RGP/Piggyback Lens

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For those people who can wear them, yes.
lol not everyone can wear glasses.
 
:sl:

I wore RGP lenses for about..5-6 years(I've been wearing lenses since I was a kid..glasses simply dont befit my lifestyle and I could never get used to them..), then I switched to soft lenses. I still have my RGP lenses though..but I never wear them.


I can tell you that after trying soft lenses, RGP lenses appeared extremely uncomfortable...but I hadn't realized that until I tried soft lenses. You can sleep with your RGP lenses on, and one pair can last you 2 years, which is really cost-efficient when compared to soft lenses. The reason why I switched was because I have sensitive eyes and they were always red, AlhamdulillAh those problems are solved with soft lenses.

Anything else you need to know about them, let me know.
 
:sl:

JazakiAllah sis

I've been wearing RGP lens for the past 2 years or so and i find them really really uncomfortable. Most of the time, theyr're ok but if they move even slightly out of place the pain is excruciating. It's like slivers of sharp glass are being dragged across my eye. NOT a pleasant feeling at all :ermm: lol I just stand there with my eyes wide open and staring. willing it to STOP. It only succeeds in making me look like a lunatic lol:X
My consultant keeps making them smaller and smaller but it's not helping. However, when I suggested Kerasoft 3 (soft lens) he seemed convinced that soft lenses don't give as good vision as RGP. Is that right? :ermm:I understand that RGP lens are made-to-measure, but they wouldn't invent soft lenses for Keratoconus if they were useless, would they? :-\
I thought maybe Piggyback Lens would be useful, it's like the best of both isn't it?
Did you find it difficult taking them out? Did you use the plunger thing or did they 'pop' out? My lens seem to have a mind of their own lol.
I usually have them for about an average of 4 months till my prescription changes again.
I'm really grateful I have them, as I have absolutely no idea how I'd cope with day-to-day matters without them :nervous:
I slept with them in a few times...and looked like a zombie with bloodshot eyes the next morning.
I'm thinking about getting the soft lenses anyway but...:-\

Do you use normal daily/monthly/weekly soft lenses? Or specialised ones?

Sorry for asking so many questions :embarrass
 
Oh sis, please don't sleep wearing your contacts. :ooh:

You can get a nasty infection which can damage your sight even more.

When you say RGP, do you mean hard lenses? I've never heard of piggyback lens either. What a strange name! I used to wear soft lenses. They are extremely comfortable and you forget you're wearing them. I never used a plunger. In my days you just grabbed the lens out of your eye using thumb and index finger. They stick pretty well, so sometimes you have to try a few times before you can grab one. I've stopped wearing them now because my eyes are so dry - the lens irritate them. Can't you wear glasses instead?
 
:sl:

Yep, I was referring to hard lenses. RGP stands for Rigid Gas Permeable. As you've probably guessed, they allow oxygen to pass through.
As you can see from the pic, they're quite small (Alhamdulillah!).
They're supposed to be blue (left) and grey (right) :-\ I don't know why this one looks clear.

RGPcontact_lens.jpg


Piggyback lens are soft/hard lens. There's a scientific name for them, just can't remember it. I think the soft one is joined onto the hard ones or vice versa. :-\ All I know is that they sound a hell of a lot more comfortable than these.

It's quite impossible to remove RGPs using the thumb and index finger! They're totally rigid so you can imagine how awkward it would be lol
I usually open my eye wide and pull/stretch it from the edge. The lens can't bend in on itself, so it has to 'pop' out. It just drops out. The plunger is a much better idea- it has a suction thing which attaches itself onto the lens and removes it easily. The only problem is making sure it's the actual lens it's got hold of! :X

Glasses aren't an option, I'm afraid.
 
lol If they could invent a pair for me that actually fulfill the purpose, I would very happily take them. :ermm:

I've passed the glasses stage now lol
 
Oh ok. I was reading about this lady having permanent lens put in her eyes. They should last a life time. Have you heard of this option sis?
 
Lol awh no problems as away I don't mind,I've got all this random knowledge on contact lenses from my years of wearing them, why not share it with someone who needs it,lol.I'll try answering your questions as best as I can, I'm quite tired so if there are spelling mistakes bare with me..lol



JazakiAllah sis

I've been wearing RGP lens for the past 2 years or so and i find them really really uncomfortable. Most of the time, theyr're ok but if they move even slightly out of place the pain is excruciating. It's like slivers of sharp glass are being dragged across my eye. NOT a pleasant feeling at all :ermm: lol I just stand there with my eyes wide open and staring. willing it to STOP. It only succeeds in making me look like a lunatic lol:X
Click to expand...

LOL oh wow that reminded me of myself, the last phrase that is. Sis carry a bottle of solution around with you, and if they feel uncomfortable, pop them out and drop a bit of solution on it...though don't overuse it, since it might irritate your eyes.

My consultant keeps making them smaller and smaller but it's not helping. However, when I suggested Kerasoft 3 (soft lens) he seemed convinced that soft lenses don't give as good vision as RGP. Is that right? :ermm:I understand that RGP lens are made-to-measure, but they wouldn't invent soft lenses for Keratoconus if they were useless, would they? :-\
Click to expand...

By good vision, do you mean that your eyesight is less likely to lower when wearing RGP's than soft lenses? I was recommended RGP lenses by my optometrist because as a kid, my eyesight was dropping FAST. every visit I'd go, it would drop .5, or more! RGP lenses somehow prevent your vision from dropping...as soon as I started wearing them, my vision stopped dropping ALHAMDULILLAH. That was the major nubmer one benefit of having them. Then when you reach 18, I think your vision stops dropping altogether.

I thought maybe Piggyback Lens would be useful, it's like the best of both isn't it?
Did you find it difficult taking them out? Did you use the plunger thing or did they 'pop' out? My lens seem to have a mind of their own lol.
I usually have them for about an average of 4 months till my prescription changes again.
I'm really grateful I have them, as I have absolutely no idea how I'd cope with day-to-day matters without them :nervous:
Click to expand...

I've never heard of Piggyback lenses...sorry...I might look it up now that you mention it. How come your vision is dropping every 4 months?? That's strange! It is weakening and you need a new prescription every 4 months?? Even with RGP lenses??InshAllah i'm wrong here.. i used to pop out my lenses into my palm..rinse them (what a pain that was,lol) and when I put them on, I'd just slide them in and maneuver them into place...lol. it seemed much easier than putting on soft lenses (Touching my eye freaked me out a bit,but I got used to it,lol). RGP lenses are very easy to put on and take off...I'd do it in about 10 seconds. Practice is all I can say, hehe.

I slept with them in a few times...and looked like a zombie with bloodshot eyes the next morning.
I'm thinking about getting the soft lenses anyway but...:-\
Click to expand...

Soft lenses are great, though the problem with them is that you can't sleep with them on...and some solutions require that you keep them in at least 6 hours...see when I was at school, I'd sometime sleep less than 6 hours, maybe only about 4, and during that time, I'd be studying (so normally, I'd need to keep my lenses on) ...that was a bit of a pain. Consider that fact if you are a student and you do a lot of late night studying.

Do you use normal daily/monthly/weekly soft lenses? Or specialised ones?

Sorry for asking so many questions :embarrass
Click to expand...


I use monthly lenses, though I have been told they last more than a month, maybe a month and a half. They are great alhamdulillAh, from the comfort to the maintenance to the quality...(this coming froma person with very sensitive eyes...)problem is, they are pretty expensive compared to the RGP ones. Anyway, I'd choose them over RGP's any day, probably because I don't need RGP's anymore...inshAllah this helped, any more questions let me know.
 
Scents of Jannah said:
Oh ok. I was reading about this lady having permanent lens put in her eyes. They should last a life time. Have you heard of this option sis?
Click to expand...
I hadn't heard of normal lens, but Intacs were an option, where two semi-circular thingys are embedded into the cornea. But unfortunately most treatments are unsuitable for me. Alhamdulillah.

houda~ said:
Lol awh no problems as away I don't mind,I've got all this random knowledge on contact lenses from my years of wearing them, why not share it with someone who needs it,lol.I'll try answering your questions as best as I can, I'm quite tired so if there are spelling mistakes bare with me..lol
Click to expand...

No problem. I truly appreciate your help sis :)


LOL oh wow that reminded me of myself, the last phrase that is. Sis carry a bottle of solution around with you, and if they feel uncomfortable, pop them out and drop a bit of solution on it...though don't overuse it, since it might irritate your eyes.
Click to expand...
InshaAllah, I'll start doing that. I find it tends to be worse in air conditioned rooms or where there are fans. Hmm...probably dries them out. JazakiAllah for your your suggestion.

By good vision, do you mean that your eyesight is less likely to lower when wearing RGP's than soft lenses? I was recommended RGP lenses by my optometrist because as a kid, my eyesight was dropping FAST. every visit I'd go, it would drop .5, or more! RGP lenses somehow prevent your vision from dropping...as soon as I started wearing them, my vision stopped dropping ALHAMDULILLAH. That was the major nubmer one benefit of having them. Then when you reach 18, I think your vision stops dropping altogether.
Click to expand...
That was the general idea. My corneas are irregular and cone-shaped so RGPs are supposed to be pushing them back.(Charming, isn't it? "here, pop these hard bits of plastic in, they'll push your cornea back to how it's meant to be.LOL)They've just discovered that when taken out, whatever has been pushed back resumes its normal position. Kind of renders that theory useless. :-\
I don't know if they've helped, although my consultant insists they have:D If I didn't have them, my vision woud be dropping a lot faster. When I first got them, I could see 'normally'. My vision was only aout -8. Since then, it's dropped 10 points and continues to do so. Alhamdulillah, thumma Alhamdulillah, it's not too bad. I was reading an article about a woman whose vision was -27. It makes one eternally grateful.
Experiencing a severe drop in vision is one of those side effects of Keratoconus, so I was expecting it. It doesn't soften the blow, but makes me ever so grateful that Allah SWT favoured me with them, when there must be tons of people who don't have access to good healthcare and are just cosidered blind.

I use monthly lenses, though I have been told they last more than a month, maybe a month and a half. They are great alhamdulillAh, from the comfort to the maintenance to the quality...(this coming froma person with very sensitive eyes...)problem is, they are pretty expensive compared to the RGP ones. Anyway, I'd choose them over RGP's any day, probably because I don't need RGP's anymore...inshAllah this helped, any more questions let me know.
Click to expand...

lol I knew someone who used them almost six months. Honestly, they were a gathering place for germs. She wouldn't use the right amount of solution, or clean them as required, and found it odd that I was 'obsessed' with cleaning, rinsing and soaking mine before I went to bed. (I still find that a chore, although the Boston Simplus has made things a LOT easier, Alhamdulillah.)
Jazakillah for all your help sis :wub:
 
cat eyes said:


have they got permanent colored contact lenses?:p
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I'm sure there will be a huge variety to choose from in the department 'Upstairs' Just hope the lift doesn't get stuck ;D



Aisha: I hadn't heard of normal lens, but Intacs were an option, where two semi-circular thingys are embedded into the cornea. But unfortunately most treatments are unsuitable for me. Alhamdulillah.
Click to expand...

Keep checking ukhti. Technology is always advancing :)
 
salam,

yep you have to wear the RGP lenses unfortunately, because you have Keratoconus. Is it in One eye Only? or Both?
Piggyback lenses are basically a soft contact lens places on the eye, thereafter a RGP is placed ontop of the soft. Basically gives the comfort of a soft lens but with the better vision with an RGP!

however, there is an issue of the greater thickness (because of 2 lens thicknesses on the eye) this can induce what you called "hypoxia", insufficient oxygen to the eye.

Depending on what stage of keratoconus your suffering from, theres "ULTRAVISION", for early keratoconics. (soft hydrogel lenses)
Theres what you call Combination Lenses, such as 1. Piggyback, 2. Hybrid Lenses and 3. Corneal lenses
1.piggyback - silicone hydrogel soft contact lens with a large rgp lens riding ontop
2. hybrid lenses - a RGP in the centre binded to a soft periphery (but for early keratoconics, and problem with gas transmission through lens)
3. corneal lenses - is the most common for keratocones, Kera1,2,3

It would be good to speak to your optometrist and find out which would be best.
 
islamonline said:
salam,

yep you have to wear the RGP lenses unfortunately, because you have Keratoconus. Is it in One eye Only? or Both?
Piggyback lenses are basically a soft contact lens places on the eye, thereafter a RGP is placed ontop of the soft. Basically gives the comfort of a soft lens but with the better vision with an RGP!

however, there is an issue of the greater thickness (because of 2 lens thicknesses on the eye) this can induce what you called "hypoxia", insufficient oxygen to the eye.

Depending on what stage of keratoconus your suffering from, theres "ULTRAVISION", for early keratoconics. (soft hydrogel lenses)
Theres what you call Combination Lenses, such as 1. Piggyback, 2. Hybrid Lenses and 3. Corneal lenses
1.piggyback - silicone hydrogel soft contact lens with a large rgp lens riding ontop
2. hybrid lenses - a RGP in the centre binded to a soft periphery (but for early keratoconics, and problem with gas transmission through lens)
3. corneal lenses - is the most common for keratocones, Kera1,2,3

It would be good to speak to your optometrist and find out which would be best.
Click to expand...

:wa:

JazakAllahu Khairan for your reply, it's really helpful.

In both eyes. RGPs are very uncomfortable at times, so I thought I'd look into piggyback/the new soft lens. Unfortunately, I'm told that RGPs are STILL th best for me (<_<) as the others won't 'mould' into the cornea and will sort of float around. There is a practice who sell the K3 (soft) ones at around £400 a pair but with that advice, plus the fact that I have to replace them every few months..it wasn't really an option. Also, I think it's quite advanced so soft lenses wouldn't be suitable anyway.
A few months ago, I would never have believed that I'd be able to manage on just one lens, and I've been doing that for a while now. So anything can happen...inshaAllah they find something that reverses it.
 

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