Hi everyone!

I'm wearing soft toric contacts for eight years now. First four years I was
wearing Focus Toric lenses and then I switched to Softlens 66. I'm
satisfied with both, but I have few question and I hope you guys can help
me.

My oftalmologist told me I can wear Softlens 66 (which is originally a
2week contacts. I had no idea it was a 2week lens until last night when I
saw that on the b&l web) as monthly contacts. Is that true and whom should
I believe - the doctor or the manufacturer?

My prescription for Softlens 66 contacts is:

Right lens:
BC - 8.5
SPH - +4.00
CYL - -0.75 (it was -1.00 with Focus Toric)
AX 180

Left lens:
BC - 8.5
SPH - +4.00
CYL - -0.75 (also -1.00 with Focus Toric)
AX 170

Could I get Focus Dailies Toric or O2 Optix as new lenses?

Thank you!

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I think SofLens66 Toric can be worn on a monthly basis.  It is recommended
to be a 2-week lens but in my experience most patients can wear it longer.
The wearing time that you get from a contact lens is very
individual-specific.  A few patients can dirty-up their lenses quite quickly
and won't get as much wear out of them (e.g. patients with environmental
allergy problems).  Also, the chances of getting contact lens complications
such as GPC increases with longer wearing times.  In conclusion-- if you
have been successfully wearing your lenses for about a month, then I don't
see why you should change to a 2-week disposal cycle if you aren't having
any problems.

At the present time, O2Optix lenses are not available in your prescription.
The toric versions, especially in plus powers, have not been released by
CIBA yet.

Likewise for Focus Daily Toric.  While toric versions are available (x90 and
x180 only) for minus powers, they are not available for plus powers which is
what you need.  I do not know whether CIBA plans to make such a lens in the
future.  I would doubt it.  These would not be high-volume sellers.

You might want to consider trying the new Acuvue Advance Toric lenses which
have just been released.  They are available in your prescription.  They are
made of a silicon hydrogel material and are oxygen permeable.  This makes
them healthier for your eyes in general and may make them more comfortable
for you.  They are made by Vistakon.  Talk to your eye doctor about them.
Maybe you can get a trial pair and try them out.

Your current brand, SL66 Toric, is quite a good lens.  Currently it's my
"go-to" brand of toric disposables so you are already in a good place as is!

=============

RM, thank you very much for you quick and in-depth response.

Yes it makes sense when you say there's doubt that Ciba (or any other
company) will ever make daily toric lenses. Pitty, I'd be their top
customer...

Yes, I will continue wearing the SL66 Toric lenses, because I basically
don't feel them at all. On a very few occasions when I fall asleep with
them, the next morning I wake up with clear sight and no prob at all. I
just put extra pill (protein remover) along with the Oxysept Comfort system
in the following evening and then they're as good as new.

You mentioned these Acuvue Advance Toric. Do you know where and how could I
buy them? Maybe even online (although I'm not keen on buying lenses online,
but if they're the best for my eyes, why not.).
My problem is in the following. I moved to Zagreb, Croatia about four years
ago, and I haven't seen a single eye doctor offering any other contact lens
except for those from B&L. And besides, I pay around 150Euros for a six
months pack of SL66 - which is 50euros more than I paid back in Austria for
Focus Toric.

Btw, no one here has ever (!) heard or doesn't practice free trial. You
actually have to do it the old fashioned way - first buy, then try. I think
it's lame.

I'm sorry if I'm troubling you, but you seem like a person who knows what
he/she is talking about.

Thanks a lot!

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Message posted via http://www.medkb.com

I don't know about online suppliers in Europe.  I am in the US.  Of course
you could try websearching via Google, etc.  If you type in "contact lenses"
as the search item the first pages of search listings on Google that come up
are mostly on-line suppliers.  I  have had patients from western Europe
(Germany, France) who tell me they buy frequently online without a
prescription.  I assume you could do it too.

I am unsure whether Acuvue Advance Toric (actually named "Acuvue Advance for
Astigmatism" at least here in the states) will fit you well.  They will
possibly be different than SofLens66 since the stabilization, base
curvature, edges, etc. are different.  It's a risk to buy boxes without
trying them and letting a refractionist assess their fit for you.

Good luck.

Again, I really appreciate all your help!

Yes, I found a couple of German web sites delivering across Europe, so I'll
wait until end July (release date of Acuvuce Advance for Astigmatism for my
prescription) and maybe I'll also find an optician who imports acuvue
lenses here by that time too.

Greetings,

George

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