If you suffer from eyesight that’s not so great, then you’ve probably thought about getting or have had contact lenses in the past. Many people choose to wear contact lenses due to their ability to provide you with better eyesight without the use of frames. However, did you know that there are different types of contact lenses?
There are, yet many people that are not aware of this. If you’ve never chosen to wear contact lenses before, then there’s a good chance that you’re one of those people. If you’re not familiar with the different types but are considering getting contacts for yourself or a loved one, then you need to know what the different types are.
Aside from knowing the different types, you should also have knowledge of the benefits of contacts, the care practices required for contacts, and the potential side effects of them. Once you have full knowledge of all the above, you can then wear your contacts with confidence. Are you ready to find the perfect pair of contact lenses for your eyes?
If you are, you’ll want to continue reading below! Here’s our full guide on everything you need to know about contact lenses!
Types of Contact Lenses
There are several different types of contact materials used for all different types of contacts. Your first step is to understand these different materials and determine which one would be the best fit for you. Here’s the breakdown.
Soft Lenses
Soft lenses are made using a plastic that holds water and is similar to a gel-like substance. These plastics are called hydro-gels and the lenses are thin, which is ideal for conforming to the surface of the eyeball. This type of contact lens was created to give wearers automatic comfort as soon as they placed them on top of their eyes.
Silicone Hydrogel Lenses
Silicone hydrogel lenses are a type of soft lens that has been advanced for even more comfort and breathability. Yes, your eyes need to breathe just like your skin and every other part of your body! This type of contact lens allows for more oxygen to reach the eyes’ corneas.
They’re more porous than the regular soft lenses, which allows for better oxygen flow. Because of this, silicone hydrogel lenses are some of the most popular lenses to date.
Hard Lenses
Hard lenses, or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) lenses, are more rigid than the soft lenses because polymethyl methacrylate is a harder plastic material. With this type of lens, you’ll receive excellent optics. However, because of the hard plastic material, they don’t allow a flow of oxygen to the eye.
They can also be a bit more difficult to adjust to.
Gas Permeable Lenses
For those with astigmatism, gas permeable lenses might be the better fit for you. This type of contact lens is a hard lens that allows for sharper vision than the soft lenses do. They are a bit more rigid than the soft lenses, so getting used to them might take some time.
In most cases, people need some time to adjust to the lens, but once this time passes by, many people consider these lenses to be just as comfortable as the soft lenses. And although they hard a type of hard contact lens, they are more porous than regular hard contact lenses and allow for better oxygen flow.
Hybrid Contact Lenses
Hybrid contact lenses are the combination of soft lenses with gas permeable lenses. What that means is that you’re given the comfort of a soft lens mixed with the sharper vision effects of a gas permeable lens. They are a bit more difficult to fit than the non-hybrid options, but that might not be a deciding factor for those who are looking for comfort and clear vision all in one.
Customized Lenses for Orthokeratology
Orthokeratology is a process where your vision is corrected while you sleep. These contact lenses are customized for your eyes to wear while sleeping and then removed when you wake up. When you remove the contacts, you’ll have better eyesight.
These contact lenses are rigid and apply pressure to the eye to correct the eyes of those who are short-sighted.
Benefits
Because contacts help your vision without the use of glasses, you’re given a wider view of corrected eyesight. For example, when wearing glasses, your corrected vision can become obstructed and you must look directly into the lens to see clearly. Looking over or under your frames can cause blurriness, dizziness, and other symptoms.
Contact lenses are also a great tool to have if you like to engage in sports or regular exercise. Glasses’ frames can become a danger when playing a sport as they can cause you injury if something were to hit them. You’re also taking the risk of breaking them when wearing them during a sport or exercise.
You also won’t have to worry about matching your outfits to your glasses’ frames or dealing with them fogging up during different weather or temperature conditions. There are several benefits to choosing contacts over regular glasses.
Although you might not require all of these benefits listed, there’s a good chance that at least one of them is a good enough reason for you to make the switch.
Care Practices
Before handling your contact lens in any way, always wash your hands well. This is the first care practice rule to abide by. Ask your eye doctor about the regular cleaning needs for your specific contact lenses and be sure to follow them.
Once you remove the contacts from your eyes, be sure to rub them carefully with your fingers and then place them in a solution overnight. You want the contacts to be covered with the solution completely. Store them in their case when you’re not using them, and don’t forget to clean the case as well!
After cleaning or using your case, leave it open to air dry. You should also consider replacing your case every three months or so. When it comes to cleaning both your contacts and the case for them, be sure to only use the solution advised by your eye doctor.
This is the best way to ensure that you’re not using something that’s harmful to you or your contact lenses. With that being said, you also want to use a new solution each time you clean your contacts. Don’t place the contacts in the same solution that you used to clean them with the night before.
You should also remember to remove your contact lenses when entering a swimming pool or something similar. Speak with your eye doctor for more specific rules to follow and be sure to keep up with them as needed.
Potential Side Effects
Unfortunately, like everything else, there are some side effects to wearing contact lenses. The most popular side effect is the stoppage of oxygen flow to the eyes. As mentioned above, however, there are lenses that provide a better flow than others.
Contact lenses can also create a stoppage of tears to the corneas. This then creates dry eyes. With a lack of tears, you could experience itchy eyes, redness of the eyes, and even a burning sensation in the eyes as well.
Although it might not seem like a concern, medications that you take can actually effect your contacts negatively. For example, when wearing contacts and taking birth control, you’re taking the risk of experiencing chronic dry eyes.
You also need to worry about the possibility of the contacts scratching your eyes or corneas. Because of this, it’s important not to sleep with your contacts in unless they’re specifically designed for you to do so. This can be a major problem for those who are a bit forgetful.
If you’re someone who has trouble remembering to do things like this, then you might need to consider setting a reminder on your phone each night before bed to take them out.
Which Contact Lens Is Right for You?
After reading through this guide, do you know which types of contact lenses are right for you? There are a few to choose from, each with its own pros and cons. However, when you’re able to sit down and evaluate each type, you’re able to come to an informed decision.
That’s what we hope this guide helped you do. If you found this guide to be helpful and are interested in other posts similar to this one, then be sure to visit our page regularly for more!
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