Contact Lens Features

Contact lenses are made of a soft plastic material that is curved to fit comfortably on the eyeball.These minute visual aids have freed millions of people from having to wear glasses. Prescription contact lenses are made specifically for the wearer. Your ophthalmologist or optometrist determines whether contact lenses are a suitable option for you, and he will determine the size and prescription strength you need.

Types

• The most commonly worn contact lenses are the daily wear soft lenses made from a soft, flexible plastic. They are suited for those who have an active lifestyle. Rigid gas permeable lenses, or RGPs, are made from a harder plastic that is only slightly flexible. These lenses can correct more sight problems than the soft lenses and have a longer life span. They give excellent vision and are also used for those who need a stronger prescription than the softer lenses can provide.

Designs

• Contact lenses are available in several options that can be designed specifically for your eyes. You can have bifocal or spherical lenses to correct far or nearsightedness, or even a combination of both for those who have different concerns in each eye. You can select toric lenses, which correct astigmatism, or you can select orthokeratology lenses, which reshape your cornea while you sleep. The orthokeratolgy process temporarily allows you to see clearly without prescription lenses. Other less common designs are available and depend on your prescription.

Maintenance

• Taking your contact lenses out at night and popping them in the cleaning solution is the only maintenance they typically require. If you have disposable lenses, you simply toss the used pair and use a new pair. If you wear glasses, constant cleaning of your glasses can result in tiny scratches and scrapes, which can distort your vision. As you will only ever touch your contact lens with the tip of your finger while inserting or replacing, this problem is eliminated, too.

Disposable and Appearance

• In addition to the soft and hard varieties, you can have a variety of disposable options. For example, you can wear extended wear lenses overnight -- some for up to seven days. According to All About Vision, you can wear some gas permeable lenses for up to 30 days. Extended wear contacts offer further options; you can select disposable lenses or lenses that you clean after your extended period and reuse. If you've always wanted your eyes to be a different color, you can select colored lenses; or if you wish to correct a medical eye issue, prosthetic lenses may be an option for you. Contact lenses can be tailored to meet your personal requirements.