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[ThakYuki]

As long as the friend's hands are clean. I had to have help putting lenses in my first time.

[aikoe]

I've gone through pretty much every major contact thread on the forum, but I'm still slightly concerned about getting quality lenses.

I trust the Korean and Japanese equivalents of the FDA just fine, but I'm reading a lot of things like "they're illegal in the US so customs will take them" or "you're going to end up with fake Chinese knockoffs and go blind." Clearly a lot of people wear circle lenses and such, and they're not blind or having corneal ulcers or anything like that. If I could get natural-looking red lenses from the optometrist, I wouldn't have a problem, but they're of the opinion that you shouldn't use anything not from a huge American monopoly contact brand, so they're not being as helpful as I would like.

Can I safely get EOS or Geo lenses from Kiwiberry or Mukuchuu without worrying about customs taking them or my eyes melting or something? What about New Adult, Dolly+, Nova, Hanabi, Ruby, Sakura Candy lenses from Pinky Paradise (found here)? Are all of these KFDA/KGMP approved (I know everything but Ruby and Sakura Candy are, but I can't find those...)? And is it OK to use OptiFree Replenish solution with these types of lens?

[ThakYuki]

They're not illegal in the US, just the US FDA frowns upon them for some reason. I have not heard of customs withholding circle lenses. They shouldn't as it's not considered hazardous to the US (like illegal drugs and explosives), and they can't prove if you have or have not given your prescription to the company to have it confirmed. As long as you properly care for your lenses you shouldn't have to worry about any troubles with your eyes.

Pinky Paradise is a site I see constantly referred to for ordering circle lenses. I haven't heard of any horrible experiences from them, so I'm sure they're safe to order from, and sell KFDA approved lenses. You should be able to use OptiFree just fine with the circle lenses, as they're made from the same materials as regular clear lenses.

[aikoe]

ThakYuki, thanks!

I've been wearing contacts for 12 years, so I'm not too worried about contacts themselves. I'm mostly concerned about getting knock-offs made from inferior or possibly hazardous materials.

On most of the lenses, I kept seeing that they were made of "2Hema," and I can't for the life of me figure out what that is. Most of the lenses I've ever encountered are made of Ocufilcon or Galyfilcon silicone hydrogel. I keep wondering if that's just another name for a type of silicone hydrogel, one that they use in Asia.

[ThakYuki]

I looked up 2 HEMA and it's the monomer that contact lenses are made from. http://www.bimax.com/hema.htm

[aikoe]

Ooh, thank you! All the pages I found on Google were either blank or really confusing.

[ThakYuki]

Lol I guess I'm just a master at using Google. xD I've found things through extensive searches in Google.

As for Pinky Paradise, I'm positive they only sell KFDA approved lenses, and no cheap lenses like some companies do. According to their FAQ, they sell only real lenses, not fake ones.

[Jyro]

This helps me so much! Thanks for everything!

[Momoko Peach]

-I admit that I did not read all of this, so sorry if my question has already been answered-

Is it true that contact lens expire?

[ThakYuki]

Originally Posted by Momoko Peach

-I admit that I did not read all of this, so sorry if my question has already been answered-

Is it true that contact lens expire?

Yes. Sealed contact lenses do expire. They usually don't expire until like 3-4 years after purchase. And the expiration date is always findable on a box (if it comes in a box like Acuvue) or the vial.

[Kama]

Originally Posted by Momoko Peach

-I admit that I did not read all of this, so sorry if my question has already been answered-

Is it true that contact lens expire?

Contact lenses themselves do not expire. The expiration date comes from how long the packaging can prevent outside organisms from potentially getting into the solution. The solution is what expires; not the contact itself. This is of course talking about sealed contact lenses that you haven't opened or worn.

Contacts you've worn are at risk of growing bacteria. They don't expire by the date on the package either but if you aren't wearing them regularly, the solution should be changed weekly, you should invest in a good cleaning solution, and you should toss them by the time the manufacturer suggests (usually a year for open lenses). Gas perms are rare now, but they are good for much longer, sometimes up to 15 years open.

Look at the packaging and consult the manufacturer when in doubt. Most contacts come with instructions on how long they can be stored.

[iNinjja]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fuqhp...el_video_title
this might help

[America La]

So if this has been asked before or previously explained but...
I've been looking around and found that most places the base curve is set at 8.6. My base curve is 8.5, so would an 8.6 base curve contact still be safe for me to use?

[ThakYuki]

Originally Posted by America La

So if this has been asked before or previously explained but...
I've been looking around and found that most places the base curve is set at 8.6. My base curve is 8.5, so would an 8.6 base curve contact still be safe for me to use?

Yes, 8.6 is safe for you to use. You may get a tiny bit of the lens sliding around, but I really don't think you'll have that problem. It's when you're an 8.8 trying to wear 8.4 where it becomes unsafe to wear.

[ghostmoths]

My apologies if this has been asked before and all, but..

Two contacts in one eye.
Anyone tried it? Is it really that risky? I did a search, and really, I got so many different answers that I'm not really sure what to think. Most of the time, the answers were mere speculation.

The reason I want to wear two of them is because I'm going for yellow eyes. I've tried plain yellow lenses and the dollyEye circle lens. Neither give me the result I want, but if I combine them, the color looks good.



If anyone knows any lens that will give this color on black eyes, that'd be very helpful also.