What Kind of Contact Lenses Are Right for Me?

Published on July 16, 2021 ​​​​​​​

The latest innovations in eye care technology make wearing contact lenses very safe nowadays. For example, most lenses are made of silicone hydrogel, allowing more oxygen to reach your cornea. This makes dry eye disease and other issues (which were prominent in the past) no longer as big a concern today. Besides, so long as you pay close attention to hygiene and proper storage, you shouldn't worry about infection. These risks are preventable. Are you thinking of breaking free from eyeglass frames and give contact lenses a go? Read on to find out what kind of contacts may be right for you.


 

Specific Vision Needs


 

Your primary consideration when looking for the right contact lenses is your distinct eye-related needs. For instance, if you suffer from allergies or have a dry eye disease, wearing contacts may be difficult for you. In this case, your eye doctor will likely recommend daily disposable or single-wear contacts. Do you love to read but require a different prescription for seeing clearly into the distance? Talk to your doctor about bifocal or multifocal contacts lenses. This way, you won't have to keep on switching back and forth between eyeglasses and contacts. 


 

Length of Wear


 

When choosing the right contacts, you'd have to think about how often you'd like to wear them. This generally depends on your lifestyle. Are you the type who's always busy and don't want to worry about disinfecting and maintaining your lenses? Single-day wear contact lenses may be best for you. You can toss away daily disposable contacts at the end of the day and just pull out a fresh new pair the next morning. There are also contacts that you may wear again for a week, a month, or longer. These several-day-wear contacts eventually wear out; your eye doctor will let you know when you're supposed to replace them.


 

Soft or Rigid


 

Contact lenses are either soft or rigid. You will hardly notice soft contact lenses (SCLs) when you blink as they're draped well over your eyes. They stay on your eye with little to no risk of getting displaced or becoming dislodged. Most daily disposable and extended-wear contacts are soft. While they're extremely comfortable at first, they may tear your lenses over time. There's also less oxygen getting to your cornea than rigid gas permeable contacts(RGPs). As a result, some patients experience more dryness with SCLs. 


 

Rigid contacts let more oxygen to your cornea through the tears flowing under the lenses, making them great for people who suffer from mild to moderate dry eye disease. RGPs provide crisp and clear vision. Rigid contacts have a smaller diameter than soft contacts. So, you may feel them more by your eyelids when blinking. This sensation tends to decrease over time, though. The final comfort of both soft and rigid contacts is the same. RGPs may also get pushed off to the side or become dislodged more easily than its counterpart. 


 

Not all contacts are clear. So, if you want to be more creative with special effects during Halloween or simply want to change the color of your eyes, you may check those contacts that come in different colors. Regardless, you'd still need a fitting and prescription for this. 



 

Do you need help with choosing the right kind of contact lenses for your needs and lifestyle? Call Dau Family Eye Care today in St. John's, Florida, at (904) 713-2020 to schedule your consultation. 

132 Everest Ln, Ste 5
St. John's, FL 32259
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