Different Types of Contact Lenses

Contact lenses provide a convenient way to improve your vision without the bother and inconvenience of eyeglasses. According to the American Optometric Association, more than 30 million Americans wear contact lenses and at least two-thirds of contact users are women. Choosing a particular style of contact lenses will depend on your preferences and your doctor's evaluation of your vision.

Identification

• Contact lenses are made of thin plastic and are worn on the cornea, the clear portion of the eye that covers the iris. Contact lenses can be used in place of eyeglasses to improve poor vision caused by hyperopia (farsightedness), myopia (nearsightedness), astigmatism (an imperfection in the curvature of the cornea) or presbyopia (the loss of the ability to focus on close objects due to aging). Tinted contacts can also be used to make the irises appear to be a different color.

Rigid Gas-Permeable Lenses

• Rigid gas-permeable (RGP) lenses are made of oxygen-permeable silicone. They aren't as flexible as soft contact lenses but are more durable, resist developing deposits and generally provide sharper vision than soft contact lenses. RGPs require some getting used to and may not be quite as comfortable as soft contact lenses.

Daily Wear Soft Lenses

• Daily wear soft lenses are made of soft, flexible plastic that permits oxygen to reach the cornea. They are among the easiest type of contacts to adapt to and are more comfortable than RGP lenses. Soft contact lenses are usually comfortable soon after being used for the first time. These lenses are removed for cleaning each night and can be more easily damaged than RGP lenses.

Extended Wear Lenses

• Extended wear lenses can be worn seven days and nights or longer before they need to be removed. They are available in both RGP and soft lenses. These types of lenses are convenient for people who don't want to be bothered with contact maintenance every day. There is a slightly higher risk for eye infections with these types of lenses.

Disposable Lenses

• Disposable lenses are soft contact lenses that are available in daily wear and extended wear versions. At the end of each day or use period, the user simply throws away the lenses and begins using a new set of lenses. Because you are continually using new lenses, the risk of infection is decreased with disposable lenses. These lenses may not correct every type of vision problem. These lenses are also called disposable replacement schedule lenses if they are worn for a certain amount of time, such as seven or 14 days, before being discarded. If you are using disposable lenses as replacement schedule lenses and not as true disposable lenses, you will need to clean and disinfect the lenses every night.

Decorative Contact Lenses

• Decorative contact lenses, also called plano lenses, are used to change the appearance of the wearer's irises. A variety of colors are available for the person who wants to try out a new eye color or is thinking that red irises might make the perfect accompaniment to a Halloween costume. These lenses are available in prescription and nonprescription varieties. The United States Food and Drug Administration recommends that decorative lenses be bought only from a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist to reduce the possibility of eye infection and impairment.