What types of contact lenses are available?
- Hard lenses
The first contact lenses were what have become known as ‘hard’ lenses. These are made of a perspex material which, while very durable, does not allow essential oxygen to pass through to the surface of the eye.
- Rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses
Rigid gas permeable lenses allow oxygen to pass to the surface of the eye, but they are made of firmer plastics than soft lenses. This makes them more durable and gives them a longer life span. These lenses are particularly suitable for certain prescriptions such as high degrees of astigmatism, where they give very good vision. Some people find rigid lenses easier to handle than soft lenses and, although they take a little longer to get used to, regular wearers find them very comfortable.
- Soft lenses
Modern soft contact lenses are made from gel-like plastics, often with a high water content, that allow oxygen to pass freely to the eye. Because of this, soft lenses can be made much larger which in turn makes them very comfortable and easy to adapt to. Some of the new ultra-thin soft lenses are so comfortable that new wearers can leave them in all day right from the start. New users usually find that they are only mildly aware of standard thickness soft lenses and that tolerance can be built up fairly easily so that most people are able to wear them all day within a week.
- Disposable lenses
All types of contact lenses are now available on a planned replacement programme. New manufacturing techniques have made it possible for users to have a fresh pair of lenses regularly for about the same cost over a period as non-disposable lenses. Daily disposable lenses are becoming increasingly popular as they eliminate the need for a lens care routine, but depending on the type of lens and the environment in which it will be worn, the replacement period can be anything from one day to two years.
- Extended wear lenses
Most contact lenses are worn on a daily basis, being removed in the evening and put back in next morning. Special extended wear soft lenses are now available which allow you to sleep in them. Typically they are replaced weekly or monthly.
- Tinted lenses
Tinted contact lenses which can enhance or even change the colour of your eyes without affecting what you see are now widely available.
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Contact Lenses |
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Today, more than three million people in the UK enjoy the clear, natural and unobstructed vision offered by contact lenses which don’t fog up or get splashed with rain as glasses sometimes can.
New lens designs and materials, as well as advanced care products, now make contact lenses easier and more comfortable to wear than ever before. They offer freedom from wearing glasses in daily life, when playing sport, or for that important social occasion, and can bring particular benefits for individuals with stronger vision correction requirements. |
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How do contact lenses work? |
"Perfect vision" occurs when light rays converge at a point directly on the retina (on the back of eyeball). About four in ten people have "perfect" vision. For the rest, clear vision may be achieved by refocusing light rays using corrective lenses.
Contact lenses are delicately crafted, very thin optical discs about the diameter of a shirt button. They are comfortably held in place by the eye's own natural tears, which are always present between the lens and the eye.
The superior quality of today's lenses, combined with professional fitting and aftercare, ensures your lenses will be properly prescribed for ultimate fit and comfort. We have many lens options to choose from and can advise as to which one best suits your vision needs and your lifestyle.
Most common vision conditions can be treated with contact lenses, and in the last few years, technological advances have produced many more options for treating each kind of problem. We can tell you more about the range of options available for any of these conditions:
Short -Sightedness
(Myopia) - People with this condition can see clearly up close but not at a distance. For those who are short-sighted a number of contact lens products are now available to restore sharp, clear distance vision. We will prescribe a concave or "minus" lens which will redirect the light rays so that they are properly focused on the retina.
Long-Sightedness
(Hyperopia) - Long-sighted individuals see better at a distance than close up and sometimes experience difficulty bringing their vision into sharp, clear focus for reading and other close-up activities. Long-sightedness can be very successfully treated with a convex or "plus" lens prescription available with a wide range of contact lens options.
Astigmatism
This condition is characterised by an irregularly shaped cornea, causing light images to focus on two separate points in the eye. The effect is similar to the distorted reflection in a fun-house mirror. Until fairly recently, people with astigmatism were limited to spectacles. But today's "toric" contact lenses can be custom made and provide enhanced visual performance and comfort. Almost anyone with astigmatism can now wear contact lenses.
Presbyopia
As people age, their eyes lose their ability to shift focus between far and near objects. Also called "ageing eye", this is a natural process which creates difficulty in reading small type, for example, or shifting focus between the road and a car's speedometer. For these people, their only option used to be prescription spectacles with bifocal lenses or "reading glasses". But now there's good news for those who will be affected by presbyopia as for many the condition is correctable with today's bifocal contact lenses. These lenses are individually prescribed for each person's special combination of distance and near vision, and several types of lenses are available
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Are contact lenses right for me?
Major advances in contact lens design mean that almost everyone can wear contact lenses successfully nowadays. People of all ages can be fitted, although special care is needed for the very young and elderly.
Common eyesight defects, such as short-sightedness and long-sightedness, are easily corrected with contact lenses, but now conditions such as astigmatism and presbyopia can also be treated very effectively with contact lenses.
In the past, people with astigmatism, a condition in which the eye is irregularly shaped causing distorted vision, were restricted to wearing glasses, but today’s ‘toric’ contact lenses can be custom made for each individual to provide clear vision. Presbyopia, the ageing of the eye’s lens which progressively affects everyone over the age of about 40, makes it difficult to shift focus between near and distant objects. This condition can also be corrected with bifocal contact lenses which provide clear distance and near vision.
As contact lenses are worn next to the eye, there is nothing to obstruct your peripheral vision in the way that spectacle frames can. Also, the lenses move with your eye, meaning that you are always looking through the centre of the lens, where vision is best. In the majority of cases, people actually see better with contact lenses than they would with glasses.
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Are contact lenses difficult to insert and remove?
No. Many people are worried about putting a lens in for the first time, but simple techniques have been developed which make insertion and removal of contact lenses quite easy. When we give you your lenses we will teach you the correct method of insertion.
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Caring for your contact lenses |
Developments in lens care products have now made it easier than ever to keep your contact lenses clean, comfortable and safe from harmful bacteria. These three simple steps should result in trouble-free use:
1. Clean your contact lenses daily
This will remove dust, pollution, make-up and other things that may accumulate on the lens in daily wear.
2. Disinfect your contact lenses daily
Disinfecting your lenses will ensure they are free from any micro-organisms still on the lens after cleaning.
3. Weekly protein removal
This breaks down protein deposits that are produced naturally in everyone’s tears. If you don’t do this the performance and life of the lens could be reduced.
We will advise as to the necessity and frequency of this routine.
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Contact lens wearers who experience any kind of unusual pain in their eyes should visit their ophthalmic optician straight away.
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Much of the information on this page is taken from the EYE CARE TRUST's own pages on contact lenses found at http://www.eye-care.org.uk/
A Hurd Opticians is proud to be a member of the EYE CARE TRUST.
The Clear Choice
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