Contact lenses can be used for fashion, sport or convenience. They might be for everyday use or only to use occasionally, based on your lifestyle and vision needs. They also come in a variety of types: soft, conventional, disposable, extended wear, hard or rigid gas permeable (RGP). All common terms to optometrists, but what does it really mean for you?
GMBHA Eye Care Optometry Manager Amanda Kammerer takes us through the different formats and answers some common questions about contact lenses.
What are the different types of contact lenses available?
Disposable lenses:
Disposable lenses can be safer for your eye health as they are replaced more often, with the lenses simply thrown away after a period of use. Shorter lifespans mean you’re placing fresh product in your eyes more often and this is the style of lenses we prescribe most often.
A disposable contact lens gives great flexibility in wearing schedules, minimises infections and maximises comfort. Disposable lenses are mass produced in many common prescriptions. They typically come in the form of daily, fortnightly or monthly replacements. They can be made in prescriptions for multifocals, short sighted, long sighted and for astigmatism, which means that there is likely a disposable contact lens option for you.
Daily disposables:
"Dailies" are the leader of the pack in relation to ease and convenience. These lenses are worn just once and then thrown away; this eliminates the need for cleaning solution to ensure freshness each and every wear. Dailies are an economical option if you don’t intend to wear your contacts every day.
They are great for social wear, sport and activities like swimming or going to the beach. The convenience of dailies has seen them jump in popularity even when used for everyday wear.
Fortnightly and monthly replacements:
As the name suggests fortnightly (or two-weekly) contact lenses can be worn up to 14 times.
If you wear the lens every second day, you may be able to use a fortnightly lens for up to a month. I find it best to jot a note in the diary or calendar when you open a lens, so you can remember when to change it. For this reason, I often prefer monthly replacement. It is easy to keep track of changing the lenses on the first day of each month, for example. Each night the lenses are removed they should be cleaned and disinfected with contact lens solutions.
Extended wear:
Normally contact lenses can only be worn during the day, while you are awake. There are some contact lenses made from special materials that are safe to wear while you sleep. As there are risks involved in sleeping in contact lenses, your optometrist will need to check to ensure your eyes remain healthy and that the lenses are appropriate for you. Some of the silicon hydrogel materials (which are specifically designed for extended wear) have up to six times more oxygen transmission than normal lenses.
Extended wear contact lenses may be worn continuously for up to 30 days and nights. We often recommend at least a night a week without the contact lenses in your eyes. This gives time for a good lens clean, disinfection of the lenses and a literal “night off” for your eyes.
Conventional lenses:
These are soft contact lenses that are generally replaced after 12-18 months. They are sold individually and usually custom made. They often require more stringent cleaning and care. Tearing or losing a lens that was meant to last 18 months can be costly, so this is something for you and your optometrist to consider.
Hard lenses or Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP):
RGP lenses are also referred to as “hard lenses”. These lenses are often fitted smaller than the cornea and have the advantage of being more durable giving them a longer life span. They are able to treat more unusual prescriptions and may provide better vision than soft or disposable lenses. Initially RGP’s may be less comfortable than disposable or conventional lenses.
Speciality lenses:
Your optometrist will consider the vast array of options when assessing your eyes and may recommend speciality lenses if you have a specific ocular condition. Some of the common speciality lenses we encounter include lenses for orthokeratology (Ortho-K), myopia management and keratoconus. These lenses are more personalised and can have a custom-build process, with optometrists relying on specific equipment such as a topographer to analyse the curves and shape of your eyes, how the lens fits and impacts for your eyes and vision. This results in a more involved fitting and trial process and review period with these types of lenses.
When is it a good age to introduce contact lenses?
The most suitable type of contacts will vary from person to person, based on their prescription and lifestyle. This can also change for the individual over time as they age and their vision requirements and hobbies alter. Luckily, there are contact lens options for almost everyone.
Late primary school to early secondary school is a great time to introduce a child to contact lenses as they tend to learn good cleaning and care habits that stay with them from this age. The youngest wearer I’ve had was a 7-year-old, who struggled wearing glasses on the beam for gymnastics. We’ve also seen young children wear contacts for ballet and basketball. I also have a 75-year-old patient, who initially got the contacts for golf. He found them to be a better and more convenient option than expected and has worn them almost every day for the last 10 years.
Do contact lenses hurt?
While you can definitely feel contact lenses when you initially put them in, you’ll quickly find you don’t notice them. I’ve regularly had patients come in concerned that the lens has fallen out because they can’t feel them anymore. It may initially feel a bit like you have an eyelash in your eye. The easy way to check they're still in place is to cover one eye at a time and check if you can still see.
The contact lens is a shade bigger than the cornea, so some people will see the edge of the contact lens if you look carefully in the mirror.
Will I still need prescription glasses if I have contacts?
Yes. People who choose contact lenses will still need glasses as a back-up, regardless of how often they use the contact lenses. If you have an eye infection or are unwell it is often best to give your eyes a rest from contact lenses.
I want to try contacts. What next?
If contact lenses interest you, read about what to expect when trying contact lenses and please make sure to discuss it further with your optometrist. A trial can easily be arranged.
There is additional testing which is specific for contact lens wearers, after all a contact lens is a medical device that sits on the eye. You need to ensure you’re purchasing the right size and shape for your needs. The strength of the contact lens may vary to the prescription of your glasses, and we also need to consider other parameters, such as the diameter and curvature of the lens.
For first timers, the hardest bit is often trusting your optometrist to put the lens in.
Trust us, we have put in heaps of lenses, and taken out just as many. There are lots of tips and tricks with contacts that we will happily teach you if you decide to embark on a journey with contact lenses.
About the author
Amanda Kammerer (née Edwards) completed her Bachelor of Optometry at the University of Melbourne in 1997, returning to study in 2018 for her Ocular Therapeutics certification. Amanda began her career in private practice at Moran, Pritchard and Roche then moved into practice ownership before joining GMHBA in 2015. As the Optometry Manager, Amanda leads a team of 15 optometrists across the Geelong and Ballarat region, providing care to everyone that visits GMHBA Eye Care, with a focus on quality and clinical governance. As an optometrist, Amanda loves a puzzle and is dedicated to understanding her patient’s concerns and finding solutions to suit their individual needs.
