Why There are 4 Types of Contacts? 🤔

10.08.2023 | Leah | TTDeye Care
If you have recently decided to switch to contact lenses, then you may face some difficulty in selecting from the various types of contact lenses available. To help you make an informed choice, we have explained below the different types of contact lenses and features.
Common types of contact lenses available today include:
  • Soft Contact Lenses
  • Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Contact Lenses
  • Disposable/ Frequent Replacement Contact Lenses
  • Toric Contact Lenses
✨Let us take each type of contact lens one by one to help you know how they are different and what is their suitability.

1. Soft Lenses

Soft contact lenses are made of soft, flexible plastics that allow oxygen to pass through to the cornea. Soft contact lenses may be easier to adjust to and are more comfortable than rigid gas permeable lenses. Newer soft lens materials include silicone-hydrogels to provide more oxygen to your eye while you wear your lenses. As a result, the soft lens is more breathable, which is what makes them more popular.

 

 

Benefits:
  • Soft contact lenses are simple to wear because of their flexible plastic material
  • They are more comfortable than rigid gas permeable lenses
  • They are compatible with almost anyone who wants to wear contact lenses because of their adaptable design and material
Soft lenses are the most suitable option for long-wearing hours. They are also the right type of contact lenses when you are not bound by any strict wearing patterns and wish to wear them occasionally. Soft contact lenses are also available to correct eye conditions such as Myopia, Hyperopia, Astigmatism, and Presbyopia.

 

 

 

2. Rigid gas permeable lenses

 

Rigid gas permeable contact lenses (RGPs) are more durable and resistant to deposit buildup, and generally give a clearer, crisper vision. They tend to be less expensive over the life of the lens since they last longer than soft contact lenses. They are easier to handle and less likely to tear. However, if you choose these types of contact lenses, it may take you a few weeks to get used to wearing them as they are not as comfortable as soft lenses. Not very common among Contact lens wearers due to a steeper adaptation curve in terms of comfort.

 

 

 

Benefits:
  • Such type of contact lenses lasts longer as they are less likely to tear because of their durable material
  • They are also cost-effective because of their long life
Eye care professionals may recommend RGP contact lenses for individuals with irregular astigmatism as these contact lenses provide a rigid fit. They are also a better option for patients who have eye conditions such as Keratoconus (also called the conical cornea), wherein the cornea of the eye bulges outward into a cone shape.

 

 

 

3. Disposable/Frequently Replacement Contact Lenses

 

The majority of soft contact lens wearers have been prescribed some type of frequent replacement schedule.“Disposable,” as defined by the FDA, means used once and discarded. They are available as daily disposable, monthly disposable, quarterly disposable, and yearly disposable. Some soft contact lenses are referred to as“disposable” by contact lens sellers, but actually, they are for frequent/planned replacement. With extended wear lenses, the lenses may be worn continuously for the prescribed wearing period (for example, 7 days to 30 days) and then thrown away.
If they are daily disposable contact lenses, then you can wear them for a day and then use a fresh pair the next day. On the other hand, monthly disposable contact lenses can be replaced after using them for up to 29 days. It would help if you used soft contact lens care solutions for cleaning, disinfection, and storing the reusable disposable contact lenses such as quarterly, monthly, or yearly disposable.

 

Benefits:
  • Daily Disposable lenses are easy to manage without any hassle of cleaning or disinfecting them
  • Daily Disposables are also beneficial for traveling purposes when you can easily stock up on contact lenses to last the trip
  • Monthly disposable, quarterly, and yearly disposable contact lenses are easily reusable after cleaning them with a soft contact lens care solution

 

 

4. Toric Orthokeratology(Ortho-K) Contact Lenses

 

Orthokeratology, or Ortho-K, is a lens fitting procedure that uses specially designed rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses to change the curvature of the cornea to temporarily improve the eye's ability to focus on objects. This procedure is primarily used for the correction of myopia (nearsightedness). Overnight Ortho-K lenses are the most common type of Ortho-K. There are some Ortho-K lenses that are prescribed only for daytime wear. Overnight Ortho-K lenses are commonly prescribed to be worn while sleeping for at least eight hours each night. They are removed upon awakening and not worn during the day. Some people can go all day without their glasses or contact lenses. Others will find that their vision correction will wear off during the day. The vision correction effect is temporary.
Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lens for Myopia Control and Ortho-K
If Ortho-K is discontinued, the corneas will return to their original curvature and the eye to its original amount of nearsightedness. Ortho-K lenses must continue to be worn every night or on some other prescribed maintenance schedule in order to maintain the treatment effect. Your eye care professional will determine the best maintenance schedule for you. Currently, FDA requires that eye care professionals be trained and certified before using overnight Ortho-K lenses in their practice. You should ask your eye care professional about what lenses he or she is certified to fit if you are considering this procedure. 

 

 

Benefits:
  • Toric lenses have different focusing or refractive powers on the vertical and horizontal orientations
  • These contact lenses can be worn for extended periods at a stretch as they have high breathability
  • They are also available as daily disposable contact lenses

 

Final words

👀 Now that you know some different types of contact lenses that exist, find out which one aligns best with your needs and lifestyle. TTDEYE has a wide range of lenses for you to choose from to meet your needs for beauty and safety. At the same time, no matter what type of lenses you wear, you must pay attention to the daily care for them and make sure to keep your eyes in a safe condition.