What Are the Newest Type of Contacts Lenses?

According to Mycontactlenses.org, nearly 40 million Americans choose to wear contact lenses rather than glasses in order to correct their vision. Contact lenses have progressed enormously from their first conception in 1508 by Leonardo di Vinci to their first creation in 1887 by a German glassblower named F.A. Muller. Contact lens technology continues to evolve as manufacturers find new ways of improving the fit, comfort and vision corrections.

Breatheable Contact Lens

• In December 2008, the FDA approved silicone hydrogel contact lenses which allow significantly more oxygen to reach the cornea, making the lens more comfortable to wear and decreasing the chance of eye infections.

UV Protection

• A silicone hydrogel material, senofilcon A, is used to produce contact lenses that absorb harmful ultra-violet rays.

Nearsighted and Farsighted

• Contact lenses are now available for people with prebyopia, an age-related eye condition that affects the ability to focus up close. Additionally, there are improved "multi-focal" contact lenses for people who require all three vision corrections: near, mid-range and distant vision.

Soft Toric Lenses for Astigmatism

• People with astigmatism, a vision condition caused by an abnormally-shaped cornea, can now wear soft contact lenses with soft toric lenses.

Contacts for Keratoconus

• ClearKone is a new contact lens made for people with keratoconus, an eye condition in which the cornea thins and bulges over time and eventually becomes a cone-shaped.