Maxi View Contact Lens

I have been wearing Bausch & Lomb soflens 38 for the past 7 years. I won't say it's uncomfortable but it tends to get dry at the end of the month or if I wear it for very long hours (should be worn up to 10 hours only). I wanted to change to a better contact lens which provides more moisture to my eyes. Wanted to try Pure Vision 2 but I was afraid I would have problems with it, like my mum. Pure Vision 2 is supposed to be better as it can be worn for longer hours (14 hours). 

The sales person at Spectacle Hut recommended me Maxi View Bi Weekly. If you have worn Maxi Eyes before, they are from the same manufacturer I guess. Although I never really liked Maxi Eyes, I thought that the non coloured one might be better since coloured contact lenses always tend to be drier [But at least Maxi Eyes are still slightly better than FreshKon]. Plus, it is a bi weekly lens, so it is more hygienic. It blocks UV rays somemore. 6 months supply, 3 pairs of contact lens in each of the 4 boxes cost $88. It is not a bad upgrade from my previous, which is $76/2 boxes, 6 months supply of monthly lenses.

 

When I felt the Maxi View contact lens, it's really soft, much softer than B & L. It's not tinted and there are no labels of 'B & L" to show the right side of the contact lens. So I have to look at the curvature to determine if it is on the right side. Even so, it's hard to tell. Because it's so soft, it sticks to the finger easier and doesn't have a good curve shape when placed on the finger. This makes it hard for insertion into the eye. When I finally manage to put it in and blink, sometimes it moves to the top of the eye. OMGGGG. And when I try to move it down, it is so slippery and difficult. I keep feeling my eyeballs.

The same issue happens when I try to take it out. The lens is difficult to grab out, especially when you moisturize your eyes with solution and it becomes very slippery. I have to try several times to remove the lens and this causes my eyes to become slightly red. Sometimes, it moves to the top of my eye when the lens slips back into the eye. I realized this happens with Maxi Eyes too.

At first, I felt that the lenses were comfortable in my eyes. Gradually, my eyes felt really dry, like something sucking air and moisture away from my them. I kept blinking. And sometimes it feels uncomfortable, like something foreign in the eye. I only wore it for like 4 days and I stopped. My eyes seemed to have been slightly infected after, having watery eyes and red eyes from forcing the lens out. 

I did a research on contact lens material. Contact lenses are generally made of a material called hydrogel. In the recent years with better technology, silicone hydrogel lenses are created, and they are said to be more oxygen permeable. My previous B & L 38 softlenses, made of polymacon (38% water content), are actually hydrogel lenses. The Pure Vision 2 contact lenses that I wanted  to try, made of balafilcon A (36% water content), are silicone hydrogel lenses. The Maxi View contacts lenses, made of HEMA + GMA + MAA 42% (found here, 55% water content), are I don't know what material. I asked the salesperson and she said they are made of hydrogel. I have took reference from this webpage on how to differentiate hydrogel and silicone hydrogel, and I don't know what those alphabets of the material of Maxi View lens mean.

Although the sales person have assured me that the Maxi View lenses are certified safe by the government and stuff, they are just not comfortable for me. Also, this proves that even if the water content is higher, it does not mean that it will be more comfortable. I have read it somewhere that different people have different preference and some of us feel better with lower water content. Sometimes, a higher water content lens tend to dry out even faster. So, it is best to consider many other factors together.

I wouldn't recommend this brand of lens, but if you're okay with Maxi Eyes, this should be okay for you. 

Updates: I have tried Bausch and Lomb Pure Vision 2 contact lens. The circumference is supposed to be thicker but I feel just fine. It is comfortable but not exceptionally. The only problem is that my eyes started to become reddish after 1 month plus. Hence, I changed back to the original soflens. 

I have also requested for a trial pair of Acuvue bi-weekly contact lens. It should be Oasys. I have always thought that acuvue lenses are super comfortable but I have heard people telling me they are not. The grip and everything is similar to my original. Feels really comfy at first too. But I realized at times it is also quite dry, especially when the wind blows. I don't think it is worth it to upgrade to acuvue if the effect is about the same. 

I read in a magazine that if you have dry eyes, you should not choose a lens with high water content. It would cause your eyes to be even drier, omg what I wrote above is true.