Whether you’re wearing contact lenses for the first time or
you’re a current wearer seeking a new option, the choices have
never been so diverse and plentiful.
The technology and designs available will make you’re contact
lenses wearing experience a comfortable and convenient one. Some
of the wonderful contact lens types include; disposable contact
lenses, colored contact lenses, rigid gas permeable (RGP)
lenses, toric and bifocal lenses and extended wear lenses.
The first step for anyone wanting to wear contact lenses is a
visit to an eyecare practitioner, even if you just want to
change eye color. Ophthalmologists, optometrists and in some
states opticians are considered to be eyecare practitioners and
can write a valid contact lenses prescription. In the United
States contact lenses can only be legally purchased with a
written contact lens prescription.
You’re eyecare practitioner will first check to see if you can
safely wear contact lens, most people can, there are however
some who cannot. Next you’re eyecare practitioner will do a
thorough examination of both eyes and a contact lens fitting to
determine you’re contact lens prescription. It is important to
remember that contact lenses are medical devices and if not
properly prescribed and fitted a person could suffer discomfort,
abrasion, swelling and in some rare instances permanent eye
damage. Regular eye exams are necessary to ensure any problems
are looked at and taken care of.
Benefits of Wearing Contacts: There are many benefits to
wearing contact lenses. Contact lenses are so delicately
designed that the wearer doesn’t even know they are there.
Contact lenses eliminate the barriers that eyeglasses provide
with the line of sight from above, below and the sides of the
eyes, allowing for incredible peripheral vision while reducing
and often eliminating image distortion often caused by
eyeglasses.
Disposable Contacts: Disposable contacts are the most
common type of discount contact lenses. They offer both health
and convenience benefits, and are a favorite among eyecare
practitioners and consumers alike, because of the wonderful
health benefits and convenience they offer. Disposable lenses
designs should be worn for a certain amount of time, thrown out
and replaced with a fresh pair of lenses. There are three main
types of disposable contact lenses; disposable contact lenses
which can be discarded and replaced every two weeks or sooner
(some are daily); the traditional or reusable contact lenses
that are replaced approximately every six months or longer and
the frequent replacement contacts which are replaced monthly or
quarterly. There can be confusion between what is known as the
replacement schedule and the wearing schedule. The replacement
schedule is the difference between disposable, traditional or
reusable and frequent lenses, and exactly how often they are
discarded and replaced. Whereas the wearing schedule refers to
how often you’re contact lenses are removed but not necessarily
discarded. Usually the name of the contacts such as daily wear
or extended wear will refer to how often the lenses should be
removed.
Color Contact Lenses: Color contact lenses are a great
way to either give yourself a subtle or dramatic change to your
look. The color contact lenses are available in both
prescription and plano (non prescription) form. There are four
types of colored contact lenses; visibility tints, enhancement
tints, opaque color tints and light-filtering tints. The
visibility tints usually come with a green or light blue tint
added to the lens, and this is primarily so you can see well
during insertion and removal or if the contact lenses are
dropped. The visibility tints do not affect eye color.
Enhancement tints are a solid (yet translucent) tint that also
does not affect eye color. What they do as the name implies is
enhance the existing eye color of the wearer.
Color tints are the deeper, opaque tints that dramatically
change the wearers eye color. These lenses are great for anyone
wanting a dramatic change in their eye color and appearance. The
color contacts are available in a wide variety of colors,
including green, hazel, violet, blue, amethyst and gray. Lastly
the light-filtering tints are a great option for sports
enthusiasts. These special contact lenses are designed for
specific sports use as they enhance certain colors. One color of
the light-filtering tints is the optic yellow, because this is
the color of tennis balls and some golf and softballs the lenses
enhance the yellow while muting other colors,making the ball
stand out against the background.
Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses: Rigid gas permeable lenses
(RGP) are probably the highest quality lenses available today.
They offer excellent quality of vision (some will say crisper
vision), durability, and retain their shape better when
blinking. The lenses allow for oxygen to reach your eye
therefore creating more comfort and better eye health. The
lenses have a more lengthy adjustment period than the soft
lenses and must be worn everyday to maintain the comfort level,
otherwise if not worn everyday it will take time to adjust to
again.
Bifocal and Toric Lenses: A comfortable and convenient
way to correct presbyopia (aging eyes) is with bifocal contact
lenses. These contact lenses can replace the bifocal eyeglasses
that we are used to seeing on people. The bifocal contacts are
available in both soft and rigid gas permeable lenses, and in
disposable or frequent replacement wear. Toric contact lenses
treat the eye condition known as astigmatism (irregularly shaped
cornea). The toric contact lenses have only become available
recently in soft contact options. The lenses are available in
disposable, frequent replacement, multifocal and color varieties
of lenses.
Extended Wear Lenses: Extended wear contact lenses are
the most convenient of all the contact lenses. Extended wear
allows for overnight wear up to thirty days. Most of the
extended wear contact lenses available can be worn without
removal for up to seven days, there are only a couple of brands
that can be worn for up to thirty days of continuous wear. There
is a higher health risk compared with the nightly removal
lenses. The nice thing about the extended wear lenses is you
don’t have to worry about lens care, you must be sure however to
discard and replace your lenses according to their wear schedule
to avoid any risk of infection. A nice option in the extended
wear lenses is the flexible wear lenses. This allows you to nap
or occasionally sleep in your lenses, perhaps on a weekend trip,
while only wearing the lenses on a daily wear basis.
Conclusion Everyone’s individual needs and preferences
will come into play when selecting their contact lenses. With
the wonderful assortment of contact lenses available there is a
lens that will offer both comfort and convenience to the most
particular of consumers.