My Contacts Are in the Wrong Eyes and I Like Them That Way

I know this may sound a little crazy... but I seriously accidentally switched my contacts one day. They're still not in the correct eyes because... I think I see better with them this way!

How in the world?

Look, I’ve worn contacts for almost 30 years. I’m really careful about keeping my contacts clean and I have invested in cases that make it more difficult to accidentally switch my contacts. But life happens.

You may be wondering how in the world someone can have their contacts in the wrong eyes. Well, let me tell you!

Is something wrong again?

I got to work early one morning and couldn’t shake the feeling that I just wasn’t seeing properly. Uh oh, did my vision change, I thought? Is something wrong again? Do I need to call my doctor?

After my panic, I wondered if I maybe accidentally switched my contacts. I grabbed the travel-size contact solution from my purse and ran to the teacher’s lounge to do a quick switcheroo. Blink… Blink… Wait. My vision was worse than before but familiar.

Deep breaths. This can’t be right, I told myself. So, I switched my contacts back to their original eyes, mascara smearing my face by this time, and went to pick up my class from the gym.

What is happening?

After that strange early morning experience, I became obsessed with what was going on. I... think... I saw more ‘normally’ when I switched my contacts. But, it was worse than what I was seeing with them switched. I say I think because I wasn't entirely sure.

I text my boyfriend to tell him that my left eye was seeing perfectly; as crystal clear as it ever had! It was amazing!

But, when I looked through my right eye, everything was a blur. Somehow, it all evened out to me seeing better than before – as long as both of my eyes were open.

Not giving up

I went home for lunch as I always do; however, instead of eating, I ran to open a new set of contacts clearly labeled L and R for my convenience. This was a hard decision for me, as my contacts are not exactly easy to order due to my extreme myopia and they’re stupid expensive when not covered by insurance.

I didn’t want to waste a set, but I just needed to know. I only get 4 sets of contacts per year – and that is with my amazing optometrist ordering me an extra 2 pairs.

Interesting

What I realized was that my contacts were, in fact, switched. And... I wasn’t mad about it. I was seeing so well out of my left eye that it seemed like a good switch.

You may now be wondering how my contacts weren’t the ‘right’ prescription. Here’s the deal... My RX is so high that the phoropter in my optometrist’s office can’t even read my prescription properly.

That means that when I go in each summer for my annual check-up, it’s a game of trial and error to see what works best for my vision that year. Sometimes she is right on the mark with my prescription and sometimes we go back and forth a few times before we get it right.

Wearing them wrong on purpose

Since this debacle happened just a few months before my next visit, I decided to just wear my contacts switched until my next appointment. I’m, in no way, suggesting anyone do the same.

It takes a few weeks, minimum, for my contacts to come in after they’re ordered. With such a short amount of time before my annual visit, I think it’s more important to get a thorough checkup and get a new RX at that time when I can order a new year’s worth at once.

You gotta do what you gotta do, right?