Contact Lenses

The concept of a contact lens was first thought up by Leonardo da Vinci in 1508. For centuries, contact lenses have captured the scientific and medical imagination, but it was not until the early 1970s that they became comfortable enough for people to actually use. Today, contact lenses are more comfortable, more durable, and last longer than ever before. If you are unsure that contact lenses are the right choice for you, DocShop has provided the following information to help you make an informed decision.

Benefits of Contact Lenses

Most people wear contact lenses because they have grown tired of having to wear prescription eyeglasses. There are some practical benefits to switching to contact lenses. For example, glasses are not appropriate for every weather condition. A contact lens wearer caught in a rainstorm will fare better than a person wearing glasses, who will be virtually blinded. Contact lenses also don’t fog up. In addition, some studies seem to suggest that wearing hard contact lenses may actually slow the progression of nearsightedness (myopia).

Contact lenses can also be slightly less expensive than a pair of glasses of similar quality, particularly for a person whose prescription is unstable. Eye doctors will often allow unused contact lenses to be traded in for lenses with a different prescription at no extra charge. A change in prescription involving a pair of glasses always requires the purchase of new lenses and often an entirely new set of frames.

Contact lens wearers tend to have better peripheral vision and depth perception than people who wear glasses. For this reason, and also because contacts tend to stay in place better than glasses under dynamic conditions, sports vision doctors often recommend contact lenses to athletes as a superior option to glasses.

Many people switch to contact lenses because of aesthetic preferences. People often feel that the beauty of their eyes has become hidden behind their glasses. There is also an unfortunate social stigma often associated with wearing glasses.

Hard vs. Soft Contact Lenses

Below are some things to consider when choosing between hard contact lenses and soft contact lenses. During an eye examination, your optometrist can discuss in greater detail the pros and cons of these two different types of contact lenses.

Hard Contact Lenses

Originally made of glass, hard contact lenses are today made entirely of plastic, which, as you may have guessed, has the benefit of being much less likely to shatter. For many years, hard contact lenses were made out of a material called polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). These contact lenses tended to be uncomfortable because they allowed no air passage. Though designed to move slightly during each blink to allow for the proper oxygenation of tears, more blinking was required for the eye to be properly lubricated and aerated.

Although some people still wear traditional PMMA hard contact lenses, many eye doctors consider them to be largely obsolete. A new type of lens has been introduced as a next generation hard contact lens. This contact lens gets its name from being rigid and gas permeable. It is referred to as an RGP lens. Most types of RGP lenses incorporate silicon, which makes them more flexible than the old PMMA contact lenses.

RGP lenses are custom fit to the shape of your cornea. Since they are rigid, RGP contact lenses retain their shape better than soft contact lenses and, thus, often provide crisper vision. They are also more durable than soft lenses, which can tear easily. Soft contact lenses also easily absorb remnants of soap and lotion from your hands, causing irritation in your eyes. Proteins and lipids will eventually adhere even to non-disposable soft contact lenses, necessitating replacement lenses. RGP lenses are made of materials that do not contain water, which means a single pair can last for years with proper care and maintenance. In addition, their ability to be custom manufactured enables RGP contact lenses to correct a wider range of vision problems than can soft contact lenses.

Soft Contact Lenses

Soft contact lenses are so called because they absorb water. The water content of a soft contact lens at full saturation can vary from 37 to 80 percent. Soft contact lenses that contain a higher concentration of water can stay in the eye comfortably for longer periods of time and are usually marketed as extended wear lenses. For many years soft contact lenses were considered a significant innovation in contact lens technology. They were smaller and thinner than their hard contact lens predecessors, and they provided clear vision to thousands of people who found it too uncomfortable to wear hard lenses.

Although soft contact lenses are still the most common variety of contacts, with the advent of new RGP lenses, there is no longer a consensus as to their superiority. Soft lenses do, however, possess certain advantages over the newer generation of hard contacts.

Soft contacts are more immediately comfortable than RGP lenses, which require an extended period of time for the eyes to adjust to them. For this reason, soft contact lenses also allow for more flexible wear. A person who wears both contact lenses and eyeglasses can freely switch between soft contacts and eyewear without a loss in comfort levels. A person wearing RGP lenses who decides to wear prescription eyeglasses for a few days will find their eyes no longer acclimated to the use of the rigid contact lenses. For consistent comfort, RGP contact lens wearers have to wear their contact lenses on a daily basis. Some consumers do not appreciate having to take an all or nothing approach to contact lens wear.

Unlike RGPs, soft contacts come in disposable varieties, which require no special maintenance such as the use of chemical cleaning solutions. You simply wear them for a day and then throw them away.

Comfort and Contact Lenses

Many people believe that comfort and contact lenses are mutually exclusive, but this is hardly the case. Once your eyes have grown accustomed to the lenses and you have learned how to properly insert them, contact lenses can easily be worn with little or no discomfort, assuming that your eyes are healthy and not prone to allergies or irritation. Here are some tips for maximizing your comfort while wearing contact lenses:

• Always exercise proper hygiene when inserting your contact lenses. Wash your hands with a non-cosmetic soap and dry them with a lint-free towel prior to handling your lenses. Make sure your fingernails are short and smooth to avoid ripping soft contacts or damaging your eye.
• Be mindful of how you incorporate lens insertion into your morning cosmetic routine. Use hairspray before inserting your contact lenses to prevent chemical deposits from forming on them. Apply your makeup after your contacts are in.
• Do not use tap water to clean or soak your lenses. Tap water often contains bacteria that, while not toxic if swallowed, can cause a severe eye infection.
• Ask your eye doctor for recommendations on lens care products. Never reuse contact lens solutions. After they have left the bottle they are to be used only once. Consider using a protein-removing enzyme cleanser in addition to your regular lens maintenance routine, particularly if you wear soft contact lenses.
• Never sleep with your contact lenses inserted unless you have first consulted an eye doctor. If your particular brand of contact lenses is not designed for overnight use, wearing them while you sleep can cause damage to your corneas and impair your vision.
• Always follow the instructions that come with your contact lenses. This is particularly important for soft contact lenses that come with specific recommendations for duration of wear. If the packaging advises that your soft contact lenses be worn for two weeks, wear them for 14 days and then throw them out. For single use disposable contact lenses, wear them only once. Deviating from the product usage recommendations almost always results in eye irritation or infection.
• Contact lenses come in different sizes to ensure optimal comfort. If you constantly have the sensation that there is something in your eye while you're wearing your contacts, then it is likely they are the wrong size. The same goes for a pair of contacts that constantly pop out. If you've experienced this, consult your eye doctor about whether you need to exchange your current lenses for a better fitting pair.
• Smoking and contact lens wear are generally not compatible. Smoking can dry out your eyes, making comfortable contact lens application virtually impossible. If you do not decide to quit smoking, your eye doctor can discuss with you changes in your diet or certain nutritional supplements that can help your eyes produce sufficient moisture.
• If contact lens discomfort persists for more than a day or two, particularly if the discomfort does not abate after removal of the lenses, contact an optometrist or ophthalmologist immediately. Even minor discomfort can be an early warning sign of a serious infection or eye disorder that may be difficult to treat if not caught in its beginning stages.

Reduce Your Dependency on Contact Lenses

Many patients with severe refractive errors ultimately decide that prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses simply do not provide sufficient vision correction or are too inconvenient for constant use. Refractive eye surgeries such as LASIK, LASEK, Epi-LASIK, custom LASIK, IntraLASIK, and PRK provide a way for these individuals to achieve clearer vision without corrective eyewear. Intraocular lenses (IOLs) and implantable contact lenses (ICLs) are also effective treatments designed to correct vision problems by replacing or augmenting the eye’s natural lens.

Your local ophthalmologist or eye surgery specialist can give you more information on the benefits and risks of the above procedures. For the most complete information relating to your individual needs, schedule a complete eye exam and patient consultation.

Talk to an Eye Care Specialist in Your Area

DocShop can help you search for a qualified optometrist or ophthalmologist who specializes in providing contact lenses. Schedule a complete eye exam today to find out how you may be able to end your dependency on eyeglasses.