The Ins and Outs of Contact Lenses – A Quick FAQ
Contacts are a popular choice for many, but they’re endlessly accompanied with lots of questions. Here are just a few of the most common.
Recommended age of first use? Parents are often concerned with fitting children with contact lenses too early in life, but eye care professionals assert that there is no “correct age” for introducing contacts. Physically, even infant’s eyes can tolerate contact lenses and in rare cases they have been made to fit the tiny tykes. But, it has also been found that children as young as eight years old have had no trouble inserting and removing contact lenses from their own eyes.
Hard versus soft: What is the difference in materials? Why would someone choose one over the other? There are a few different types of lenses, hard and soft, being the most common. Soft contacts have almost completely replaced hard lenses, though, as a result of many technological advances which have made them superior. Hard lenses- crafted of glass- were intended to be worn for only a few hours per day and made the eyes very susceptible to irritations and clinical issues because they did not let any oxygen into the inner eye. As time progressed, so did the contact lens. They are now “soft” and very oxygen permeable.
Can a person wear them overnight? There are different types of contact lenses intended to fit the needs of different wearers. “Daily wear” lenses are named appropriately and should be removed prior to sleeping. For those who wish to leave their lenses in for longer periods of time, “extended wear” lenses allow for up to 6 days and nights of wear, whereas “continuous wear” lenses will allow for as many as thirty consecutive days and nights. The extended and continuous wear lenses allow for such a wear time because they have a very high oxygen permeability, which allows for the eye to remain moist, comfy, and healthy the entire time they are in.
Wear them while playing sports? Despite the misconception, contacts are perfect for wear while playing any sport. They do not stick out like glasses and are very practical for those who need the vision aid.
Are they available in bifocal prescriptions? Not only can one find contact lenses in bifocal- or with two prescriptions within the same lens- but contacts are now available in multifocal prescriptions as well. That means that a whole range of eye prescriptions can be built into a single lens. Multifocal lenses are available in continuous wear, whereas bifocal lenses can also be found in daily wear.
Can they wear down the cornea and cause the need for surgery? No, they cannot cause the need for a corneal transplant.
Reordering options? If a contact lens wearer feels inclined to visit the eye doctor for each prescription refill, then that is his or her choice. However, with the technology of the day, it is far from required. They can be ordered via phone or internet, shipped to the office or to your home. Plus, when ordering from the internet, there are often discounts available.
About the Author: Mark Masters has authored may pieces on the eye care & surgery industry and enjoys keeping his readers up to date in this field
