Different Types Of Contacts And Their Uses

We all have different lifestyles, active and sporty, long work hours, and there are different types of contacts that are available to suit your lifestyle. It is strongly suggested that you see an optician for a prescription, in majority of countries you would need this to place an order, but this article just lets you know the choices that are available to you

Types of Contracts:

Daily disposable contacts, which are usually called disposable lenses, are thrown away at the end of each day and are not intended for extended use. These contacts are not suitable to wear beyond a single day, but they also do not require disinfecting and cleaning . Extended wear contacts are designed for wearing for more than a single day. The contacts are safe to wear for a week to one month, depending on the brand. The most common time frame for extended wear contacts is around two weeks. Extended wear lenses require disinfecting and cleaning each day when they are removed from the eye. For some, these contacts are more comfortable because more oxygen travels through the lenses when compared to disposable lenses.

Special contact lenses are any contacts designed for specialized needs, such as bi-focal or astigmatism lenses. Colored lenses also fall under the category of special lenses. The colored lenses might or might not have a prescription added to them, depending on the patient. Special lenses also include theatrical lenses, UV-blocking lenses or orthokeratology lenses to help reshape the eyes. Special lenses might come as disposables or extended wear, depending on the brand and type of contact. These lenses are usually more expensive than single prescription lenses.

Sizing and Prescriptions:

Before ordering any contacts, the appropriate size and prescription is needed. Contact size is based on the size of the eye, which your doctor will measure during an eye exam if you tell the doctor that you want to buy contacts.

The prescription is the same strength as the prescription for glasses. Only a doctor can determine the appropriate prescription for your eyes. If you do not require prescription contact lenses, but want lenses for novelty purposes, such as crazy lenses for a costume or colored lenses to change your eye color, an eye exam is still required to determine the appropriate size contacts.

Trying Contacts:

The only way to determine which type of contacts is most comfortable is to obtain a trial pair from the eye doctor. Most eye doctors offer a trial pair of contacts at the time of the eye exam based on which are most comfortable for the majority of patients.

Wear the contacts as directed for the initial two week period after the exam. Contacts can take as long as two weeks for your eyes to grow accustomed to them. If they are not comfortable, inform the doctor during the return visit and explain the problem. For example, if the lenses result in itchy, dry or uncomfortable eyes, the doctor can determine the problem and select another lens to prevent the problem. If this occurs, the doctor will usually select another trial pair of lenses for the next time period.

Purchasing:

Purchase the contact lenses that are most comfortable for the eyes. The lenses that are most comfortable vary with each individual .

Special Note:

Some individuals are not able to wear contact lenses. Sometimes eyes are too sensitive for the lenses or the lenses cause problems. While it is rare, if no contacts are comfortable after trying several pairs, the eyes might be too sensitive to wear contact lenses