A contact lens is a thin, curved lens placed on the film of tears that covers the surface of your eye. The lens itself is naturally clear, but is often given the slightest tinge of color to make them easier for wearers to handle. Today’s contact lenses are either hard or soft. Most people wear the latter form.
In order to keep your eyes and vision in peak performance and health, each pair of contact lenses is manufactured and prescribed for a certain wear schedule and should be replaced after a certain amount of time.
Certain conditions can determine what type of contact lens should be worn. Astigmatism is a common condition that can result in blurred or distorted vision at all distances. Lenses for astigmatism are referred to as Toric lenses. Presbyopia is an age-related condition — as you reach your 40s or 50s, you may find it harder to focus on nearby objects. Multifocal lenses can help.
Reasons To Choose Contact Lenses
The decision to wear contact lenses is purely personal and depends on the use of the wearer. Many active people choose to wear contact lenses so they don’t have to worry about their eyeglasses shifting around. You can also opt to change the color of your eyes by using different hued lenses. Contacts can also suit any style, whereas eyeglasses can potentially limit your style choices.
Types Of Contact Lenses
At Ewing Optical, we offer contact lenses from top brands based on our patient’s preferences. Gas Permeable (GP) contact lenses are rigid and more suitable for those who want a durable lens with a high flow of oxygen to get crisp vision. To correct astigmatism, Toric contact lenses are typically used. Bifocal and multifocal contact lenses are designed for those with presbyopia but who do not like to wear bifocal eyeglasses.
Contact Lens Comfort and Material
The most commonly used contact lenses are soft contact lenses. These contacts can be made of various forms of soft plastic and gently drape over the cornea. Over the years, soft contact lenses have evolved to include silicone gel to allow your cornea more oxygen. Hard contact lenses are known as Rigid Gas Permeable lenses. Patients with higher astigmatism benefit from hard contact lenses as they provide excellent vision correction.
When To Replace Contact Lenses
Daily wear contacts can be worn all day but must be removed for cleaning each night. Extended wear contacts can be worn overnight and for extended periods depending on the brand. Some extended wear soft contacts can be worn for up to 30 days. Daily contacts are found to be the most healthy option for your eyes — a fresh lens every day eliminates the worry of cleaning solutions and deposits of debris from reusing lenses.
Prescription Options for Contact Lenses
Spherical lenses are the most common and correct nearsightedness as well as farsightedness. Toric lenses correct astigmatism. Multifocal lenses provide extra magnification for presbyopia. Colored lenses can be worn for vision correction or cosmetic reasons.
For a consultation and to schedule an appointment contact us today at (561) 798-0244.