My Bausch & Lomb Optima FW Contact Lenses Disaster: A Cautionary Tale

I'll never forget those college days when I was trying to pinch every penny. With a -1.75 vision, I managed just fine without glasses, except for those crazy metro rides and university lectures. I hated wearing glasses, and it always made me feel self-conscious. So, I went to see an eye doc to get some prescription lenses.

I still remember that first day of clarity. I cried the whole day, but not from happiness, partially. I saw the world like a supermodel – every detail, every wrinkle on a leaf, every face... And when I saw myself in the mirror, every blemish, every imperfection, I was disappointed. The new vision made me melancholic; people weren't as beautiful, the world wasn't as perfect, and my reflection wasn't flawless. But eventually, I adjusted, and I started wearing lenses with lower prescriptions. The world became beautiful again.

I've been wearing lenses for over 10 years now, and my first pair was from a budget-friendly segment. I mean, I was trying to save some cash back then.

Optima FW Contact Lenses by Bausch&Lomb.

Optima FM Contact LensesBack in the day, I used to buy them from IM Ochka or specialized optometry stores. My last purchase was from Ozon.

Optima FM Contact LensesPrice in 2021: 890 rubles.

Manufacturer: USA

Packaging.

The standard cardboard packaging with information on the folds. It's pretty standard stuff.

Optima FM Contact Lenses Inside the box, you'll find 4 blister packs, each containing one lens. Optima FM Contact Lenses Before ordering these lenses, it's essential to consult with an eye doc to determine your specific parameters: base curve (BC) and power range (PWR).My Details

I wear lenses with a base curve of 8.4 and 8.7, as my base curve is in the middle range, but finding lenses with a 8.5-8.6 base curve is nearly impossible.

Myopia (nearsightedness) of moderate degree: -5, I take lenses on -4, but now I've taken them on -3.75 (because suitable ones weren't available).

Lens Characteristics

Bausch&Lomb offers a wide range of choices in terms of diopters. You've got plenty of options.

xa0

Optical Power (D) - from -0.25 to -6.00 (step 0.25D), from -6.0 to -9.0 (step 0.5D)

The base curve is available in 8.4 or 8.7, with no intermediate options. These lenses are made from a material called polymacon.

Optima FM Contact Lensesxa0

Polymacon (hydroxyethyl methacrylate, HEMA) is a hydrogel rich in water and belonging to the first group according to the FDA classification system. Its hydrophilicity is 38.6%. Therefore, lenses made from this material are characterized by a relatively high softness and comfort during wear.

Thanks to the hydrogel, the manufacturer promises comfortable wear throughout the day.

Ultra-thin design ensures the lens is barely noticeable, providing maximum comfort

Other specifications:

xa0

Water Content - 38.6%

Dk/t (for lenses -3.0D) - 24

Dry Resistance - non-ionic material with low water content

Diameter - 14.0 mm

Optical zone (for -3.00D lenses) - 10.0 mm

Center thickness (for -3.0D lenses) - 0.035 mm

Tint - light blue

Wearing mode - daily

Replacement mode - quarterly

My personal experience.

I was really happy with Optima FW lenses 10 years ago - they lasted through a 12-hour day without any issues. I mean, they were great back then.

Optima FM Contact LensesHowever, working on my computer for extended periods caused some discomfort. The worst experience, though, was falling asleep in these lenses - it happened once, and I never made that mistake again. I thought I'd gone blind, my eyes were throbbing, there was redness and intense burning sensations. My vision was completely gone. It took a day for things to return to normal. Since then, I've never fallen asleep in my lenses, not even when they're designed for it.My fresh impressions of Optima lenses. I got these lenses for short-term wear, usually 2-3 hours on a walk, and I work on my computer with glasses on. I sleep without them.

Optima FM Contact LensesLenses have a slight blue tint, but they're barely noticeable on the eye. Optima FM Contact LensesInserting the lenses is a breeze - it's almost impossible to mix up the front and back sides. The Optima lenses are pretty dense, way denser than Oasis lenses. Optima FM Contact Lenses I can only wear the new lenses for about 15 minutes before I start feeling some discomfort. There's this weird sensation of something foreign in my eye, and it gets super dry. On the first day, I wore the lenses for about 50 minutes, and my eyes looked terrible - blood vessels were popping, and it was burning and dry. I tried putting them in a few more times, but every time it was the same - after 5 minutes, my eyes would get super dry. I don't know what's going on with the Optima lenses, but they're just not wearable for me. At first, I thought it might be dry eye syndrome or some other change in my eye health, but I didn't have this issue with other brands. Now I'm back to my trusty two-week Oasis lenses.