Note: I have switched back to Acuvue 2 lenses, this time opting for the colored ones.
Previously, I mentioned that I was having problems with my “Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear Plus” contact lenses. My eyes would become red, irritated, itchy, and would even have a minor discharge. It was surprising because these are new lenses and supposed to be some of the best you can buy (and sure should be for the price!). After a bit of research and experimentation, I found a solution that works for me.
I was previously using Kirkland (Costco brand) multi-purpose solution. When I found out that the solution may contribute to the problem, I tried Aquify, which is made by CIBA Vision Corporation. Aquify was a big improvement. I started to be able to wear the contact lenses for several days without problems, but they still weren’t as problem-free as I would have liked. With the previous brands of lenses I have used, I have never had any problems, but I was still ending up with red, irritated eyes. Sometimes it took 3 days, sometimes 7, but the lenses never consistently lasted as long as they were supposed to.
I moved on to a solution called “Clear Care” by the same company. It uses hydrogen peroxide (among other ingredients) to really clean the lenses. I’m sure you can imagine that hydrogen peroxide is not something you want in your eyes, and the cleaner comes with a special case that you have to use, which neutralizes the solution. After a couple of hours (they recommend six or more), the solution is essentially harmless. Since you can’t put Clear Care directly on your lenses before putting them in, I use the Aquify drops for that purpose. I like to have one or two drops on the lenses before putting them in.
Since I’ve been using Clear Care, I have had no problems with the Acuvue Oasys lenses. No more red eyes. No more irritation. No more discharge (“eye-goopies”). The lenses are great now. If I hadn’t been so frustrated by the ordeal, I would probably say these are now the best lenses I have ever had. Unfortunately, I am still rather annoyed that neither Acuvue nor the eye doctor even mentioned the possibility of problems nor potential solutions. If you’re having trouble with your Acuvue Oasys lenses, give Clear Care a try.
As a final note, the Aquify solution came with Aquify Long Lasting Comfort Drops. These drops are awesome! Commercials are always trying to convince you that their drops are “just like tears,” but I’ve typically found that drops for contact lenses are either slightly irritating or don’t last long. These drops work perfectly for me and I definitely recommend them if you wear contacts and have to work on computers for long periods of time.
184 Responses to “Acuvue Oasys Lenses Cause Red Eyes”
- 1 Pingback on Oct 12th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
- 2 Pingback on Jun 20th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
I’m so glad I came across your blog. I’ve been having the EXACT same problems with my eyes for the past couple of years. I’ve been wearing contacts since I was 17, and had no problems whatsoever. Then I switched to the Acuvue Oasys a few years ago. They were alright at first, then I started getting eye infections. My eye doctor told me that I just must not be cleaning my lenses properly and to try a different solution. Well that didn’t work. So then he said I had eye allergies and prescribed me Patanol. I used this every day, before I put my contacts in and after I took them out, and it seemed to help the redness a bit and kept the infections away for a year or so. But then I bought some new contact lenses (same brand) a few months ago since I ran out and ever since I’ve been on those new ones, I’ve been to the doctors 5 times with eye infections. I’m so fed up and frustrated since I don’t want any eye damage. They kept saying that I must be touching my eyes and keep re-contaminating my eyes, but I was like no! I’ve been really clean, using new contacts each time my eyes clear up, using brand new makeup, I’m not doing anything wrong. So I searched about the contacts online and found your blog. i’m so glad I’m not the only one with this problem! I’ll try out the Clear Care solution, but I plan on switching my contacts to a different brand soon.
I tried Acuve Oasys for the first time on 6/15, and on 6/19 a slight irritation started in my left eye. I could not bare this feeling so I removed the contact. It just got worse as the day progressed. At first I thought perhaps I had conjunctivitus (sp?) so I made an appt with my family doctor on 6/20. My doctor immediately advised me that I had an ulcer on my cornea and I needed to see a specialist right away. Long story short, I lived in total darkness for a little over a week as sunlight or any light was too painful to bare. I could have lost sight in this eye and today it is still not the same. I have been advised to never wear contacts again. So after 20 years of wearing contacts, I am having to change everything and believe me it has become a financial burden. I am writing this story in hopes to see if this is a pattern for this particular contact, because if it is this product should be banned.
im very surprised a lot of people have problems with these contacts. i’ve been wearing acuvue-2 for two years or so and they were perfectly fine. however, due to lack of oxygen, my optometrist told me to try oasys. so i tried the trial ones in december 2007 and they felt great. i didnt find any difference between acuvue-2 and oasys except they were harder to take out. after the trial, i bought a few boxes and finished my remaining acuvue-2. in february 2008, i started wearing oasys and i don’t know why, my right eye felt really irritating. it was painful everytime i blinked. when i took off the lenses, there were lots of veins around the white part of the eyes. i think i used it for around a month and then i went to an optometrist (another optometrist). i told him all the symptoms and he was actually quite surprised to hear all about it. he said my eyes were fine and told me to try advance. i wore them for the trial and they felt the same as oasys. the veins in my eyes never faded, even when they are taken out. i went back again and asked for Focus dailies ones because i thought it would be cleaner.
i use to wear contacts around 6 days a week, but now i have went down to only around 3. it’s july 2008 now but the veins in my eyes are still there! i went to a family doctor and he thought i had pink eye. he prescribed me antibiotics for the eyes and i used them for 10 days (glasses everyday) and the veins were still there.
after reading this blog, i immediatly went and bought clear care, except its not called clear care here in australia, its called Aosept. i opened new oasys two days ago and i’m not sure if it is because of the solution from the new contacts, but my eyes were really veiny. i wore glasses yesterday and plan to wear contact lenses today and see if aosept will be better for me. =)
From what I’ve read (and I had the same experience), pink eye seems to be the common thought when these lenses first cause trouble. Hopefully the Aosept will work for you; it (as Clear Care) helped a lot for my eyes, but in the end I switched back to Acuvue 2. I’ve never had problems with the Acuvue 2 lenses and, with the Clear Care, their comfort level is pretty close to the Oasys lenses. The Oasys lenses are supposed to be more breathable, letting in significantly more oxygen, but that doesn’t help too much if they’re causing all kinds of trouble! You might want to wear glasses for a few days before switching back to contacts to make sure they’ve had some time to recover. Hopefully you’ll have better luck!
I’ve had problems with Acuvue Oasys as well. After several successful months with Oasys, I started getting throbbing and red eye. The red eye doesn’t seem to want to go away despite my not wearing contacts at all anymore. Before Oasys, I wore Acuvue and Acuvue2 with NO problems for 14 years.
I have just switched from daily wear contacts to the Acuvue Oasys lenses at the
urging of my optometrist. I am also experiencing similar symptoms as you all have
stated. The first week went well, the contacts seemed comfortable. But now every
time i put the contacts in my vision seems to blur and then my eyes becomes very
irritated and red. I ended up having to wear my glasses for about 4 days for the
irritation to stop. My eyes became very light sensitive and teared like crazy, similar
feeling to tearing the cornea(which i have done before). I have tried putting in a brand
new pair and after a few hours the same result. I am happy to see there are others
out there experiencing similar reactions and i will try switching cleansers. Hopefully that will solve the problem. My eyes still have the red veins running through them too…doesn’t seem to want to clear up.
The switch to a peroxide-based cleaner really made the difference for me when I started using Oasys contacts.
I had been using Acuvue 2 and any mulipurpose solution I could get without any problems, other than evening dryness. My optometrist suggested Oasys, which were super comfortable for the first few weeks. Then I started having discomfort when inserting them, with burning, and a feeling like the lens were sticking to my cornea. They would in fact not “slide” around like their supposed to, for the first 1-2 hours.
The key here is that when I starting using Oasys the doc gave me a one week sampler of Ever Clean, a peroxide cleaner. Since I still had a few bottles of mulipurpose, when the Ever Clean ran out i went back to opti-free, and about 1 week after that the problems began. When my doctor gave me another Ever Clean sample, the problem went away almost immediately.
The optometrist explained that the subtle differences in people’s tear chemistry, along with the different formulations of solutions interacting with silicone hydrogel. can make a big difference in comfort.
Just thought i would leave some information for everybody experiencing problems
with the Acuvue Oasys contacts. I ended up going back to the optometrist to have
my red veiny eyes checked. Turns out that the veins and redness were due to lack of oxygen which is really wierd since these contacts are supposed to let through more oxygen then other lenses. I had previously worn daily wear contacts for 24 years prior to this switch and had no problems. So now i am keeping my contacts out for at least a week and doing steroid/antibiotic drops. I will go back to the doctor in a week to make sure my eyes are totally healed. Then we will retry the Oasys lense using the peroxide type cleanser. i previously had used REPLENISH. The doctor thinks maybe the REPLENISH just wasn’t getting the protein deposits off my lenses which then caused the lack of oxygen to my eyes. So if any of you are experiencing this you need to wait AT LEAST A WEEK before putting contacts back in so that your eyes are totally healed. Then try the peroxide type cleanser. I will let you all know how my results are next week…hoping this will do the trick.
i went to an ophthalmologist two weeks ago and he said i have inflammation of the eyes. i have also been given steriod/antibiotic drops (FML) to use for 2 weeks and rest for another week. i’ll be meeting him again next week to see the results. i don’t see much changes so far…ive finished with the drops and my eyes still have red veins..sighh..
a family’s friend (optometrist) told me to try oasys again but with Clear Care this time. *hopefully* Clear Care will do the trick! =)
Oh thank goodness I found this. I thought I was losing my mind.
I’ve had nothing but problems with these since I started wearing them. The eye doc Rx’ed these last year at my eye appt and pretty much right away I started having really red dry eyes. I’ve worn contacts (Acuvue 2 mostly)since I was 14 and have never had any issues. Because I got pg about the same time as I got the new lenses, the redness, dryness and irratation was attributed to hormones. But here it is, 2 1/2 months after I had my baby and I’m still having issues.
I will have my husband go pick up some of the other cleaner until I can get to the eye doctor.
Thanks so much for posting this….like the previous commenter, I thought I was going crazy. The lenses were incredible the first week or so and then suddenly my eyes itched, the lenses dried out in my eyes, and my vision got blurrier (my latest prescription was a relatively big jump to something stronger….but with the Oaysis lenses it was quickly blurrier than the outdated script). They also didn’t last 2-weeks at all…within days they were too unbearable to wear.
That said, using the hydrogen peroxide daily made a big difference….my eyes were less red and I didn’t feel like I needed an entire bottle of eye drops to get through the day (although my vision was still slightly out of focus). So anyone who is stuck with a box of these lenses or has to wait a few days until getting in to the optometrist’s should try the hydrogen peroxide.
I’ve since revisited the eye doc and am trying out Focus Dailies (I used to use Acuvue Advance, which were MUCH more comfortable long-term than the Oaysis for me). My optometrist also rechecked my prescription and it hadn’t changed…it really was the lenses wigging out with my eyes. I think these lenses can be great for some people, but not for others (and for some of us, triggers an allergic response)….it’s all a matter of finding the best personal fit.
I also have been a victim of the Oasys contact lenses. My eye Dr. put me in them in April of 2006, after wearing Acuvue Advance for a couple of years. He encouraged me to try them, they were the “new” contacts out there and were to be more comfortable. Shortly after getting them, I was treated for what we thought was conjunctivitis because of having itchy, red eyes with mucousy discharge only at night. Then, strangely at age 41 I started to have Rosacea symptoms and was treated for that, too (Dermatologist appt and a daily Metrogel cream to apply facially) I continued to have itchy, red eyes and discharge despite antibiotic drop treatment. Of course, I changed into new contacts, case, and new makeup. The problem never really went away, just some days were better than others. Mainly after switching to a new pair of contacts. I went back to my eye Dr. several times for the discharge and discomfort and even had 2 annual exams over the next 1 3/4 year. He eventually put me on Zylet eye gtts (Steroid plus antibiotic) for me to use temporarily for a few weeks at a time. I would wean off of the gtts and/or switch to new contacts and was able to tolerate my contacts for about a week at a time before needing the drops again. In May of this year, my last exam with this Dr., I even asked if it could be the Oasys contacts due to the time frame that this all started when I started wearing them. He said No, of course. My discomfort gradually became so bad that I couldn’t see sometimes. I had developed GPC so bad that my upper lid had blistery bumps and bright red inflammation on the inside. My upper lids even felt thick. The blisters secreted protein/mucous discharge that blurred and further irritated my eyes. The bumpiness pushed my contacts off center of my eye causing me to not be able to see (I would see prisms at times when the edges were directly over my pupil!) Sometimes when I blinked it felt like the contact was folding up. To have the contact not sit properly on the eye very uncomfortable. Sometimes I had to push on my upper lid to literally push the contact back into proper position in order to see if it happened when I was driving. As it was getting this bad…..I began to search on line to see if others were having problems, too. Thank God for this blog!!! I immediately switched back to Acuvue Advances and had immediate relief and could ‘see’ again! I went to another eye Dr. who diagnosed me immediatly just by listening to my story. He took a look at the inside of my upper lid and saw that I had a really bad case of GPC, and inflammatory response! My new Dr. couldn’t believe that I had been on Zylet gtts for over 1 year! I stopped that immediately. I had to be contact free and use Lotemax eye gtts 3-4 times/daily until it is gone. I hate to wear my glasses, so this was tortutous! It has been 6 weeks now and I still have a few bumps left, but can now wear Bausch and Lomb (totally different silicone) and use gtts only twice daily. I don’t feel the bumps that are still there. And my Rosacea is gone now too! That also is from an inflammatory response! I wonder “what” was causing the inflammation?!?! I get angry when I think about all of the Dr. bills, medications, new makeups, contacts, and discomfort that I put up with for the past 2 years…..I hope that by placing this response to your blog, it will help others, as it did for me….Thanks
I am so glad I found this blog on Acuvue Oasys. I can relate to many of the comments already posted.
I wore Acuvue 2 contacts for many years with no problems and minimal expense for contact solution. They were a little dry sometimes, but not unbearable. Several months ago I thought I would try Oasys since they were advertised to be more comfortable. I think instead of Hydraclear they have Hydrablur.
At first they seemed ok and I could wear them for a few days. However, after getting bumps on the back of my left eyelid, prescriptions for two different types of antibiotic/steroid drops to clear up the bumps, four doctor visits, minimal wearing now with blurriness and mattery discharge (after sleeping with them only one night), I am fed up with them.
I can only wear them a couple days and my left eye gets mattery while sleeping (even with Aquify drops before going to sleep and when waking up) I resorted to only wearing them one day to use them up. Now my left eye hurts again and I fear the bumps are back. So I am back to wearing glasses until my eye feels better. I got the story about how different lenses and the protein in tears can cause some buildup and about using the cleanser after wearing them for seven days. I thought to myself, these are disposable lenses. I don’t want to spend money on cleaners and eye drops. So I am now trying the Acuvue 1-day lenses. I will see how they work for me and post another comment with my results.
What a coincidence I did a Google and found this site! I’m 46, and new to contacts. I’ve been having discomfort with the Oasys I got about 5 weeks ago, and they seem to dry quickly, but I really don’t have anything to compare them to. My eye doc is pretty good, but just thia AM I asked him about switching and he just doesn’t think it’s the lenses. I was at Wal-Mart afterwards, and saw the Clear Care, and thought it might be worth a try. My contacts are soaking in it now. Is it hard to get your eye doc to try a different lens? If this doesn’t work, I think that’s what I want to do. I’m experiencing blur too, but that might be because I’m not adjusting to the mono-vision yet. I just hate to wear glasses all the time, but don’t want to harm my eyes! Also, when they talk about not mixing solutions, does that include soaking a lens in one solution, and later, after wearing it, using another one? Or do they just mean don’t mix them together?
In response to Cindy E.-i think they mean not to rinse with one solution and then store with another, unless you rinse with SALINE really good inbetween. I frequently switch around the cleansers but always rinse the contacts well with saline so not to get any funky chemical reactions. Seems like i can use the REPLENISH or RENEW cleanser as long as i put the SUPRA CLEANS drops in also then my Oasys contacts seem ok but i use the CLEAR CARE too and found that rubbing with a good rub type cleanser and then rinsing with saline prior to storing in the above mentioned cleansers seems to help make the Oasys somewhat more bearable…seems like i am still having a hard time getting 2 weeks out of these lenses…so i am just going to use these up and decided to go back to my old brand of CIBASOFT VISITINT LENSES. I wonder if these eye docs are getting some kind of kick back recommending these lenses? I have wore contacts for 25 years
without any problems and then as soon as the doctor pushed me into these Oasys, the problems started. My doctors seemed a bit apprehensive about giving a different prescription too but with a little insistants on my part, i got what i wanted.
Yeah, I don’t know why the eye docs are so insistent on staying with these things. I thought maybe it was just me, since I’m new to this! Another problem I have is making sure they are not inside-out! They are very clean today. So far the right one feels good. The left one keeps wanting to fold up and cling to itself like a piece of Saran Wrap or something, and I just opened it yesterday. It is very irritating in my eye, too. I’m about to throw it away, might be something wrong with it that I can’t see, it did that yesterday, too. So, all contacts don’t do this? It would be a shame if I had given up, just because the contacts are crappy. I definitely know now that I want to try another brand before giving up on wearing contacts, if I get to that point. I don’t hate glasses, but they are a nuisance at times, and I feel like I look younger w/o them. I’m hard on them too, because I seem to always hit them on things, or accidentally yank them off my face.
Cindy-not all contacts are as bad as these Oasys…so don’t give up. The same thing just happened to my sister in law. She just tried contacts for the first time and her doc prescribed these Oasys…she has had nothing but problems too…eyes red and irritated all the time. She was ready to give up wearing contacts and just go back to glasses. And then i just happened to mention to her all the problems i was having with these contacts and we soon discovered we aren’t the only ones. I still am noticing problems with my eyes and am starting to get a bit worried. Seems like my vision in my good eye is deteriorating and this is the eye that seems more irritated by the lenses. So i hope there isn’t something funky with these lenses that can cause permanent eye damage…i notice the red veins still haven’t gone away completely…they do look better but still not the way they were. If the blurring continues even with my glasses i think i am going to have to make another doc appointment. My doc had me try Acuvue 2 and O2 Optix…the O2 Optix didn’t seem any better than the Oasys…the ACUVUE 2 were more comfortable to me. It is hard with the Oasys to tell when the contact is inside out…i can’t see well enough to see the 123…but i always figure if the contact doesn’t
feel comfortable as soon as you put it in it is probably inside out or there could be something on the lense. So rinse it and retry and if that doesn’t work try flipping it inside out and try again and see if it is more comfortable. I wanted to notify Acuvue about all the problems with their lenses but couldn’t find any way to contact them on their site….i sure hope these contacts aren’ t causing eye injuries.
I went to their site, and here is how they say to contact them. http://www.jnjvision.com/contact_us.htm Looks like there is an e-mail form you can fill out. Let me know if you have any luck, I might also contact them, especially if you think it would help. My eyes do seem to feel better today with the Clear Care, so I’m feeling a bit more hopeful. The only time I had much redness was the 1st day I wore them, which is kinda surprising, because my eyes tend to get red easily from being outdoors. The 2nd day, big mistake- I didn’t realize I should only use eye drops made for contacts. I used Visine for allergy eyes, and that caused lots of irritation and watering! I was really worried that I had damaged my eye, and it was on the weekend, so couldn’t call the eye doc. I really have done well, considering I used to be extremely squeamish about messing with my eyes. I just get frustrated sometimes, I don’t like the blurring or discomfort! What kind of contacts (correction) do you have? I mainly wanted to be able to read things w/o glasses, like when I go to the store, read the paper, menus, recipes, etc. My vision is not too bad, except for that (old eyes, short arms…lol), I’m just slightly far sighted. So right now I am doing the monovision, but I am wondering about bifocal lenses, too. I wanted to go the cheaper route first, to see how I dealt with contacts.
Hi Cindy-E, use preservative-free eyedrops for your eyes when you have your contacts in because some eyedrops might react with your contact lenses. =)
i havent replied in 3 months now. my red veins in the eye still exist (started from feb 2008). the ophthalmologist prescribed me with two antibiotics drops and they made my red veins a little worse and he said its because of the preservatives inside the drops. so he told me to use preservative-free lubricating drops when my eyes feel irritated. i didnt wear contact lenses for 3 months. however, last week cause of the sunny day, i changed to my daily contact lenses for a day. oh my, that night my eyes were red! more red veins came out!
i have a feeling i might be intolerant to contact lenses. but my optometrist said it might be the fitting of the lenses…so hopefully its not my eyes but the lenses!
i hate oasys lenses. all the optometrist say oasys is really good, sigh!
a family friend (an optometrist) recommends me to try 1-day Acuvue Moist or Dailies AquaComfortPlus.
Cindy, if you dont wear contact lenses all the time, try daily disposable ones. i know they are more expensive but if you dont wear them everyday, then its worth it. i use to wear 2 week ones and i use to think, i got to wear them everyday or else its not worth it!! haha good luck! and i hope ull find the perfect lenses!
I think in the long run, daily disposables could work out, especially if I did bifocal ones. I’d save $ on solutions and stuff. With this monovision, I’m not sure if that would work. I work 4 10 hr days, and I use glasses at work, so really, I’d mostly wear the contacts on the other 3 days. But I don’t know if my eyes would ever get fully trained to the monovision if I didn’t wear them most days. I was just wearing one in the left eye. But yesterday, he decided we should try something in the right eye, too. So far that is working a bit better, not as blurry.
Just thought I would give an update. I am wearing the Acuvue Moist 1-day lenses and so far, so good. To be cautious though, I am alternating one day with glasses and the next day with the contacts. Eventually I hope to wear them daily, as intended.
So, at this point, I am not spending any money on cleansers. I only need minimal amount of saline solution if the lens is inside out and I need to flip it over. 99% of the time, the lens is in the right position when taking it out of the package. I would think Acuvue should check their machines for occasional lens flipping.
I refuse to spend money on cleansers for disposable lenses. I did that years ago in the pre-disposable contact era. When my optometrist suggested cleaning the Acuvue Oasys after 7 days, I told her for me I felt like that was going backwards.
With Acuvue 2, I got two weeks use out of them and could sleep in them with none of the complications that Acuvue Oasys gave me. I think I will email them.
Hi All,
I have been battling with the SAME problem. I wore Acuvue2 for over 10 years, no issues. After a year on Acuvue Oasys, I couldn’t take it anymore. I had visited my optometrist 3 times, all with the same answers all of you gave. . that I was doing something wrong. Well, after 3 rounds of very strong steroid drops I asked my family doctor to refer me to an opthomologist. He put me on Restasis therapy. Thanks to those contacts, I’ll be on Restasis for life for dry-eye— a condition that typically occurs in older people. I’m 26 by the way. I also use perservative free everything and no more contacts for me. I’ve been strictly told “glasses” only for nearly a year. I too am going to try Clear Care and Aquify and hope for the best. If you use Acuvue Oasys and currently experience no problems, stop using them NOW. Before it’s too late. Restasis is a brand name drug and is extremely expensive. Had I waited longer, I would have done permanent damage to my eyes. As it was, it has taken nearly 6 months for my eyes to heal from the damage. Let’s hope Clear Car and Aquify can allow me to wear contacts every once in a while. I leave for Mexico in 2 weeks, having booked the trip months ago, not realizing I would STILL be in glasses. Awful contact lenses!!!
I have been an avid acuvue 2 user for 4 years now and just got a new updated prescription for the newer acuvue oasis which supposedly have increased oxygen permeability. After just one week of wearing the oasis contacts i developed an eye ulcer. The pain was unbearable and the doctor gave me antibiotic eye drops (ciprofloxacin and erythromicin). I dont know why the oasis have had such adverse reactions in so many people with seemingly good hygene. I’m lucky i went to the doctor when i did or i could have permanently damaged my cornea. Now 4 days after the ulcer was diagnosed, i am no longer sensitive to light (was unbearable) and my eye is almost back to its original white color. I will never wear the oasis again, and i definitely recommend being very cautious if considering trying the oasis lenses. Definitely the worst contact lenses I have ever tried!
i found this by accident and i’m glad i did! i just started oasys and it felt like i was starting to get pink eye in one eye whenever i wore them. the first day was great, but afterwards… ! i thought it was just debris or that contact got infected somehow. now i know it’s the contacts. i don’t like the idea of not rinsing after usinga multi-purpose solution. does anyone know a good rinsing solution or if visine tears or rewetting drops cna be used for that purpose? has anyone had the same problems with advance or are they ok?
Hi Linda-just use plain saline for rinsing. I returned the boxes of Oasys that i could and threw out the ones that i was unable to and went back to my old type of contact…Ciba Visitints….SO MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE. No more problems now. A lot of people seem to like the Accuvue 2…they felt ok to me on my trial of them but i was afraid to try anything after my experience with Oasys i just want to stick with what i know works and is comfortable.
Just wanted to report that I have had no more problems with my eyes since switching to Acuvue Moist 1-day lenses. I can wear them daily, as intended. It does seem wasteful though throwing out the lens after one day of use. Sometimes I do take a break and wear my glasses for a day or two. I will not wear Acuvue Oasys again. Eventually I might try Ciba Vision Night and Day when I feel like paying for another contact lens refitting fee. One of my daughters wears Night and Day and has not had any trouble. Night and Day are more expensive though.
Thanks for this signt, I have been wearing the gp lenses since the late 80′s and a year ago was able to switch to toric lense, two months ago at my last check up my left eye had improved to where I did not need toric, that now is a Acuvue 2 with a troic in my right dominate eye.
However after wearing a trial Acuvue2 with no problems I had my RX filled only to be switched to Acuvue Advance for my left eye. After wearing it only 4 hours my left eye turned red. Wore my glasses for 4 days then wore the contacts again.
Pus and red left eye, no problem with my right eye.
Asked to be switched to Acuve2 after reading this site and being advised by a friend that wears Acuvue 2.
Not a problem in two weeks after wearing the same contact in the left eye. Time to change it this weekend. Right eye still has the toric and will need to wear due to astimagitism.
Thanks for your posts the helped greatly.
My daughter has just started wearing the Oasys contact lenses and has experienced four rounds of pink-eye and redness/irritation. I am thankful for all of the posts on this. We will try a different lens. We have also tried the clear care, but I don’t want to continue and risk her losing her vision!
Like so many others writing here, I have worn contacts for years without any real problems…until switching to Acuvue Oasys lenses. I am 34 years old, and I began wearing contacts at age 13. For years, I wore the type of contacts you remove and clean each night. I started wearing extended wear contacts years ago (presumably shortly after they were introduced in the market.) Over the course of approximately 20 years or more, I may have had pink eye or some other type of infection two to three times. In September of 2008, my optomitrist recommended I try Acuvue Oasys lenses. I did and within a month or two I began noticing my eyes would get red easily. Because of this redness and stinging, I actually took BETTER care of my eyes and contacts (by removing and cleaning them more often) than I had with other extended wear contacts. However, my eyes recently became extremely red and began burning and stinging. The pain in the right eye was unbearable. I immediately made an appointment with an Opthomologist & just learned that both eyes were infected and the right eye had “lesions” the doctor said may or may not lead to permanent scarring! I may never be able to wear contacts again and may even have worse vision. The doctor said it was caused by extended wear contacts, but I can’t help but wonder why it only happened now that I started wearing Acuvue Oasys lenses. Oh also…along with the red, itchy eyes, I now have swollen cheeks. No-one seems to know the cause of the swelling but I do not think it is a conincident that they started looking “puffy” the same day I went to the doctor about my eyes! The two must be related…has anyone else had a problem with swelling in or around the face/eyes?
I have been wearing contacts for 8 years now, after my old lenses weren’t doing the job my doctor suggested Oasys. The first week they were completely fine, no problems at all. I had a follow up appt. a week after I started the new lenses to make sure everything checks out. My doctor also said that you can sleep in these lenses up to four days or something. I never sleep in my contacts, my eyes are very irritated if I do. So I was glad to know that if I ever needed to one night if I got caught up I would be okay the next day. WRONG! My eyes are currently bloodshot red, and continually get worse. I am experiencing those same irritated, itchy, and discharge from my eyes. I am really nervous to continue wearing these contacts. This is my first experience with the Acuvue brand..I used SofLens previously. Is there anything else I should do? I am going to try Clear Care…but I am still nervous about having more vision problems.
As a lot of others have commented, Acuvue 2 has been great and you can sleep in those. Acuvue Moist 1-day lenses have also worked for me. I would not recommend Acuvue Oasys for anyone after what I went through and what many others have gone through. Also, I feel it is not worth the money if we have to buy a cleaner for a disposable contact lens.
I have wear contact lenses for three years. Lately every time I wear my contacts my eyes get red. If is not the right eye is the left eye if not both. At first I thought I had a pink eye, but I don’t think so because when I don use contacts my eye returns to normal. The area around my eye is clear. I have throw away many contact pairs because of this and bought new cases but the problem is still there. I don’t know what to do? and I don’t know what I have? Can someone help me.
Thank you for posting this. When I first did a Google search for “Acuvue oasis + dryness” all I got were promotional sites about how it’s supposed to keep your eyes moist and breathable, although that has not been my experience. I’m switching back to my old Bausch & Lomb lenses, and I can’t wait for them to arrive.
Thanks also for mentioning the ClearCare rinse. I don’t use them every night since it’s a little involved (the special case asks for a lot of solution), but I will periodically use it as a treatment for lenses that might be getting old. It’s a great way to get a little extra wear out of them. They come out feeling new and fresh!
I was just prescribed Acuvue Oasys today. I usually tend to conduct some research online before trying anything new, especially medically related things. I’m so glad to have found this blog. I have spent some time reading all of the postings. I’ll now watch out when trying these contacts. These contacts seem to cause more probs than solns.
I have previously worn Biomedics/Ultraflex55 for a few years with no problems. However, to save a bit money on contacts and to try colored contacts, I switched to using Acuvue 2 and Acuvue 2 Color. I have not had problems (though they were never better or even the same as BioMedics) until I left contacts for a year and went to glasses (for the most part) and came back to contacts about a year ago. Now, I am not able to wear contacts for that long and my eyes get very dried. The rewetting drops don’t seem to work and even make it worse after 10 minutes of having them in my eyes. My eyes also get red and have recently started watering overnight. Redness and watering of eyes is not that frequent, however. I have also been told by my Opthalmologist that I have bumpy eye lids, too.
Because of dry eyes, I was prescribed Oasys, today, to help with dryness… The new pair of Oasys as a trial felt pretty good today. The prescription has also been bumped up just slightly and the better and comfortable vision could also be due to that. I only worn these contacts for about 3-4 hrs today.
Now reading this blog, I’m thinking I maybe worsening the situation by this switch instead of making things better. It’s hard to decide if I should give it a week or two and see how they work out or is it not worth the risk.. I’ll definitely wait and see how they feel before ordering large amounts. I’m also planning on ordering glasses so, if I find a good pair (which I never seem to be successful at doing – none of the pairs look good and fit well on me, and that’s why I first started wearing contacts), I won’t be wearing contacts all that much. I’d like to ask people who only wear contacts, occasionally, how they store their contacts? Is it okay to wear them over longer period than instructed since you’re not wearing them everyday? I may still be sticking with biweekly soft lenses if and when I switch to wearing glasses, and contacts only occasionally.
I would also like to get some recommendations on other better but still cheap contacts that I may not be aware of that I can suggest to my Opthalmologist as alternatives I’m willing to try.
Thanks, guys!
I only wear contacts on weekends. My eye doctor told me that I can wait longer to throw them away. So if the normal wearing time is 2 weeks, I can go a little over a month. I store mine in the Clear Care. I am using a different lens now, since switching to multi-focal. When I put them in, after not wearing them all week, they are pretty irritating for a little while, but it goes away.
My “red eyes” and extreme sensitivity to light turned out to be a bad case of double pink eye. My doctor put me on Vigamox drops and it went away in 3 days. I am now wearing my Acuvue Oayss with no problem. I did switch to Clear Care though and they feel better than before.
i have tried advance, and acuvue 2, i want to try oasys but im afraid because of all the problems everyone is having. some people it works. some doesnt. im going to the optometrist today and see if they can give me a trial pair. i hope it goes good.
Laurin, I’m so relieved to read your email. I’m also having swollen eye/face problems. I had worn Acuvue 2s for as long as I can remember — maybe 15, 20 years? When i went to a new optometrist in January because I was becoming a little longsighted (I’m 42) he said there was some venous intrusion into the edges of my cornea due to lack of oxygenation, and recommended I move out of Acuvue 2. Things are a little confused from this point, as he gave me different lenses to try in each eye, which I’ve subsequently realised was poor practice, as different types of lenses have their own idiosyncracies. One was Oasys, one was Optix Air. With both types of lenses, vision would be good for several days, then I would start to have the sensation of not being able to see very well — vision deteriorated to the point that I was seeing oily haloes around lights and wasn’t confident to drive.
When I told the optometrist I had deteriorating vision with the first set, he wouldn’t believe me, then tested my eyes with the lenses in and said my vision must be shifting around because I was 42. (But I never felt my vision was any different when wearing my glasses). He tested my eyes with the lenses in. When I put the new set of Oasys lenses in I had poor vision from the outset. i went to another optometrist who again gave me Oasys trial lenses before I went overseas for a month. One of these developed a tear the next day, so I put in an old Acuvue 2 of the old prescription. Weirdly, the acuvue 2 vision remained crystalline, while the vision in the Oasys deteriorated.
When i returned, I got fitted for Ciba Dailies. These instantly felt more comfortable, and, better still, vision has remained crystalline in the fortnight that I have had them. However I’m worried that I have sustained some infection or damage from the Oasys and Optix lenses as my eyes have not felt right since. My eyelids have continued to feel lumpy and swollen. For the last week my eyes have felt swollen (it hurts to move them) and my face has also felt swollen and puffy beneath my eyes. My eyes look fine, they aren’t red, it’s more a case of feeling as if there is a swelling at the top of the eye cavity or beneath the lenses, and they are also very light-sensitive. Sometimes I can hardly bear to look at my computer screen, which is a problem as this is my job. Has anyone else had similar problems of longterm reaction to Oasys lenses?
I have and so has my work colleague – if she had not told me to go the optometrist IMMEDIATLY yesterday when I had an inflamed eye I would not have been sent to the hospital and gotten treatment for a corneal ulcer that could have had catastrophic consequences. Extremely unimpressed! When I rang her to thank her for telling me to go she said she had changed to Oasys recently and I replied so had I! This seemed suspicious so I googled and got this blog. Looks like Oasysgate to me. I am back at the hospital today and will tell the eye specialist and the Optometrist to read this blog. I am going back to old lenses once my eye has healed properly.
I had no pain and when they touched my eye with a tissue I did not blink, so sensation was nearly gone. This is a real worry considering how many people are apparently using these crap lenses.
I’ve been using OASYS for a few months and they have really irritated my eyes (red, itchy and my left eye pulsates/throbs.) I previously wore Acuvue Advance for many years w/o any problem.
I noticed if I put on a new pair, they were fine. But after a few days were terrible, so I think the problem is cleaning.
I googled OASYS and cleaning and it led me to this post and I’m glad that I saw it. I will try a peroxide-based cleaner. Previously w/ the Acuvue Advance I used Replenish; that’s what I’ve been using heretofore with the OASYS but think something stronger is in order. I notice the Optometrist gave me a bottle of Aquify when he prescribed the OASYS, I just hadn’t used because always used Replenish. Now I’ll give it a try and report back.
Thanks again for this posting. Hopefully it works. I’m at school and won’t be home to see my Optometrist for a month, but when I do I’m requesting a new prescription to get the Advance again.
i suggest you guys also contact acuvue. I told them to look at this blog because this is getting ridiculous. so many problems with these lenses.
Follow-up:
Since using Aquify for cleaning I’ve had a better experience w/ OASYS.
It’s funny, I looked it up and the FDA has approved/recommended 3 cleaners for silicone hydrogel lenses (which OASYS are): Aquify, Optifree Express, and ClearCare. I wish my optometrist had told me this. If users stick to these approved cleansers I think the problems with OASYS will be reduced.
My solution to the problem is not to use Acuvue Oasys. That saves me the expense of buying the additional cleaner and it saves me the additional cleaning time. When I had the problems with Oasys, my optometrist did give me a bottle of ClearCare, but I was using Aquify first and then used up my Oasys before needing to use the ClearCare. One important thing to note is that ClearCare must not go directly in your eyes. The lenses go into a special case and sit for 6 hours in the ClearCare while ClearCare neutralizes. It does not say specifically on the package, but it looks like then you must rinse them in sterile saline again before they go into your eyes.
I wonder if sales for Aquify and ClearCare have increased since Oasys became available. Just a thought…….
Does anyone have a cure for the red eyes after you give up your oasys lenses? It has been just shy of a full year since I even dared to put ANY contact lens into my eyes as the redness still flares up on a daily basis. I did make my optometrist switch me back to acuvue2, but I don’t want to put them in until the redness goes away.
Matt and others,
In response to your question about how to reduce the redness after discontinuing your contact use. . . I posted quite a while back with all of these same problems. All from Acuvue Oasys, of course. It has now been nearly a year and a half since my first visit to a new ophthalmologist to help me with the problem. I have been on Restasis therapy for over a year now and it has helped tremendously. I am able to put contacts in here and there, when absolutely needed. And overall, my eyes feel a lot better. I know this won’t necessarily be everyone’s solution, but I recommend talking to your doctor about dry eye. That is what those lenses caused for me. The really irritating part of the whole thing though is that I’ve been told that I will need to use those drops for the rest of my life, a fairly expensive treatment, I might add. Anyway. . . I recommend talking to an ophthalmologist NOT AN OPTOMETRIST about the problems you’ve been having and see what they can do. The reason I believe an ophthalmologist is more likely to help is because they will be less concerned with keeping you in glasses or contacts, and more concerned with the overall health of your eyes — something my optometrist was clearly lacking after my repeated complaints after switching to Oasys. I am now saving and planning for Lasik surgery since I can no longer use contacts on a regular basis. Many times, that surgery causes dry eye anyway, so I guess I see little difference at this point beyond losing the glasses too.
Hope this helps.
P.S. I’d like to clarify that I tried using all 3 of the above mentioned solutions — Aquify, ClearCare, and OptiFree — with no success. I had used OptiFree during majority of my Oasys use before trying the other two. Personally, had I found this site early on, I would not have even taken the risk of trying the others. I would have just stopped using Oasys, to be safe. To those of you still trying to use Oasys, I strongly recommend switching to another contact. Better safe than sorry as it is clear that the eye doctors are missing something with this particular brand.
I totally agree with Abi about seeing an opthamologist instead of an optometrist-seems most optometrists don’t want to believe that it is the Acuvue Oasys contact causing all this trouble. I have posted earlier with all the same complaints as everyone else. I have been wearing contacts since 16 years old and am now 41. I had never experienced such discomfort and problems as with the Oasys contacts. I tried all the other cleansers with it only helping me to be able to wear the contacts for maybe two days since opening but with my vision blurring. I went back to my old type contacts Ciba vision visitints without any problems and returned the Oasys contacts that i could. For the heck of it the other day my regular contacts needed cleaning so i thought i would try one of the brand new leftover pairs of Oasys that i could not return( since ripping off the packaging for the rebate) and within just a few hours of wearing them my eye started to get red and irritated so there is definitely something up with these contacts. I don’t know if some of us are allergic to the silicone or what it is but i took the contact out immediately and my eye was still bothering me the next day just from wearing that short time. So, if anyone is having any problems with these contacts stop wearing them immediately and ask your doctor for different type contacts…i don’t think the cleansers make that much of difference at all.
I can’t believe I found this blog! I was prescribed Acuvue Oasys contacts in late February. This was my first experience with contact lenses and at first they felt great. About four weeks into wearing them, however, I started getting very red, painful, swollen eyes. I went to an Urgent Care Center as it was the weekend and they referred me to a Opthalmologist. He prescribed Prednisone drops and no contact wear for several weeks. (He never mentioned that it could be the type of contacts I was wearing). I gradually started wearing lenses again and I started getting the horrible red eyes and pain again. So back to the doctor I went and he prescribed Restasis. (Still no mention of the fact that this seems to be a common problem with Oasys!).
Finally I just stopped wearing my contacts and called my Optometrist. She will see me in two weeks to prescribe a new contact lense in case the problem is that I’m allergic to the Silicon in these lenses.
However, in the meantime, I did pick up some Clear Care. Do you think I should give it a try before switching lenses? I’m so afraid of causing eye damage. I already have one ulcer on my left eye. I’m thinking maybe I could try one contact in one eye and none in the other and see what happens. I hate to try new contacts if it’s just because of the solution?
What really makes me so mad though is that you have to be your own advocate. Don’t these doctors read up on products or ever check the internet for blogs such as this?
There is definitely something in the composition of the Acuvue Oasys lenses that my eyes did not like. I had bumps on the back of my eyelid and could not wear contacts for a long time while I took the steroids to clear up the bumps. There are other lenses out there that work well, so if I were you, I would avoid Oasys at all cost. Many of us are spending a lot of extra money on optometrist and ophthamologist visits, plus solutions, and medications to clear up the problems with our eyes.
I am curious to know if anyone has pursued any legal action as a result of this problem. I’m not interested in “pain and suffering” or anything like that. But I would be very interested to know how feasible it would be to force them to put a warning, similar to side effects on medication, on the back of EACH contact box. I don’t think they should be allowed to make these contacts without a more clear warning considering the fact that by the time you begin having problems with your eyes as a result, it’s likely too late. And especially when the result could land you with a $65/month Restasis habit.
I guess I’m just frustrated, as I’m sure all of you are, that I did everything I was supposed to do — correct cleansers, good contact and hygiene habits, etc.— and yet have found myself in a position where I have to put drops in my eyes before getting out of bed every morning to be able to actually open them. Though things have definitely improved, it has been over a year since I stopped wearing these contacts and I am still dealing with the consequences daily. It seems unfair for someone else to have to go through the same thing with all of these testimonials considering most don’t seem to find this blog until they begin having problems.
I would also like to quickly add my thanks to Ian and others for creating and posting on this blog. Validation isn’t worth much these days, but when you are in the situation it is so helpful, yet all the while unfortunate, to know that it’s not you. The suggestions have helped tremendously. Truly, thank you.
Hi,
I too have had problems with these lenses. I started using about 4 mths ago. At first they were great… well about 1.5 mths ago I came home from work and my eyes were so red. Went to contact lense fitter and eyes were in bad shape. Then went to dr on Antibiotics and steriods. Now have gone to see an Opthamologist who told me I have an eye ulcer and that I have to stop using my contacts. Not sure for how long. I have never had this problem before. I am 35 in good health and now I am so sad having all this. I wear my glasses but my eyes feel very dr and irritated and my eyes are still red at times. I am so frustrated, upset and scared. I hope I can wear contact lenses again. I am going for the daily disposibles now I dont want to take a chance.
I recently received a pair of Acuvue Oasis upon my last visit to the eye doctor. Before leaving the eye doctor I inserted my new contacts. An hour after I inserted the contacs I began to have issues. The contacts began to irritate my eye, primarily my right eye. Iniitially I assumed I probaly had debris in my eye and it was probaly just a matter of me getting home and rinsing off the debris. Once I got home I rinsed my contact out and I still had the same level of iritation more so in my right eye. Then I began to realize it wasnt debris it was the fact I could actually feel the contact in my eye. Then I noticed slight irritation with my left eye, noticing I could slightly feel the contact in my left eye.
I have been wearing contacts for atleast 8-9 years. I never experienced as many issues as I did with Oasis. Two days later after visiting the eye doctor I called them and explain my experience with the contacts. It was a shock to the individual at the doctors office because they stated the Oasis contact is suppose to be more comfortable. So this individual arranged an appointment for me to come back in and visit with the opthamologist. I explained my issues and the opthamologist assusmed it may be the base curve in my contact causing the issue. Prior to the Oasis I wore a base curve of 8.7 (Acuvue 2) and I was given a base curve of 8.4 in the Oasis. So the opthamologist suggested I try an Oasis with a base curve of 8.8 since they dont come in 8.7. The opthamologist also stated the iritation may be due to the fact the Oasis made with different material than the Acuvue 2 (What I normally wear). In addition, I was given a trial pair of Acuvue Advance with a base curve of 8.7 to try.
The Acuvue Oasis with the 8.8 base curve still gave my eyes the same level of irritation as the prior ones I tried. It was minimal difference if any. My eyes still were experiencing a level of discomfort I hadn’t experienced in all my years of wearing contacts. The only time I remember experiencing this level of irritation with a contact is when my contacts would get old and it was time to open a up a new pack or when I got debris on them. So after experience discomfort with the two different pairs of Acuvue Oasis (8.4 and 8.8 base curve) I tried the trial pair of Acuvue advance I was also given by the opthamologist. The Acuvue Advance did seem to be slightly better than the Oasis but still caused irritation to my eye and I could still feel them in my eye. In addition, it seemed as though they dried out quickly as well.
Before my latest visit when I was given a trial pair of Acuvue Oasis I had always worn Acuvue 2. With Acuvue 2 I never experienced issues with a new pair of contacts. Once I put them in they normally wouldn’t dry out and were extremely comfortable and I would forget I had them in. Also, I would even sleep in them sometimes. I never had an issues with them so I probaly should of stuck with them since they were working out really well for me. But when the doctor described something that was suppose to be better I went for it not thinking about the fact the brand (Acuvue 2) I use is treating me just fine. But I tried Acuvue Oasis and noticed a difference the same day and I was confident by day 2 these contacts were not cooperating with my eyes. I know Acuvue 2 advetises its flexibilty and I believe that has a lot to do with the comfort it provides. To my knowledge, no other contact advertises flexibilty as a main feature as does the Acuvue 2. I plan on calling my opthamologist tomorrow to request Acuvue 2 once again and I plan on sticking to whats been working for me.
After experiencing the discomfort with the Acuvue Oasis and Advance it had me extremely irritated with contacts to the point were I was thinking about lasik eye surgery. Just a few days of contact lenses irritating my eyes was enough and I had been wearing contacts for 8-9 years and I was pushed over the edge with a few bad experiences. I look foward to getting back into my Acuvue 2 lenses and Im confident Ill be able to return to my prior experience when contacts were comfortable. I just dont understand how something advertised as more comfortable can be the total opposite, completely uncomfortable and irritating. I haven’t done much research about hydroclear but I think the irritation stems from this substance. I noticed the Oasis and Advance have added levels of hydraclear and I speculate this is not meshing well with my eye.
I would like to thank everyone for their post. I seriously thought it was something wrong with my eyes when they began to reject the Oasis and Advance before I read this sight. I was going to try another solution (as one post on this sight recommends) besides the Opti-Free Express I already use but I didnt want to become experimental when I know for a fact the Acuvue 2 has never given me any issues in the past. In addtion, I think it is odd when you have a contact that may even require a special kind or specfic type of solution. But I must admit I do notice that Opti-Free tends to be more comfortable than Renu. But even when I used Renu it never had my contacts to the point where they were unbearable to were as did the Acuvue Oasis and Advance. Also, I must add on that the trial pairs I was given in the Acuvue Advance and Oasis advertised “with hydraclear,” so I think this has something to due with the irritation I exprienced from both sets of contacts with this ingredient. another theory I have is that the Acuvue 2 may be so comfortable and may provide a level of comfort your eyes began to expect so when you try something that is not as comfortable your eyes become irritated easily.
But in closing I recommend that you always report any signs of irritation to your opthamologist immediatly and take your contacts out if they irritate your eye. I dont remeber any type of irritation when I began wearing my contacts 8-9 years ago unless I had debris in them. Dont settle until you experience the high level of comfort your eyes deserve. As many others have mentioned on this post there is a pair of contacts which will fit your eyes just fine and give you the comfort your looking for. For me and apparenly many others on this sight it appears Acuvue 2 has been the answer. So if you havent trid Acuvue 2 and are experiencing irritation with your contacts get a trial pair of Acuvue 2. As I mentioned before Acuvue 2 is what I wore before my latest poor experience with the Acuvue Oasis and Advance (with hydraclear). Also, As I mentioned I plan on going right back to where I started with Acuvue 2 and the comfortable experience they provide. What really sold me on trying a different type was the idea you could wear the Oasis for extended periods and could sleep in them for days at a time and it was not discourage by the opthamologist. But I tried it and the Acuvue Oasis didnt work for me so Im going back to Acuvue 2. Ill be calling the Opthamologist tomorrow.
My Optometrist has me trying Biomedics XC. So far, so good.
She told me that many people experience the same symptoms I did with the Acuvue Oasis lenses.
The thing that really bothers me though, is that my Opthalmologist never mentioned that all my problems could be related to the type of the contacts nor the silicone in them.
Maybe he was hoping I’d give up and go for Lasix!
I also have switched to Clear Care Peroxide solution, just to be on the safe side! I’ll keep you posted and let you know if the Biomedics become intolerable like the Acuvue Oasis did!
I am so glad I found this blog. For the past 8 months I’ve been plagued with eye problems including a corneal ulcer in December. All the while I’ve been using the Oasys. The Clear Care solution is of no help to me since I was using it when I first started having problems. My doctor switched me to Opti Free and preservative free eye drops. At least once a month I experience what looks to be pink eye. I wore contact lenses for 15 years with no problem before switching to the Acuvue, I will be making an appointment with my ophthalmologist in the morning to discuss this problem and switching to a different brand of lenses. Thank you all for sharing your experiences!
I was using Refresh for my advanced monovision lenses. I then switched to clear care. What really bugs me is how I’ll put in a fresh pair of lenses and next thing I know one of them has folded on itself or it feels like there is a hunk of sand in my eye. If I take them out and rinse with saline, I see nothing on them. Sometimes it takes several tries taking them out and putting them back in until they are right. Within hours it seems, they either are super dry or I have mucus lumps in my eyes. I’m going to try the Aquify drops and see if that helps. I’m wondering after reading this blog is it’s a problem with the accuvue lenses themselves. The lenses also don’t last 2 weeks, maybe a week or so and I have to change them for a fresh pair. Very annoying to say the least.
So I bought the Aquify drops and they are so greasy I couldn’t see anything after I put them in my eyes. I’m back to using just Clear Care and then rinsing with saline then putting a drop of Refresh on the lenses before applying. I think I’m going to make an appt with the the optometrist to try another type of lenses. These Accuvue Advanced are a total pain, always folding on themselves, I blink and it’s on my eyelash, or they have little rips in them after only wearing a few days.
Hey everyone,
I just saw an ad for new contacts by CIBA Vision called Air Optix. There are 3 different types. At airoptix.com there is interesting information and you can get a free trial pair.
I thought this was an interesting comparison of brands:
http://www.airoptix.com/ecp/AONDA/AONDA_Resistance.shtml
It says: “After a month of wear, AIR OPTIX NIGHT & DAY AQUA has significantly less lipid deposition than any other available competitive 2-week and monthly replacement silicone hydrogel lens.”
So I am not sure if their composition is similar to Acuvue Oasys or not.
Anyway, just thought I would pass this along. I am thinking about trying them.
Hello,
In the 1970′s was a new Silicone lens, said to “improve oxygenation”, “longer wearing” …all the same crap we were told about these Oasys lenses.
I concur with the reactivity so many are reporting: it is not you – it is normal immune response to a lens that failed to correct a known historical adverse problem. Its jokers who want to sell a product without careful testing to solve a known problem. These jokers don’t give a damm that we are all being caused needless suffering and greater risk in our lives through a “sys”temic compromising and neglect of our vision and eye health. Its class-actionable, as far as I am concerned.
I’ll never forget wearing the silicone hard lenses and being on short final in 1980 with a planeload of passengers and experiencing this sudden “cloud-up” reaction. Fortunately, I instantly popped out the lens and there was no further problem. Now, 29 years later we are all still having this sort of problem? So many people are reporting – thanks for the Internet!
Mark Shinnick
Mark,
You’re right – it’s the silicone in the lens. I think most people experiencing issues, as I did, are allergic to the silicone used.
As I indicated in a previous post I was experiencing a lot of problems w/ the Oasys. I tried the cleaners and using Clear Care made things better w/ Oasys (I no longer experienced the red eye) BUT they were still uncomfortable (felt like I had sand in my eye, esp. when I removed the lenses.)
I spoke to my doctor and she said that some people are allergic to the silicone used in the lenses. So I went back to Acuvue Advance and have no problems.
Why they don’t ask people about their allergies or monitor this when prescribe is beyond me.
Point being, if experiencing problems just stop use. There’s nothing you can do to make it better – it’s just that your eyes cannot and will not tolerate these lenses b/c of the silicone used in them.
Apparently this silicone is supposed to be helpful (allows more oxygenation or something); but if your allergic to it, then the benefit is seriously outweighed by the reaction.
I wish all the best!
I seriously thought I was going crazy! I was an acuvue with hydraclear wearer for at least 2 years. I had been wearing contacts since I was 17, so over 10 years. I get a prescription for the oasys and it started out okay. Then suddenly my right eye started tearing and turned bright red, like a tomato. I was instantly alarmed and made an appt to see my optometrist. He immediately told me my eyes were inflamed and put me on antibiotic/steroid eye drops. That cleared up my eyes, but my right eye still felt strange. He tells me to start wearing the contacts again and the redness came back. Suddenly I was unable to wear contacts after over 10 yrs of wearing them successfully.
I saw my opthamologist and he claimed it was because of overwear….seriously? I just started wearing my glasses instead of my contacts, only putting them in for special occasions to preserve my eyeballs.
Now I know that I will just need to make another appointment to get switched to acuvue 2 or even hydraclear, which my eyes were perfectly fine with. Oasys sucks and I’m not willing to go above and beyond to wear them. What a waste of money! I hope no permanent damage has been done to my eye since it was the most affected. It still feels a little weird, even now, but I haven’t noticed a vision change as of yet.
Really glad to find this website. I started wearing Oasys about 4 weeks ago, after years of Acuvue 2 with no problems. Nothing but dry, bloodshot eyes since I made the switch. Unfortunately I bought a year’s supply because of a rebate deal. Haven’t filled out the rebate form yet, hopefully I can return the unused boxes and switch back to Acuvue 2. Hopefully I haven’t done any permanent damage to my eyes!
I see I’m not the only one with this problem. Glad I found this page. I went to the doctor and she told me to try a new pair. Same thing happened. I was using Opti-Free
solution,which was given to me from my eye doctor to use with these lenses. Then I decided to change Aquify which is used with these lenses, according to the box. Wow, like magic all my problems went away. I recommened everyone to try aquify with these lenses. Now I love my lenses.
Hi Everyone. I too have had a horrible experience with Accuvue Oasys. I have worn extended wear soft contact lenses for 15 years, no problems at all. I have been in Accuvue Oasys since Oct. ’08. I had some feelings of dryness, and my eyes hurt after i took them out at night for several months. I thought this must be b/c i spend 8 hours a day in front of the computer.
I needed a refil in April ’09. When the new box of contact arrived, I put them in. Within 2 days, i had horrible redness and irritation and discomfort. I couldn’t wear them for more than several hours. So i went to the opthamologist, and I had an ulcer. He gave me Vigamox to clear it up. Once I got the OK to go back to wearing contacts, i opened a fresh pair and within 24 hours my eyes were red again. So i made another appointment, worried that the ulcers were not healed all the way or something. He did not see the ulcer, figured it must just be a viral infection. So i used the vigamox for several days.
Once that was over, I put in another fresh pair. My eyes would get red if i wore the contacts for more than several hours. This went on for 2-3 weeks. Then I got an acute eye pain and my eye was extremely red, lids swollen, horrible pain like I had something in my eye. I went to a new Opthamologist who did beleive anything scratched my eye, but diagnosed me with a keratosis. (it was not quite yet an ulcer). This injury may have been from my exposure to UV light at the dentist’s office which occurred 24 hours before my pain set in. Not sure. In either case, my Opthamologist wanted to try the Oasys with a different base curve for a better fit, in case the ulcers and corneal abrasions were happening from the contacts.
So with the keratitis and ulcers behind me, i tried this new version of the Oasys. Within 1 day my eyes began getting red during wear. After several days of trying to wear the contacts, my eyes got so red and remained inflamed and painful even 48 hours after i removed the contacts.
I am going to the Opthamologist again tomorrow to see if he can switch me to a non-silicone hydrogel contact. I must have issues with the chemicals in this particular kind of contact lens.
PS. my solution has been the Opti Free Replenish for over a year now. Not sure if I should try the other solution – but i think i want to just get away from the Oasys and go back to what ever kind i used to wear.
QUESTION: has anyone who has been wearing Oasys for a while noticed that their new box of contacts caused them immediate discomfort? I wonder if they changed something in the chemistry? My problems coincided with a new 6-month supply that i purchased. (However, i have been having dry eye and pain off and on during the whole time I have had Oasys).
Thank you all for posting your problems with the oasys lenses! You have saved me from possibly a huge mistake! I think I will stick with the tried and true Acuvue 2′s!
Thanks!
I just want to add to the number of people who have reported problems with Oasys contacts. I wore Acuvue 2′s for years without any problem whatsoever (aside from the occasional dry eye toward the end of the wearing period), but when my eye doctor gave me Oasys contacts, my left eye became severely red and irritated worse than I have ever experienced. I will be visiting my eye doctor tomorrow to try to clear up the issue and will be insistent on my old scrip and seriously considering Lasik to be done with the problems/complications altogether. Thanks
Hi everyone,
My story is a lot like many of the posts above, but I feel like more posts revealing problems with Oasys, the better!
I used Acuve 2 for YEARS, and then two years ago I switched to Oasys because my doctor informed me that they let in more oxygen etc… They worked great for a few months and then suddenly out of nowhere I developed a severe form of conjunctivitis. I was put on steroids for a month and then went back to wearing Oasys. Again, my eyes were fine for about four months and then became irritated again. I kept thinking I just had sensitive eyes and my doctor(s) kept telling me I just had to be careful and clean my contact and eyelids very carefully to avoid build up and infections. I literally tried everything and could not have been more sanitary and careful. However, every few months I would have a flare up again. It has become clear that it is definitely the contacts and have chosen to switch back to Acuve2 after reading these posts.
I cannot believe this blog. I have been wearing contacts for over 20 years and i never had one issue. I slept in them, I wore them over the time limit, I had no problems. I started wearing the oasys lenses and had issues with the same conjuntivitis. The oozing eyes, the redneess and I mean blood red. They were a weekly lens or bi weekly and I couldnt get even 3 days out of them. I experienced all the same things like the excuse that I wasnt cleaning them, and all that stuff, but I knew it was that contact. There is something nasty in that lens, that doesn’t agree with some people. It has to be that hydraclear stuff. I actually was out of lenses three times since then and had to wear my glasses for months until it cleared. I also had a bunch of cornea issues and a scar now on my cornea out of my line of vision thank god. I have pain with new contacts as well.
I then threw away all my old cases and everything and I am much better now. Do yourself a favor and start fresh.
If you are thinking of using these contacts don’t do it. Someone needs to start a class action suit over this because it is crazy.
Thank you for posting this. I thought I was alone.
Wow! I have just today had an appointment with an opthamologist as for the past 6 months I have been suffering with dry, itchy, red eyes. The opthamologist said that I was allergic to the protein build up on my lenses and that I should not wear lenses any more – pretty gutting to be told that! After having established that what she was telling me was that I have Giant Papilliary Conjunctivitis I found LOADS of complaints about the oasys lenses and their link to this condition! I have been wearing these lenses for the past 12 months
Reading the posts above at least gives me some hope that if I stop wearing lenses for a few months and let my eyes recover I may eventually be able to wear them again – but definately NOT oasys lenses!!
Reading all these comments about how bad Oasys lenses are makes me laugh. I’ve been a contact lens wearer for over 20 years and have tried every brand going for my dry eyes. Without doubt Acuvue Oasys lenses are by far the best I have had for comfort. My advice to all :
1- Go to a optitian that knows what they are talking about.
2- Use Oxysept 1 step with Bausch & Lomb daily cleaner.
3- Don’t be lazy and take short cuts cleaning your lenses or you will get infection (ie red eyes).
I’d like to add that the Acuvue Advance did the same for me- watch out. Eye infections – and redness, dry eyes and poor vision after just a few days with a new pair. So I used glasses for a week, had to go on antibiotic drops for 2 wks (eye infection), and glasses for another week. Eyes normal while using glasses – no problems. New storage case, new bottle of solution, fresh pair of contacts from the box – infection again after a day. I take out my lenses every night and clean and disinfect- and replace every 2wks. Still had problems.
I’d used Acuvue 2s for years prior with no problems.
I too have used contacts for over 8 years and not once have I had a problem with irritation or redness in my eyes. Just this May i was prescribed to Acuvue Oasys which were comfortable the first 2 months, then my right eye started getting really irritated and red. I took my contacts off for a couple of days cause I figured it was just from me wearing them too long, but once I put them back on the redness was back but now on both eyes and were burning. I will be going to an optometrist tomorrow and after reading this blog will for sure take into consideration it is the Acuvue Oasys and advise him of this as well.
Just Googled “acuvue oasys itchy eyes” today and came across this blog. I switched from Acuvue 2 to Oasys in 2006 and had no problems until this year. Around February my eyes started to become itchy eyelids and some discharge that caused the lenses to move around my eyes making it hard to focus. And a couple of months later I started getting a lot of discharge when I wake up in the morning. Went to the opthamologist to get a check up and he gave me eye drops but it didn’t clear up my conditions. I then visited my optometrist and he gave me some peroxide cleaner to use but no luck. He also gave me some daily, disposable lenses to try out as well. Nothing worked because my eyes were still itchy and I had the discharge in the morning.
I went cold turkey and started wearing my glasses again. It took about 1-1.5 months and all of my symptoms went away. What a relief. After wearing glasses for about 3 months, I decided to try the Oasys again. Initially, everything was fine but after about 2 weeks I noticed that my eyelids became itchy again. I had to stop wearing the Oasys again.
I had my yearly check up with optometrist today and we talked about my problem. We decided to go back to Acuvue 2. Will wear them for two weeks to see if any symptoms pop up.
AV Oasys is a great lens for many people with dry eye. Certain solutions are not as compatible. The best cleaning solution is often is the Ciba Clear Care system. You must however allow an overnight cleaning or minimal 6 hour neutralization period for the peroxide to subside. Never put this solution directly in the eye or place the solution in a standard case. The disk at the bottom of the basket apparatus assures the neutralization within a specified time. Newer technology lenses (like oasys) have a tendency to have deposit issues that build up on the lenses during normal wear. Your immune system will react to this over time and red eyes and discomfort often results. The peroxide system will often remedy this issue.
There is really something wrong with Acuvue Oasys lenses. I have worn contacts for several years and never had the problems I do with these. Wore the trial pair for 2 weeks had not problems. Switched out the pair wore for about another week and then it all started, eye redness, light sensitivity, eyelid swelling. Went to the eye doctor and was given a steroid drop because I was told that it would not get any better without the drops. It would keep coming back. Appartently the doctor believes that my eye is not used to having the volume of oxygen that these lenses are letting in which is causing the irriation. Doctor said that once my eye is used to the amount of oxygen then it will not happen again since these are the best lenses on the market (Yeah right). Once my eyes were healthy again tried the lenses as the doctor said to do. By no suprise the redness is happening again. Who is this doctor and the makers of these lenses trying to fool. After reading alot of the posts I realize that these lenses need to be looked at. There is definitely a problem.
Going to try a different eye doctor and going to go back to the kind I wore before Acuvue Oasys.
I’ve wore contacts for about 4 years now and i have never had a problem. I’m having similar problems to some of you but I think my situation is a little bit different.
After my switch from Acuve 2 – Oasys, it took a couple of months for the eye irritation to happen. After i noticed the redness in my eyes i stopped wearing the lenses for a week. After each week i would try to put the lens in put the same problem happened. For me though, only my right eye get irritated. The “white” part of my eye becomes BLOODSHOT red. I start to tear a little bit when i am in bright lights.
Once i take them out my eyes become very watery and when i blink i feel as if something is in my eye or something. It’s very hard to keep my eyes open without blinking a lot.
SO my question is should i go back to acuve 2 after a weeks rest or should i go to the doctor, because it seems from all of these comments that the doctors dont know what they are talking about.
PLEASE RIGHT BACK
I think I figured out the key to these lenses. I use only clear care. I don’t rinse with anything else at all. I take them out at night and put them in the special basket thing, rinse them off with a dash of clear care and put them in for the night. In the morning I take them straight out and put them in and they are good all day. I think since I was rinsing with saline and then rubbing at times or putting a drop in them prior to putting them in my eyes was wrecking them. Since I’ve gone straight to clear care, they are fine. I’ve been playing around with these lenses for 6 months.
Clear Care worked for me, too. I wore contacts for twenty five years with NO problems. I wore them the first day of my life, all day with no problems. First, I disinfected by boiling them, and then made the switch to chemicals without themeresol, in the last ten years. Should have stayed with boiling, price-wise.
Went without contacts for the last nine years. Got Oasys this spring. Doc said, “Don’t they feel great?” I thought, “No, they feel thick and itchy.” They continued to feel thick and itchy. Some of this may have been letting well water remain on my fingers when inserting. (How do you dry your hands without risking getting lint on them?)
I had a red right eye from the first day or so. Doc said red eye meant infection that could only go away with antibiotics. What? I never heard of such a thing. I stopped wearing them until the red went away. Every time I put them in again, the red came back. I eventually threw that right lens away. “Maybe it’s torn, even tho I can’t see a tear.”, I reasoned. Put a brand new lens in my eye, it still produced red eye.
After seeing this post, I tried Clear Care, as doing so was cheaper than another doc visit. The first day after, I still had red eye, but since then it has been great. No red. I don’t notice the lenses in my eyes nearly so much. They feel better.
I have tried to save some money by doing the “5 second” rinse with saline instead of Clear Care, but still cleaning with CC. and it seems to be working without ill effect. Wish it didn’t take so much of the product each day, but I do think it is making my lenses last a lot longer. Thanks for the post that helped me so much!
I have used Acuvue2 for 10 years without a problem. This redness and eyegoop started back in July when I got a new year supply of acuvue2. It just happens in my left eye and like many of you I thought it was pink eye. It wasn’t till the third set of contacts (about two months later) that I knew it was the contacts causing this. Eye doctor-No help-gave me patanol-said it was the solution i was using- I use cheap store brand have for 15 years. So I started to really clean my contacts good every week right out of the container.
It never came back, till yesterday. The only thing I did different was not clean them out of the package. I put them right in my eyes. Again only my left eye got red, hard to see out of and my eye was sealed shut by morning.I am extremely P.O.’d.
Before this set of contacts I could use any brand solution, and put my contacts in right from the container without a problem. I don’t know what Acuvue stores the contacts in but I think this is my main cause for concerns.Switching Brands ASAP.
Just started wearing Acuevue Oasys; at first I thought they were great but after about 8 hours I noticed my vision getting foggy. When I took them out, my eyes slightly felt better but were very red. This is after following all the procedures with regards to hygeniue, etc. Having heard all the horror stories, I don’t think I’ll be putting them back in…..
I am brand new to contact lenses — I’m only 23 and I just started wearing them this week. But after reading this and literally hundreds of other stories, I am going to go back to my doctor and ask for a different brand of lens. I have read probably about 50+ stories of people claiming that after decades of contact eyes, their eyes were permanently ruined from Oasys. Needless to say I do not want to take that risk!
Okay, so just in case I am over reacting I will try the Clear Care — if my eyes continue to get cloudy and red though I’m still going to go back and ask for a different brand. I don’t think it’s worth taking the risk of corneal ulcers and permanent vision damage!
I have worn contacts for over 15 years, I have had hard contacts, soft contacts dailies. Never before have I experienced issues until in June when my new optometrist reccomended this “new and better” lens. I am now suffering from corneal abrasions. I wish i had done more research before taking the advice of this doctor. I spend enough time on the internet that it would have been so simple. Horrible mistake on my part. My vision is so compromised that I couldn’t even drive to work and looking at a computer screen is so irritating because my vision is blurry. I’m hoping the doctor is right and that this will heal too, however when I do finally heal I won’t be using the Oasys lens again and after reading all these remarks it sounds like there could be grounds for a class action law suit. Hopefully there are no spelling errors in this comment, and if there are please take pity as i can’t really see the screen well with my blurry vision.
Wow!! I read and it could as if I wrote these things myself. I have worn contacts for 25 years and no problems. I too was switched to Oasys by my optometrist. MY problems started in about Sept 2009 – red eye, itchy, blurry and only one eye. I thought at first maybe it was the contact so I just got a fresh one ot of the pack. It did not even occur to me until recently that it might be the actual contact and the material they are made from. I went back to the optometrist and he didn’t mention that it maybe the lenses. He did look and said there was nothing in the eye. My GP said it was inflamed but again no scratches and nothing in the eye. He gave me steroids to take inflammation down. Steroids worked but about 3 weeks later tried again and within the day – red eye, itchy, irritated. Even now when I am not wearing my contacts, there are days that my vision is blurred and it is watery in that eye. My husband mentioned to me that maybe it was materials of new contact and now that I have read this blog I am convinced. I hope the FDA relooks at these contacts. Thank you thank you to all of you!!
So far Acuve Oasys with hydra clear are the only contact lens that I have used. I started using contact lens close to two years ago. So far, everything has been mostly okay. A little bit of dry eyes here and there. I thought that was to be expected. Tonight though I was wearing my contacts. I was watching tv and my vision got blurry. My eyes were really itchy, blotchy, and red. My eyes have been bothering me so bad that I could not sleep tonight. I obviously took my contacts out. I also last year bought some extra boxes of the contact lens. I could use some advice. I am going to go see my eye doctor, most likely an opthalmologist. I am just going to wear my glasses and find out what my other options are. What are the best type of contacts? What is the best type of cleaner? What are the best eye drops. If anyone wants to help, I would appreciate it. I am doing research in the mean time until the actual visit. Thanks! So sorry about the comments. Something should definitely be done.
To summarize:
1. I had great success with Acuvue 2 lenses for over 20 years.
When Oasys came out, I thought I would try them, since they advertised greater comfort and my eyes felt dry sometimes after sleeping with Acuvue 2.
2. My trouble with Oasys are noted in previous comments, so I won’t repeat here. Bottom line is I won’t wear Oasys again.
3. I then tried Acuvue 1-day moist daily lenses. They worked fine.
4. I did try CIBA Vision Air Optix Day/Night after my Oasys trouble, but I think $80 for 6 lenses is a lot.
5. Optometrist mentioned CIBA has a daily lens called CIBA Vision Dailies. So far, so great. There are 90 contacts in a box. I get a fresh new pair every day. I am pleased that I only need minimal saline solution and no extra expense with cleaning solutions, such as Clearcare. By using Dailies, I don’t risk any build-up on the lenses while sleeping, like I did with Oasys.
Note: The CIBA Vision Dailies are slightly smaller in diameter than Acuvue 1-day lenses, so I needed a slightly stronger prescription (.25 higher).
6. So for me, I think overnight lenses are a thing of the past.
I can’t believe so many people have had the same problems with OASYS. Mine did exactly the same. Used to wear Acuvue 2 overnight for 2 weeks at a time for 15 years and never had a problem. My optometrist changed me to OASYS saying I needed more oxygen to my cornea. She also said I could only sleep in them for 7 days maximum which seemed strange as they had more oxygen then my old lenses so I figured you should be able to sleep in them even more. I started wearing the new lenses and slept in them usually until they felt uncomfortable which was on average 3 weeks. Seemed to go well and they felt better for about 4 months then all of a sudden my left eye became really sore and red. I had to return to my optometrist and she said I had an ulcer on my eye and that I couldnt wear lenses anymore at all!. She wasnt sure why it happened but I am sure it was due to the OASYS lenses as I have never had such a problem for the last 15 years. I had to wait 1 month for my eye to heal and began wearing my Acuvue 2 lenses again but my eyes now feel too sore to sleep in them again. Luckily I can still wear them each day but I wish I had never changed lenses to begin with. I think these lenses are really dangerous and would advise everyone not to change to them if your other lenses are working fine.
I’m so glad I found this blog! I had wore Acuvue 2 contacts for many years and never had a problem. Then 2 years ago the eye doctor recommended i try the Oasys lenses because they were the latest and greatest. I didn’t have an issue for the first few months, but the I started having really red, watery eyes and discharge. I too was told I developed allergies and took the Patnol drops, which did nothing! I was also told i had pink eye and took drops for that, and felt better for a while. But the problems kept reoccurring. I just assumed I had very sensitive eyes. I had gone for my annual eye exam and the doctor never said there was an issue. This year i went for my annual eye exam, at a new eye doctor, and I was told my corneas were inflamed. I took some drops and my eyes for the first time felt so much better. I went back a week later and the swelling had subsided, but wasn’t completely gone. The doctor asked me what type of contacts i was wearing. He said that he has seen so many reactions like mine because of these lenses. They contain silicone, which some people can’t tolerate. I was given a steriod drop to reduce the rest of the swelling and switched back to Acuvue 2 lenses and I am better once again. I can’t believe I went 2 years with this problem before someone figured it out and even more shocked that the first eye doctor didn’t warn me that the silicone causes reactions in some. If you are having problems, get to the doc and get rid of those oasys lenses!!!
I’d worn contacts for five years without problems. Six months ago I went to have my eyes checked and make sure my prescription was up to date. My doctor recommended giving these “super comfortable” oasys lenses a try. I wore the trial pair for a week and they were indeed comfortable, although I noticed that after about 8 to 10 hours I would start to get a little red around the edge of the contact. No discomfort, just a little red. I chalked it up to my eyes getting used to a different brand. I got a six month supply and tried to slowly wear the contacts for longer periods (starting with 4 hours and working my way up to a full day). The red, irritated eyes continued to be an on off problem, until one night I had a bad burning sensation in my right eye. The next morning my eye was swollen shut, and it felt like someone was jamming their thumb into my eye. A flash, or a change in a room’s lighting was so painful it could almost drop me to my knees. It was a MASSIVE corneal infection. For 2 weeks it looked like I was looking through wax paper out of my right eye, and despite going to a specialist 5 times over almost 3 months I still have a small scar on my cornea, and my sight has never come back to what it was. Although I have been cleared by my doctor to continue wearing contacts if I wish, I will not be wearing these. No special solutions, no hoping the red will clear, NO OASYS PERIOD.
P.S. I have two unused boxes of these lenses if anyone wants them… Only kidding. I wouldn’t wish these things on my worst enemy. They are going in the trash!
I am having the same problems with these Oasys lenses. I bought a years worth because of the rebate and have had nothing but problems…. red, irritated, itchy eyes. I have had infections coupled with 4 corneal ulcers resulting in costly prescriptions and copays. I have been a lense wearer for 20 years, mostly in the Acuvue 2′s, with no problems.
I recently called Acuvue at (800) 843-2020. I explained all of the problems I have encountered with the Oasys lense, also noting dates of 8 appointments with the opthomlogist totaling $360 in copays. They have requested records from the doctors office in which I had to sign a release. Patsy, who is a nurse there at Acuvue, was able to resolve my issues. She sent me a prepaid postage label via email for me to mail the unopened and opened lenses back to them. I was also telling her about a situation from 2008 where my old eye doctors office ordered opaque Acuvue 2′s for me instead of enhancers. The base curve/diameter is different and don’t fit the eye the same. They felt tighter on my eyes and were extremely uncomfortable. The next day I spoke to that doctors office(who ordered them) and explained that the lenses were wrong and was told that they could not be exchanged because I had already opened the boxes. I was so ticked because I had used all my insurance benefits so I was going to have to pay out of pocket to buy some lenses that fit my eyes right. Like I said, I explained this to Patsy and she is going to send me $25 per box just for my trouble. Now that’s customer service!!
****** CALL THE 800 NUMBER I POSTED PEOPLE******
The reps there at Acuvue are going above and beyond to resolve this with me. Have your boxes, opened or unopened, handy because they will ask for the lot number from the side panel. Any information you give them will be helpful, so know your appointment dates to any opthomologist/doctor regarding these issues.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! As for me, I’m back to my old Acuvue 2′s, and not a problem in sight!
Jamie-
Don’t give or throw those lense away! Call the 800 number I posted!!
I am also very glad to have found this blog. I switched to Oasys over a year ago and had no problems, loved them. Then around October 2009, my eyes became so red that I thought it was pink eye or really bad allergies. I go to the Dr and find out I have an eye infection and have to use steroid drops for a week. This clears up my infection but has scarred my eye. I then resume wearing my Oasys lenses and have had nothing but problems. My eyes look CRAZY RED after only a few hours of wearing and back to the DR again and supposedly nothing wrong. Take a break from contacts for two weeks and very first time I wear them RED eyes again after only 4 hours. Now I have to make another appointment and get a prescription for my old lenses again and pay yet more fees. I will definitely be calling Acuvue tomorrow. Thanks for the info.
I have had the same symptoms with Oasys as above so wont repeat…
So what now? Are the Advance made of silicone like the Oasys? Has anyone got any feedback on Acuvue Advance and Acuvue 2 please as I havent tried either?
I am so happy I came across this blog. I have been having the same problems as everyone else. Finally, I have found a solution to this problem. I have used the following products to overcome my dry eye:
Clear Care
Ciba Sterile Saline Solution
Systane
Aquify Eye Drops
I have been using these products for 2 weeks now and I realize that my dry eye is becoming better. It’s near perfect. BTW I switched Oasys with Advance and I am glad that my contacts are comfortable again
Just an update about my post from Jan 26, 2010… I received a refund check from Johnson & Johnson(Acuvue) for $220!
***Please people, if you are having problems with these lenses, call the 1-800 number I listed above and speak with a representative. They are more than willing to help! In my opinion, sending me a refund is going above and beyond what they have to do. I am very satisfied with the service I have received from J&J.
Thank you…thank you…thank you!! I finally realize I am not crazy. I have been wearing Acuvue Oasys for about 4 years now and about 2 years ago I started with the red, itchy, discharge in my right eye, as most of you have described. I would take the contacts out and wear my glasses for a week and then I would be fine. The worst case of infection I had was in December 2008 and I felt like I had glass in my eye, it was so horrible I thought of going to the ER. I went to a regular doctor since it was a Sunday and he said I had pink eye. I never related all of the infections to my contacts. I NEVER leave them in over night and I am very careful with cleaning but have never used Clear Care, as most of you have posted. I NOW have another infection in my eye!! I just called J & J and was told a nurse would call me back, not sure why but we will see what happens. I am confused if I should try Clear Care or just go to the doctor and get fitted for a whole new brand. I wish I could remember what brand I used before. I just wanted to thank each and every person who posted, the information was wonderful. Good luck to everyone!
Anybody have any recommendations for what to do for my GPC caused by my Oasis? It’s so annoying and despite FML, acular, Lotemax, AND patanol treatment, i’m still suffering and nothing is making the GPC go away and i haven’t worn contacts for three months now, help!
I’m continuing to use Sustain drops constantly and have been off all medications for over a month and nothing is helping. Anybody dealing with GPC that won’t go away?
I am so glad I found this blog! My story is the same as everyone elses here and I have spent a fortune on eye appointments, lotemax, restasis, etc. and I am wearing my glasses most of the time even though I still have about 9 months worth of oasys lenses left. I tried the clear care solution but I dont think I gave it a long enough chance so I am trying it again. In the meantime I am going to call the 1-800 number and see if they will do anything for me. I just want to go back to the Accuvue 2!!
The 1800 number for johnson and johnson was very helpful….They contacted my eye doctor right away and also contacted the store where I purchased them from (sams club) and I will be able to return and get a refund for my unopened boxes even though the store wrote “R” and “L” on the boxes (Always make sure they dont write on the boxes in case you have to return them, have them use a sticker instead). Now I will be trialing something different, not sure what yet but my eye doctor says they are phasing out Accuvue 2 and Accuvue advance???
I have worn contacts for 25 years and no problems. I too was switched to Oasys by my optometrist. MY problems started last week after 3mos of wearing them – red eye, itchy, blurry and only one eye. I never thought it maybe the contacts. I went to the dorctor and was told it was TSPK I been wearing my glasses for about a week now I go back to the dorctor tomorrow to see if its healing…Im returniing the contacts didn’t open them yet and going back to my Coopers i been wearing for about 15yrs i hope it hasn’t left demane to my eyes. SOOO scared can some one give me that 1 800 #.Im currently on. Steroids drops Lotemax .05% four times a day.still have – red eye, itchy, irritated. Even now I’m not wearing my contacts, wwearing glasses which i hurt still my vision is blurred and it is watery. I hope and pray its not a lasting affect on my sight.
Nice article
Something to add
Dear patient
You may us the solution that is in you case after the Clear Care has set for at least 6 hours. For those that have thicker lenses [above +5.00 and below -5.00] and extra hour will help. The gear like thing in the bottom of the case reduces the H2O2 [Hydrogen peroxide] to H2O and water [saline in this case] and releases O2. Some patients notice a very slight burning sensation after putting their lenses on after this treatment. This is is caused by the micro H2O2 still in the contact lens. These patients can still use Clear Care but for only fifteen minutes then replace the Clear Care with Saline solution such as Lens Plus [100% saline] for over night 6 hour requirement and a very comfortable “no burning sensation” lens.
As for the Silicone Hydrogel lenses [Oasys, Acuvue Advanace, Ciba O2 Optica, Ciba Air, etc.]…. blame the solution you are using on your red eyes before you blame the contact lens. The fact is that the old Hydrogel lenses only allowed very small amounts of O2 to get through the lens. This amount is called dK/t value. It is a microscopic version of Miles/ hour. The old lenses had a dK/t between 0.0 to 33.0 where the Oasys is up to 103 and the Ciba Night and Day is up to 140. We have found that eye infection drops by 80% in patients that are wearing silicone- hydrogel lenses. Please do not self medicate. We doctors have spent thousands of hours in the knowledge of the human eye. I realize that we usually cost something [$] but from what I have read above, you need to trust you doctor or get a second opinion … but use the doctor not you best friend. We all don’t fit in the same box or have the same eyes.
Typical idiotic response from Doctor Tom. Take the time to read everyone’s experiences here and you’ll find there’s a disturbing trend of morons like you who don’t take their patients’ concerns seriously about these obviously problematic contacts. Your thousands of dollars have apparently made you gullible marketing machines for products that harm us. Thanks a lot, and thanks for telling us to simply trust your judgment when our eyes are clearly telling us that the product you prescribe HURTS us. I’m sure the contact lens companies have plenty of marketing materials to claim that Oasys doesn’t do any harm, but the studies and anecdotes are out there that show otherwise. Go spend a few thousand dollars on staying up to date.
Matt
You are so intelligent
One correction in you article ….. it was ‘Thousand of hours’ not “thousands of dollars”
I think we have found the “disturbing trend”.
Yes, I have learned to use punctuation marks and use r’s where necessary to convey information. The only study I’ve found to support your assertion of 80% reduction shows a reduction in SEVERE keratitis but a huge increase “non severe” keratitis. Those are pretty crappy statistics for silicone hydrogel. You give a lot more people non severe keratitis so that you can say you’ve reduced severe keratitis? NICE.
If you had bothered to read the study that gets cited all the time to back silicone hydrogels, you would know that it’s a bunch of crap.
So, yes, we have found the disturbing trend. It’s people who think a degree and a blind faith in the total BS that marketing departments put out is a good way to ensure good health. Spending $ on a consultation from someone who doesn’t do their own homework for the benefit of their patients is not, IMHO, a prescription for healthy eyes.
I did a writeup a little while ago on the research that purportedly supports the use of silicone hydrogels. The marketing spin is unbelievable. You can read it here if you have the time to do a little research for your pateints’ benefit. Alas, I don’t have the initials that you think are necessary to have a valid opinion. But I leave it here for those who have critical thinking skills and wish to protect themselves from products with bad results and strong marketing. http://studymyhealth.wordpress.com/2008/05/18/silicone-hydrogel-contacts-the-new-wave-of-high-oxygen-high-discomfort-lenses/
In response to Dr. Tom, I disagree that the solution being used is the problem. If you are referring to Saline solution, I used the same solution with Acuvue 2 as I did with Acuvue Oasys. Results: No problems with Acuvue 2. Problems with Oasys. If you are referring to the Clearcare, I would like to make another point. Acuvue Oasys requires Clearcare to keep them clean. I never needed to clean Acuvue 2 with Clearcare. Also, most of the narratives include consultation with an optometrist or opthamologist. I didn’t get the impression people were self-medicating. How can we self-medicate? With the pain, redness, or eye irritations experienced, many of us had to get prescriptions for steroids. My theory is that the ingredient added to Oasys that was intended to produce super comfort (Hydroclear) contributes to blurriness and tendancies for protein build-up on the lenses or in the eyes. Otherwise the lenses wouldn’t need to be cleaned with a strong solution called Clearcare. p.s. Just last week, a co-worker of mine had really red eyes and one of her eyes hurt really bad. Guess what? She was wearing Oasys lenses.
Hi all,
First I just want to say thanks for everyone posting their personal experiences. Now I’m probaly going to be in to minority here since I’m having positive results from my Oasys contacts. I belong to a HUGE population of former “original” Ciba Vision Night and Day contact wearers.
Ciba Vision went ahead and tweaked LOL with probaly the best monthly contact and improved the design and name- Air Optix. The new design involves switching over to the silicone hydrogel material. Phasing out my last stock of “original” Night and Day contacts I began wearing the new Air Optix and it felt like sand paper and had to use drops every hour due to excesive dryness. I switched from Optifree Replensih to Aquify to Clearcare solution which eventually cleaned the contacts but my eyes were still rejecting them after 2 hours. Frustrated I demanded an alternative and was prescribed the Oasys contacts. Along with using Clearcare overnight my eyes feel a lot better and the vision is crisp and clear. I use Genteal gel before I sleep snd remove my contacts at night. They felt moist for hours at a time and my eyes aren’t as red. The only drawbacks with my samples are that I previously used a 8.6 base curve but these Oasys contacts only come in 8.4 or 8.8 so I have a slight doubling effect. Another thing with the 1-2-3 indicator.
Does anyone know if it should read 1-2-3 from the inside or out? My contacts are a bowl shape and feel comfortable with the 1-2-3 from the outside of the bowl. In other words I view 3-2-1 when I’m inserting the contacts onto my eyes. Not sure if it’s a manufacturing issue???? But inserting this way provides comfort and clear vision for me!?!?
I’ll talk to the optometrist about that but enjoying my Oasys contacts for now. For those reading this, please stop and remove your contacts (any brand) if they are causing pain, ulcers, swelling. Talk to you optometrist request samples of alternatives since everyone has different reactions to contacts.
Use this website- http://www.staininggrid.com/
To help find the contact and solution combination with the least amount of corneal staining. Clicking the numbers may show a photo of staining found in the particular contact/solution combo. I went from Optix/Aquify combo to the Oasys/Clear care combo. Click the numbers and you see a big difference in the photos.
Hopes this helps and good luck finding a contact product that works.
Kevvy
1-2-3 is what I [the doctor] would see when looking at your eye / contact lens with a slit lamp.
Nice to read that you are doing well.
Sounds like you have a good doctor, a great fitting lens, proper BC, proper diameter, and the correct cleaning solution. A 12oz bottle should last you about 24 days. Its too bad to see so many patients left on their own devices to solve their problems. I can see that the general lack of trust in doctors and confusion is tremendous.
Remember: the number one cause of eye infection in the US is contact lenses. Most common causes are: Poor patient hygiene, poor fittion lense, damaged lenses, wrong solutions, allergic reactions to preservitives in contact lens solutions, chronic micro infections, blepharitis, keratoconjuncitivitis sicca [dry eye] and more.
Recommendation: Most lenses last six months. Only buy one box of lenses per eye and then buy them every 6 months [6 lenses per box]. Have your doctor look at the contact lens at the six month follow up [five minute check up, free in our office] to see if the lens needs to have the power up dated. This way you will never have a stock pile of ‘wrong’ lenses. You doctor [privet practice] can get trials for free for patients that buy the lens from their office. We offer to the patient the ability to pick up a new lens [no charge] should they break, tear, or even loose one or two lenses. Our inventory of trial lenses is over 2000.
LOL. YAWN.
As if those of us who have already seen our docs for this problem haven’t already heard the same old B.S., Dr. Tom! Please, grace us with more pearls of wisdom that we can’t read on sixteen million websites on the internet or hear from any other doc who thinks repetition makes right.
While you’re at it, take the time to read the research on silicone hydrogels and give us your informed opinion after you’ve cut your way through the marketing hoopla.
I initially thought my eyes had a reaction to silicone hydrogel lenses due to it’s material and lens construction.
Keep in mind different variations of silicone hydrogels are used
I had a adverse reaction to Air Optix which is made out of 67% lotrafilcon B with 33% water content. But my eyes feel comfortable with Oasys made from 62% polymer (Senofilcon A) with 38% water content. Could it be the different materials? Maybe and Maybe not.
The problem is SILICONE or HYDRACLEAR. Dr. Tom needs a course in problem solving,its really quite simple. Look at everyones blogs. Just open a new Oasys that has never touched any brand of solution and the patient will develop the discomforts listed above. I have had the blurry tired eyes sensitivity to light crap from the Oasys. I just switched back to Acuvue 2. Hopefully my eyes will start feeling better. I wore the Oasys for 1.5 years without any problems until this last order,with the exception of sensitivity to light and not having very good up close vision. Its just a matter of time until these complaints reach a big enough pile that the Oasys problems will be spotlighted.
I think finally cracked the silicone hydrogel code- well for myself anyways. I notice my regimen is similar to Gary Lynn’s. Basically it involve’s the use of a cleaner, eye drops, and rewetting drops. I previously wasn’t tolerating Ciba Vision’s Air Optix and did better on Acuvue Oasys. The following steps allows me to wear both comfortably without problems for up to 18 hours a day.
1. I don’t sleep with my contacts anymore.
2. Upon removal of contacts before bedtime, I use “Genteal Gel” to moisturize my eyes during sleep.
3. Store contacts in “Clear Care” for 6 hours min.
4. Rinse with “Aquify” for 5 seconds in the morning and apply contacts.
5. Apply 1-2 drops of “Blink Contacts” into each eye while looking up to ceiling. Blink 5-6 times.
6. Enjoy the rest of my day, blink, drink water.
I think I know why this regimen works for me- these products contain either no preservatives or very little/gentle preservatives to minimize irratatation. Genteal is literally preservative free. Aquify contains preservatives but I’m only rinsing it for 5 seconds and not soaking it. Clear Care (no preservatives) kills off all bacteria. Blink Contacts lubricating drops (THANK YOU dry eye forums!!) has small trace amounts of preservatives and contains sodium hyaluronate which my eyes seem to love and seems like I’m not wearing contacts at all- Its my secret weapon to keep silicone contacts moist for 18 hours. Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally found in our eyes and is the natural (lubricant) found in our joints. I hope this helps people out.
I’m 29 and have -9.5 vision in both eyes and multiple Optometrists will only prescribe me Silicone Hydrogel contacts due to their high oxygen intake capabilities. Otherwise its big heavy glasses. I don’t have the luxury to switch to conventional lenses so I had to make things work. Again Good luck people!!!
Thank You Kevvy Kev. I tried what you have said and my eyes don’t feel dry anymore while wearing my contacts. However, my eyes are still sensative to light. =( Thats my only problem. Other than that I’m feeling great with my Acuvue Oasys lenses
Kevvy Kev are you sure? I have wasted so much money on contact lens solutions and drops? Are you sure your method works with the Acuvue Oasys lenses to relieve dry eye?
Good to hear things are improving Joseph Reed. In regards to your light sensitivity do you tear excessively outside when it’s sunny? Might be due to spring allergies? I’m not sure, you may want to ask an eye doctor/specialist. I’m not an expert but light sensitivity may have to due with the internal components of the eye rather than to surface?
Kelly, it worked in my case for the past month. Ask your eye doctor about what he/she thinks. Your eyes may be different from mine. I spent tons of money on eye care products too. But I’m satisfied with the products I’m currently using now. I’ve been alternating between Oasys one week and Air optix the other week just to test things out. My eye doctor gave me samples of both. Both with no problems. I did this because these are the only 2 contacts my eye doctor will prescribe me due to my eye condition.
is punctual occlusion effective
After 17 years of wearing contacts I started wearing Oasys contacts about a year ago. I started getting red rings around my iris so I went to the eye doctor. They said that it was allergies and that my eyes had become inflamed. They said that I had become allergic to my cat and I was heart-broken. I found it very strange that after years of being around cats that I would just one day become allergic to them. I followed the doctor’s orders and stopped wearing contacts for a week and used allergy eye drops. My eyes cleared up but once I put my contacts back in the redness came right back. My eyes even turned red when I was away from cats for a week.
When I came across this blog I decided to try switching contact lenses. I have now been wearing Acuvue Advanced for a week and my eyes are no longer red!!!!! The real proof that the Oasys contacts were the problem is that today I accidentally ripped one of my Acuvue Advance contacts and had to put an Oasys in one eye. Sure enough, within a few hours that eye was red!!! This blog has helped so many people! Thanks for sharing your stories.
anyone know if the acuvue 1 day moist is a silicone based lens? thanks!
OK folks it is time to take this to the next level. I am posting to sevral boards hoping to organise someting, it is time to get to the bottom of this…I also am a LONG LONG term (20 years )extended wear / sleep in contact lens wearer, and I NEVER had problems before my doctor ( FOR SOME DAMNED REASON ) suggested I try these oasys brand, AAND NOW I HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS; gooping eyes, irratation, seled eye in the morning etc etc…. I told him about it, but he insisted I stay with them. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? Why are eye doctors nationwide pushing these on us when the old types worked fine. It is a fact that the old type 2 lenses would last a long time without problems ( maybe too long in J&J’s opinion). Is J&J is pushing these because they will wear out quicker casuing us to buy more?? IF THIS IS THE CASE, AND THEY ARE PUSHING OUR DOCTORS TO PUSH THESE ON US AND CAUSING OUR PROBLEMS, THEN IT IS TIME TO SUE. I just found this board, and I am stunned at the number of people ( now going back 3 years ) who have MY EXACT issues. I have not had any ulcers or infections, but I have had the gooping up, and eyes sealed shut in the morning, and I fear it may lead to worse things. TIME TO ORGANISE, AND GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS.
Does any one have any idea on a good to organise and get to tyhe bottom of this? I am switching back to type 2 lenses, and that is final.
I agree with Gregg we all need to do something. I just switched back to Acuvue 2 and they seem better but my redness in my eyes are still there but its only been about 4 days, anyone with that same redness know how to help get rid of this? I can’t believe we all have to deal with this when we had are old contacts for 15-20 years and no problem. I have a nice vacation to Spain coming up and I really hate the red eye! I will be on board with a class action just let me know! Thanks
@Adam,
I just stopped wearing my contact lenses for about a month for the goop, itchiness and redness to go before wearing my lenses again.
CT
^^^
“to go away”
CT
After you did that and it cleared up did the Acuvue 2 help now?
Thanks for the info
@Adam,
Yes, I’m currently wearing Acuvue 2 now without any problems.
CT
I’ve been back on glasses and acuvue2 for over a year now, and my eyes are only in the last two weeks able to handle the acuvue2s for more than 5 hours. Even now my eyes still get very irritated from wearing contacts. I wore oasys for 6 months before the problems kicked in and it took another 6 months to figure out that it was the oasys that were causing the problems.
Idiot optometrist. Sigh.
CT
How long did you wear the oasys contacts before you found out the problem? Just was wondering.
Thanks
@Adam,
Roughly 2 years.
CT
CT
One last question, did you use or get prescribed any kind of eye drops during this process that helped? I appreciate the info!
@Adam,
I was prescribed Pataday, but it didn’t help much. My eyes got better over time when I stopped wearing my contact lenses for 1-3 months and now I’m back on Acuvue 2.
CT
Legal action should be taken against J&J. I have just spent my first 6 months with these AV Oasys and I have never had this much problems with contacts in the 7 years I have been wearing contacts. I am an easy going guy and would normally let things like this slide but based on this blog this issue has been going on for at least 3 years and I would not want anyone else to also have to suffer. My problems started about three months ago and I thought it was only me until I saw this blog. Does anyone here have a legal background or know what would be the best way to proceed with legal action against J&J?
Both my fiance and I experienced many of the same symptoms. We thought we were going crazy or that our new dog brought on new allergies. I have had three eye infections since using Acuvue Oasys lenses. I’m going to try out the Clearcare before switching lenses altogether. My fiance is going to switch lenses now. Thanks for putting this together.
I’m so glad to have found this blog! I’ve read through everything on here and I found this discussion to be so helpful!
In Jan. of this year, I started wearing the Oasys contacts with no problem. In early March I had a bad allergy to the area around my eyes. When I went to my doctor, he mentioned that it may just be that I’m allergic to my make-up. After a few days on Benadryl I was back to normal and went back on the contacts. In early May I noticed a white dot in my right eye. I went to go see my doctor and they referred me to a ophthalmologist right away. Sure enough, I was diagnosed with a corneal ulcer. I had to constantly apply eye drops to my eyes for 2 weeks.
I decided to stay away from contacts for a while. Since being off of contacts for many months I decided I should try Oasys again (NEW) since the ulcer was gone (scar is still a little apparent). I was able to wear it all day with problems. Problems did not occur until I took them off and went to sleep. I woke up in the middle of the day about to scratch my eye out! I looked into the mirror and it looks like my “white dot” is back. My eye that was infected with the ulcer is puffy right now.
It’s weird because I’m very anal about being clear. I’ve never connected the dots that it may be the contact itself. Reading through all these comments has helped so much!
I’m going to make an appointment on Monday to see my eye doctor.
I’m so glad I came across this website. I had worn contacts for 15 or so years without any problems. A few years ago I switched to OASIS contacts since they should be better. I got itchy red eyes maybe after a year or two. I went to the eye doctor and he said I had allergies. He gave me antibiotics which cleared up my eyes. I tried OASIS again and red eyes again in a few days. I tried daily moists which were good for about a month but now I have problems with them after 4 hours or less. I just tried trueye and they seemed good for a couple of days then my eyes got really sore on the third day. I’m concerned I will never be able to wear contacts on a normal basis again. I’m really upset after reading all these posts. I thought it was in my head. I have talked with several doctors and do not seem to have a clue about a problem with oasis contacts. I think legal action needs to happen here. I’m hoping the contacts did not mess my eyes up permanently. What are the odds I can go to Acuvue 2 and not have any problems?
I am glad you found a solution (no pun intended) to your problem. I would be afraid that I would not mix that solution one time and cause myself major grief. Alan
I have been a contact lens wearer for 10 years. I switched from
FreshLook to Acuvue Oasys lenses (per my dr’s request) in January 2007.
I never had a problem until recently. In April 2010 I ordered a year’s
worth of supply as I usually do. This time I ordered Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear Plus About a week into wearing the new
lenses I noticed that my eyes were bloodshot. I thought maybe it was
just the lens I had on so I opened a new pair and wore them the next
day. Same thing. I started wearing glasses but still noticed that my
eyes were bloodshot. About 2 weeks later my lower lid of the left eye
swelled. I went to the ophthalmologist in June and he said my eyes were
just red (as if this was typical and I should just deal wit it) and I could continue to wear my contacts. So I did. But everytime the same thing, a red ring around the iris and bloodshot/veniny eyes. I went back to the doctor in July after I noticed blurry vision in my left eye (I had glasses on). The doctor said I had a corneal
abrasion (a scratch on my cornea) and an infenction. He gave me antibiotics and the redness went away, but the blurry vision remained. He told me to use lubricating eyedrops 1-2hours a day, which I have been doing. I havent put the lens back in since my July 19 visit but my vision is still blurry (it has improved with the drops but
it’s not 100%). I didnt think it was because of the Acuvue Oasys. I
mean I’ve worn the brands for 3 years. But after reading these comments
I reconsidered. I am angry that my opthamologist didn’t even think that contacts could be the cause of the redness. Shows how much he knows. I am going for a follow-up appt in 2 weeks. Hopefully my eyes will be better by then. Even though they’re not bloodshot, I still can see some veins/vessels that weren’t there before I tried the Acuvue Oasys in April. Will they ever go away?
I also hope the blurriness will disappear for good and it’s not permanent damage.
Once this all clears up, I’m making an appt with my optometrist for new contacts. No more Oasys for me.
If anyone has a similar story let me know. Did you have
blurriness/redness when you took the contacts out?
Any luck with new brands of contacts?
I can not believe this… I just took the Oasys contacts out of my eyes just now because I am sick and tired of all the irritation they cause me… I’m glad I found this site…. I too have been suffering with blurry eyes, watery eyes, itchy eyes, red eyes, burning eyes, swollen cheeks, chronic headaches, and mucus discharge when I sleep… I am not going to put those things back in my eyes ever again… I’m going to go back to Advance which have worked perfectly for me for 7 years now… I really thought I was going crazy thinking everything else was wrong except for the main thing being these HORRIBLE contacts were what was wrong… I do believe there’s a legal issue here and a disclaimer should accompany these contacts… I really can’t believe this company is still selling these contacts and haven’t recalled them… Who knows how many other people are suffering and spending tons of money on treatment and haven’t come to the conclusion that its the contacts that are making them so sick… I just pray to God that permanent damage has not been done to my eyes…
The most important thing to know when looking for other contactlenses is the Radius/BC. If its the same as the “old” lenses you used to wear comfortably than it shouldn’t be a problem. But if it is not it can be irritating and very stingy. I’ve tried many different lenses (thanks to internet) and now I’m comfortable with the Acuvue weeklens. These lenses are so thin you wouldn’t even notice their on your eyes and no sticky artificial wetters at all.
Thank you so much for this post and all the comments – I haven’t read all of them but enough to find them very helpful. So in case my story adds anything or helps anyone, here’s another:
I was put into Oasys a little over 2 months ago, following the annual required prescription renewal checkup. Had discomfort pretty much from the beginning but not enough to pinpoint if I was just getting used to new lenses. (was in Advance before, been wearing contacts over 30 years now)
At first the redeye could be interpreted as my schedule – working a lot, not sleeping much at times. Then there was the stickiness, sticking to my eyes. Plus they weren’t lasting me for 2 weeks as they usually do. I wear them during the day, take them out at night. Found myself throwing out the Oasys after a week and change, putting in brand new ones, only to experience the same problems.
So I finally called the eye doctor today, after eliminating all other possibilities for these symptoms. At first, got some resistance to my request to be put back into the old prescription for Advances. So after hanging up, decided to google, and eventually found this post. These comments, plus additional comments I saw at Epinions, not only confirmed the symptoms but also mentioned a couple other symptoms that I had not suspected as being from the Oasys – reduction in vision, more blurry even while wearing glasses, and continued discomfort in the eyes while wearing contacts or not. Like right now – a bit of burning sensation in both eyes.
Called the eye doctor back, said I wanted to order a rush delivery of the Advances. Then went to the store to find some Clear Care (will do both).
I am bothered by the fact that this post was made in 2007, nearly 3 years before I got my Oasys. So it should have been a known issue. I realize they may work just fine for some people (have a friend who wears them), but I wish I had known some of this earlier. So in case this helps any, adding my comment to the stream. Thank you Ian!
Hi, Glad I found this site. And I’m not even a blogger!
I have been wearing contact lenses for about 15 years and had no problems other than occasional evening dryness. Dr. insisted on trying me on both Air Optix (immediately irritating) and the Oasys (much better) for a short time. I finished my old lenses and started on the Oasys on September 1. By the 10th, they were irritated, red, and sensitive to light at the end of the day, feeling like there has been something in my eye.
Spent the last two weekends wearing my glasses, which are 10 years old. I’m a teacher, and have been switching to glasses at the end of the day, just to give my irritated eyes a rest. One morning, I noticed that there was a kind of film or deposit in one section of one of the lenses, leading me to believe I hadn’t been cleaning them well enough. So I was sure I rubbed them for the proper amount of time, and I even soaked them a little before rubbing them as they were a little dry when I took them out of my eye. The other day, I noticed the same thing. STILL some kind of deposited material remained.
My next step is to try the Clear Care. I have been using the Aquify and it had worked well on my previous lenses, so we’ll see.
Then I plan to get new glasses. Mine are 10 years old. The prescription itself is still good, but it there are little tiny scratches all over the lenses. And they’re missing a nose thingy
I would definitely go to glasses before suffering some of the problems described in this blog. I’ve always trusted my eye doctor, but there’s something to be said if this many people are having the same problems with these lenses, yet the doctors remain silent.
Thanks everyone for your information.
I am so glad I found this blog! Thank you to everyone for your comments and stories. I have been wearing Acuvue 2 contacts for approx. 10 years and never had any problems. But for the last 6 months, my eyes have been red, itchy and very dry. Recently, I went for my annual eye exam, bought 4 boxes of Oasys because I was told that they would keep my eyes from getting dry during the day. I have more problems now than ever before. Same problems others have listed above. After reading most of the comments here, I am not sure if I will get a stronger cleaning solution or just call J & J and see about getting my money back. I want the Acuvue 2 back, it seems to be the lesser of two evils.
Also, I have read some posts that say their eye doctors blame them for the problems they are having. My eye doctor said the same to me. Wearing contacts for so many years, you get into a routine. C’mon…we know what we are doing, how to wash our hands and clean our contacts properly and what solution to use. Then it seems like all of a sudden, after 10, 15, even 20 years of wearing contacts, we have problems that are unbearable. These eye doctors are quick to blame us and never inform us that there might be a problem with the contacts.
Has anyone had any succes with putting together a legal claim for the damage caused by these lenses?
Surely this amounts to a breach of the duty of care and professional negligence by either J&J or the opticians?
All it would take is a high court judge from one judge. If they set a precedent, all the others must follow suit and every other materially indistinguishable case would have to succeed.
What’s the market rate for ‘an eye that isnt red’ these days? £100,000? We could bankrupt the entire industry. Sounds fair to me.
I, too, have had an awful time with Oasys. I started wearing contacts as a teenager and have worn them for 18 years now. Prior to the “oasys comfort miracle” (as it was sold to me), I had worn various brands of toric and non-toric lenses and never had problems. With Oasys, I had the same red veins and throbbing that others report. Also, I could consistently see better with my glasses, although they were the same prescription. Discomfort, too – I came to accept that I could feel my lenses on my eyes, and I actually felt like they were blurring my vision. Driving at night I had terrible ‘halo’ and ‘comet tail’ problems, to the point that I only felt safe driving at night with glasses. I assumed my eyes were getting worse and went back to the doctor 3 times in 18 months, but he never found any change of prescription. FINALLY, I saw a new doc and explained the problems. He said right away OASYS DOES NOT PROVIDE OPTIMAL VISON AND SOME PATIENTS REPORT DISCOMFORT. He switched me to Bausch and Lomb PureVision2. These are apparently ‘HD’ lenses, and especially designed for averting glare problems with night driving. My god, I can see again, and with no red veins or throbbing!! I can’t believe I messed around with Oasys for 2 years. If you are having problems, switch now, the problem, given all these posts, is probably the lenses, not you or anything you are doing ‘wrong’.
Thanks so much to everyone for posting your experiences with Acuvue Oasys. After being sick and tired of being sick and tired, I decided to Google these lenses and found these your reviews.
I, too, thought it was me alone. I’m currently wearing Acuvue Oasys with HYDRACLEAR Plus. After wearing the lenses for 1 1/2 year, I’m having the same problems with itchy, red, and mucous eyes when waking up in the morning. I have been wearing contacts for many years and have not experienced the problems I have had lately, which is why I would not have ever considered it was the contacts.
After I continued to have problems, I mentioned it to my doctor, and he prescribed tobramycin-dexameth ophth susp, which is the generic name for tobradex eye drops. He told me it probably wasn’t the contacts. I used one drop in each eye four times a day for 5 day and was told not to wear my contacts while using the drops. (I think not wearing the contacts is what actually healed my eyes.) I have been using the drops off and on since summer. Every time I go back to the contact lenses, the same problem starts over again. Also, if I rub my eye when the contacts are inserted, they appear to change size and have to be removed.
I am so tired of this constant aggravation and suffering. I will let my doctor know first thing Monday morning about the comments I read here. I won’t be wearing these lenses any more, and I want a full refund for all of the past purchases. I just don’t believe J&J don’t know.
Thanks again, and I hope everyone continues to post your experiences. It really helps.
JoAnn, at the risk of sounding trite – ditto. I have worn ACUVUE-2 for years and never experienced any problems. Then my Doc changed to OASYS, and the problems you describe began. I blamed everything but the contacts. It took a frightening trip to the emergency room, and antibiotics to convince me something was not right. I have been wearing glasses for several weeks now, and even 1 day of wear with the OASYS and it takes 3-4 days to clear up. Thanks to all for sharing your experiences, and count me in. I have a few pairs of ACUVUE-2 left, and plan to try those again.
Same as everyone else. Have been wearing contact lens for almost 40 years. Switched to the acuvue oasis for astigmatism 2 years ago. This past year have been to the doctors at least half a dozen times for what I thought were eye infections/conjunctivitis. Especially bad in right eye. They would give me antibiotic drops but did not find any problems. Finally my eye would get so red & I would have the throbbing pain others described, that I couldn’t wear my contacts. Went to opthamolagist who found mild abrasion and gave me steroids. When finished steroids, said I can wear contacts 6 hours a day. When I was paying the bill it was the billing assistant who told me about the solution problem, not the doctor. She asked me what kind of contacts I had & what solution I was using. Have been wearing 6 hours a day, but still have slight pain at end of day. Think I will definitely change brand.
I have been wearing contacts for ever also and have not changed to oasis. I still use the acuvue two and in the past several months have had a lot of the problems that most of you are writing about. A few months ago I refiled my script and began having the problems. I thought I had pink eye at first and the Dr. gave me some drops, that I used for the amount of time told and the problem bettered some but keeps reoccuring and I am convinced it is not pink eye. Benedryl seems to help for a while, but I still have the goop in my eyes, especially in the mornings before I put in my contacts. My solution to this problem is, I am going to try a different brand of contacts not made by this company.
Having similar problems — using Oasys for almost 1.5 years with Opti-Free.
On new box, and I had bloodshot eyes back in January and again this week.
First time I got a prescription for Besivance and Amoxicillin and it got a little better.
Found this blog last night and today I have a prescription for Poly-Pred 0.5%
Did anyone try this eye drop to heal the eyes? If not, what were you prescribed and did your eyes get well (i.e., no red eyes?) then did you go back to contacts?
I will probably go back to Acuvue Advanced or Acuvue 2 plus start using Clear Care, or maybe consider Lasik!
Dave…I’m in on the legal claim! Same problems as everyone. Been only 6 weeks now for me but I am done. Unfortunately I just bought a 1 year supply. Anything we can do?? Doctor has said repetedly that it is not the contacts. But I have NEVER experienced problems before and have worn contacts for 32 years.
I am going to the eye doctor this morning and so glad I have stumbled across this BLOG. I have been wearing contact since I was 15 and I am now 28, I have used Acuvue Oasys for a while now and have in past couple of months experienced red eyes to the point where all the whites are blood red, very scary thing to wake up to. I am keen to now switch to another brand NOT ACUVUE after what they have done to everyone, does anyone have any more suggestions.
Thanks to everyone for taking the time to write this has made me feel alot better about the situationt and that I am not the only one.
Toni
I have switched to Air Optix from Ciba Vision and it works great.
Toni –
I had bloodshot eyes too, a late onset problem after wearing Oasys over a year.
Get your corneas healed first by wearing glasses and using steroid drops prescribed by the doc – 1 week on Lotemax worked for me.
I was switched to Acuvue 1 Day TruEye lenses and we’ll see how that goes. Acuvue said it will reimburse me for opened boxes of Oasys with the Acuvue 1 Day lenses that the docs perscribe.
I will look into Lasik too.
Good luck.
Thanks Sam & Kelly
I went yesterday and I am now on two sets of drops for one week and see if my corneas begin to repair. I actually took the print out of all these posts to the doctor who is going to try and get some answers from Johnson & Johnson for me. So glad I found this before I went to him though. I will write and let you know how I go in a week and what works for me for everyone in the future that may come across the same problems. Fingers crossed no permanent damage has been done.
I had the same problem as many of you.I’ve been wearing Acuvue Oasys for 10 years. It all started last year (April 2010). I noticed that my eyes were always bloodshot. I stopped wearing contacts for a week and wore glasses during that time. Still no difference. One month passed and it was still red. I thought I had allergies. I was fed up of always looking like I was tired/hungover so went to the opthamologist inJune. He just told me that my eyes were red and there was nothing he could do. He also said I could go back to wearing contacts. BIG MISTAKE. I went back to wearing contacts, bloodshot eyes and all, and I got a corneal abrasion. The doctor refused to believe that the contacts were at fault. I went on antibiotics for a week but my corneas were still scratched. My corneas did not heal until October.
After the whole ordeal I went to the optometrist who in fact told me most likely it was the contacts. But she recommended that I change the size of my contacts. My contacts were a diameter of 8.4. I tried an 8.7 in both eyes but it felt weird in the right eye so now I wear 8.7 in the left eye and 8.4 in the right. It feels so much better and since the change I have not gotten red eyes.
So my advice is to speak to an optometrist about changing the size of the contacts. The larger the diameter the more oxygen your eyes get. Also use Visine (or any eye drop brand) for contacts throughout the day, especially if you spend most of your day staring at the computer.
The contact lenses that I have been wearing for over 10 years, Precision UV, were discontinued on 3/31/11 – My doctor gave me a trial of Air Optix and I lasted about 4 days with them. He then gave me Accuvue Oasys and I lasted 3 days – my eyes were so dry it even made my feet hurt by the end of the day! I’m going back to the dr. to try other brands, but it may be worth trying the solutions you’ve mentioned. I went back to the pair of Precision UV that I have and it is amazing how much better they are – I don’t even know I have them in. THe same thing happened to me with contacts that I had worn for about 15 years – Permaflex Naturals, but the Precision UV were of equal comfort.
i’ve been wearing the acuvue oasys lenses for 2 months and now they just started drying up!!! FML!!!!! i hate wearing glasses =( someone please tell me what I can do?
Thank you SO much for this blog. Same situation here; have been using Acuvue Oasys contacts for the last 2 maybe 3 years. I had red eyes a couple of times early on, then things seemed ok. The last few months have been bad, though. Every time I try to wear contacts I get red mucous eyes and sometimes blurry vision and have to wear glasses for 3 or 4 days until they clear up. Went to eye doctor and same as everyone else; she was adamant that it wasn’t the contacts, but couldn’t find anything else wrong with my eyes. She prescribed me the steroid eye drops also but it is clear after reading all of us that it is the contacts that are the problem! I plan to switch contacts immediately.
I had no problems, and enjoyed wearing contacts for 10-12 years. For about half of those years, I didn’t even own up-to-date eye glasses.
I then got a skin infection near my eye, which forced me to buy glasses during the whole doctor’s visit ordeal.
I didn’t need to take a break, but I did from contacts for about 1 yr. When I returned back to my optometrist, he made a case for Advance Plus. I noticed (for the first time in my life) the feeling of contacts in my eyes –a slightly dry, uncomfortable feeling. Never in the 10+ years felt this in my old lenses, and after reading this blog, I’m going back to Acuvue2′s first thing tomorrow…
THE ISSUE:
I have been wearing soft contact lenses with the rare problem for over 35 years. Since I started wearing ACUVUE OASIS – JOHNSON & JOHNSON the past 2 years, I have had non-stop goo in my left eye, and red eye every 3 weeks. After a bout with eye antibiotics, it goes away temporarily. I did sleep in them. I had previously used Bausch and Lomb Focus 1-2 Week which advertised I could sleep in them.
I finally went to SEE THE HEAD OF OPTHAMOLOGY at my HOSPITAL in SAN DIEGO. I described to him the symptoms. He said I did not have corneal scarring and more like an allergy. He asked which contact lenses I was wearing and my wearing habits.
THE CONCLUSION? The Doctor stated that in his opinion and experience that ACCUVUE OASYS HAD A PROBLEM WITH NOT ENOUGH OXYGEN FLOW TO THE EYE, CAUSING PROBLEMS TO THE WEARERS. He had seen many eye problems with this contact lenses.
DOCTOR’S RECOMMENDATION? I am searching for a new lens brand now.
1. CHANGE LENSES BRAND IMMEDIATELY!
2. DO NOT SLEEP IN YOUR CONTACT LENSES (as I had been doing).
In the meantime, my Dental officel clerk’s glasses caught my eye. Her glasses were pretty but her sad story was not. She said her eye was scarred by contact lenses and she can never, ever wear contacts again, nor have laser corrective surgery. Guess what Contact Lenses Brand she wore? Yep – ACCUVUE OASYS ruined her eyes. Her husband had also been wearing the same brand and having problems too. I told her to have him change brands right away.
ACTION: – WE SHOULD ALL REPORT PROBLEMS WITH ACCUVUE OASYS TO THE FDA. http://www.fda.gov/safety/reportaproblem/default.htm
Take care!!!!
And to address some of Dr. Tom’s issues and more:
– I was replacing my Accuvue Oasys EVERY WEEK.
- I would wear my glasses one week on, throw out the contacts, and next week open a brand new pair of contacts to wear. These contacts are not worn, damaged or have problems.
–I was using SALINE SOLUTION to rinse my contacts.
- Only my LEFT EYE was affected with the red eye problem. I noticed the same with many of the people who wrote in. What does this mean?
It would be interesting to see if the people’s right handness or left handness corresponds with the eye that is experiencing the most problems. For example, I am Left-Handing and it is my left eye that is always irritated.
Could it be that the Contact Lenses lack of oxygen sets up the eye to have the correct condition to have problems and then all it takes is a minor introduction of some germs from our hands? (By rubbing our eye, touching our eye).
So – does your eye correspond with your handness, right or left?
I took the advise on here, over a year ago, and have had no problems with redness. In fact, I am able to wear my lenses for months. I use ClearCare instead of the brand the doctor prescribed. He told me, over the phone, that my red eyes could only be from an infection, and that they could only be cured with meds. I didn’t believe him.
Now my son also uses ClearCare because of the red eye problem.
I am so happy to have found this site. I am going out right now to buy the ClearCare solution. I have been having a problem with these lenses since last November when I got them and I can’t wait for them to be gone!! I will never reorder them again. However, going to the beach soon and would really like to wear my contacts, so I will give the ClearCare a try for now. I have been wearing my glasses almost since this all started, only putting my contacts in for a few hours for special occasions. This whole incident has been crazy and I thought it was just me. My veins do clear up, but as soon as I wear these contacts after about 2 hours I have them back with blurred vision. I think that they are super comfortable lenses (have been wearing contacts for 25 years) and my eyes are sensitive to a lot of things and was happy with the comfort, but than this all started, which takes the comfortable away. I also notice a slight headache too after I take them out, wonder if that is all related??
Anyway, I plan to pass this information along to anyone else that I know that wears contacts.
I am so glad I found this. I also have been going crazy trying to pinpoint the cause of the horrible symptoms I’ve been having 5 months. I’ve worn contact lenses with zero problems for 25 years. Started a new batch of lenses after my exam in February. At the end of Feb, my kids came down with pinkeye and I thought I had got it too. My eyes were feeling sore and then became very red and sensitive to light. They felt swollen. No discharge, though. Took the antibiotic drops and it cleared up. Then I started getting headaches and sinus problems (had never had this before). Thought it was a sinus infection and took antibiotics. It went away but then I went on holiday and my eyes flared up again; i thought again it was pinkeye returned. No discharge or itching, just sore, light sensitive, and very red. Took pinkeye drops but they seemed to be causing more problems.
Over the next month my eyes became more tired-looking and red. OTC drops wouldn’t help. I started getting horrific headaches that i still thought were due to sinuses (ears full, draining, red eyes)–went on two more rounds of antibiotics to no avail, even ending up in emergency. When I finally saw the ENT, he said my sinuses were completely clear, they were not the problem. By mid-April i had completely given up on wearing my lenses. When I tried putting them in, my eyes became so light sensitive and sore and red, and my sinuses started draining. For three months now I’ve been wearing my glasses, my eyes had improved but whenever I occasionally tried to put in my lenses, they immediately flare up again. They were feeling so good yesterday I tried the lenses for a couple hours and then for a few more hours later. As soon as i took them out, they turned red and are agonizing now, the next day.
My optometrist found ‘nothing wrong’ a couple months ago. Have seen two opthalmologists, one said ‘no damage’, ‘they’re just a bit rough’. I tried preservative free drops which I seem to have some kind of reaction to. Most recently saw another opthalmologist who said ‘no damage’, and the eye surface roughness was now gone, but that I have little bumps on the inside of my eyelid. He told me to do warm compresses and eye massage and take steroid drops (Flarex). The drops were a miracle for the first couple days but I have quit them as they seem to make my eyes more sensitive to light and make me feel generally unwell.
Guess what new lenses I’d been given in January? Acuvue Oasys. I had worn Acuvue Advance up until that point with no problems for years. The way my eyes feel is very similar to how it would feel if I had accidentally fallen asleep with them in–like they are starved for air.
My optometrist’s assistant told me they had discontinued Advance lenses. Once (if!) my eyes recover from this recent attack, I’m going to order a box online. Or maybe try dailies. As a note, I always used ClearCare solution with no problems for years. I did notice that despite daily disinfection, these Oasys lenses seemed to look goopier than the the old Advance ones did by the 2 week replacement mark.
Completely agree!!! So glad I found this blog. Had been wearing the original acuvue for 14 years without any trouble – overnight fairly often (24 ER shifts) without ANY trouble until I was switched to Oasys 4 months ago (original discontinued) and have had all of these symptoms – itching, discomfort, bluriness, pain, redness – started 3 months into the Oasys. My eye care has been better than ever (new lenses every few days, no sleeping in them, no 24hr shifts) but symptoms not improving. Time to find a new lense.
Having now researched this a little – you are all right – the solution does matter if you’re using a silicon based lense – see report below:
http://www.clspectrum.com/article.aspx?article=12621
Basically – only 3 are FDA approved for silicon based lenses – Clean Care, Optifree Express, Aquify (?).
I had no idea! Been using Renu for years without problems with non silicon lenses. Not sure how much of a difference it will really make (I doubt I’ll ever use oasys again) but for anyone still trying – change of solution would be in order.
Acuvue Oasys contacts are the worse contacts I have ever worn in my life. I first tried them when I was out of town so I assumed I was having an allergic reaction to pollen in the air. After 5 days, I was back in town and after I put the contacts in my eyes it felt like I had soap in both my eyes. Had to immediately throw both contacts away.
I’ve been wearing Oasys for about two years now for a day or two here and there (mostly wearing glasses). I’ve been to the eye doctor for GPC numerous times. Have ran out of contacts and prescribed more of the Oasys. Been on FML drops several times after wearing contacts for just a day or sometimes a week if I’m really lucky. I’ve been in contacts for 15 years and I’ve NEVER had so much trouble with GPC, eye irritation, redness, burning, etc. etc., in my life. I think my eye doctor believed it was allergies but I’m going to go talk to her today.
Can you say class-action lawsuit? lol
I’ve been wearing contacts for 16 years and have never had the problems that I started having a year ago when I was prescribed Acuvue. Within days, my eyes started mimicking pink eye symptoms. It took me a while to connect that the infections started when I switched brands to Acuvue. I’m so glad to see that it’s a common thing with this brand and that it’s not just me. I’m scheduling an appointment and never using this brand again. This past year has been miserable.
OMG, i am so mad! i have been wearing contacts for over 15 years. last year my eye doc switched me over to oasys. i was fine for a year. then 1.5 months ago i had to order a new batch of the oasys. since they arrived i developed an itchy red eye with light sensitivity. after 3 trips to the eye doctor and 2 rounds of tobramycin drops, doc said i could wear the contacts again. after wearing them for 4 days, again i have the red eyes. i am going to go to the eye doctor again. i am returning the stupid oasys boxes that are still unopened and looking for a different brand. thank you so much to all those that have posted!!
I tried using a Hydrogen Peroxide cleaner and voila`, NO MORE REDNESS or problems whatsoever! I would recomment strictly using a hydrogen peroxide cleaner on all contacts, even the ones new out-of-the-box before putting them in. I bought the Equate brand of cleaner from Wal-Mart because it was 10 bucks for two bottles and 2 cases and it worked just fine. Hope this helps.
I’ve worn contact lenses for 30 years (CSI Daily Wear) and I have NEVER EVER had a problem with them. Then my Ophthalmologist recommended that I try Acuvue Oasys for greater oxygen flow and comfort, and the fact that CSI discontinued their lenses. I agreed to try them and at first I was very happy with them because they were so comfortable. I ordered a set of 6 lenses. About 3 weeks later, I had what I thought was an eye infection. The symptoms were teary eyes, a goopy discharge, inflamed lids. When I went back to my eye doctor, she insisted that I had allergies. I’ve NEVER had allergies in my life, except on the West coast and that’s why I can never live in CA or Oregon. She prescribed Patanol drops, which did seem to make it better as long as I used the drops every single day. But it was the feeling of a foreign body lodged in my eye that irritated me the most. On some days, the pain is excruciating–almost unbearable. I felt like a razor blade was stuck in my left eye. I kept thinking I was doing something wrong…dirty hands, the house was dirty, mold in the house…etc. I was just MISERABLE for 6 months.
I was even afraid to look for a job knowing that I wouldn’t be able to drive to work, or even read what was in front of me. I have stopped wearing them and now wear my glasses. But I wonder what type of damage has been done and whether it’s permanent.
My eyes were almost scarlet and the veins were bulging. It felt like I had an uncontrollable Staph infection in both eyes. I was constantly blinking, which made things worse. I read somewhere that this could lead to BLINDESS. That’s when I said, enough of these lenses. Yet, I didn’t think that Acuvue would market a lens that was so dangerous to my health. I assumed (and made an azz of myself) that clinical trials would have been conducted before they were sold to the public. I am extremely upset because it has ruined my health and my livelihood, which is computer related.
I called the Acuvue number (800) 843-2020 and spoke to them. The customer service person was trying to see whether the irritation came from the solution. I told him I’d been using Clear Care since day 1 with these lenses. I asked if he could send me a sample of Acuvue 2 before I make an investment in buying them. He said no, that only my eye doctor could do that.
The problem with my eye doctor is that she insists I have allergies, not an infection. Also, she keeps pushing Lasik as an alternative, saying that “Maybe contact lenses just aren’t for you. You may require Lask.” First, I’ve worn contact lenses since I was 16, so that’s a moot point. Second, I feel as though these eye doctors deliberately give us Acuvue Oasys so that we’re so miserable we begin to seriously consider Lasik surgery, which is so expensive and unreliable. I’ve read about the problems that can occur years later.
Well, I will try the Acuvue 2 lenses which are hydrogels, but NOT Silicone Hydrogels. Hopefully, that will solve the problem. The bulging red veins in my right eye have not gone away, it is now 1 month. I’ve let my eyes rest for 4 days, put them in and the same full blown symptoms occur again: gummy discharge, inflammation, red veins, feeling like a foreign object is in my eye, blistery eyelids, etc. These Oasys lenses are going in the trash. Perhaps J&J should just be in the baby care industry, and not the contact lens industry, ya think?
Wow. I too have had the same issues with Oasys. I used to use Acuvu Advance, never having any issues (used them for 14 years) and then my eye doctor switched my lens because it is what he had in stock. They are more expensive AND supposed to be better, but straight away I started getting the irritation and infections. I finally realized that it was my contacts, NOT allergies, and NOT pink eye. My eye doctor doesn’t seem to think it’s the issue, but I’ve taken the Patanol drops and the eye lubricant gel for months now, but each time I let my eyes get better and use the Oasys again, they flare up. I am going to try to switch back to Advance, but I’m scared about hurting my eyes. After reading all these posts, I’m nervous that I could damage my eyes by continuing contact use, but I can’t get laser surgery because my cornea is too thin (once again, according to my eye doctor). Thanks for posting this blog and making me realize I’m not a hypochondriac. (o: Now to figure out a solution!
I had an eye exam yesterday and had been experiencing red eye for the past 6 months. I had not change any medication and my eye exam was perfect nothing wrong, except for my eyes were extremely dry which caused the redness. My eye doctor informed me there is currently and investigation happening against Opti-Free solution and Oasys contact lenses. The problem is not the Oasys its the solution!! The combination causes the tear layer to dry out hence the red eyes!!! I was informed to switch the solution right away, and use eye drops. The redness has totally disappeared from the drops. DO NOT USE OPTI FREE SOLUTION.
There are some more details about a problem with the opti-free and oasys combination here:
http://www.optiboard.com/forums/showthread.php/40518-IKC-with-Acuvue-Oasys-with-Optifree-Replenish
I, too, had red eye (sometimes it looked like I had pink eye) in both eyes for months after wearing Oasys. Finally went to the optometrist. Was on Lotemax corticosteroid drops for two weeks and was told to switch from Optifree Replenish to ClearCare. After about 4-6 weeks, my eyes were better.
I also would like to add the red-eye problem didn’t start with the Oasys lenses until after about a month (I also don’t sleep with them in; take them out each night for cleaning). I had been using Replenish with my old lenses (not Oasys) for a while with no problems so that’s why I didn’t connect that the solution may be the problem at first.
I also would like to add the red-eye problem didn’t start with the Oasys lenses until after about a month (I also don’t sleep with them in; take them out each night for cleaning). I had been using Replenish with my old 3-month disposable lenses (not Oasys and not silicone hydrogel) for a while with no problems so that’s why I didn’t connect that the solution may be the problem at first.
I can’t tell you how glad I am I ran across this thread. My new eye doctor had me switch from my Acuvue 2s (which i never had problems with!) to the Advanced and then Oasys. About a month after I started using them I noticed my eyes were extremely dry and I went to the doctor thinking I scratched my cornea. Since October, I’ve been in the emergency room twice, the urgent care 3 times, 2 allergy specialists, a dermatologist and to the eye specialist twice. My eyes get super teary and crusty, and my eyelids (the right more than the left) will swell up to triple its size to the point them are swollen completely shut. It’s painful, in fact, I had an episode yesterday afternoon, so today it’s still slightly swollen and hurts terribly. I do not sleep in contacts, I throw them out every two weeks, so i never thought that contacts were the culprit. My eye specialist mentioned it could possibly be these Acuvue Oasys contacts and that hes had other patients have problems with them. I didn’t think it was that because I’ve never had contact problems before. But last time I was there, he gave me a pair of my trust old Acuvue 2′s, and I wore them 2 weeks without an incident. It was time to throw them out, so i had no choice but to put a fresh pair of the Oasys in 3 days ago and BAM, I have an episode.
BEWARE OF ACUVUE ADVANCED AND OASYS! I’ve missed a lot of work and accrued a ton of medical bills because of this! It’s been a painful and embarassing experience because my eyelids swell up within 15 minutes. There has been a couple occasions that I didn’t even know it was happening and someone had to pull me aside and have me go look in the mirror. I’ve gone through 3 regiments of steroids and steroid shots in order to stop the swelling! Very painful and very expensive to fix! Now I am stuck with an 9 months worth of these Oasys contacts that cost me a pretty penny!
I am sitting at my desk right now trying to avoid everyone because of my red eyes. When I say red, I mean really red. I am very angry.
Thank goodness I found this blog. I have had the exact same experience with Acuvue Oasys as everyone listed above. I was switched by the advice of my doctor from the Acuvue 2 several years ago. This whole time I thought it was my allergies causing Allergic Conjunctivitis. It made sense because I have seasonal allergies and my eyes were also itchy.
I will spare you they whole story because it is EXACTLY the same as the others. I did get a scarred cornea and some eye infections. NEVER once did the doctors think it was the contacts. Guess what? They still don’t. I called my eye doctor yesterday to tell her I wanted a refund for my contacts that I had just purchased. What do you think she said? “It is probably not the contacts, but an eye infection”. Wow. Duh. What is causing the eye infection genius? THE CONTACTS!
Long story short. I have suffered many years from these poison contacts. I have had several days ruined, I have beed depressed about it several times, and ofcourse wasted lots of money. I am in my twenties and I hope there is no permanent damage. Who knows?
Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and I am so glad that we have all found a solution for our eye problems. These contacts are gone! Please spead the word anyway you can that these contacts are horrible. Hopefully one day they will be removed from the market forever.
I just switched to Oasys after wearing other contacts for 20 years. My eyes were blood shot, light sensitive, and my vision was blurry. All over the counter re-wetting and gel drops had no effect on my symptoms. I’ve been out of the lenses for 10 days now after taking some steroid drops, and the redness has gone away, but my vision is appreciably worse than it was when I got the contacts in October. I noticed such a precipitous decline in my vision in just two months, I thought I was going blind. My left eye feels like there’s a haze over it all the time when I’m just wearing glasses. I’m worried my eye sight has been ruined forever.
Just like previous posters, my journey into horrible eye troubles started immediately after trying Oasys lenses in November 2011. A contact lens wearer for over 25 years, I had no troubles and enjoyed my contacts. Never had an issue with eye health, headaches or sinus pain, ever. Due to the discontinuation of my Focus lenses, my Dr. Put me on Oasys, claiming they were much better. Within days my eyes turned red, discharged horribly, ached and itched, etc. Of course the dr said it was coincidence and I either touched my eyes with dirty hands or the lenses were inside out. GIMME A BREAK!! I knew better! Anyway, tried rounds of antibiotics and then retried the lenses…same trouble again. So much for inside out…grrrr.
I wore my glasses for weeks but my eyes got worse. Developed several sties, a chalazion (big bump on my lid) and the horrible burning, light sensitivity, headaches, and sinus pain remained. Ditched the eye dr. and saw a new one about a month ago. He has diagnosed the condition as blepharitis and put me on Zylet steroidal drops. He has agreed that quite likely this could be a reaction to the silicon hydrogel material in the Oasys lenses. I have to apply hot compresses twice daily, massage my lids, and scrub them with Ocusoft scrubs. I continue to do this faithfully and have some good days, some bad. He tells me this is an irreversible condition and I will probably do this for the rest of my life to manage the permanent inflammation.
In my heart of hearts I know the Oasys triggered this horrible trouble. Please…if you experience any of these symptoms, discontinue the Oasys lenses. There is something dangerously wrong with them.
I started wearing Acuvue Oasys lenses about 4 months ago. Ever since I started, I have had red, bloodshot eyes and my eyes feel uncomfortable after I take them out at night. The lenses also feel sticky once I take them out; I’m not sure if anyone else have had this problem? These lenses also rip very easily so I recommend using a no rub solution. If anyone experiences a burning sensation on one specific area of the eye with the contacts, remember to check for a rip. However, I found that these lenses are very comfortable and I have great vision throughout the day. I tried many brands of contacts during the fitting and the Air Optix and Oasys lenses were the most comfortable.
I have tried Opti-Free and Re-Nu solutions; I just bought clear care and I want to see if that will help with the redness. For some very odd reason I found that I had to take my contact lenses out again and again in the morning when I used Opti-free, because it wouldn’t focus very well and the vision was blurry for 20 minutes or so after I put my contacts in; I decided to switch to Re-Nu and this problem disappeared instantly in the morning.
I use Systane Ultra Lubricant Eye Drops after I take them out because my eyes feel extremely dry. My contact lenses fitter said that I could also use these eye drops while wearing the contacts; If you experience any dryness I recommend trying Systane Ultra. However, they feel really comfortable and my vision is excellent when I put them in. I called my contact lenses fitter and he says I might be over wearing them. I don’t sleep with them and the oxygen permeability is supposed to be so good that you can wear them for several days.
I also want to thank everyone here for posting and creating this blog. It feels great to know that you are not alone in this and that it might be the contact lenses thats the problem. I wonder why the trial lenses were so good and didn’t seem to rip at all while the actual lenses that you buy seem to be more delicate?
I am concerned about the redness but I really like the comfort level and vision quality of these lenses. Contact lenses have been really convenient because of my active lifestyle and because my vision is terrible. I don’t want them to say I can’t wear contact lenses anymore so I am a little hesitant to get my eyes checked out.
Good luck to everyone!