thin that holes can develop in them spontaneously.  Then fluid gets under the holds and detaches the retina, and where the retina detaches, you can't see.  This is a picture of a patient who gets the eyes checked every year.  Never have retinal holes been found before on this patient.  It is important to dilate the eyes on your routine eye exam.  It is also important that people have eye exams, even if they don't need glasses or contact lenses.  

Click on the pictures below to enlarge

ASTEROID HYALOSIS

Asteroid hyalosis is calcium floating inside the fluid of the eye.  It is generally not noticed by patients and does not need to be treated.