Contact lenses have come a long way. These days, you can get daily disposable lenses or change the color of your eyes. Contact lenses continue to be a practical and nearly inconspicuous solution for those with vision issues. Thin plastic lenses fit over your cornea, the front, transparent portion of your eye, to correct various visual problems. You can still wear contacts even if you require bifocals for your presbyopia.

Types of Contact Lenses

Several main types of contacts are available, and they all have subcategories. Each helps resolve problems and has different features. Consult your eye doctor about which option is best for you. The two main types are soft contact lenses and rigid gas-permeable lenses. 

Soft Contact Lenses

Producing soft contact lenses requires a unique plastic and water mixture. The water content allows oxygen to reach your cornea through the lens. The feature helps minimize dry eyes, increase lens comfort, and promote excellent corneal health. Lack of oxygen can cause it to enlarge, cause blurry vision, turn cloudy, or worsen existing issues.

Types of Soft Contact Lenses

Daily Wear Lenses

You wear one-day lenses once, take them out at night, and throw them away. Other choices include monthly disposable lenses, quarterly disposable lenses, and two-week disposable lenses. Usually, you take off these lenses at night to clean and sanitize them.

Silicone-based

A lens made of silicone-based materials is permeable and allows oxygen to reach your cornea. Additionally, they prevent deposits from amassing, ensuring minimal irritation from dry eyes.

You can use silicone contacts for up to 30 days because they are FDA-approved for prolonged wear. However, a lot of eye physicians advise taking out any form of contact lenses before night. Sleeping with contacts increases the risk of significant consequences because your cornea receives less oxygen. 

If you are interested in silicone lenses, speak with your eye care provider because they are only suitable for some people.

Rigid Gas-permeable

These lenses offer a sharp and crisp vision for those with common vision issues. If you've used soft contact lenses before, were unhappy with the outcome, or developed dry eyes, these contacts might be helpful.

Compared to soft contact lenses, RGP lenses are more robust. They also allow more oxygen to reach the cornea since they are breathable. You can wear some of these contacts for seven or even thirty days before requiring cleaning and disinfection at night.

Specialized Lenses

If you have a unique vision issue, you may need specialized lenses. These may be a blend of soft and gas-permeable lenses or feature different designs. Some of the common ones are:

Hybrid Contact Lenses

Hybrid Contact Lenses can treat uneven corneal curvatures, astigmatism, age-related loss of near vision, nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism (keratoconus). A flexible outer ring surrounds a stiff, gas-permeable center in these lenses. Compared to conventional gas-permeable lenses, they may be more pleasant to wear.

Scleral Lenses

These larger-than-average rigid gas-permeable lenses reach the eyeball's white outer layer (sclera). They can assist in vision correction if you have an uneven cornea.

For more on the contact lenses you need, visit True Vision Optometry at our office in Montebello, California. Call (323) 403-4116 to book an appointment today.