How long have you used contact lenses? I used contacts from 2005-2017 or so, eventually switched away because it was annoying when I couldn't just take a nap easily, my eyes dried out a lot when I use a computer all day for work, and contacts are not very bikepacking compatible. When I first switched to contacts, it was such a breath of fresh air, but I've been back to glasses for years now and have no desire to go back. My life seems a lot simpler now that I have a good pair of transitions and a good pair of indoor glasses.
Not OP, but another data point. I have been wearing contacts since I was 16, in 1994, most of the time. I keep a pair of glasses and wear them occasionally (perhaps every couple month on average, or more rarely) for a few days or a week. First monthly lenses, then dailies for a long time. I got lazy and started to sleep with them for days/weeks, which is not to be recommended, but it's mostly worked fine. I've had an infection two or three times over the years.
They do get sticky sometimes, and I really have to blink to get started in the morning, or late nights
This summer I tried with contacts made to wear for up to a month without taking them out. When testing them out I learned I have also become astigmatic, which is a new experience; the contacts adjust in the eye to stay in the right angle, which makes mornings harder, as it takes a while for them to adjust. During daytime they mostly work well and I see much clearer now. However, I'm also getting older and these are now adjusted for seeing far, so for reading comfortably I'm going to need reading glasses/terminal glasses.
My old glasses are scratched pretty badly and the various coatings have rubbed off in the middle, which is pretty annoying. I mostly wear them for giving my eyes some rest (I have recently rediscovered how nice it can be too just remove them and not see anything) and because I really like the frames (Shuron Ronsir). They also have great looking clipons making them my favorite sunglasses.
Close to 10 years. I don’t take naps but I feel your struggle - it is uncomfortable to wake up wearing lenses, for sure. My eyes do not get dry (I use BL Biotrue dailies FWIW), but individual physiology is definitely a factor. I do quite a bit of active stuff, like volleyball, bicycle, snorkeling and managing glasses in these settings is a hassle for me.
There's a number of contact products that allow you to sleep in them. Mine do leave me feeling a little gummy in the morning but it generally fades shortly after waking up.
A previous brand (the air optix?) I lived in for a month at a time and was fine though perhaps I just didn't care as much.
I wish I could do this but I really can’t. The dailies dry out super fast, and sometimes fall out. And then they stick causing a weird lag when I move my eyes too fast. Maybe it’s my eye shape but I wanted to love contacts and really couldn’t make it work.
Sorry about your experience! Looks like your lenses are pretty thick - probably you have large +- prescription? For me, my myopia is not very strong, so dealing with thinner lenses alleviates the problems your described.
Exact same experience. Amazing visual clarity, however considering how long I can work for in a day or multi-day period, dailies just aren't convenient.
I used contact lenses for many years, starting with RGPs when I was in high school and later switching to soft lenses. However, as I and my eyes have gotten old, I've found that wearing contacts for more than a few hours leads to eye pain, and switching to different brands or contacts with higher water content didn't really make a difference. So nowadays it's glasses-only for me.
