My eye doctor prescribed CIBA Vision O2 Optix Contact Lenses for me after my old brand, Choice AB, was discontinued. Before that, I used SureVue lenses, which were also discontinued. While the CIBA Vision O2 Optix lenses are made from a different material (silicone hydrogel) than those older lenses, my doctor said they were very similar in shape and fit.
She also said that the CIBA Vision O2 Optix lenses would be better for me because the allow more oxygen to enter the eye - and I've had problems in the past with not getting enough. (Lack of oxygen to the eye can cause small blood vessels to grow into the cornea, which can eventually cause loss of vision. Not good!) According to CIBA Vision's Web site, the O2 Optix lenses actually let in 5 times as much oxygen as regular soft contacts. You can sleep in them for up to 6 nights, or you can use them just during the day for up to 2 weeks.
The lenses come 6 pairs per box - all of the same strength. Standard lenses are available in strengths from -10.00 to +6.00D, but you can also get custom lenses from -20.00D to +20.00D. Each lens is individually packaged in a small plastic container with a foil covering. You just pull of the foil and scoop out the lens.
The O2 Optix lenses have a light blue "visibility" ring around the inside edge of the lens, making them easier to spot in the solution - or if you drop it. (The tint is not visible when the contacts are in your eyes and it won't change your eye color.) Fortunately, the lenses are fairly sturdy - so if you do drop them, they're less likely to rip than some of the really thin lenses out there.
When I first put the contacts in my eyes, I had no problem adjusting to them. They fit just like the Choice AB and SureVue lenses had. They fully covered my field of vision, were moist and pretty much undetectable - other than the fact that I could see!
I currently wear them about 10-12 hours every day for 2 weeks before switching to a new pair. (I soak them in AQuify Multipurpose Solution, which is specifically designed for silicone hydrogel lenses, every night.) I've occasionally taken naps in them and they are just as comfortable when I wake up as ever. They don't dry out or feel tight, like my old contacts would if I feel asleep in them.
Best of all, after wearing them for a year, when I went back to my eye doctor, she said that the little blood vessels that had grown into my cornea had "ghosted." She explained this meant they essentially shriveled up, which is a sign that my eyes are now getting the oxygen they need. So, I'd say, the O2 Optix live up to their breathability claims, for sure.
At around $30 for a 3 month supply (2 boxes of 6 lenses each), they are some of the more reasonable lenses out there - and the cheapest silicone hydrogels I've seen. I'm very happy with the O2 Optix - and with the different wearing schedule options, affordable price and comfort, I hope I've finally found a lens that won't get discontinued!
O2 Optix (commonly referred to as O2 Optics) is CIBA Vision's brand new weekly disposable contact lens.O2 Optix is made with a revolutionary silicone ...More at Lens.com
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O2 Optix (commonly referred to as O2 Optics) is CIBA Vision's brand new weekly disposable contact lens.O2 Optix is made with a revolutionary silicone ...More at 1800-GET-LENS
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