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In the United States alone, about 45 million people wear contact lenses to correct their vision. While not as popular as traditional glasses, contact lenses have distinct advantages for eye health and several innovations that benefit wearers. Consider the following to make an informed decision regarding vision correction.

What Are Contact Lenses?

Contact lenses are thin, curved lenses worn directly on the eye’s surface—an alternative to glasses worn on the face. Many prefer to wear contacts for aesthetic reasons, but they also provide better natural vision since they move with the eye and have no frame to block eyesight.

Types of Contact Lenses

While there are many types of contact lenses, four main factors to consider are lens material, wear schedule, replacement schedule, and any special features. Your provider’s recommendations will help you identify the right contacts for you.

Soft vs. Gas Permeable Lens Material

• Soft Contact Lenses: Made from flexible plastic, soft contacts are typically considered easy to adjust to and more comfortable than the alternative.
• Gas-Permeable Contact Lenses: Also known as rigid gas-permeable lenses, they are harder and made from silicone polymers. While they hold their shape better and offer clearer vision in some cases, they are considered less comfortable and challenging to adjust to.

Daily vs. Extended Wear Schedules

• Daily Wear: Just like it sounds, these contacts are only worn during the day and taken out at night. Depending on the type, they can be thrown out or reused but should never be worn while sleeping.
• Extended Wear: These contacts can be worn day and night continuously for up to 30 days, depending on the person and the lens type. It’s important to discuss length of wear, and any risks, with your provider.

Daily Disposable vs. Planned Replacement Schedules

• Daily Disposable: This schedule requires you to wear a new pair of contacts every day and throw them out at night. It lowers the risk of irritation and dry eye, but some may consider it wasteful.
• Planned Replacement: Instead of throwing away contacts, planned replacement schedules allow you to clean and store them overnight. Whether you remove them at night or leave them in depends on whether they are approved for extended wear.

Special Features

Many contact lenses have special features, whether for vision correction, eye health, or even aesthetics. For example, toric contact lenses can correct astigmatism, and blue-light contact lenses can filter blue light to reduce digital eye strain. Some lenses even offer UV protection to help shield eyes from harmful sun exposure.

Disadvantages of Contacts

Contacts have a few advantages over glasses, but they also have disadvantages. Most notably, many contact types require care and maintenance to avoid eye infections. Wearing contacts for too long means the eye gets less oxygen than usual, so it is essential to take them out at night in most cases. You shouldn’t wear contacts in water. Lastly, it is key to store and disinfect contacts used repeatedly.

Deciding What’s Right for You

When deciding what vision correction tool to use daily, it is important to talk to a provider first. They can help you determine what type of vision correction is right for you, address potential challenges with any options, and offer practical solutions. This step is essential whether you choose to wear contacts or not and will help prevent common eye health issues.

There are many options to consider when deciding between contact lenses, but variety will help you make an informed choice—keeping your provider’s advice in mind. Contacts offer many unique advantages and are preferred by many, so consider exploring an alternative today.