contact lense problems?

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andrea

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Has anyone found that wearing contact lenses during 3rd year rotations causes problems? Do you bring your glasses if you're on call? Just wondering if I should get Lasik before I start third year. :)

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I don't have a problem wearing contacts. When I'm on call, I'll usually switch over to glasses at around 11p - 2AM... then switch over to contacts for rounding in the AM.

Sometimes I'll just go the whole night with my contacts in, no big deal to me. But I know some people who can't even take naps with their contacts in... thankfully I'm not like that.

No need to get Lasik based on rotations.

Q, DO
 
I agree... I almost never take my contacts out (probably growing some nice Pseudomonas colonies in there... oh well), and I haven't had any real issues... Actually, the only real problem I ever had was in Pathology when the toxic preservatives would get trapped under my contacts and cause me quite a bit of pain and suffering...

I guess my approach to Lasik is as follows... most Ophthalmologists I know won't undergo a Lasik correction as the risk of losing their vision is still possible. I would hold off for a little while longer until the technique has been better proven and more results are available. I don't think that Lasik is at all needed to make it through your 3rd year (but plenty of coffee might be good!).

:)
 
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My contacts used to pop out when I was on call in the ER and then fall on that clean er floor so I switched back to glasses.I am nor ready to Laser my eyes yet
 
I never knew how many people in my class wore contacts until after my Surgery rotation. You could always identify who was on call the night before because they were in glasses the next morning.

I personally have a very big problem with my contacts because I have dry eyes on top of poor vision which is leading to neovascularization of my corneas as well. Sooner or later I will probably end up back in glasses, but I'm holding off as long as possible. Lasik is not an option and won't be until it's been around a few more generations with long-term follow up.
 
I got lazered (LASEK, not LASIK, but it's not all that different) over Winter Break of my first year of med school. Since my vision was so bad and I lost all peripheral vision with my glasses, I was going through my disposable contacts at an astounding rate given the chemicals in the cadaver lab.

It was one of the best investments I've ever made, and I do admit that it's a nice perk to call nights. Ok, a really, really nice perk. :)

I went to a couple of opthomology grand rounds on the subject, and all of the LASIK surgeons there (and about 50% of the crowd), had undergone some sort of refractory surgery. Could just be my institution, but I was impressed enough to keep looking into it.

If you decide to go through with it, definitely do your homework and find a good surgeon.

D
 
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