Vaping and contact lenses

[ChelsB]

Hello all and Happy New Year!
I have a somewhat odd question. I am currently in the process of trying to wear contact lenses for the first time and I am having problems getting used to them. I have read that smoking can have a negative effect on contact lens wearing but I am wondering if that is also true true for vaping? It’s entirely possible I’m just never going to get the hang of this, but I’m wondering if any other vapers have any experience and input. For now I have my glasses back on but I’m not ready to give up on contacts just yet!


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[Ceejay0875]

I wore contacts as a teen and smoked with them, no problems. Wearing makeup tended to irritate them, but maybe that was just me. Then, I want to say, late 20s I started wearing contacts again for about 10 years, give or take, can't remember. I transitioned to vaping from smoking somewhere in there. Towards the end though, my eyes were so dry and irritated I just couldn't stand to wear my contacts anymore so I just quit. However, I attributed it to just wearing them consistently for so many years (that's a lot of time for something rubbing against your eyeball). Make sure to stay hydrated (we know vaping affects that), and there are drops you can get to add moisture to your eyes, make sure that they are safe for use with contacts. Maybe you are someone who just can't wear them. I do miss them myself. Good luck!

 

[ChelsB]

I wore contacts as a teen and smoked with them, no problems. Wearing makeup tended to irritate them, but maybe that was just me. Then, I want to say, late 20s I started wearing contacts again for about 10 years, give or take, can't remember. I transitioned to vaping from smoking somewhere in there. Towards the end though, my eyes were so dry and irritated I just couldn't stand to wear my contacts anymore so I just quit. However, I attributed it to just wearing them consistently for so many years (that's a lot of time for something rubbing against your eyeball). Make sure to stay hydrated (we know vaping affects that), and there are drops you can get to add moisture to your eyes, make sure that they are safe for use with contacts. Maybe you are someone who just can't wear them. I do miss them myself. Good luck!

Thank you for the input. I was definitely adding a lot of artificial tears, I was needing them every half hour or so! Although I didn’t think of internal hydration as a factor, that’s a good point


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[stols001]

I have worn contact lenses since the day my parents allowed me to have them, at oh, around age 18 and zero minutes.

I don't treat them properly and I never have, I leave them in, use them longer than you are supposed to and rarely wash them. Yeah I have the gas permeable kind but still, I'm fine.

I actually find cigarette smoke irritating to the eyes, much as I don't like chopping an onion without contacts. It sucks. You cry. With contacts you do not have to cry.

I don't have particularly dry eyes, I never use artificial tears, and every dire prediction the optometrists I have seen has NOT come true .I even have astigmatism in one eye, and like, that contact is a little trickier.

Course when I was a kid with coke bottle glasses, at one point the optometrists wanted me to learn braille. They were "pretty certain" I was gonna go blind. My answer was, "Wouldn't the smart time to learn braille be ONCE I am blind? I won't be able to do s much then, plenty of time to learn it."

I am rather glad I did not bother but I can't see vape as that much of an eye irritant.

To be fair, I have hated glasses since the moment they were perched upon the bridge of my nose and I was told I had to like, wear them.

I also had a lazy eye and this was back before they did corrective surgery (which is dumb in my humble opinion.) I had to learn how to control my lazy eye via various fun and interesting methods. Success was when I like, could take a pencil and bring it from arms length to the end of my nose, and still see one pencil.

No more lazy eye. Etc.

Anna

 

[BrotherBob]

Just to add to other comments, I have been using corrected devices for more than a half century (glasses to the first hard contacts to removal of my eye lenses and new eye lens). Some folks are more prone to dry eyes than others. You can not lubricate your eye enough. Suggest you google "What to look for when purchasing dry eye lubricant".
re: Eye Drops for Dry Eyes: What Are Your Options?
I use the non preservatives eye lubs because they do not irritate my eyes, suggest try both to see how they effect you. I would not use any "get the red out" eye drop type for any length of time.
re: https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/blepharitis.htm

 

[ChelsB]

I have worn contact lenses since the day my parents allowed me to have them, at oh, around age 18 and zero minutes.

I don't treat them properly and I never have, I leave them in, use them longer than you are supposed to and rarely wash them. Yeah I have the gas permeable kind but still, I'm fine.

I actually find cigarette smoke irritating to the eyes, much as I don't like chopping an onion without contacts. It sucks. You cry. With contacts you do not have to cry.

I don't have particularly dry eyes, I never use artificial tears, and every dire prediction the optometrists I have seen has NOT come true .I even have astigmatism in one eye, and like, that contact is a little trickier.

Course when I was a kid with coke bottle glasses, at one point the optometrists wanted me to learn braille. They were "pretty certain" I was gonna go blind. My answer was, "Wouldn't the smart time to learn braille be ONCE I am blind? I won't be able to do s much then, plenty of time to learn it."

I am rather glad I did not bother but I can't see vape as that much of an eye irritant.

To be fair, I have hated glasses since the moment they were perched upon the bridge of my nose and I was told I had to like, wear them.

I also had a lazy eye and this was back before they did corrective surgery (which is dumb in my humble opinion.) I had to learn how to control my lazy eye via various fun and interesting methods. Success was when I like, could take a pencil and bring it from arms length to the end of my nose, and still see one pencil.

No more lazy eye. Etc.

Anna

Thanks for sharing. Sorry for delayed reply, I wasn’t getting notifications (I’m using ecf through Tapatalk). I thought it odd that only one person had a comment so I’m glad I checked again!


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[ChelsB]

Just to add to other comments, I have been using corrected devices for more than a half century (glasses to the first hard contacts to removal of my eye lenses and new eye lens). Some folks are more prone to dry eyes than others. You can not lubricate your eye enough. Suggest you google "What to look for when purchasing dry eye lubricant".
re: Eye Drops for Dry Eyes: What Are Your Options?
I use the non preservatives eye lubs because they do not irritate my eyes, suggest try both to see how they effect you. I would not use any "get the red out" eye drop type for any length of time.
re: https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/blepharitis.htm

Yeah, I definitely stay away from drops to just get the red out. Incidentally I work for a very well known maker of eye care products so I get their stuff at cost. I just submitted my employee order yesterday and pretty much ordered 1 of everything !


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[Eskie]

Don’t forget it could just be the fit of the lens too. Yes, the soft, gas permeable lenses that are largely water are a vast improvement over the old soft lenses(never mind the hard contacts of old), but fit still counts. Talk to your optometrist about it and see if any adjustments in lens selection is needed.

 

[ChelsB]

Don’t forget it could just be the fit of the lens too. Yes, the soft, gas permeable lenses that are largely water are a vast improvement over the old soft lenses(never mind the hard contacts of old), but fit still counts. Talk to your optometrist about it and see if any adjustments in lens selection is needed.

Thanks, good point about fit. I already told them that I was having issues and basically the kind I have is the only option. They also said it will take a while to get used to them, especially given my age and this being the first time trying contacts. I need progressive lenses for astigmatism. They were special ordered and took almost a month to arrive. The only way I can get a different brand is if I get distance only lenses but I got progressive contacts in the first place to avoid having to put on readers. I’ll keep trying and if I fail, I guess I’ll try progressive glasses. This is all vanity I suppose; I like my smaller glasses which don’t allow for progressive lenses.
I suppose I could try a day of no vaping and only nic pouches to see if vaping is contributing to the dryness. However that will only answer my question as I have no plans to EVER stop vaping. It’s too enjoyable and I’ve spent far too much money on it to switch to pouches only. Those are only for rainy days at work or when I’m super busy at work and don’t have time to step out to the back parking lot for a vape.


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[JCinFLA]

@ChelsB - I hope your eye doctor told you to very gradually work your way up to wearing them full-time during the day. That helps a great deal in getting used to them.

As far as smoking while wearing contacts...I wore my original tiny hard ones and then slightly larger gas permeable hard ones, for at least 20 years that I smoked. I also have an astigmatism in one of my eyes. Smoking never caused problems with wearing them, for me.

I quit wearing contacts though (for a different reason), long before I started vaping in Nov. 2013. So I don't know how it might have affected me wearing them. Bu,t it seems to me that if my cigarette smoke wasn't irritating to them...then my vapor likely wouldn't have been either.

If they keep being irritating though, I'd definitely check with your eye doctor about it. Wearing lenses that possibly aren't fit right for your eyes isn't comfortable at all and can cause longterm damage. I know this for a fact.

 

[ChelsB]

@ChelsB - I hope your eye doctor told you to very gradually work your way up to wearing them full-time during the day. That helps a great deal in getting used to them.

As far as smoking while wearing contacts...I wore my original tiny hard ones and then slightly larger gas permeable hard ones, for at least 20 years that I smoked. I also have an astigmatism in one of my eyes. Smoking never caused problems with wearing them, for me.

I quit wearing contacts though (for a different reason), long before I started vaping in Nov. 2013. So I don't know how it might have affected me wearing them. Bu,t it seems to me that if my cigarette smoke wasn't irritating to them...then my vapor likely wouldn't have been either.

If they keep being irritating though, I'd definitely check with your eye doctor about it. Wearing lenses that possibly aren't fit right for your eyes isn't comfortable at all and can cause longterm damage. I know this for a fact.

They did say to gradually start. I haven’t worn them more than 3 hours at a time and usually not for more than 1 hour. Just for fun, I put them in a few minutes ago (took 3 tries) so they’re in now, it definitely feels like something is in my eye but mostly I’m trying to get used to the progressive up close views.
Thanks so much for commenting! I hope you’re doing well! Happy new year!


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[Skeebo]

I have worn contact lenses since the day my parents allowed me to have them, at oh, around age 18 and zero minutes.

I don't treat them properly and I never have, I leave them in, use them longer than you are supposed to and rarely wash them. Yeah I have the gas permeable kind but still, I'm fine.

I actually find cigarette smoke irritating to the eyes, much as I don't like chopping an onion without contacts. It sucks. You cry. With contacts you do not have to cry.

I don't have particularly dry eyes, I never use artificial tears, and every dire prediction the optometrists I have seen has NOT come true .I even have astigmatism in one eye, and like, that contact is a little trickier.

Course when I was a kid with coke bottle glasses, at one point the optometrists wanted me to learn braille. They were "pretty certain" I was gonna go blind. My answer was, "Wouldn't the smart time to learn braille be ONCE I am blind? I won't be able to do s much then, plenty of time to learn it."

I am rather glad I did not bother but I can't see vape as that much of an eye irritant.

To be fair, I have hated glasses since the moment they were perched upon the bridge of my nose and I was told I had to like, wear them.

I also had a lazy eye and this was back before they did corrective surgery (which is dumb in my humble opinion.) I had to learn how to control my lazy eye via various fun and interesting methods. Success was when I like, could take a pencil and bring it from arms length to the end of my nose, and still see one pencil.

No more lazy eye. Etc.

Anna

Your post is a paraphrase of what I was thinking.

 

[stols001]

Uh... there is something in your eye? Yeah you just have to get used to it.

I still firmly believe that contacts are protective more than anything else. Everyone gets me to chop the onions. Literally everyone. LOL.

If you want to wear them, you will get used to them but like, don't sweat the vape, and you may very well not wind up needing all those products in the end.

I guess I was what one might call a "highly motivated" user. I got used to them quickly. BUT I hate glasses SO MUCH.

I need to get to the eye doctor. My not being to read small print has arrived. It's not so bad honestly (other than cooking instructions on like, cooking stuff. They HAVE to want you not to eat it. I get why the elderly may buy cat food now, that can be eaten cold and alone) and my stupid note taking software. This is like a program that costs SO MUCH and they can't find a way to "configure" it to like, where you can actually READ it. I have to wear 2.5 cheap magnification glasses.

I gotta go see the eye doctor here very soon and figure out what to do. They make bifocal contacts, but IDK. You can also get one nearsighted and one farsighted contact, I have heard. I could do that with my astigmatism eye, it's pretty much worthless anyway and I might be able to go back to a regular contact lens or something. That might be nice.

Anna

 

[classwife]

I would love to be able to wear contacts but my eyes have always been way too dry.

Remember when you smoked cigarettes and if you'd get smoke in your eyes - how bad that burned ?
Vapor in the eyes does not burn.


But ooooooh make sure your hands are clean before rubbing your eyes, cause nic/e-liquid sure burns if you have any on your hands !

 

[steamhunter]

I would love to be able to wear contacts but my eyes have always been way too dry.

Just passing by.
Still, same here. I do find that my eyes get extra red when I smoke with my contacts in. Eyedrops will fix it most of the time though. Have you tried them? Nothing special, just kind of re-wetting for your eyes, plus a proper hydration during the day helps as well.

 

[dreamvaper]

Everyone gets me to chop the onions. Literally everyone

Go get 'em!

 

[stols001]

Yup I would make those onions my b'es,

LOL I am a good cook, too spent a lot of time waitressing and some time as a sou chef (mainly to figure out how the back of the house like,, worked) so I could make more in tips..

They would be finely diced. Unlike my first leeks that my chef gave me to cut up. He and I had "words."

Specifically. "They are ruined!" Me "blink blink" (you did not argue with the chef. Then, "Here is how you fix them DO IT." Me: "Blink" ("Why didn't you say that the first time.)

LOL perhaps he was assessing my food making skills, but my food ALWAYS came up when I needed it and I know a trick or too,

I ALSO know at EVEN a very expensive restaurant,, if it's busy and your food winds up o the floor, it' is going toing be "remediated" and "fixed" on your plate, and placed back in the oven for a quick reheat.

It's not all the time, and I am not really concerned about it, I'm sure it happens ALL over I just wanted you to know that

Anna

Blue Plate Special all the way.

 

[dreamvaper]

"They are ruined!" Me "blink blink"

EDITED : Pic removed, words not appropriate

 

[CMD-Ky]

I gotta go see the eye doctor here very soon and figure out what to do. They make bifocal contacts, but IDK. You can also get one nearsighted and one farsighted contact, I have heard. I could do that with my astigmatism eye, it's pretty much worthless anyway and I might be able to go back to a regular contact lens or something. That might be nice.

I had bilateral cataracts and had them removed. I opted for my left eye to fitted with a "reading" lens and my right eye to be fitted with a "distance" lens. This was a few years back and have never regretted it. I have pair of glasses that I wear for driving, depth perception was impaired by differing focal point lens. I have often thought that developing cataracts and then having them corrected was the best thing to come along for my vision.

 

[DaveP]

I wore contacts decades ago when hard lens were the standard. I put up with them for a year or so and finally went back to glasses with progressive lenses. Back when contacts were mostly hard lens and soft lenses were in their early stages I gave them up and went back to glasses. Now that progressive lenses are out in contacts I might try them again.

I wear glasses to drive and for reading, but most of the time I'm fine without them. I always pass the drivers license renewal test without my glasses, but it's mostly a joke. You read the numbers and letters and tell them which side the dot is flashing on. Piece of cake without glasses.