Hello citizens of Whyville. In case you couldn't tell by the title I am talking about contacts. I got the idea to write this article when I was talking to my new friend Cutie4910. She asked me if I wore glasses and I said, "No, contacts." Well that gave me the idea to write an article for the Times about contacts.

Since this week is Winter Vacation for me I decided I would write a bunch of articles for the Times. I am hoping at least one gets published. Anyways I recently got contacts. Now when I say recently I mean, recently. I got them on Monday of this week and today is Thursday. Even though I am not a veteran contact wearer I did some research and the information the doctor told me is still fresh in my mind.

What to consider?

Contacts really do have some great benefits. They are great if you want to play sports because you do not have to worry about someone knocking your glasses off your face. Another benefit is it is almost like having 20/20 vision because unless you tell someone you wear contacts they will never know! Also if you put contacts in properly you can't even feel them or tell they are there.

But there are a few disadvantages. You really have to be responsible to wear contacts which is the reason why most people don't get contacts until they are teenagers or adults. Contacts have to be cleaned daily or you run the risk of an infection in your eye. Also they may take longer to put on than on glasses. Contacts are also easy to lose. They are small and clear and you must find them fast because when they dry up they may crack and you might not be able to use them anymore. This happened to my brother yesterday.

I think contacts are really worth it because for the first time in my life when I put them on I felt like I could see clearly.I didn't get that type of satisfaction with glasses.

The Appointment

In case you didn't know the contacts appointment is different than the regular eye doctor appointment. If you already had a regular appointment you can skip that in your contacts appointment. But if you haven't you have to have that too. If you did have your regular appointment make sure you bring your prescription.

What happened to me really was I had to sit in a chair with my chin on this cushion and my forehead against the bar. Then I looked at this star shaped thing and some green lights flashed in my eye. The happened on both sides and that was about it. Then they took me to another room to watch a video of how to take off and put on your contacts. Then the lady gave out contacts and we had to put them in. After that we had to read a chart to see if we could read with the contacts and that was it. It took a lot longer then it sounds, we were there for two hours but it was definitely worth it.

How to put on your contacts

1)Wash your hands with non moisturizing soap and dry them with a lint free towel or the lint will transfer on your contacts.

2) Open one side of the contacts case and dump the contents (contacts, solution) into your hand. Clean the contact with fresh solution. Make sure that the solution does not stay in a bowl in your contacts though because that happened to me and then I put it in my eye it stung and my eye was red.

3) Pull on the top and bottom eyelids and place the contact in. I use the top of my finger that sometimes helps just don't try it with long nails. You could also try the side of your finger.

4) Your eye will want to blink but don't because as soon as you do the contact will come out. Instead move you eye down, up and side to side a few times then blink a couple of times.

5) Repeat on the other side.

Remember:

-If you are putting them in over the sink always close the drain.
-Make sure you wash your hands every time.
-If it falls in the sink or on the floor or anywhere clean them well with solution.
-Don't ever touch the tip of the solution bottle you will contaminate it.
-Never clean your contacts with tap water.
-Make sure the contacts and the case is always clean.
-Replace contacts when necessary.
-Replace case every month.
-Always put in the case when you are not wearing them and make sure the case has solution in it.

So there you have it folks the basics that are needed to know about contacts. If you are thinking about getting them I recommend it. But ask your parents and doctor first.

See you around Whyville!

Until then,
Angalgirl over and out