Daily Wear
These are lenses that must be removed daily. They can be soft or rigid lenses, disposable or non-disposable, tinted or clear. Regardless of the type or brand, they do not allow a sufficient amount of oxygen through the material to be worn overnight.
Extended Wear
This means that the lenses have been FDA approved for overnight wear. Most extended wear lenses can be slept in for up to six nights, but there are some that have been recently approved for 30-day continuous wear. Again, these lenses can be soft or rigid, disposable or non-disposable, tinted or clear.
Disposable, Planned Replacement or Frequent Replacement
This category of soft lenses includes those that are to be replaced at a specified interval. Disposables are normally replaced every day to every 2 weeks. Planned or Frequent Replacement lenses are typically replaced every month to quarterly, depending on what your doctor recommends.
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Toric Lenses
These are lenses that correct for astigmatism. They may be daily wear or extended wear, disposable or non-disposable. Some toric lenses are able to correct a higher amount of astigmatism than others, and recent advancements in design have allowed for superb vision and comfort.
Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses
As the name implies, these are lenses made from a more rigid material and are typically more oxygen permeable than soft contact lenses. They are usually fit on patients with a significant amount of astigmatism or patients who are unhappy with the vision obtained with soft lens materials.
Bifocal Contacts
For those patients over 40 who require different prescriptions for distance and near vision, bifocal contacts may be the solution. The newer disposable bifocal lenses offer a variety of options and are therefore more commonly prescribed, but bifocal lenses are available in rigid gas permeable materials as well.
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Monovision
This refers to a technique of fitting contacts rather than a type of contact lens. For patients over 40 where bifocal contact lenses are not successful, a contact lens may be prescribed in one eye for distance vision and the other eye for reading. This can be done with virtually any type of contact lens.
Silicone Hydrogel Lenses
These are the latest in soft contact lens technology and allow the greatest amount of oxygen permeability. They are replaced every 2-4 weeks, and because studies have shown them to be a healthier alternative because of their increased oxygen permeability, they are becoming the lenses of choice worldwide.
Tinted Lenses
This segment of the contact lens market includes those soft lenses designed to change or enhance eye color. Some companies have designed unique lenses intended to have a dramatic effect for certain holidays, sporting events, or as a special effect in movies. |
