talk to me about astigmatism...

I have astigmatism in both eyes, and was told I couldn't wear normal contacts so I just wear glasses.

Oh no! Can someone give you a daily lens just for the hen night? I couldn't bear to go on a night out wearing my glasses! <vail icon>

I have astigmatism and wear soft lenses now as gas permeable ones weren't suitable for it.

You can have it lasered.

TBH honest it depends on how severe your astigmatism is to be able to wear normal. If the optician is recommending torics, I guess it's now severe enough that you shouldn't be wearing normal.

If you have your perscription, could you not call around your local opticians to find if there is one that perhaps has the type you need instock. It might be a long shot but worth a try if it means you could wear them for your hen night.

I have astigmatism coupled with quite bad short sight (-7.75 in one eye and -8.25 in the other) and was always told that daily disposables wouldn't correct the astigmatism - apparently I could have them but my sight wouldn't be as good, although they are improving all the time.

I had toric lenses for ages though, they are probably cheaper in the long run than soft lenses or disposables as they last ages if you look after them properly. They hurt quite a bit when you first put them in so you have to build your eyes up to them (or they used to when I first had them) so wearing them on your hen night might not have been ideal anyway - can you use an existing pair just for that one night?

With laser eye surgery you probably can have it (yours are much better than mine) but it might not 100% correct your vision, with mine I was told the correction wouldn't make it worth the cost and discomfort of doing it. You'd really have to speak to the opticians about that.

You talk as if toric lenses are totally separate things but I wear daily disposable toric soft lenses.

Actually, I wear glasses most of the time now as the aircon at work dries my eyes out too much to make lenses comfortable. I order my lenses online (www.contactlenses.co.uk) and have always got next day delivery, although that could be because the company is based only 30 miles away in Bristol. If I was really pressed for time, I'd probably ring around local opticians to see whether they had any in stock. If they think I'll buy from them in future, they have been known to come up with a single lens for me.

I have very slight astigmatism and wear daily disposables. I presume that because it's so slight I can still have these. My sight also isn't completey rubbish, only about -1.5 in each.

Did you explain to your optician about your hen night? As your astigmatism is so slight (just checked mine and it is -4.00), I'd be surprised if he/she wouldn't give the ok for you to wear a normal lens for just one night while you wait for your new ones to arrive. If he/she is remotely sympathetic, they'd probably stump up a pair of lenses for you to wear.

It depends on your prescription - I have astigmatism and wear toric lenses, but have a slightly unusual prescription which means I can't get daily disposables, so I have 14 day lenses which are fine. My optician thought my prescription should be fine for laser surgery but I've not actually been to the clinic for a consultation yet (I'm nervous/penniless!)

Not sure if you'll be able to get 'normal' lenses, it might be worth begging your optician?

You'd be ok to wear a normal contact lenses for your night out - if your optician can't provide you with one, then try asking in other opticians for a trial lens. I wear toric soft lenses - fortnightly disposables - the difference with toric lenses is that they are weighted on one edge (ie slightly thicker) to make the lens sit correctly in the eye on the correct axis to correct your astigmatism.

Your vision won't be as good with a normal lens, but it'd be ok just for a night out.

That's b*llocks. I have very bad astigmatism in my left eye (none in my right) and I was given the option to wear either; the idea being that my sight would be better with the toric lenses. As it happened, there was negligible difference so I was recommended to stick with my standard daily disposables. I do have slight 'slippage' on the left eye where the lens doesn't fit precisely, but it's not really noticeable. Oh, and it's more than one optician which has given me the same recommendation, so presumably it's not the opinion of one maverick eye doc ?

Thanks everyone. my optician wasn't very sympathetic, but i have my prescription on me and think i will go round to the optician's round the corner from my work to see if my first class negotiation skills crying will lead them to sell me contacts for the next few days!

interesting to hear people's opinions on torics - i might see if they might consider just giving me normal ones.....

I have -1.25 astigmatism on both eyes plus my "normal" vision is -3.75(or is it-4.75?) as well, and I wear monthly disposable toric lenses. They feel exactly the same as any soft lens and are brilliant! My vision is almost as good as when wearing glasses when I have them in.

I have been told that there is no point to having laser surgery for me, as eyes with astigmatism constantly change, so I would more than likely still need glasses after having it done.

I've got astigmatism in both eyes too and was told toric lenses were the only option so I've stuck with the glasses too. I do occasionally go out without wearing them but only usually with my H and he acts as my eyes! ?

I have an astigmatism in both eyes, always have had since I started wearing glasses and noone has ever said anything about which lens I can or can't wear, I have seen numerous opticians and used various lenses over the years as my eyes don't seem to agree with lenses. I currently have daily disposable which are fine.