Son's eyes damaged from contacts?

[6_Time_Momma]

My son had a contact exam this evening. I didn't go with him. When he got home, he told me that the doctor told him the contacts he had been wearing (two week disposables) had damaged his eye due to not letting enough oxygen in. According to my son, the damage was not yet permanent and the eye doctor prescribed another brand of contact. I asked my son if it could've been from him wearing them too long (ie three weeks instead of two or such) and he said the doctor didn't say that and the company wasn't making his old type of contact anymore.

Obviously, I can't call the eye doc back until tomorrow, but has anyone heard of this? I know he always took them out at night. I'm a little concerned that it is maybe something he is doing rather than the lenses even though the doc didn't tell him that. Eye damage....that's kind of scary.

 

[kandeebunny]

Its very possible it is the contact and not your son.

I've fallen asleep with mine in, worn them longer than I am supposed to etc and never had a problem

I put in one brand for 3 hours went to the eye dr with damage. Some lenses dont agree with some eyes.

Good luck to your son!

 

[gnbuggy]

That is very scary . I have worn contacts for sometime now and never heard of that before. The ones I wear last for a month before they make my eyes itchy. I wear them longer that I should, but take them out every night. I know that they advertise new oxygen/breathable type of contacts. I hope it turns out not that serious. I agree with kandeebunny. Not all types work with everybody.

 

[JennaTX]

I used to wear the kind of contacts that you could sleep in and keep in for a week or more. I wore them for about 5 years without a problem. Then for whatever reason, they gave me a scratch on my eye. This was over 15 years ago. Since then I have just worn the daily-wear contacts and never had a problem.

Hopefully for your son it will be nothing serious!

 

[travelbug]

Yes, I have indeed heard of that because my eye dr. told me the same thing a few years ago. I was surprised, because my contacts had never given me a moment of discomfort. But the lack of enough oxygen was apparent to him. He switched me to a different variety of the 2-week disposables that would let more oxygen get through to my eye. That took care of it, and all has been fine ever since.

Best wishes to your son!

 

[mrsklamc]

My eye doctor said this happens when people don't change their disposable contacts often enough, or don't take them out for part of the day. (I'm not blaming your son, that's just what this one guy said to me.) I had been wearing them all day, every day, for years, and I was VERY upset that no eye doctor had ever mentioned this being a possibility!
He said the blood vessels, when they don't get enough oxygen for a long time, can grow into your cornea in search of air and cause serious eye damage.
I tried wearing glasses but I just HATED them so I got LASIK. It was very expensive, but by far the best money I have ever spent.

Good luck to your son.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

My eye doctor said this happens when people don't change their disposable contacts often enough, or don't take them out for part of the day. (I'm not blaming your son, that's just what this one guy said to me.) I had been wearing them all day, every day, for years, and I was VERY upset that no eye doctor had ever mentioned this being a possibility!
He said the blood vessels, when they don't get enough oxygen for a long time, can grow into your cornea in search of air and cause serious eye damage.

This happened to me. I never knew about this until I switched doctors. My new doctor said that it started happening to me and switched my contacts ( I was wearing Acuvue, but he switched me to Night & Day). The new contacts can be worn for longer and allow more oxygen to get to my eye.

 

[1Prince2Princesses]

My son wants contacts (he's 12) and I just keep feeling like it can't be good for him. I'm not against contacts... I wear them myself. It's just that he's so young.

 

[geffric]

Our eye doctor said it was possible with some brands of contacts that were longer lasting. That is why I have my kids in focus daily contacts.. so they can take them out and let their eyes have oxygen and then put in a clean pair the next day..

 

[suzannen]

I got corneal damage from my disposable contacts years ago, although I only wore them in the daytime and never, ever slept with them in. My opthomologist said certain folks are more prone to it and it does have to do with the amount of oxygen getting to the eye. Luckily, mine was also not permanent, although I had to be on medicated drops for about 3 weeks and was not allowed to wear contacts for about 3 months until they healed completely. He also recommended I never wear mine more than 5-6 hours at a time to prevent reoccurences. I haven't had a problem since.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

My son wants contacts (he's 12) and I just keep feeling like it can't be good for him. I'm not against contacts... I wear them myself. It's just that he's so young.

I was 12 when I got my contacts, and they were gas perms, not soft.

 

[Hedy]

Yepp-I've gotten that warning. I starting taking my contacts out at a set time every night, as I was falling asleep with them in while doing homework. FWIW, about a year after that exam, when I changed my habits, I was praised for my good eye structure (contacts generally change them) by my doc.

 

[salmoneous]

I wouldn't read too much into that word "damage" unless the doctor explains it too you personally. Years ago I was diagnosed with the same problem - not enough oxygen getting to my eyes due to contacts. Switched the type of contacts I wore, everything got better, and never had any problems since.

 

[salmoneous]

My son wants contacts (he's 12) and I just keep feeling like it can't be good for him. I'm not against contacts... I wear them myself. It's just that he's so young.

Speak to your doctor. Everything I've even been told is that as long as the kid is responsible enough to take care of them properly, contacts are actually good for eyes as they hold things in place and reduce the amount of deformity as the kid grows.

 

[ilovejack02]

I worked in Eye drs office for abut 6 yrs. His eyes should be fine, yes some permanant damage can occur, but I would imagine not in this situation. It can happen to anyone esp gas perm wearers , but seemed to happen alot to folks who wore the contacts longer than they were supposed to. Sleeping in the is a big problem if they arent the Night and Day contacts and regular 2 week disposables arent. Teenagers seemed to be among some of the worst offenders, but of course some adults did it too. Without oxygen the cornea can warp and lose its ability to transfer light and become less able to feel pain, which isnt good because we all need to know if we have a scratch on our cornea. Also blood vessels can grow and can cause scarring and more damage but you would i think know if he was at that point, plus I think that would only happen with folks that wear gas permeables.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

I was 12 when I got my contacts, and they were gas perms, not soft.

Me too. I had to because my eyesight was getting worse and worse. These helped to slow the progression (if I didn't get them, I was told I'd be blind by 19).

I then switched to soft a couple years later (hard contacts can channge the shape of the eye after prolonged use).

 

[janey99]

OK, time for the cynical response! I have worn contacts since I was 13 - I am now 38. For at least the last 8 years I have been wearing the extended wear type (B&L). Although you can use each pair for two weeks, I usually wear them for 1 week straight, take them out one night, sleep without them, and put a fresh pair in in the morning.

A few years ago, I relocated and had to find a new eye doctor, but needed a checkup before I could find my new "forever" doctor, so I went to Pearl. The guy there (don't even know what his credential was) was horrified when I told him what I was doing - he told me the same story about permanently constricted eye blood vessels from lack of oxygen. BUT when he checked my eyes, he couldn't find any evidence of it. BUT he still kept pitching a new brand of contacts that was several dollars more expensive per box JUST TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE. I declined.

He also tried to talk me out of using 1800contacts because "they might be selling you inferior product" and then refused to release my prescription to them, making it necessary for me to call and threaten to report him to the state AG and optometry board.

Bottom line, I think it is a marketing scare tactic devised to make you buy the newest and most expensive product on the market. Will some people actually get the described condition? Yes, of course, but I feel the primary motivation is continuation of the planned obsolescence of medical devices - they have to find a compelling (read: scary) reason to get you to try new products, especially in an area like this where people get attached to certain products and want to use them forever.

Fast forward to the present, my eventual forever eye doctor got me to try Acuvue Advance, which is allegedly the "fix" for the dreaded oxygen deprived eyeballs, and they were HORRIBLE! Sorry about TMI, but they caused my eye to secrete some goo that made it look like I had permanent pink eye! After a week of trying, he finally said "forget it - it's a matter of preference - stick with your old type!"

I felt vindicated, but my flame suit is one - I know not everyone is so challenging of their health care providers!

 

[my3kids]

Our eye doctor said the same thing....we were all wearing Acuvue II and we were all switched to Acuvue Advance. They are supposed to allow more air though. Not sure exactly what it meant, other than the contacts are about $15 more a box.

 

[mylightshines]

My left eye gets really red when I'm stressed out. I've been to several eye doctors and no one could figure out what was happening. It didn't hurt, it just looked like I had pink eye. I finally found a doctor who told me that at some point my contacts were dirty (I never, ever sleep in them) and my body tried to compensate for the lack of oxygen by making new blood vessels in my eye. I was told that it won't get any worse, but also won't get better.

 

[gnbuggy]

So gald I posted to this thread. I will have many ?s for my eye doctor.