Contact Lenses
Types of Contact Lenses
There are different kinds of contact lenses. They come with various material types, specific usage, replacement schedules, and usage or wearing schedules. Before purchasing one, be familiar first with the different kinds and consult an eye expert because not everyone can wear any type of contact lens. Both corrective and non-corrective contact lenses must have a prescription from an eye doctor.
For replacement schedule of contact lenses, we have disposable lenses and extended wear lenses. Disposables too have varying usage lengths. There are disposables for daily, weekly, and monthly use. CIBA Vision is the top choice for disposables and they offer Focus Dailies, 1-2 Weekly, and Monthly versions. Focus Dailies do not need to be cleaned. Just take them off and put on a new pair straight out from the box. The weekly and monthly versions are disposable too but they need to be cleaned at least every night in order to prevent accumulation of deposits which can cause allergies and irritation.
Wearing Schedule
If you are concerned about your wearing schedule because you have a busy schedule, there are contact lenses that are not required to be taken off while getting some shuteye. Focus Night & Day, also from CIBA Vision, enables the user to forget worrying about taking off and cleaning the lenses before sleeping. This type of lens is made with special materials and a special design that makes the eyes feel comfortable and lessen the build up of residue.
Corrective Types
Corrective contact lenses obviously have specific usage. Their properties match certain eye problems so the wearer must choose them properly depending on what they really need. For astigmatism patients, toric contact lenses are required. Torics sharpen the blurred images in an astigmatism patient’s view. CIBA Vision also was the first to produce disposable torics called Focus Dailies Toric. Victims of Presbyopia can also use toric lenses but that of the multi-focal type. Presbyopia is a vision disorder in which one loses the ability to read print that is too close like a book or a menu. Multi or bifocal lenses allow the wearer to switch their vision’s focus on near and far objects instantly.
As for material type, there are "hard" and "soft" contact lenses. Soft lenses are usually made of plastic and water. Having water allows oxygen to pass through the lens and reach the cornea. Having oxygen makes wearing the contacts feel more comfortable. Hard lenses are made from a rigid material called polymethyl methacrylate. This material is more durable than the ones made with water, but this gives more discomfort to the wearer.
