Contact lenses are corrective lenses that sit on the surface of your cornea, providing the same type of vision correction as eyeglasses. In the not too distant past, contact lenses came in one form – so-called “hard” lenses that did not allow oxygen to permeate to the eye. Fortunately, for patients today, the good news is that you have many choices in lenses. However, finding the right lens – the lens that provides you with optimum comfort and vision, can take time and patience. With the complexity of available lenses, you and your contact lens fitter will work as a team to determine the best solution for your vision needs.
The refraction test will determine whether you are myopic (nearsighted), hyperopic (farsighted), presbyopic, and/or astigmatic. In addition, the results will be used to determine the appropriate prescription for your eyeglasses and contact lenses.
If you decide that you would like to wear contact lenses, in most cases, a separate appointment will be made for you to work with our contact lens fitter. The lens fitter is a technician, who has taken many specialized courses of study in all aspects of contact lenses. He will help you select the lenses which best meet your vision needs, and will work with you as you try different lens options. This service is available at our Plymouth office, and for your convenience, Tuesday evening appointments are offered.
With the variety of lens options available today, most people can be fitted with contact lenses that are comfortable and meet their vision needs. We are frequently asked if children and teenagers can safely wear lenses. This depends upon the discipline and maturity of the child, since rigorous adherence to the protocols of cleaning, disinfecting and replacing lenses is essential. An undisciplined teenager who doesn’t follow the protocols is at risk for developing complications such as an infection, while a highly motivated and disciplined pre-teen may be a good candidate for contact lenses.
If your child wishes to wear lenses, you should have a discussion with your eye care provider. Post, O’Connor & Kadrmas will only prescribe contact lenses to children under age 18 with parental consent.
What You Should Know About Types of Contact Lenses
Contact lenses can be classified in many different ways – including what they are made of, how long they can be worn, and specialty vision correction, among others. The following is an overview of some contact lens options.
Soft Contact Lenses
Soft lenses are made of a soft flexible hydrogel that allows oxygen to permeate through the lens to the eye. The first soft lens was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1971 for use in this country. Most lenses prescribed today are a type of soft lens.
Soft lenses are hydrophilic, meaning they are largely made of water. It is this water content that allows them to remain soft. For most people, wearing soft lenses is immediately comfortable and does not require an adjustment time. If you find the lenses uncomfortable after you begin wearing them, you should discuss this with your eye care provider. Since so many options are available today, you may find another option to be more comfortable.
Spherical soft lenses are used to correct myopia and hyperopia. In addition, soft bifocal lenses are available to correct presbyopia.
Because soft lenses are largely water, bacteria can develop if the lenses are not properly cleaned and disinfected according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Therefore, if you wear soft lenses, you should carefully follow your eye care professional’s advice.
Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Lenses
When hard contact lenses were first introduced, they blocked oxygen from reaching the surface of the eye. Because oxygen is necessary for a healthy eye, these early lenses – particularly if not cleaned properly, could lead to certain eye disorders.
While patients sometimes call the current generation of such lenses “hard”, because they are not flexible like “soft” lenses, these lenses are actually rigid lenses. They are also very different from their predecessors.
Today’s RGPs are rigid contact lenses that provide crisp vision correction for myopia, and are also now available in a bi-focal format. Unlike early generations of “hard” lenses, rigid lenses are made of special polymers that are “permeable”, meaning oxygen can permeate to the surface of the eye.
Because rigid lenses are made of plastic, they do not allow bacteria to multiply and are easy to clean and disinfect. If properly maintained, RGPs can have a long life and won’t require replacement as frequently as soft lenses.
Unlike soft lenses, RGP lenses may take a certain amount of time for you to adjust to wearing them. They are not as immediately comfortable as soft lenses. However, for certain patients, the clarity of vision they provide outweigh this adjustment period. If you are unable to tolerate the rigid lenses, you can discuss other options with your eye care provider.
Disposable Contact Lenses
As the name suggests, disposable lenses are lenses that you wear for a certain period of time, according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, and then throw away. Disposable lenses can be used to correct myopia and hyperopia.
Some types of disposable lenses are listed below:
Single or daily use lenses are worn once and simply thrown away. Because you are always using a new pair, no cleaning or disinfecting is required.
Daily wear lenses are worn during the day, and removed and cleaned at night. Usually, you are able to use the same lenses for a 2 week period.
Continuous wear lenses are designed to be worn 24 hours a day for a full week and then replaced.
Toric Contact Lenses
Toric lenses are a recent development in contact lenses that correct astigmatism, as well as myopia or hyperopia. Prior to this development, people with astigmatism often could not wear soft lenses. These lenses, which are available in both soft and rigid material, provide a new option for astigmats to be less dependent on eyeglasses.
Multifocal toric lenses which also correct presbyopia are available. Although toric RGPs are more common – because they tend to remain more stable on the cornea and provide sharper vision correction for many patients, soft toric lenses are also available.
This brief overview of types of lenses demonstrates the variety of lens options available to you today. It may require a certain amount of trial and effort to find the optimum solution for your unique combination of vision correction, comfort and convenience.
What You Should Know About Contact Lens Risks
If you wear contact lenses, there is always some risk of an infection such as keratitis, as well as corneal abrasion or ulcer. You should examine your lenses carefully before inserting to ensure that they are not torn or damaged, as a torn lens can lead to a corneal abrasion. If you follow the recommended protocols for wearing, cleaning, disinfecting and replacing your contact lenses, the risk of complications is relatively small.
Should you experience any of the following symptoms, you should stop wearing your contact lenses and make an appointment to see your eye doctor as soon as possible:
Pain and soreness
Feeling like something is in your eye (that remains after your lens is removed)
Redness
Tearing
Sensitivity to light
What You Should Know About Inserting Contact Lenses
Always wash and dry your hands thoroughly before touching your lenses
Always insert your lenses in the same order – since we naturally read from left to right, we recommend that you always insert your left lens first; when finished, insert your right lens
Remove your lens from the case and rinse with contact lens solution
Check to ensure that the lens is not torn or otherwise damaged
Place the lens on the tip of the index finger on your dominant hand
Use your other hand to gently lift your upper eyelid
Use your dominant hand to pull down your lower eyelid
While looking up, gently place your lens on the lower portion of your eye
Close your eye, then blink a few times
If the lens feels uncomfortable, remove and check the lens again to ensure that the lens is not torn or damaged
If the lens is not damaged, apply additional contact lens solution and re-insert
If the lens is damaged, repeat the process with a new lens
What You Should Know About Removing Contact Lenses
Always wash and dry your hands thoroughly before touching your lenses
Always remove your lenses in the same order – just as with inserting your lenses, we recommend that you always remove your left lens first; when finished, remove your right lens
Use your dominant hand to pull down your lower eyelid
While looking up, use your index finger to gently move the lower portion of the lens towards the bottom of your eye
Gently remove the lens using your index finger and thumb
Follow the manufacturers recommendations for cleaning and disinfecting your lenses
What You Should Know About Contact Lens Safety
Here are some FDA safety tips you should follow if you wear contact lenses.
Make sure to:
Get regular eye exams to assure the continued health of your eyes.
Always have a back-up pair of glasses with a current prescription in the event that you have problems with your contact lenses.
Always follow the directions of your eye care professional and all labeling instruction for proper use of contact lenses and lens care products.
Always wash your hands before handling contact lenses to reduce the chance of getting an infection.
Clean, rinse and air-dry your lens case each time lenses are removed. Contact lens cases can be a source of bacterial growth.
Remove the lenses immediately and consult your eye care professional if your eyes become red, irritated, or your vision changes.
Ask your eye care professional about wearing glasses or contact lenses during sports activities to minimize your chance of injury.
Always ask your eye care professional before using any medicine or using topical eye products, even those you buy without a prescription. Some medicines may affect your vision or irritate your eyes.
Apply cosmetics after inserting lenses and remove your lenses before removing makeup.
Apply any aerosol products (hairspray, cologne, and deodorant) before inserting lenses.
Always inform your employer if you wear contact lenses. Some jobs may require the use of eye protection equipment or may require that you not wear lenses.
Follow and save the directions that come with your lenses. If you didn’t get a patient information booklet, request one from your eye care professional or look for one on the manufacturer’s website.
Replace contacts as recommended by your eye care professional. Throw away disposable lenses after recommended wearing period.
Do Not:
Sleep in daily wear lenses because it may increase your chance of infection or irritation.
Purchase contact lenses from gas stations, video stores, record shops, or any other vendor not authorized by law to dispense contact lenses. Contact lenses are medical devices that require a prescription.
Swap contact lens with another person. Swapping provides a way to transfer germs between people. Contact lenses are individually fitted. Incorrectly fitted lenses may cause permanent eye injury, infection and may potentially lead to blindness.
Smoke. Studies show that smokers who wear contact lenses have a higher rate of problems (adverse reactions) than nonsmokers.
Swim while wearing contact lenses. There is a risk of eye infection from bacteria in swimming pool water.
Put your lenses in your mouth to wet them. Saliva is not a sterile solution.
Use tap water, distilled water or any homemade saline solution. Tap and distilled water have been associated with Acanthamoeba keratitis, a corneal infection that is resistant to treatment and cure.
Transfer contact lens solutions into smaller travel size containers. This can effect the sterility of the solution which can lead to an eye infection. Transferring solutions into smaller size containers may also leave consumers open to accidentally using a solution not intended for the eyes.
Rely on contact lenses to protect your eyes from the sun. Make sure to use sunglasses that block ultraviolet light.
