Contact lenses remain one of the most effective vision correction tools. Many people are drawn to them because of their nearly invisible appearance and ability to correct many vision problems.
Choosing the best contact lenses for a patient depends on a number of factors including your prescription, any refractive errors, your lifestyle, and your overall eye health.
Types of Contacts
There are two major categories of contact: soft and hard. Approximately 90 percent of contact lens wearers wear soft lenses. Hard lenses are used for patients with abnormal corneas or particular ocular health conditions.
Soft contact lenses are made of thin, flexible plastics (such as silicone hydrogel). They are considered "disposable" by the FDA, meaning they need to be replaced according to a specific schedule.
Hard contact lenses include two types of lens material. PMMA (conventional) lenses and RGP (rigid gas permeable) lenses. Some of these lenses can be worn 8-16 hours while others can be worn overnight. Hard contact lenses last longer than soft.
It's important to talk to your eye doctor to find out if contact lenses are an ideal choice for you. Schedule an eye exam and contact lens fitting with an eye care professional to learn more.
These lenses are made of a high-water content hydrogel material containing molecules that naturally occur in human cell membranes.
This makes them a popular choice for people with dry eyes. Proclear lenses are the only contacts cleared by the FDA for the claim, “may provide improved comfort for contact lens wearers who experience mild discomfort or symptoms relating to dryness during lens wear.”
Many people with dry eyes find daily disposable contacts to be the best. Improper cleaning of reusable lenses leads to the buildup of protein, calcium, lipids, and other substances. Daily disposable lenses are discarded after a day of wear, eliminating this.
Proclear 1 Day is the only lens that is FDA-approved to improve lens-related dryness and discomfort. They are made with PC Technology™ that uses Phosphorylcholine (PC). This material attracts water and keeps lenses hydrated all day.
Acuvue Oasys for Astigmatism contacts feature a blink stabilized lens design that matches the irregular curve of eyes with astigmatism. This prevents the toric contact from rotating in your eye. They last two weeks.
Bausch + Lomb Ultra for Presbyopia (presbyopia is age-related farsightedness) contact lenses feature Moistureseal technology which maintains moisture in your eye for up to 16 hours.
These multifocal contacts have a 3-Zone Progressive design that gives you clear distance, near, and middle vision.
Biofinity monthly lenses use Aquaform Comfort technology to help your eyes stay healthy and moist. You can even wear them overnight for up to 6 nights.
Air Optix Night & Day Aqua contact lenses are FDA-approved to wear continuously for 30 days and nights. They allow more oxygen through the lens than any other soft contact lens on the market.
Dailies Aquacomfort Plus are daily disposable lenses that offer blink-activated moisture technology that releases a moisturizing agent every time you blink.
Melody Huang is an optometrist and freelance health writer. Through her writing, Dr. Huang enjoys educating patients on how to lead healthier and happier lives. She also has an interest in Eastern medicine practices and learning about integrative medicine. When she’s not working, Dr. Huang loves reviewing new skin care products, trying interesting food recipes, or hanging with her adopted cats.
Michael is the content strategist and a lead content writer for Vision Center. With eight years of experience in the world of content strategy and creation, Michael specializes in medical copywriting and advanced research methodologies.
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