Contact lenses could be the perfect solution to your glasses dilemma.
For those moments when you would like to leave your glasses behind, lenses provide a convenient alternative that you can use daily, play sports, travel, work, and attend social events comfortably.
Once you decide that lenses may suit you, you quickly find out just how many choices exist. Daily lenses, monthly lenses, toric lenses, multifocal lenses, RGPs, and many other varieties seem available to choose from.
How can anyone possibly pick just one? Choosing your contact lens type will involve looking at your prescription, eye health, usage, and personal comfort levels.
Here is a basic rundown of common lens types and usage scenarios.
What Are the Different Types of Contact Lenses?
Contacts are manufactured using different materials and designs. These include soft lenses, rigid gas permeable lenses, hybrid lenses, and specialized lenses.
Soft Contact Lenses
Soft lenses are one of the most popular types among contact lens users. As suggested by their name, soft lenses consist of a flexible material meant to rest comfortably on the surface of the eye. Replacement schedules include daily disposable, biweekly, and monthly lenses. Each replacement schedule meets the needs of specific patients based on prescriptions and habits.
Your eye-care professional might suggest soft contact lenses during your consultation appointment as a potential solution to meet your requirements. To answer FAQs, yes, you can find soft daily disposable contact lenses as well.
These brief paragraphs cover basic descriptions for contact lenses and soft lenses specifically. If you need to mention specific terms later, you could reference this section for phrases like "replacement schedule" and "soft lenses".
Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses
Silicone hydrogel is one of the modern soft contact lens materials currently used to manufacture lenses.
Its primary benefit, as noted by the FDA, involves letting more oxygen get into the eye. Daily disposables, bi-weekly disposables, and monthly lenses are all available as silicone hydrogel options. But your personal suitability for silicone hydrogel lenses still depends on several factors.
RGP Contact Lenses
An RGP, or rigid gas permeable, lens differs from a soft contact lens in several ways.
An RGP is more rigid and maintains its form throughout wear. That contrasts with soft lenses, which conform to the surface of the cornea and eyelid.
A lens that is fitted correctly will deliver clear vision. It may also be appropriate for certain vision corrections. In addition, RGPs tend to be durable and last longer than other types of lenses.
For many patients, the key difference lies in the level of initial discomfort associated with fitting. Switching from soft lenses to RGPs might require an adjustment
Hybrid Contact Lenses
Hybrid contact lenses incorporate aspects of both soft and hard lenses. Typically, this includes a hard center section surrounded by a soft outer layer.
The idea behind this design is to achieve the benefits of rigid lenses visually while also improving comfort. Like many other lenses, hybrid contact lenses are prescribed for certain reasons.
Scleral Contact Lenses
The difference between a scleral contact lens and a regular contact lens lies in the size.
Scleral contact lenses cover a wider area of the eye compared to conventional lenses. Where conventional contact lenses sit primarily on the cornea, scleral lenses sit farther out on the surface of the eye.
Like specialty contact lenses, they could be used to manage certain ocular conditions or provide additional correction. However, they need to be professionally fitted.
Types of Contact Lenses Based on Replacement Schedule
Another way to compare the types of contact lenses available is by how often they are replaced.
Daily Disposable Contact Lenses
They're designed to be worn and thrown away at the end of each day. A new set replaces the previous day's lenses the following day.
Convenience may appeal to many individuals. Since they are not intended to be reused, this makes maintenance unnecessary between uses.
It also means that you can expect a straightforward routine. Just insert your lens, use it as directed, and discard it afterward.
Biweekly Contact Lenses
Most biweekly contact lenses are supposed to be discarded every two weeks.
They tend to be reusable lenses, meaning that cleaning becomes necessary between replacements.
Your eye-care provider will recommend the appropriate replacement schedule based on your prescription.
Monthly Contact Lenses
Monthly contact lenses are named for their replacement schedule. These lenses are intended to last for approximately a month of consistent use.
Cleaning, disinfection, and safe storage are necessary when you use this type of reusable lens.
Monthly contact lenses can work well for someone who wears contact lenses consistently throughout the month.
Daily Wear vs. Daily Disposable Contacts
Daily Disposable vs. Daily Wear: What's the Difference?
These contact lens terms get mixed up all the time. Let's clear it up.
Daily wear contact lenses are lenses you wear during the daytime and remove at bedtime. They can have daily, bi-weekly, or monthly replacement schedules.
Daily disposable contact lenses have been manufactured to be worn once and then discarded. That makes sense once you know how a contact lens replacement schedule works.
"Daily" describes the wearing schedule. It doesn't tell you whether a lens should be worn every day or thrown away each night.
For more clarification on replacement and wearing schedules, see our guide on daily vs. monthly contact lenses.
Contact Lenses for Different Vision Needs
Your prescription also plays a major role in determining which lens design may be appropriate.
Single Vision Contacts
Single vision contact lenses are made to correct one particular range of vision. Single vision lenses are mostly used by patients who are either nearsighted or farsighted.
For instance, people suffering from myopia may wear contact lenses to correct their nearsightedness.
Toric Contacts for Astigmatism
Patients suffering from astigmatism should not use spherical lenses as these will not be able to provide the correction needed. Toric contacts are special contact lenses that can be worn by astigmatic patients.
These contact lenses have a certain design which makes sure that they stay in place properly on the eyes. A toric prescription may contain sphere, cylinder, and axis measurements.
Multifocal Contact Lenses
Multifocal contact lenses are made to assist vision at various distances. These are frequently prescribed to people with presbyopia, an age-related condition that makes vision of close objects harder.
In case one wishes to see clearly both objects close to them and at a distance without having to alternate between glasses, one can consider multifocal contact lenses.
Monovision Contact Lenses
Monovision is another method of correcting vision at various distances.
Monovision typically means that one eye is corrected for far vision and the other for close vision. This works for some people, but others might need time to get used to it.
What Are Colored Contact Lenses?
The primary purpose of wearing colored contacts is to alter the appearance of the natural eye color.
There are types that are only cosmetic and there are some that correct vision. But cosmetic should not be synonymous with safe as contact lenses will always require proper use being applied directly on the eye.
If you are considering colored or cosmetic contact lenses, they should be professionally prescribed for proper use and fitting.
It is never safe to share your contact lenses with someone else no matter how clean they may seem.
How Do You Choose the Right Type of Contact Lens?
There is no such thing as one perfect contact lens for everybody.
In addition to your prescription, there is a lot of other things to consider. Consider how frequently you will be using the contacts, if you suffer from any conditions like astigmatism or presbyopia, and how much time you can spare on caring for your reusable contacts, etc.
For instance, if you use contact lenses infrequently, you may wish to go with daily disposable lenses. If you are a regular user, it would be better to choose a reusable type like monthly contacts.
Contact Lens Care and Replacement Tips
Even the right lenses need proper care.
In case of reusable lenses, clean and store the lenses as recommended. Ensure that you wash your hands and dry them before putting on the lenses and always change your lenses following the recommended time frame.
Additionally, ensure that your contacts never come into contact with water, do not share your contacts and avoid sleeping with your lenses unless your eye specialist has advised otherwise.
Contact lens care is an easy task to perform.
FAQs About the Different Types of Contact Lenses
Which are the most popular types of contact lenses?
Among the most popular lenses are soft ones that include daily, biweekly, and monthly ones. RGP, hybrid, and specialty lenses are also available.
Are daily disposable contact lenses superior to monthly ones?
It may not be so. Daily disposables can be convenient as they are intended for one-time use, while monthly ones can be reusable provided they are cleaned and stored properly. It all depends on your prescription, lifestyle, and eye care specialist's advice.
Which kind of contact lenses should I choose for my astigmatism?
The most common types of contact lenses to correct astigmatism are toric ones. But again, depending on your prescription and the fit of the lenses to your eye, you can choose any kind.
Is it possible to wear contact lenses for presbyopia?
Yes, it is. Multifocal contact lenses allow you to see well at different viewing distances. The monovision technique might also be used for some patients.
What are the differences between soft and RGP contact lenses?
The former are soft, pliable and thus more comfortable to wear. The latter ones are harder and offer good visual acuity for some prescriptions.
