Contact lenses are one of the most preferred products when it comes to the correction of vision. From where it started, contact lenses have come a long way. So, if you are a first-timer who is willing to buy contact lenses, here is a quick guide that would help you to understand different types of contact lenses.
Also, we would address whether the use of contact lenses is safe or not and for how long you can wear contact lenses at a stretch.
What are the different materials used for making contact lenses?
Contact lenses are cost-effective and commonly available vision correctors in the market. They come in different materials that we’ll be discussing in detail with you.
- Hybrid Contact Lenses: This kind of lens has a rigid gas permeable central zone, but they are covered or surrounded by a hydrogel silicon material. In comparison to GP lenses, they offer much more comfort to your eyes
- Soft Lenses: Made to offer maximum comfort, these lenses are made of gel-like, water-containing plastic that is called hydrogel. Soft lenses are absolutely thin and flexible to protect the front surface of the eye
- PMMA Lenses: If you would have gone to purchase contact lenses a few years ago, PMMA lenses were commonly prescribed to everyone. These lenses look like gas permeable lenses but are made of plastic material. But these are not oxygen absorbent
- Silicone Hydrogel Lenses: Soft contact lenses are made up of advanced material that allows more oxygen to pass through the lens and reach the front surface of the eye. Currently, silicone hydrogel lenses are the most commonly prescribed and used contact lenses
- Gas Permeable Lenses: Bigger in diameter as compared to soft lenses, GP or RGP lenses maintain the shape of the eye and help to correct astigmatism and other refractive errors. The material allows oxygen to reach the surface of the eyes, and they are equally comfortable like soft lenses.
How safe is it to use contact lenses?
The purpose of contact lenses is to improve your visual clarity. It is safe to wear contact lenses every single day. But it does not mean that there is no risk involved, if you fail to clean them properly, or store them in a safe and cool place and fail to wear them correctly, there are chances that you can develop an infection in your eye.
For how long can you wear contact lenses?
The duration for which wearing contact lenses is safe depends on the type of contact lenses you have. Two types of contact lenses are commonly prescribed, daily wear and extended wear contact lenses.
- If you are using daily contact lenses, it is safe to wear them for a duration of eight to sixteen hours. Do not forget to remove them before you go to bed.
- Whereas, in extended contact lenses you can keep it up to seven days or even an entire month.
How to take care of your contact lenses?
Commonly, you get a multipurpose lens solution that acts like a cleanser, disinfectant, and storage. You can simply wash your contact lenses with the solution and keep them in a lens case containing solution when you are not wearing them.
To avoid the procedure, you can also choose to buy disposable lenses that are meant for one-time use and disposed of soon after.
While we understand that the use of contact lenses complements your look but at the same time appropriate use will only enhance your visibility else can be a reason for damage as well.
