The Different Types of Contact Lenses

Most people who are considering using contact lenses have a number of questions about them. They wonder about whether they will be able to adjust to them, whether they are safe and which ones they should buy. There are a number of different types of lenses to choose from, and all of them have some pros and cons.

The one you eventually decide to use will be dependent on your specific situation and you would have to consult an optometrist to help you with deciding which one will work best for you. Here is some more information about them; it will help you make a more well-informed decision:

• Soft contact lenses- These are the commonest type of lenses that optometrists currently prescribe. As their name suggests, they are very soft and flexible and the materials they are made of, incorporate water and permit oxygen to reach your cornea.

• Daily disposable lenses- These tend to be more expensive than other type of lenses, however they carry a far lower risk of infection.
• 2-week/monthly disposable lenses- These are daily wear lenses and are harder than the soft contact lenses
• Multi-focal contact lenses- These are similar to bifocal glasses and are useful for people that need distance correction and for reading.

• Toric contact lenses: These are used to correct moderate astigmatism.

• Gas-permeable lenses- These are also called RPGs and they are hard lenses that are made of a specialized combination of plastic, silicone and fluoropolymers which allow air & oxygen to pass straight into the lenses- that’s where the name- gas permeable comes from.

Risk factors

Regardless of which lenses you use, it’s important that you remove them at bedtime as there is a risk of infection as well as contact lens intolerance.

• You should never wear daily wear lenses as extended-wear lenses; misuse can potentially lead to sight-threatening damage to your cornea.
• Wearing any type of lenses overnight increases the risk of corneal infections and these typically occur due to poor lens care and cleaning with the wrong contact lens solution.
• If you over-wear lenses, it can lead to intolerance and you will be unable to wear contact lenses again.
• If you wear ill-fitting gas permeable lenses, or if you wear them while sleeping, they can scratch your cornea. In fact, they can also slide off your cornea and get hidden under the eyelid. Traditionally, these lenses had a tendency to pop–out of the eye. But advanced technology is now being used to manufacture them, and they can be safely worn even while performing rigorous exercises.
• Soft extended-wear & gas-permeable lenses tend to have protein build-up and can cause lens-related allergies- this type of build-up can result in blurring, discomfort as well as lenses intolerance.

You will find different types of lenses at Lenses Online and once you have your prescription from your optometrist, you can buy ones that suit your condition. When you buy from us, you are assured of the best and genuine products.