Time out of contacts before PRK eval

[jambone911]

I have something of a dilema at the moment.  I have an appt for PRK measurements tomorrow morning, but due to a vacation, i've only been out of my soft contacts for a week.  The standard for this place is 30 days for soft contacts, however everywhere I look, I see anywhere from 3 days to two weeks.  

Normally I would just try to reschedule, but it's not that simple.  So what I'm looking for is an answer from a reliable source whether or not I should go in tomorrow.
8 days ago, I wore the contacts for an evening and then until the next evening.  
I didn't wear them for two days before that,
I wore them normally for the previous couple of weeks,
prior to that I hadn't worn them for 3 months.

I'm sure the best thing to do would be reschedule, but that may actually not allow me to get it done, strangely enough.

Thanks for any advice,
Kyle

[Forum-OD-MP]

i think you'll be fine.

[JodieJ]

My cornea changed significantly between 3 days and 3 weeks out of soft lenses when measurements were done for cataract surgery.  I believe that measurements for laser vision correction are even more sensitive to minor differences.  (I've read that two weeks out of non-toric silicone hydrogel lenses is the absolute minimum. Other lenses require a longer time.)  Incorrect measurements might mean a less than great outcome--do you really want to risk it?

[Ag-i-doc]

jodie:

yes.  some people change between 3 days and 3 weeks out.  but thats not what the original poster has done or is talking about...

posting things like "do you really want to risk it?" doesnt help much IMO.  there's enough panic on this board.  i personally think this poster will probably be okay if he has really done as he said he did.

[JodieJ]

Sorry, I sure don't want to scare anybody.  Last year I was undecided about what to do about my very myopic noncataract eye (PRK vs. lens replacement), so I consulted four experienced surgeons who did both surgeries.  All required 2-3 weeks out of soft contacts for PRK measurements.

[Jmadison]

Jambone, have you looked at at EyeMDLink.com (quoted below)?  It mentions having a repeat refraction; I wonder how they determine what an unstable refraction is?

"Patients who wear soft contact lenses or rigid gas-permeable contact lenses should discontinue their contact lens wear at least 3 days or 3 weeks prior to the evaluation, respectively. Prior to the PRK procedure, one or more careful refractions (determinations of eyeglass correction needed) will be completed. Contact lens wearing patients who are believed to have an unstable refraction will be asked to discontinue contact lens wear and return for a repeat refraction in one to three weeks."

[Ag-i-doc]

unstable is a significantly different refraction every time.  as to what constitutes "significantly different"...thats up to interpretation.  i personally consider a difference of more than about 0.37 of a diopter of sphere or .50 of cylinder to be "significant" when i'm evaluating for surgical procedures