Since the introduction of contact lenses years ago, the eye product has gone through various changes and innovations to meet the needs of the consumers. There are now more than ten types of contact lenses each with its own characteristics. You can get a prescription from an eye doctor and decide on your own which specific brand and type of lenses you want. If you find the task difficult, you can also ask the doctor for his suggested brands and contact lens type. The following are the types of contact lenses you can use depending on your needs and preferences:
Daily wear soft lenses made of soft polymer plastic, these contact lenses allow oxygen to pass through providing a higher level of comfort than rigid gas permeable lenses. Disposable soft lenses fall also under this category. They are called daily wear contact lenses because they require daily cleaning. Although most daily wear soft lenses are disposable there are also those that can be worn for one whole year. Disadvantages of these types of lenses include: easy absorption of oils and lotions from your hand which can irritate your eyes and also less durability than hard lenses
Disposable soft lenses- disposable soft lenses can be worn up to two weeks. They still require daily cleaning but they are not designed to last you months.
Daily wear disposable lenses- daily disposable lenses are lenses which you can only use for one day. They are discarded at days end. Although daily disposables are more affordable than yearly lenses, expenses can add up when you buy a year’s worth of disposable lenses. Using daily wear disposable lenses lowers your risk to eye infections.
Colored Soft Lenses- Colored soft lenses are perfect for those who want a fresh look. They serve the same purpose as color contact lenses except they do come in different tints. Some colored lenses contain tints not for aesthetic purposes. These light-filtering tinted lenses are for athletes or sports enthusiasts.
Extended-wear lenses- Extended-wear lenses are contact lenses that can be worn for several weeks, usually 30 days without having to remove them. They can come in either soft or gas permeable types. They are perfect for busy people who do not have the time to clean their lenses at the end of each day.
Daily wear rigid gas permeable lenses- these contact lenses are made of plastic that are not as soft or as absorbent as soft contact lenses but they allow oxygen to pass through them. They don’t tear as easily as soft lenses do but they can take a few weeks to get used to. These type of lenses also require daily cleaning.
Bifocal contact lenses are solutions for those who are suffering from presbyopia.
Toric Contact Lenses- this type of lenses are used to correct astigmatism. These contact lenses are also bi-focal. And can be made from soft lenses or gas permeable materials.
Orthokeratology lenses- these lenses are used for improving vision problems caused by the cornea’s shape. These lenses when worn overnight adjust the shape of the cornea so that the individual can have food eyesight the following day for up to 12 hours.