CIBA Vision Night & Day, You Are The One

I am naturally quite lazy, and unfortunately, extremely short-sighted. This combination means I went for years driving without seeing speed bumps even though my uncle is an optometrist who could give me a free prescription at any time.

It wasn't that I didn't love seeing. In fact, I felt like Alice in Wonderland every time I put in a pair of contacts. The problem was that I couldn't stick to the routine of cleaning them daily. At best they were de-enzymed, but living in the city, smoking, wearing eye makeup and using certain medications made contact lens wearing a chore. When it got to the point where I could no longer decipher facial expressions at the movies on my own, I decided to do something.

I asked my uncle for help finding the cheapest disposables possible. He recommended that I buy good ones instead, and told me that it might be possible to wear them longer than 30 days with some cleaning. I paid $70 for my box of six contact lenses and gave them a go. Thankfully, both of my eyes are the same weakness, so I never have to buy two boxes at a time. It's still expensive, but to put things in perspective, it's only $30 more than I pay monthly for my prenatal vitamin. After living as one of the seeing for the past 3 years, I can say that $70 is definitely worth it. I would never go back to my blind, madcap driver ways.

The lenses are packaged individually in small plastic cases that are easily gripped and pulled out of the outer blue and orange box. The lens cases feature foil tabs that pull off smoothly. While the seal is tight, I never experience the messy splashes that make me wonder whether or not I've just splashed $15 right down the drain. Each lens is clearly stamped with an expiration date (usually four or five years from the date of purchase), as well as the power and size of the lens. This is extremely helpful for those who find a stray lens somewhere, but aren't sure what eye it's for or whether it's from an old prescription.

These lenses are so comfortable and breathable, they are almost always unnoticeable. Between you and me and the rest of cyberspace, I get at least two months out of each pair before they start to feel itchy or require frequent cleaning. I rarely get blurring, even after a good cry. They also seem to work just fine with my medication that can make contacts uncomfortable. The only time I have a problem is when I get a gob of mascara or a crumb in my eye. I simply remove it, clean it with a no-rub solution, and put it back in. It's usually easy to reinsert and is very durable and tear-resistant.

Overall, I would highly recommend these to anyone. I've been using them for three years, and will probably wear them for three years more.