eye glasses vs contacts

[PainMan]

totally pathetic question...but my vision insurance renewal is coming up. For those who wear both, were glasses ok during surgical rotations( I can see me busting the sterile field adjusting my glasses constantly). Or waking up on call with sticky contacts not being able to see jack. thanks for any "insight"

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[jargon124]

I'm just a lowly premed right now, but I'm interested in this question too. I wear contacts, but I can only wear them for about 16 hours before my eyes get all red and burning. Obviously, call would not be an ideal situation for me to wear them, unless there is time to take them out and put glasses on - which raises the question about whether glasses hinder you at all in surgery or whatever...? Or is it time to help out all you opthalmologists out there and opt for LASIK?

 

[TomOD]

Continuous-wear contact lenses would probably do you well. PureVision by Bausch and Lomb and the new Focus Day & Night contact lenses are both FDA approved for 30 days of continuous wear. They are great lenses...very comfortable and healthy.

And Lasik is a great option too if your a candidate and have the money.

 

[Mindy]

Ahh, a question I can answer without controversy! Glasses are okay in surgery, just go to a sporting good store (Dick's Sports, etc.) and pick up a band that secures them to your head (~6 bucks!)...

Mindy

 

[surg]

Either will be fine.
As you said, make sure your glasses fit, or get a band for them, otherwise you'll be stuck taping your glasses to your head (it works, but it looks as stupid as it sounds, if for some reason you have to do it, use clear tape, wrap around the bridge once so it won't fall off and put the tape over your forehead up to your cap) Oh one other thing, invest in some side shields for your glasses if you are going to be in surgery a lot, it is safer from a splash perspective (even though most surgeons I know don't have them, including me).

I also wear contacts, the 2-week disposables (AcuVue 2's), and find that I have very little difficulty keeping them in overnight or longer as needed although my ophthalmologist shudders every time I tell him I do this. Carry drops in your white coat pocket and definitely carry your glasses in your call bag for emergencies.

 

[Whisker Barrel Cortex]

Most residents I know wear glasses when they are on call. Some of them wear contacts on non call days and switch for call. I just got contacts for the first time and haven't been on call since I got them so I can't tell you personally.

 

[Mary the Med Student]

I think that daily disposable contact lenses are the best damn thing since sliced bread. I wore them through my surgery rotation, and they felt like buttah. Seriously, they don't dry out that much and having fresh contacts every day felt really good.

Good luck!

-Mary

 

[AJM]

I alternate between glasses and contacts during my various rotations. I have the same problem with wearing my contacts too long, or when I sleep with them on for more than an hour. Even though I've tried to use eyedrops like everyone recommends, I still can't stand that sticky, dry eye feeling on my post-call day. (Oh yeah -- and I also have those 2-week disposable kind).

Here's what I did -- during my entire surgery rotation, I wore my glasses rather than contacts. The reason was simple -- when we scrub for a case, we have to wear some kind of eye protection. The times that I wore contacts I had to wear that mask with the annoying plastic face shield, which ended up being very distracting. I found that I could see much better if I just wore my glasses, avoiding the face shield altogether. On my other rotations, when I was on call I wore my glasses, and non-call days I wore my contacts. It worked great, and my eyes felt fine when I was post-call -- no need for all the eye drops and backup contact solution, etc.