10 questions about contact lenses

10 questions about contact lenses

1.      Question:  I have astigmatism. Can I wear contact lenses?


Answer:  Of course you can!  Over the last two years, improvements have been made on most contact lenses.  Nearly everyone can now wear contact lenses.  Soft toric lenses can correct astigmatism, a bifocal contact lens can correct presbyopia and more and more lenses are available for dry eye sufferers. 


2.      Question:  Are contact lenses uncomfortable?


     Answer:  Not really!  Initially there might be some slight   discomfort, but after a short adaptation time, most people hardly notice that they have contact lenses on their eyes..


 


3.    Question:  Can contact lenses get stuck to my eye?


 Answer:  Again not really!  Contact lenses are made to float on the surface of the eye.  They  do  not stick to the eye.  There is a story that about a welder who accidentally fused contact lenses to his eyes.  This is an unlikely story.  Of course without proper care accidents can happen.


 


4.      Question:  How difficult is it to take care of contact lenses?


        Answer:  Contact lenses are very easy to take care of.  You can use the one step system to clean and disinfect your lenses or you can eliminate cleaning altogether, by using daily disposables or 30 day extended wear contact lenses.


5.      Question:  Are contact lenses difficult to insert?


Answer:  Just like riding a bike, initially it might appear difficult, but your eye care practitioner and staff will teach you very simple ways to insert and remove your contact lenses.  Over 80 million people wear contact lenses.


 


6.       Question: Can contact lenses pop out of my eye?


Answer: Again not really!  In the olden days hard contact lenses used to do this, but today this is a rare occurrence.


 


7.       Question: Am I too old for contact lenses?


Answer: Never!  With the advent of bifocal contact lenses, toric contact lenses  and contact lenses for dry eye sufferers this is a thing of the past.  There is practically a contact lens for nearly every situation.


 


8.       Question: I’ve heard that contact lenses can be very expensive?


Answer: That’s not true!  Contact lenses can be even cheaper than a good pair of eyeglasses.  Even disposable contact lenses do not cost much.


 


9.      Question: I have nonprescription coloured contact lenses.  Can I share them with others?


Answer: Never!  Sharing contact lenses is an absolute no-no!  This can lead to serious eye


 


infections .  Remember !  Contact lenses are medical devices.  They are fitted by your eye care practitioner and are to be cleaned regularly with the appropriate solutions.


 


10.  Question:  Can I stretch the replacement interval of my disposable contact lenses?


Answer:  It is very important to adhere to the directions of your eye care practitioner.  Stretching the replacement interval of your disposable contact lenses can lead to problems.  If you have any questions, contact your eye care practitioner.


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Disposal Intervals of Contact Lenses & Designs

Today we will discuss the disposal intervals of the best contact lenses.  Even with the best care available, it is imperative to replace contact lenses frequently.  This helps to prevent contamination and the buildup of deposits (usually protein) on the lenses.  Frequent replacement also helps reduce the risk of eye infections.

Depending on how frequently they should be discarded, soft contact lenses are classified as follows:

A)           Daily disposables (to be discarded every single day)

B)            Bi-weekly disposables (to be discarded after two weeks –usually used for daytime wear)

C)            Weekly disposables (to be discarded after one week –usually used for overnight wear)

D)           Continuous wear (to be discarded every four weeks –usually used for 30 day wear)

E)            Planned replacement lenses (to be discarded every few months decided by the eye doctor)

Gas permeable contact lenses do not need to be discarded as frequently as soft contact lenses.  This is because they are more resistant to protein buildup and other lens deposits.  They can be used for a year or longer before they need replacement.

Now let’s talk about contact lens designs.  There are many designs available for the correction of various types of vision challenges.

Spherical contact lenses are typically the rounded designs that correct nearsightedness (myopia) and farsightedness (hyperopia).

Toric contact lenses correct astigmatism as well as myopia or hyperopia.  They are created at different angles.  One for myopia or hyperopia and the other for astigmatism 

Bifocal or Progressive contact lenses are lenses that have different zones for distance and near.  These are used for most people over the age of 40 who are also in need of reading glasses.

There are also custom lenses that are made for hard to fit eyes.  They are less common and are only used for special situations such as correcting irregular shaped corneas.  A condition known as keratoconus.  

written by Dr. K.Onu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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