A Guide To The Types Of Contact Lenses

Posted on: 15 July 2015

You may be surprised by all the choices if you're new to contact lenses or just haven't worn them in a while. There are many manufacturers making lenses in a variety of styles and for a variety of eye conditions, which makes it easier to find the lenses that are a perfect fit for you. Knowing your options before your appointment will help you make an informed choice at the eye care center.

Daily Wear

Daily wear lenses are one of the more common types provided. This is because they adapt quickly to the shape of your eye. They are made of a flexible plastic that allows oxygen to pass through, which improves the health of your eyes. Daily wear lenses generally aren't disposable, and they are meant to be removed every evening.

Their main drawback is that they can become permanently soiled easily, requiring frequent replacement. They are available for most vision conditions, including bifocals and toric lenses for those with astigmatism.

Extended Wear

Extended wear lenses come in both long-wearing and disposable varieties. There are both soft plastic lens varieties and gas permeable lens varieties. These are meant for overnight as well as daily wear, so you can wear them for several days before you remove and clean them. Much like daily wear lenses, they can address a multitude of different vision problems.

There are disposable and long wear varieties. If they aren't disposable, you will need to do a weekly deep cleaning. These lenses can also increase your chances of eye infection if they aren't properly maintained, since you wear them for several days without removing them.

Planned Replacement

Planned replacement lenses are also known as disposable lenses. These lenses are designed to last a specific period of time, usually ranging from two weeks to a month. Cleaning and maintenance is often less involved since they are replaced so frequently.

Disposables aren't available for all vision problems. They also may not provide as sharp of vision compared to other lens varieties.

Gas Permeable

Rigid gas permeable lenses aren't as flexible as soft lenses, which means it may take some time for your eyes to adapt to the shape. Once you have adapted, you will want to wear the lenses daily so you don't lose that adaptation. Gas permeables are available for almost any vision problem, including severe astigmatism.

The main issue with gas permeable lenses is that they may sometimes drift on the eye, causing temporary blurriness, but this usually happens less frequently after adaptation. The lenses are long lasting, as well, so you won't need to replace them frequently.

Your eye doctor, such as Byrne William, can help you select the right type of lens, for both your vision and lifestyle needs.

 

 

Share