How to Compare Progressive Lenses

Progressive contact lenses correct inadequate vision such as myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, astigmatism and other more complex vision disorders. There are many types of progressive lenses available. Progressive lenses are designed with gradients of lens power at various sections of the lenses. The top part of the lens corrects nearsightedness, while the middle usually addresses farsightedness and the bottom may also have a prescription for reading. Hard, or gas permeable lenses tend to adapt more readily to combination prescriptions, while the soft progressive lens is reportedly more comfortable. The hybrid is a combination soft lens with a hard gas permeable center.

Things You'll Need

• Contact Lens Prescription

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Instructions

Consultation with Optometrist or Eye Doctor

• 1

  Consult with an eye care professional to determine the health of your eyes and evaluate your ability to wear contact lenses.

• 2

  Have a doctor determine your prescription. Knowing the type of prescription you need is key to determining what kind of progressive contact lenses to consider. Certain kinds of correction will be better corrected by different kinds of lenses. For example, astigmatic prescriptions are typically corrected with either soft toric lenses, hard gas permeable lenses or the hybrid lens, which includes both hard and soft features.

• 3

  Ask an eye care professional about the various soft progressive contact lenses that are available, once you have your prescription. New lenses are developed regularly, so in order to adequately compare lenses for your prescription, an eye doctor or optometrist will more than likely be aware of the newest types of progressive contact lenses available. Many progressive lenses are disposable and made for daily, weekly or monthly wearing schedules. Soft progressive lenses are made to correct vision for combinations of myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia and astigmatism.

• 4

  Look at rigid gas permeable (RGP) progressive lenses. Rigid gas permeable (hard) progressive lenses are designed for high levels of astigmatism and other more complex vision corrections. The lenses are reportedly sometimes slightly less comfortable for patients to wear and can require more adjustment time. Like soft progressive contact lenses, RGPs correct myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia and astigmatism. In addition, they are used to correct keratoconus, a condition where the cornea is irregularly shaped or thin. They are available in the daily, weekly and monthly extended wear varieties. In addition, as long as the prescription doesn't change, the progressive RGP lenses can last for two or three years before replacing them.

• 5

  Discuss hybrid progressive contact lenses with your doctor.. The hybrid progresssive contact lenses are designed with a hard, RGP center and a soft "skirt" around it for better comfort. Considered to be the best of both worlds, the hybrid lens usually requires a tospecialist fit them. The hybrid lens reportedly eliminates the rotating effect that toric lenses often have, which can cause inconsistent vision. The snugger fit of the hybrid lens remains stable on the eye, for more consistently clear vision. Hybrid lenses can be useful for patients who require gas permeable lenses but have difficulty wearing them.