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HELP--NEW CONTACTS!!
Hi, i'm 30 years old and have worn soft contact lenses for about 12 years now. I hadn't had an eye exam for nearly three years and my lens prescription was outdated, so I went for an eye exam and got fitted for new contacts. I used to wear Acuvue2, but these new lenses are Oasys, which are the lenses I'm wearing right this minute.
I think it my last lenses were -4.25 or so, but maybe it was -4.50 or even -4.75. I thought both my eyes were identical prescription, because I never had to bother with Left/Right lenses, but now my Left is -4.75 and my Right is -5.0. From what I can tell, the lenses fit well, they don't slip, don't really feel too dry, too wet, too big or small.
After wearing these new contacts since Wednesday evening, I have this REALLY strange thing going on with how I feel. It's hard to describe, but it's like...anxiety. Nervousness. This vague sense of frustration, like everything people say to me is annoying. I feel spacey, disconnected, just "out of it". Difficulty concentrating, a sort of heaviness and listlessness, strange pressure in my sinus area and above my eyes, I wouldn't exactly call it "throbbing" but it definitely pulses through my eyeballs with my heartbeat ever so slightly. I feel irritable and short-tempered; for example, last night, when my wife asked how long it had been since I'd cleaned out the gutters, I said "last summer". She didn't quite hear me and asked, "What was that, hon?" I answered meanly, "I @#$*%^& SAID I DID IT LAST SUMMER!" This is not my usual behavior. I've since apologized.
It's like I don't have the joy or energy to do anything but fixate on something, sit still, and try to recapture feeling like myself again. Nothing seems fun anymore--going out to eat, watching movies, staying up too late working on my novel, having "fun" with my wife, having a long, hot bath each night, I just feel WEIRD, bizarre, disconnected, disoriented, even a little dizzy at times. I can best describe it like this: it feels like I have a cold or sinus infection (sinus pressure, irritability, hard to focus on anything), but I don't feel "sick". It's not like my stomach hurts or I have a fever. I've tried removing the contacts completely, but that near-blind feeling masks how I actually do feel--in that near-blind state I tend to get annoyed, short-tempered, headachey, spacey, and unfocused anyway, because I can't really "do" anything without my vision except read a book held an inch before my face. That's very boring. It's like the only thing that makes me feel any better is sitting perfectly still focusing on one thing, like watching tv QUIETLY--bright lights, loud, sudden noises, moving my head too quickly, and people constantly talking to me makes me edgy, like I want to beg them to please stop talking because it's driving me nuts.
Something came along and sapped me, it's like I somehow became this short-tempered, foul-dispositioned son of a ***** within six hours! This is NOT me! I put in my new contacts at the eye doctor, and by nine o'clock or so I started feeling really strange and unhappy. Right around nine I went from being fine, to literally standing up from my computer desk, blinking, wondering what was happening, why did I start feeling so bad, nervous, and starey all of a sudden?
It's like these things are no fun anymore because of how strange the front of my head feels =( I felt great until a few days ago, no medical history of anything serious, physical or mental. I'm usually thrilled about getting new contacts because I love the fresh, cool feeling and ultra-sharpness of vision that comes with new lenses. I always look forward to eye doctor visits.
SOMEthing is causing this, and I'm trying to comfort myself by discovering what it might be. This HAS TO END. I keep getting these tense, anxious feelings in my chest, then my heart gets going and I get that nervous twinging because I keep trying to figure out WHAT is making me feel like this??
Am I about to suffer a nervous breakdown over something?? Is my mind fraying out over some kind of repressed stress? Do I have some kind of nervous system disorder that won't let me relax or concentrate or be happy again, I'll have to just sit and stare like Norman Bates?? Am I just plain going crazy? Nothing was stressing me when these feelings started, but now it's like I can't relax. I haven't even been able to read a book since going to the eye doctor--my mind won't let me enjoy or focus on anything, because these bizarre sensations are SO alien and pervasive and I have no clue how to deal with them.
The contacts MUST be the cause, but how can it be lasting so long, and why is it causing me so much horrible trouble? I've heard that switching between glasses/contacts can cause irritability and temporary loss of focus, but this is ridiculous! I just feel like I don't "care" about anything right now. Sorry that I can't describe this feeling in finer detail =/
I'm a 30 year old man, but I've reached the point where I'm frightened by what's happening. I even shed some angry tears this afternoon because no matter what I do, rest my eyes, get a good night's sleep, rinse the contacts, or try to keep repeating positive thoughts: "Oh, you're fine, stop being such a baby, there's nothing wrong at all, YOU FEEL FINE", it will not go away--and I have no clue how to deal with it on a permanent basis. It just keeps lingering. I need reassurance that these feelings of "weirdness, inability to focus, irritability, disconnection, spacing-out" can indeed be linked to a new contact lens prescription, and that they will fade away very soon.
If you're wondering why I haven't called my eye doctor about this, it's because the day of my appointment was his last day of work before taking two weeks' vacation. I get the feeling that even if I could inform him about this, he'd say something like "You worry too much. Maybe all that caffeine you drink has something to do with your feeling edgy." (Even though I've cut out about 90% of my caffeine intake over the past 2-3 years). Or maybe he'd say "If these weird feelings are bothering you THAT much, maybe you need a psychiatrist instead of an eye doctor)."
I apologize for this lengthy post...maybe I'll rewrite this post and call it my "third novel"...but this is the first time my contacts have ever affected me this way--if it even IS the contacts responsible =( Really, I'm at the point where I either have to know what's causing this, or I have to take a trip to the emergency treatment center for some kind of muscle relaxer, or something to calm me down, a professional to reassure me that everything is all right, that this will pass and I'll soon return to my energetic, happy, normal, family-loving, attentive, focused, hardworking, confident self, instead of this jittery, irritable, broken-down shadow of my former self =/
PS - if someone thinks this IS a serious medical issue, please DO tell me. Whatever is causing this condition has to be identified--it's the "not knowing" that's really bothering me. at least then i'll have an idea how to deal with it, and which steps to take. and if this really seems like something laughable, something so stupid and ridiculous that you can't imagine a mature, married, 30 year old man getting worked up over it...even better. i'll laugh along with you, if these symptoms are nothing to worry about. i'll laugh heartily, knowing i'll soon have my happy life back =*(
Thanks a lot, please be kind and understanding,
James
I think it my last lenses were -4.25 or so, but maybe it was -4.50 or even -4.75. I thought both my eyes were identical prescription, because I never had to bother with Left/Right lenses, but now my Left is -4.75 and my Right is -5.0. From what I can tell, the lenses fit well, they don't slip, don't really feel too dry, too wet, too big or small.
After wearing these new contacts since Wednesday evening, I have this REALLY strange thing going on with how I feel. It's hard to describe, but it's like...anxiety. Nervousness. This vague sense of frustration, like everything people say to me is annoying. I feel spacey, disconnected, just "out of it". Difficulty concentrating, a sort of heaviness and listlessness, strange pressure in my sinus area and above my eyes, I wouldn't exactly call it "throbbing" but it definitely pulses through my eyeballs with my heartbeat ever so slightly. I feel irritable and short-tempered; for example, last night, when my wife asked how long it had been since I'd cleaned out the gutters, I said "last summer". She didn't quite hear me and asked, "What was that, hon?" I answered meanly, "I @#$*%^& SAID I DID IT LAST SUMMER!" This is not my usual behavior. I've since apologized.
It's like I don't have the joy or energy to do anything but fixate on something, sit still, and try to recapture feeling like myself again. Nothing seems fun anymore--going out to eat, watching movies, staying up too late working on my novel, having "fun" with my wife, having a long, hot bath each night, I just feel WEIRD, bizarre, disconnected, disoriented, even a little dizzy at times. I can best describe it like this: it feels like I have a cold or sinus infection (sinus pressure, irritability, hard to focus on anything), but I don't feel "sick". It's not like my stomach hurts or I have a fever. I've tried removing the contacts completely, but that near-blind feeling masks how I actually do feel--in that near-blind state I tend to get annoyed, short-tempered, headachey, spacey, and unfocused anyway, because I can't really "do" anything without my vision except read a book held an inch before my face. That's very boring. It's like the only thing that makes me feel any better is sitting perfectly still focusing on one thing, like watching tv QUIETLY--bright lights, loud, sudden noises, moving my head too quickly, and people constantly talking to me makes me edgy, like I want to beg them to please stop talking because it's driving me nuts.
Something came along and sapped me, it's like I somehow became this short-tempered, foul-dispositioned son of a ***** within six hours! This is NOT me! I put in my new contacts at the eye doctor, and by nine o'clock or so I started feeling really strange and unhappy. Right around nine I went from being fine, to literally standing up from my computer desk, blinking, wondering what was happening, why did I start feeling so bad, nervous, and starey all of a sudden?
It's like these things are no fun anymore because of how strange the front of my head feels =( I felt great until a few days ago, no medical history of anything serious, physical or mental. I'm usually thrilled about getting new contacts because I love the fresh, cool feeling and ultra-sharpness of vision that comes with new lenses. I always look forward to eye doctor visits.
SOMEthing is causing this, and I'm trying to comfort myself by discovering what it might be. This HAS TO END. I keep getting these tense, anxious feelings in my chest, then my heart gets going and I get that nervous twinging because I keep trying to figure out WHAT is making me feel like this??
Am I about to suffer a nervous breakdown over something?? Is my mind fraying out over some kind of repressed stress? Do I have some kind of nervous system disorder that won't let me relax or concentrate or be happy again, I'll have to just sit and stare like Norman Bates?? Am I just plain going crazy? Nothing was stressing me when these feelings started, but now it's like I can't relax. I haven't even been able to read a book since going to the eye doctor--my mind won't let me enjoy or focus on anything, because these bizarre sensations are SO alien and pervasive and I have no clue how to deal with them.
The contacts MUST be the cause, but how can it be lasting so long, and why is it causing me so much horrible trouble? I've heard that switching between glasses/contacts can cause irritability and temporary loss of focus, but this is ridiculous! I just feel like I don't "care" about anything right now. Sorry that I can't describe this feeling in finer detail =/
I'm a 30 year old man, but I've reached the point where I'm frightened by what's happening. I even shed some angry tears this afternoon because no matter what I do, rest my eyes, get a good night's sleep, rinse the contacts, or try to keep repeating positive thoughts: "Oh, you're fine, stop being such a baby, there's nothing wrong at all, YOU FEEL FINE", it will not go away--and I have no clue how to deal with it on a permanent basis. It just keeps lingering. I need reassurance that these feelings of "weirdness, inability to focus, irritability, disconnection, spacing-out" can indeed be linked to a new contact lens prescription, and that they will fade away very soon.
If you're wondering why I haven't called my eye doctor about this, it's because the day of my appointment was his last day of work before taking two weeks' vacation. I get the feeling that even if I could inform him about this, he'd say something like "You worry too much. Maybe all that caffeine you drink has something to do with your feeling edgy." (Even though I've cut out about 90% of my caffeine intake over the past 2-3 years). Or maybe he'd say "If these weird feelings are bothering you THAT much, maybe you need a psychiatrist instead of an eye doctor)."
I apologize for this lengthy post...maybe I'll rewrite this post and call it my "third novel"...but this is the first time my contacts have ever affected me this way--if it even IS the contacts responsible =( Really, I'm at the point where I either have to know what's causing this, or I have to take a trip to the emergency treatment center for some kind of muscle relaxer, or something to calm me down, a professional to reassure me that everything is all right, that this will pass and I'll soon return to my energetic, happy, normal, family-loving, attentive, focused, hardworking, confident self, instead of this jittery, irritable, broken-down shadow of my former self =/
PS - if someone thinks this IS a serious medical issue, please DO tell me. Whatever is causing this condition has to be identified--it's the "not knowing" that's really bothering me. at least then i'll have an idea how to deal with it, and which steps to take. and if this really seems like something laughable, something so stupid and ridiculous that you can't imagine a mature, married, 30 year old man getting worked up over it...even better. i'll laugh along with you, if these symptoms are nothing to worry about. i'll laugh heartily, knowing i'll soon have my happy life back =*(
Thanks a lot, please be kind and understanding,
James
Hey Rob, how are things for you now? I'm experiencing the same problems and it's driving me crazy. I can't take it.
1 Comments
Hope you've been to your doctor..I sometimes feel like you did, and I have bipolar. Hope you're ok x
1 Comments
I was reading your post and its funny how I relate to your story oh so well. Ever since I changed my contacts I get sinus pressure, pressure in my head, the disorient feeling and it even cost me a trip to the er.. It does make you feel hyper and anger because you don't understand what's the real problem behind it. All i want to do is sleep. I have a clean bill of health and I know nothing's wrong with me besides My contacts. Your not crazy! I work on computers for a living and I feel weak and I have a lost of appetite. I had to remove the contacts and go back to my old prescription. I'm waiting on my appointment with my doctor now... You will be happy again. Just remove the contacts and wear your glasses until you can see another doctor. One who cares!!
2 Comments
Note the post you replied to is from 2011. You might want to see an ophthalmologist and either stay with glasses or consider LASIK. Contacts seem to not agree with your system.
Hey Candygirl,
How are things for you now? Did a new script solve your problem?
How are things for you now? Did a new script solve your problem?
thank you...i appreciate your concern more than you realize...thanks so much for the feedback....
however, my eye doctor doesn't seem too interested in this problem...he's already adjusted my prescription once, and basically told me to quit worrying about my eyes so much (stop bugging him over nothing, he means)...
earlier today, someone mentioned that incorrect size of the lenses may lead to dull feelings of disorientation, dizziness, minor headaches, eye/sinus discomfort, and eye strain...but because i have no clue what "size" my eyes are, i can't really determine whether the lenses are the right size all by myself. oh, right...i can always go back and blow yet MORE money having all kinds of fancy eye tests, retina scans and digital what-have-yous, and other various add-ons the medical community has invented, just to be told that nothing is wrong with me, thanks very much ....
besides, the odds that an optometrist with 15+ years of experience who handles thousands of patients a year would make that kind of huge mistake seem low...still...i switched from Oasys back to Acuvue2 with no improvement, then switched to yet another brand (SiH48?) with a little bit of improvement, so i guess i should be happy about that and quit complaining...i should count my blessings that the pain isn't as bad as it was few weeks ago...i can't try every single brand of contact lens in the world, especially when the other brands felt fine in the past....
it DOES seem kind of strange that after this much time, the lenses seem to "swim" in my eyes a bit, i get twinging little headaches in my eyes and sinuses, and i feel tired and irritable just 2-3 hours after waking from a good restful night's sleep...it's just SO weird that when i sit very still i can actually feel my pulse going up through my eye/sinus area, when i've never experienced that sensation before in my life...when i close my eyes i sometimes get bizarre little flashing light "auras", i seem to squint and strain more than i did just a few weeks ago, especially on bright sunny days (it makes driving during the day all that more interesting and exciting), and as the days go on i have to put up with some eye itching, irritation, and fatigue. but i'm mostly feeling all right physically, i might just need more time to adjust to the new prescription, or something...anyway, i'm probably just exacerbating these problems by fixating on them and worrying about it...my dear wife keeps reminding me that if this was something serious it would have worsened by now and sent me to the ER....
it seems like this is just how i'm going to feel from now on...but instead of driving myself insane over it, giving myself depression and anxiety, it's looking like i'm just going to have to deal with this. i can't stop my life over it, i can't stop going to work, and i can't keep bothering my eye doctor over symptoms that don't seem to concern him as a medical professional...the guy is trying to run a business without hypochondriacs running back to his office once a week...maybe i'm just not moisturizing the lenses often enough, and that's what's causing these pains...still, 5-6 times a day seemed like enough....
i guess contacts will make anybody's eyes hurt sometimes...i had 12+ wonderful years of wearing contacts without any problems at all, so that's something to be happy about. and barring some other medical problem (thyroid? diabetes? sinusitis? inner ear infection? all of these seem unlikely...i don't think many illnesses make your eyes or sinuses hurt, and besides, it would have gotten worse by now and sent me to the hospital), i highly doubt these symptoms are going to kill me...
it just seems really, really weird that my eyes feel like i've been wearing these new contact lenses for six months without cleaning them, even though they're brand new. every other time i've gotten new contacts they've felt just great--really fresh, clean, and sharp. i guess people's bodies just change over time, and this is how my body has changed....
well, anyway, nothing is perfect, and nobody's life is a bed of roses, lol, especially at 30 years old...like my MD has told me in the past: "Be grateful that you're alive." i guess there's lots of truth in that....
now i just have to keep repeating that until i believe it enough to make these feelings disappear, lol....
rob
however, my eye doctor doesn't seem too interested in this problem...he's already adjusted my prescription once, and basically told me to quit worrying about my eyes so much (stop bugging him over nothing, he means)...
earlier today, someone mentioned that incorrect size of the lenses may lead to dull feelings of disorientation, dizziness, minor headaches, eye/sinus discomfort, and eye strain...but because i have no clue what "size" my eyes are, i can't really determine whether the lenses are the right size all by myself. oh, right...i can always go back and blow yet MORE money having all kinds of fancy eye tests, retina scans and digital what-have-yous, and other various add-ons the medical community has invented, just to be told that nothing is wrong with me, thanks very much ....
besides, the odds that an optometrist with 15+ years of experience who handles thousands of patients a year would make that kind of huge mistake seem low...still...i switched from Oasys back to Acuvue2 with no improvement, then switched to yet another brand (SiH48?) with a little bit of improvement, so i guess i should be happy about that and quit complaining...i should count my blessings that the pain isn't as bad as it was few weeks ago...i can't try every single brand of contact lens in the world, especially when the other brands felt fine in the past....
it DOES seem kind of strange that after this much time, the lenses seem to "swim" in my eyes a bit, i get twinging little headaches in my eyes and sinuses, and i feel tired and irritable just 2-3 hours after waking from a good restful night's sleep...it's just SO weird that when i sit very still i can actually feel my pulse going up through my eye/sinus area, when i've never experienced that sensation before in my life...when i close my eyes i sometimes get bizarre little flashing light "auras", i seem to squint and strain more than i did just a few weeks ago, especially on bright sunny days (it makes driving during the day all that more interesting and exciting), and as the days go on i have to put up with some eye itching, irritation, and fatigue. but i'm mostly feeling all right physically, i might just need more time to adjust to the new prescription, or something...anyway, i'm probably just exacerbating these problems by fixating on them and worrying about it...my dear wife keeps reminding me that if this was something serious it would have worsened by now and sent me to the ER....
it seems like this is just how i'm going to feel from now on...but instead of driving myself insane over it, giving myself depression and anxiety, it's looking like i'm just going to have to deal with this. i can't stop my life over it, i can't stop going to work, and i can't keep bothering my eye doctor over symptoms that don't seem to concern him as a medical professional...the guy is trying to run a business without hypochondriacs running back to his office once a week...maybe i'm just not moisturizing the lenses often enough, and that's what's causing these pains...still, 5-6 times a day seemed like enough....
i guess contacts will make anybody's eyes hurt sometimes...i had 12+ wonderful years of wearing contacts without any problems at all, so that's something to be happy about. and barring some other medical problem (thyroid? diabetes? sinusitis? inner ear infection? all of these seem unlikely...i don't think many illnesses make your eyes or sinuses hurt, and besides, it would have gotten worse by now and sent me to the hospital), i highly doubt these symptoms are going to kill me...
it just seems really, really weird that my eyes feel like i've been wearing these new contact lenses for six months without cleaning them, even though they're brand new. every other time i've gotten new contacts they've felt just great--really fresh, clean, and sharp. i guess people's bodies just change over time, and this is how my body has changed....
well, anyway, nothing is perfect, and nobody's life is a bed of roses, lol, especially at 30 years old...like my MD has told me in the past: "Be grateful that you're alive." i guess there's lots of truth in that....
now i just have to keep repeating that until i believe it enough to make these feelings disappear, lol....
rob
Many people (including me) have experienced corneal problems with Oasys contacts. (See the archives of this website.) In my case, redness and irritation began within a day or two, although I'd never had these problems with any other brand. If you have any symptoms while wearing Oasys, discontinue use and return to your eye care professional.
Hi again,
Well, I got my prescription changed...although my eye doctor didn't specifically admit to giving the wrong prescription, she adjusted it and now I think everything is all right. I've always worn the same 'scrip for both left and right eyes, and one of the previous lenses was set for -5.00 while the other was -4.75. Now they're both -4.75 and it seems like the worst is over...
Still adjusting to the new 'scrip, but the horrid head pain and the worst of the 'disorientation' seems gone. I still feel a little bit funky, but that will likely vanish in time. And oh well, if it doesn't, I'll visit my MD for blood tests or something. Basically, I feel mostly better...and I'm sick and tired of worrying about it, lol.
At this point I'm feeling like if there was anything seriously wrong with my health it would have happened already, and nothing has happened besides a little dizziness and muscular weakness. Probably just need to keep adjusting to the new prescription. Either way I'm not all that concerned. If something crazy is gonna happen to me, it's gonna happen, if it's THAT serious I doubt anything could stop it anyway, lol. No sense worrying anymore when things have mostly improved and have definitely not worsened. I doubt that some huge medical emergency is going to occur due to all this, lol =P
Thanks,
Rob
Well, I got my prescription changed...although my eye doctor didn't specifically admit to giving the wrong prescription, she adjusted it and now I think everything is all right. I've always worn the same 'scrip for both left and right eyes, and one of the previous lenses was set for -5.00 while the other was -4.75. Now they're both -4.75 and it seems like the worst is over...
Still adjusting to the new 'scrip, but the horrid head pain and the worst of the 'disorientation' seems gone. I still feel a little bit funky, but that will likely vanish in time. And oh well, if it doesn't, I'll visit my MD for blood tests or something. Basically, I feel mostly better...and I'm sick and tired of worrying about it, lol.
At this point I'm feeling like if there was anything seriously wrong with my health it would have happened already, and nothing has happened besides a little dizziness and muscular weakness. Probably just need to keep adjusting to the new prescription. Either way I'm not all that concerned. If something crazy is gonna happen to me, it's gonna happen, if it's THAT serious I doubt anything could stop it anyway, lol. No sense worrying anymore when things have mostly improved and have definitely not worsened. I doubt that some huge medical emergency is going to occur due to all this, lol =P
Thanks,
Rob
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Leave you contacts out, stay 'your real self', either wait for your eye doctor to return or change eye doctors. If you keep having trouble either wear glasses or have lasik.
It's not at all likely that all of this is due to contacts.
JCH MD
It's not at all likely that all of this is due to contacts.
JCH MD
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