I am a long-time gas permeable contact lens wearer. I began having problems with films developing on my lenses several months ago. Thinking this was because the lenses were getting old, I went in to be fitted for a new pair. This was a new doctor and I had no record of the exact prescription of the old lenses. Unfortunately, the new lenses never gave me clear vision. A film again seemed to develop on the lenses within 30 seconds of inserting them. Office sent the lenses back to manufacturer to be sure there was nothing on the lenses causing the film. They assured us that there was not. I went back to pick up the lenses this morning and I am still having trouble with filming.
Do you have any idea what could be causing this? Thanks
A film on gas permeable lenses can be caused by a few things. If it occurs within the first 30 seconds of wearing the lenses chances are the lenses need a good cleaning. Any grease or oils that were on the lens will prevent your tears from wetting the lens surface. If the surface is not able to stay wet, then you can’t see through the lens.
This can happen quite often with new lenses. Either in the manufacturing process the lens got too hot and is essentially a “non-wetting” lens. Alternatively the lens just needs a good cleaning and overnight soak in solution. In our office, we clean all gas permeable lenses with Optimum cleaner and soak them at least overnight in a buffered solution. By doing this, we hardly ever run into a non-wetting lens situation. (although they do happen occasionally)
Because you mentioned that the lenses cloud within 30 seconds, I am inclined to believe it is caused by either manufacturing or they need a thorough cleaning. Alternatively, your eye care provider may attempt to manufacture the lens in a different material. The manufacturing labs are very helpful to eye care providers in selecting a material that not only performs well for a given eye, but also machines well for a good finished product. Plasma coating a gas permeable lens (an added procedure to the finishing process of a lens) is also proven to aid in lens wettability.
If you do not believe this is
In essence, don’t give up. If your contact lens fitter is an experienced gas permeable lens fitter, he or she will know of a quite a few troubleshooting paths to take to get you back into lenses.
Gas permeable lenses, especially the longer you have them, need to be thoroughly cleaned with proper solution and left in for a certain amount of time. If not done so the lense will leave protein deposits and other elements which could be problematic to the eyes. I recommend reading the articles on contact lenses for more tips http://www.eyecaresource.com/contact-lenses/
I am not an eyecare professional, but have been wearing “hard” contact lenses since the 1970s. When I developed hayfever in my 40s, I began noticing a “film” forming on my rigid gas permeable lenses, often immediately after insertion, and would need to clean them several times a day to remove the film. Medication to alleviate the hayfever symptoms during allergy season eliminated development of the film on my gas permeable contact lenses. Perhaps this explains the problem you are experiencing if there is nothing wrong with the lenses themselves.