Product: ULTRA
Manufacturer: Bausch + Lomb
Type: Monthly, Spherical (not for astigmatism)
Available in: 6-pack
The new Bausch and Lomb ULTRA contacts are really shaking up the contact lens market. It has been a while since a new release has gained popularity so quickly, and caused so much excitement in the industry.
History Behind Bausch and Lomb ULTRA
Contact lens manufacturers develop new contact lenses based on what the latest scientific research shows. Back in the early to mid 2000s, more and more evidence was showing that daily contact lenses were better for people than the monthly or bi-weekly kind. The last monthly lens (until ULTRA) to be released by any contact lens manufacturer was back in 2008, but most are much older. What followed was almost of decade of nothing but a flood of daily lens pouring in the market.
Recent statistical and demographic data however, showed that until now, the majority of people in the United States and Canada still wear monthly contact lenses. This represented an very large segment of the contact lens market, and they were all still stuck wearing decade old products because manufacturers stopped investing in research to improve monthly lenses.
Until now, that is. In 2014-2015 Bausch & Lomb launched the ULTRA lens in the United States and Canada and it is a truly revolutionary monthly lens.
Baush & Lomb Specifications
| Material: | samfilcon A |
| Water Content: | 46% |
| Oxygen transmissibility (Dk/t): | 163 at center of a -3.00D diopter |
| Base Curve (b.c): | 8.5 mm |
| Diameter (dia): | 14.2 mm |
| Center Thickness (c.t): | 0.07 mm at -3.00D |
| Power Range: | +6.00D to -12.00D in 0.50D steps above -6.00D |
| Visibility Tint: | Light blue |
Features/Benefits of the Bausch & Lomb ULTRA Contact Lens
Bausch and Lomb ULTRA material
The ULTRA lens is made of a silicone hydrogel material called samfilcon A. Most other leading monthly lenses are also made of a type of silicone hydrogel material.
Silicone is added to contact lenses to make them more breathable. The downside is that it also makes the lenses more rigid and less comfortable. In the past, people had to make a choice between comfort and breathability.
What makes ULTRA different, is what Bausch & Lomb calls its MoistureSeal technology. This combines both breathability and comfort in a revolutionary way.
This is the video Bausch & Lomb put out to explain their MoistureSeal technology. It’s more of promotional commercial than any kind of explanation, but still gives you a better idea about the new technology.
In addition to silicone, the contact lens material is infused with something called PVP which attracts and retains moisture. The PVP completely surrounds the silicone so the eyes get the breathability of the silicone without the discomfort associated with it.
Perfect for digital device users
The ULTRA lens was designed to retain 95% of its moisture even after 16 hours of wear. This is specifically intended to help people who spend a large proportion of their day looking at digital devices.
One of the rising problems in eye care is that the prolonged use of digital devices such as computer monitors, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc., causes us to blink less frequently which can cause dry eyes, eyestrain,redness, and blepharitis, among other conditions. This is especially true for contact lens wearers and has led to many people dropping out of contacts.
For anybody who spends a significant amount of time looking at digital devices, the Bausch and Lomb ULTRA lens is the lens you should be wearing. It will significantly reduce end of day dryness and help keep you in contact lenses for many more years to come.
For More Information
For more information about the Basuch & Lomb ULTRA contact lens, you can read the official:
Bausch and Lomb ULTRA Downsides?
Some contact lens wearers who have switched to ULTRA from brands that they were previously comfortable with have noted that they ULTRA contact lenses can develop smudges on them that are quite difficult to clean. If present, these smudges reportedly cause blurriness and discomfort the wearer.
Bausch and Lomb ULTRA Price
When Bausch & Lomb launched ULTRA, they informed their distributors that set a pricing policy for ULTRA which meant that it would be the same price regardless of where it’s sold. They set the price at $60 per box (6 lenses). That would make your annual supply $240.
Although this held true for a while, today it is possible to buy ULTRA at a much lower price.
Where to Find ULTRA at the Lowest Price
If you’re planning to purchase ULTRA online, it’s important to shop around to get the best price. Failing to do so can end up being very costly to you.
Here at Contacts Advice, I’ve made the process as simple as possible.
Contacts Advice is the Internet’s Best Contact Lens Price Comparison Site
Since I launched Contacts Advice in 2015, my mission has been to save contact lens wearers as much money as possible. That’s why I find the lowest prices for every brand of contact lenses so that you never overpay for you contact lenses again.
What Can You Expect From Contacts Advice?
- Price comparisons at the top 11 contact lens websites
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69 Responses
Alyssa
Your article is so timely! I’ve been considering contact lenses, but always saw my friends struggle with them popping out and drying out. And I’ve never worn them before, neither has anyone in my family. I wouldn’t have known where to begin. But, the Bausch and Lomb Ultra seems like a good fit, particularly because I stare at a computer screen for a good 12 hours a day. $240 for an annual supply is less than I spend on my glasses. I’ll definitely look into the contact lenses.
Thanks!
-Alyssa
Julie
Hi Alyssa! If your friends’ contact lenses are so dry they are popping out, please refer them to this article, sounds like they need to switch to a new brand! If you’ve never worn contacts before, it has never been easier thanks to lenses like the Bausch + Lomb ULTRA. And yes, $240 for an annual supply is actually a great price for a premium product such as this one, but you can get them for even less by consulting Contacts Advice’s homepage.
Evan
This is a great post! I know that when I use the disposable contact lenses they can be so uncomfortable and irritate my eyes! The Bausch and Lomb Ultra lenses seem to be a great way to see prevent this irriatation and stay comfortable! I use a computer a lot and my phone so these should be perfect for me.
Julie
Hi Evan, although daily disposable lenses do have the advantage of being replaced every day, many brands don’t actually have a very comfortable material, so they can still feel dry. The Bausch + Lomb ULTRA might be much more comfortable for you, especially if you’re someone who does a lot of computer and phone use. Bring it up to your eye doctor to see if he/she would recommend them for you.
Houstoer
I have worn glasses for a long time. I tried contacts but they didn’t provide enough moisture for my eyes so I gave them up. I’ve done this several times direly wanting to go back to contacts. I think I’ll give it one more shot and try these. They sound like they are right up my alley! Thanks for posting this great review.
Julie
Hi Houstoer, indeed you sound like you might be a good candidate for the Bausch + Lomb Ultra. Ask your eye doctor if he/she can provide you with a trial pair so you can give it a test run under his/her supervision. Let me know how it works out!
Todd
This is a great summation of Bausch and Lomb Ultra. Before I got laser surgery, these were the only contacts that would work for me.
I’ve got an incomplete blinking pattern and so my eyes would dry up with other contact lenses. So the Ultra’s worked great for me.
However, if you can, you should get the laser surgery, it’s awesome.
Julie
Hey Todd! I had LASIK too! I agree with you it IS awesome. Thanks for sharing your experience with the Bausch + Lomb ULTRA lenses!
Kris M.
Hi Julie,
Thank you for such a helpful review on these new contact lenses. It was very timely for me as I just got my new eye prescription this week and the eye doctor and I spoke about how much time I spend on digital devices since I’m in the IT industry and work on a computer all day. Just out of curiosity, why are these lenses not good with astigmatism?
Thanks for the information,
~Kris
Julie
Hi Kris! Currently the UTLRA brand is not available for people who have astigmatism. For a contact lenses to be able to correct the vision for someone with astigmatism, it has to be built differently. Bausch + Lomb, the makers of ULTRA is working on building a version of ULTRA for people who have astigmatism, but it won’t be available for another couple of years most likely.
*** UPDATE**
Bausch + Lomb ULTRA for Astigmatism are now available.
Elizabeth Haran
As I get older and realize how important are those little changes that I come to realize are happening with my vision every once in awhile, I am grateful for all that reading material that is easy on the eye.
Like all of a sudden, I realize I am wearing my reading glasses longer during the day just to be able to see the world I’m looking at more clearly.
I stopped wearing contacts a long time ago. Reading this article I am toying with thought of trying them again. Maybe this is the only lens that would work for me…
I appreciate the info.
Beth
Debby
Hi Julie. I was so excited reading this and was thinking I really needed to look into it. Then I looked back at the top trying to find out if they would work for those with astigmatism and found out that, unfortunately, they will not! I’m heartbroken. These sound like great contact lenses and I was hoping to try contacts again as I stopped using them several years ago. Oh well, it’s great information anyway and I’m sure there are many who will enjoy them.
Julie
Hi Debby! I FEEL YOUR PAIN! Before I had my LASIK procedure, I had astigmatism and I found it very limiting when it came my choice of contact lenses. But there is good new for you! Bausch + Lomb will definitely be releasing an astigmatism version of ULTRA in the not too distant future. When they do, I will definitely be writing about it on my site, so be sure to check back from time to time :)
*** UPDATE ***
Bausch + Lomb ULTRA for Astigmatism are now available.
Brad
In the past when I have left supposedly “breathable” contact lens in my eyes over-night they became milky or they would adhere to my eyes. I am not exactly sure what caused these problems. Maybe I have dry eyes.
I would love to not have to deal with my contact lenses on a daily basis. Do you think the technology of these new B&L lenses would solve those problems?
Julie
Hi Brad, when you sleep with contact lenses it can cause your corneas to swell slightly resulting in hazy or ‘milky’ vision when you wake up. This can happen to anyone who sleeps with their contact lenses but especially to those who have some dryness to begin with. Unfortunately, as good as the ULTRA contact lenses are, they were not designed for overnight wear.
There are very few people who can pull off overnight wear, and very few optometrists who are willing to prescribe lenses in that way. It just introduces a lot more ways in which things can go wrong with your eyes.
DISCLAIMER
This information is provided as an information resource only (i.e., this is not medical advice) and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information does not create any patient-doctor relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.
Paul
Thank you Julie for your review of the Bausch and Lomb ULTRA contact lenses. I’ve needed a lens prescription since I was 16 (I have myopia) but I’ve never used contacts — just glasses. I do like my glasses, but I’m thinking it would probably be useful to have contacts as well for convenience. Forgive my ignorance (as I said, I haven’t ever dealt with contacts), but I’m assuming you need a prescription before you can order the ULTRA contacts that are right for you, correct?
Thanks again,
Paul
Julie
Hi Paul,
Yes, to order contact lenses (online or otherwise) you require a valid contact lens prescription. A contact lens prescription is provided by your eye doctor upon completion of a contact lens fitting/assessment. If you pay for a contact lens fitting/assessment, your eye doctor is required by law to provide you with a copy of your contact lens prescription. You can then use your contact lens prescription to purchase contact lenses anywhere where they are sold. To find the best price on contact lenses, consult Contact’s Advice’s homepage.
DISCLAIMER
This information is provided as an information resource only (i.e., this is not medical advice) and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information does not create any patient-doctor relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.
AJ
Wow this is a great post! I know a lot of people who wears contact and they all say that when they use the disposable contacts they are so uncomfortable and irritate their eyes! I will sure tell them about the Bausch and Lomb Ultra lenses, and they seem to be a great way to prevent the irritation problem and stay comfortable!
Great article
AJ
Julie
Hi AJ, thanks for spreading the word. The Bausch + Lomb ULTRA would definitely be a brand to consider for your friends with irritating contact lenses.
BMarie
This looks super interesting for anyone in need of contacts. The Bausch and Lomb ULTRA lenses sound like they are right on target reaching those who spend time looking at their digital devices all day. I work at a computer screen all day long! I still have many contact lenses left, but I’ll have to ask my eye doctor for these the next time I order contacts. Thanks for bringing them to my attention.
Julie
Hi BMarie, if you look at digital devices that much, I think your eye doctor will be more than happy to have you try Bausch + Lomb ULTRA. Thanks for reading!
Rae Anne Pond
Thanks for the great review! It got me thinking maybe when I get my eyes checked this year, instead of getting glasses again, I’ll try contacts again. I will remember to ask my optometrist about the ULTRA lens, hopefully he lets me try them so I can see how feel compared to the ones I use to wear.
Julie
Hi Rae Anne! The ULTRA lens is extremely popular among people who stopped wearing contact lenses due to discomfort and dryness. I hope they work out for you :)
Sofi
Hey Julie,
This is a great article! I didn’t know Bausch and Lomb and it really sounds like it is worth a try.
I spend long hours in front of my computer and my glasses get heavier and heavier as the day goes day causing me a headache. Do you think this contacts would be good for a first timer as I never used them before.
Thank you so much for this!
Sofia
Julie
Hi Sofi! Yes, its never too late to start getting into contact lenses. If you’ve never worn contacts before I would suggest starting with a fitting with your optometrist so you can learn everything you need to know about putting them in, taking them out, the do’s and dont’s, etc.
Johnathon Peoples
Ok, this is going to be the next lenses I try. I have worn contact lenses for a long time but I always feel like they should be more comfortable. I’m pretty sure it’s because I’m not getting the right brand. Finally, it looks like this might be the right one. I can’t wait to see how they feel. Thanks for talking about them.
Julie
Oh, I’m curious, what brand were you previously wearing? Regardless, ask your eye doctor to let you try ULTRA. Hopefully its the lens you’ve been looking for.
Vic
Hi Julie, good to find this post and the recommendation! I’ve been wearing glasses for the past 10 years because I can’t wear a contact lenses for more than 3-4 hours anymore, same old issues, dryness and discomfort…
After reading your review, I’m excited that I might be able to wear contacts again, just like in my younger days!
Thanks for the review!
Vic
Julie
Hi Vic, I hope you do give these a try. They were designed to help people specifically with the kind of issue you described. Most eye doctors keep trials of ULTRA in their office. Ask yours for a pair and hopefully it works out for you!
Michael
Hey Julie! This is a greatly written article and I was actually going to go and purchase my usual brand of contact lenses, but I honestly think I’m going to go back to my eye doctor and ask for these. I’ve never heard of these lenses before but the way you describe them has gotten me to look deeper into them. Because of my job I stare at a screen for extended periods of time and by the end of the night I have to take my contacts out. This seems like the perfect solution for me. Thank you for the enlightenment.
Julie
Hi Michael, I’m glad you found out about ULTRA when you did. Hopefully your eye doctor switches you into these and you do well in them :)
Adam
Hi Julie! Thank you for this great article! It was really clarifying! :)
I’m just planning to switch from glasses to contact lenses. I’m getting really tired of waring glasses…
But do you think it would not be a bit “extreme” to purchase professional lenses like these at the very beginning?
Thanks for the answer in advance!
Adam
Julie
Hi Adam, great question. Even if you get contact lenses, they wouldn’t completely replace your glasses. It’s not great to wear contact lenses all day every day.
I would say that it doesn’t matter if you’re experienced in contact lenses or not. if you start with better contact lenses, it will be beneficial to you in the long run because it can reduce the chances of you developing contact lens-related complications.
I would recommend asking your eye doctor about this.
Cheers,
Julie
DISCLAIMER
This information is provided as an information resource only (i.e., this is not medical advice) and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information does not create any patient-doctor relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.
Andrea
What a great review – thank you!
I wear spectacles myself, and have only tried wearing contact lenses once. It was so uncomfortable that I gave up and threw them away after 3 weeks. I work on the computer the whole day in an air-conditioned office, so my eyes dried out to the point that I wanted to scratch the contact lenses out.
These new contact lenses seem to address all these issues and I’ll definitely be looking into it!
Julie
Hi Andrea! Bausch + Lomb designed this lens for people specifically in your situation. If you choose to give contact lenses a try again, speak with your eye doctor, and I hope it works out for you!
Cheers!
Chris
Unfortunately my son has bad eyes and I can not get him to wear his glasses for the life of me.
I can see this product is a very good price at $60 for six lenses… and I wanted to ask if they are also suitable for youngsters?
Thanks
Chris
Julie
Hi Chris! Great question! How old is your son? Contact lenses are a great option of children and teenagers who are just completely adverse to wearing glasses for whatever reason.
The ULTRA lens would be a great choice for children, because in the long run (over the course to the rest of their lives), it would be least like to cause changes to the health of their eyes.
However, the ULTRA is a monthly lens, meaning they must be cleaning and stored every night. For young children, this can introduce some problems, as they are more likely to forget some steps in the cleaning process.
Generally, for young children it is more advisable to have them use daily disposable lenses. This eliminates any possibility of them contaminating the contacts during the cleaning process.
The best person to talk to about this would be your eye doctor.
DISCLAIMER
This information is provided as an information resource only (i.e., this is not medical advice) and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information does not create any patient-doctor relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.
Bethany
Thanks for this information. As a all day everyday computer user, my vision has deteriorated over the years and dryness is a definite issue. I have not as yet tried ordering my contacts on line so thank you for providing this information. It gives me more confidence that I’ll be making the right choice when I switch from in person to on line purchase.
Julie
Hi Bethany! Purchasing contact lenses online can save you money, but remember that you should only do so with a valid contact lens prescription.
Cheers,
Julie
DISCLAIMER
This information is provided as an information resource only (i.e., this is not medical advice) and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information does not create any patient-doctor relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.
Jeanneine
I recently started wearing these and they are wonderful and comfortable; however both contact lense have a “smudge” on them and will not clean off making everything very blurry when I put them in. I’ve only had them two weeks so I hate to throw them away and open a new pair. What did I do to cause this and can they be cleaned?
Julie
Hi Jeanneine!
It’s impossible to say for sure what has caused this smudge without taking a look at the contact lenses under a microscope. My advice would be to stop wearing them for now, and bring those lenses to your optometrist. He/she will be able to examine your lenses under a microscope to find out what went wrong with them.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Let me know how things work out!
DISCLAIMER
This information is provided as an information resource only (i.e., this is not medical advice) and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information does not create any patient-doctor relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.
Frank Arnold
Are the new Biofinity Energys comparable to the B&L Ultra?
Btw. are there some news about a toric version?
Julie
Hi! Great question! I would say that the Biofinity Energys are not exactly comparable to B&L ULTRA. They both market from the same angle, that being of improving comfort while using digital devices. But the Biofinity Energys is the exact same material and as the regular Biofinity lenses, they just added extra ‘positive’ power throughout the lens design to help you focus more easily at the computer screen. The B&L ULTRA does not have this extra positive power, but it does have a much more advanced lens material.
As far as Biofinity Energys coming out with a toric version, I have not heard anything about it, and I doubt we will ever see it. ULTRA, on the other hand, does have a toric version called ULTRA for Astigmatism.
Barbara
I have just finished a 10 day trial of the Ultra contact lenses. I have worn contact lenses continuously since 1973. The Ultra have been the worst things since hard lenses for me. What a relief to put my old ones back in today. Unfortunately they have been discontinued, so I need a completely new brand, but it sure won’t be the Ultras.
I was always aware of them on my eyes, not discomfort, but just aware. And they seemed to “fog up”, felt like I had cataracts. And one of my eyes would tear up at random times, even when the lenses were taken out.
Julie
Hi Barbara, thanks for your feedback on the Ultra lenses. It think it’s important for people to share their experiences with new lenses so we can have a better understanding on how they perform.
Peggy
My doctor suggested the Ultra contacts to me for my dry eyes and long computer use at work. Ironically, I loved them at first but after about 2 weeks, the left contact became smudged with 3 dots that are very difficult to clean off. My doctor tried to correct it by lowering the prescription strength. Once again, it worked great for 2-3 weeks but the last few days it has become smudged again. I noticed another comment back in July, from Jeannine, who had the same problem. Do you have any other insight since then or do I just have to assume these contacts aren’t for me (at least not for my left eye)?
Julie
Hi Peggy, thanks for raising this issue about the Ultra contacts. As you mentioned, you are now the second person who has written mentioning hard to clean smudges developing on the Ultra lenses. I have never received this comment about any other brands. There seems to be something about the Ultra brand that makes it incompatible with some people, but I don’t know what it is. I’m curious, what steps did you eye doctor take after the second time you got the smudges?
Theresa
When I first started wearing these contacts I thought they were the greatest. They seemed lighter and very comfortable. However as the month goes on around the 15-18th day of wear, they are awful. Vision is blurry and I am constantly cleaning them. I can’t wait to get home and take them out. These multi-focal contacts were much more expensive then the brand I had used before and I still have 3 months of them left. As I type now, I had to remove them because my sight is just as bad with them as without them.
Julie
Hi Theresa, thanks for sharing your experience with this brand. Smudges and blurriness seems to be a common theme with ULTRA. Are you wearing the regular ULTRA or the ULTRA for presbyopia? It’s really awful that a brand so ‘advanced’ only lasts about half as long as it’s suppose to for you. I’m curious, what brands have you had success with in the past?
Elle
I just got these Bausch & Lomb Ultra contacts as my doctor recommended them from air optics night and days. I tried these and they were instantly easier to put in, more moisturized, more breathable, and more comfortable. I was so happy. Until… about 1 week later I found that my right eye was completely blurry. It was horrible. My vision without the contacts is better than with them because of how blurry they get. The contacts are completely useless to me because of how blurry they get. It seems to be a few dots or a whole mark that is making it blurry. No matter how much i clean them, they are always blurry. I even tried scraping it off with my fingernail and it would not cleanse off. I use a bubbling carbon dioxide contact cleanser as well, which is supposed to clean much better than just placing contacts into regular solution. I decided to just deal with it hoping it would go away… it only got worse. So i was forced to pop in a new pair of contacts this morning. Everything was fine until now. My whole left contact is blurry and i cannot see out of this eye and now my right one is starting to get blurry. I just put these contacts in THIS MORNING. I’m really so disappointed as i’ve already bought a whole years supply of this and I cannot imagine wearing these for the next year, especially considering that i can’t see out of them and that they get blurry after ONE DAY.
Julie
Hi Elle,
Oh my goodness, that’s terrible! For some reason a lot of people seem to have issue with these types of ‘smudges’ (for lack of a better word) on the lenses. I don’t think that it’s just a coincidence or a one off thing given how many people have now reported the very same problem you’re having.
I will write to a Bausch + Lomb representative to see if maybe they have an explanation or solution for this. Once/if I get a reply, I will make a post about it and link to it from this page for all of those who wear ULTRA and have this problem.
Thanks for sharing your experience :)
Julie
Tom
Anything yet from Bausch and Lomb? I want to order a year supply but am afraid I might experience this smudging/cloudiness problem.
Julie
Hi Tom,
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a response to my inquiry….
If I were to speculate on the issue, I would say it is related to the ingredients in the lenses.
When ULTRA was first launched, Bausch + Lomb told the story about how their R&D team developed the ULTRA lens material. They wanted to make the lens as comfortable as possible, so they tried to see what would happen if they made them out of pure PVP – the component of the lenses that increases comfort. The result was a lens that you could not feel at all, however, it was completely opaque!
They lowered the amount of PVP in order to make the lenses clear but kept as much of it as possible in order to keep the lenses comfortable. My best guess about all these smudges is that is has something to do with the high levels of PVP in the lenses and it’s tendency to turn the lenses opaque. That would explain why people who experience the smudges can’t seem to get them out. Because they’re a part of the lenses themselves….
That is not Bausch + Lomb’s official explanation, and I don’t claim to know this to be the cause 100%. That’s just my best stab at explaining this strange phenomenon.
With all of that being said, it’s important to realize that not everybody who uses ULTRA experiences these smudges. Could it be a few bad batches? Could it be that only certain people’s eyes cause these smudges to come out? Who knows.
My guess would be that if you were able to trial a pair of ULTRA for an entire month and didn’t experience any problems with it, it’s probably not going to be an issue for you.
Let me know what you choose to do and how things turn out :)
DISCLAIMER
This information is provided as an information resource only (i.e., this is not medical advice) and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information does not create any patient-doctor relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.
Tami Buchheit Hale
I agree I am trying these as well and yes they get blurry and then hard to clean off the smudge part trying to really consider before I spend a years supply and not just go back to my old contacts that are also multifocal
Laura
Worn contacts since I was 20. Never had a problem. Dr. switched me to B & L Ultras. They tear & nick for no reason. I have found small tears in the middle of the lense. I have gone through 6 lenses in two months and have been EXTRA careful. Terrible quality. Requesting return to Acuvue.
Julie
Hi Laura, thanks for the feedback on ULTRA. A lot of people have mentioned problems with uncleanable smudges, but never tears. Good to know! Thanks! :)
Andrea Madeley
The reviews are so disappointing – I was really looking forward to giving these a try so now I’m not sure. Also I was looking to get the Ultra’s for presbyopia. I wonder if the same issues may arise there.
Did you ever get a response from B+L Julie? I’m curious to know if they have any thoughts on it at all.
Julie
Hi Andrea, I too was rather surprised by these reviews. When ULTRA was launched, I thought it would be by far the most comfortable and problem-free contact lens the world has ever seen. I tried it myself for an entire day, including for a nap, and could not feel them at all. But since I don’t need contact lenses anymore (due to LASIK), I only tried it for that one day.
When all of these reviews started coming in, I was really surprised. The problem definitely seems to be more than just a few isolated incidents.
The thing I still wonder about is how many people wear ULTRA successfully for every person who experiences problems. I think it is just in our nature to want to share our experiences when we have a bad one, compared to when everything is fine. I think perhaps there may be a slight skew towards the negative experiences in these comments, but like I say, I’m really not sure and there’s no way for me to really find out.
As far as me reaching out to Bausch + Lomb about the issues expressed in these comments, unfortunately, I never heard back from them :(
Oh, and the ULTRA for presbyopia uses the exact same material and proprietary technology as the regular ULTRA does. Actually, people who wear any kind of contact lens for presbyopia tend to be more at risk of experiencing problems with their lenses simply because of the complicated nature of multifocal contact lenses. They can be quite tricky to fit, and often require several different trial runs before the perfect combination of powers are found.
I hope this helped. It would be great if you could post a comment about your experience with ULTRA or whatever alternate brand you end up trying instead :)
Jon
First day like a couple of others, they were GREAT!! Buy as time went on I got constant ”sleep” or eye boogers in both my eyes. At the end of an 8-9 hour day my eyes hurt so bad and after having them out for over 6 hours now, even after I go to bed I wakes up with matted shut eyes that are very painful. The place where I got them say they can’t take them back because I opened the box. I was curious and wanted to look at them as my Dr. gave me a trial pair before the boxes came in. This sucks and I don’t know what to do. Any info would help
Julie
Hi Jon, thanks for sharing your experience with Bauch + Lomb ULTRA. There are quite a few reviews on here that are very similar to your experience. Unfortunately, I don’t know what you can do about returning your lenses, but hopefully, your review will help others prevent others from experiencing the same issue.
Susan Gnacinski
I’m not certain if I am allowed to post this but, their are online companies…1800…which will exchange unused lens you have purchased through them..for different brands, scripts..etc. Due to the ever changing nature of my vision…I have utilized this service and find it very helpful.
Marshall
These contacts are definitely comfortable, but I’ve found a really annoying problem with them: as the day progresses, my vision gets more and more hazy. I see halos around lights, and any time there is a bright light it makes it look as if the room is filled with smoke. What’s especially odd is that this phenomenon continues for a little while (10-20 minutes) AFTER I remove the contacts; then with a bit of time my vision returns to normal again. As I look at my computer screen while I type this, the area around my monitor and keyboard look a bit hazy. When I first put them in everything is fine, but after about an hour of wear the haziness starts popping up and gets progressively worse throughout the day.
I stupidly ordered 2 boxes a few weeks ago. Once I go through these I’m definitely switching to something else.
Julie
Hi Marshall, that’s a strange thing to be happening when you wear your contact lenses. It could be that they are somehow negatively impacting the structures of your eye, specifically the cornea. I would advise you to stop wearing them and bring this to the attention of your eye doctor. He/she could probably tell you exactly what is going on with the lenses.
Susan Gnacinski
I have been trialing the Ultras for presbyopia for about a month now…& that’s what dr. wants to Rx…
however…like many others…I am maybe getting 1-2 weeks only of wear out of them before they tear at the edging.
I’ve been wearing contacts for over 40yrs. so I know how to handle…I have also noticed the haze which can come over them which is similar to looking out of a pr. of glasses with dirty lenses. I feel as though I am back to square one and find that super frustrating as I’m difficult to fit due to my extreme nearsightedness. I definitely want to hear whatever you ever hear from the company.
Natalie
When they discuss the smudges I have one eye that smudges repeatedly. I use the Clear Care peroxide clean daily and my right eye will still ruin one of these contacts, especially in allergy or sinus season (days at that point). Is there ANYTHING that helps? I love this brand and how they feel but cannot get over going through so many contacts because of the smudges.
Matt Berenger
The smudged people report are lipid and protein deposits forming on the lenses quite quickly. With a disrupted tear film as those with dry eyes, the material used in the manufacture don’t perform well. The material surface becomes hydrophobic and then lipid and protein deposits take hold on the dry spots.
Julie
Hi Matt! Thanks for that explanation. That makes a lot of sense. Out of curiosity, where did you come across that explanation?
Debra Chapman
I just got Ultra astigmatism lenses through my Vision center. I was given a trial pair that I have been wearing for the past month. The trial seems thicker than the order I just received and were a bit uncomfortable because of it. The new ones seem much more comfortable since they are thinner. Is there a difference between the trial lenses?
Julie
Hi Debra, good question! In my experience, the trial lenses that are given to patients are exactly the same product as the ones you buy from the store or online. Sometimes however, trial lenses can be sitting in the office for several years before it’s given out to someone. That’s about the only difference I can think of.