Are contact lenses better than glasses? Meet contact lens & spectacles specialist in Vashi
Dr. Vijay Shetty – Consultant Ophthalmologist
MS, DNB, FRCS (Glasg.) FAICO (Glaucoma)
Contact lens Spectacles specialist in Vashi and Navi mumbai
An estimated 8% of contact lens wearers are under 18 years old, 17% are between ages 18-24, and 75% of adults age 25 and older wear contacts lenses. Soft contact lenses were first introduced to the U.S. in 1971. Ninety percent of contact lens wearers use soft contact lenses.
About CONTACT LENS
What is a Contact Lens?
- A contact lens or simply contacts is a thin, transparent and curved lens placed directly on the surface of the eyes to correct your Vision defects, for cosmetic or therapeutic reasons.
- Contact lens or contacts has been the most popular alternative for wearing glasses
- If you lead an active lifestyle, contact lenses are the better option which provides you freedom and flexibility to enjoy your favorite activities hassle free.
Find all your answers below!
Dr. Vijay Shetty has compiled videos for you answering all your eye related queries.
About CONTACT LENS
What are the Types of Contact Lenses?
There are two general categories of contact lenses – soft and rigid gas permeable (RGP).
1.
SOFT Contact Lenses :
Soft contact lenses are extremely comfortable and easy to apply. Soft contacts are used to correct myopia, also known as nearsightedness, hyperopia or farsightedness, astigmatism or blurred vision, and age related loss of close-up vision.
Advantages of Soft contact lenses :
- Makes your life spectacle free.
- Provides a wider Viewing area than speactacles ( Field of View)
- Greater comfort than hard or RGP lenses.
- Rarely fall out of the eye, making them ideal for sports
- More better for high prescription wearers
- Can enhance your look by Coloured Cosmetic Lenses.
- Does not affect by fogg.
- Available in tinted versions for varoius eye conditions.
2.
RGP Lenses :
Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) contact lenses are used to change the curvature of the cornea to improve the eye’s ability to focus on objects. Made of slightly flexible material that allow oxygen to pass through to the eyes.
Advantages of RGP Lenses :
- Excellent vision
- Short adaptation period
- Easy handling
- Correct most vision problems
- Easy to put on and care for long life
- Available in tints (For handling purpose)
- Specially designed for myopia control
3.
SCLERAL Contact Lenses :
Scleral contact lenses offer sharp vision and comfort for dry eyes and irregular corneas. They are very helpful for keratoconus. Scleral contacts are large-diameter gas permeable contact lenses for keratoconus and other eye problems. They are called “scleral” lenses because, instead of covering only a portion of the cornea these large GP lenses covers over the entire corneal surface and rest on the “white” of the eye (the sclera). Because of their size, scleral lenses are more stable on the eye
Advantages of SCLERAL Contact Lenses :
- Crisp vision with Keratoconus
- High level of comfort
- Better stability on eye
- Comfort for dry eyes
4.
Therapeutic Contact Lenses :
Contact lenses play an important role in the therapeutic management of corneal and ocular surface diseases.
Advantages of Therapeutic Contact Lenses :
- Pain relief
- Corneal healing
- Corneal protection
- Corneal sealing
- Drug delivery
5.
Prosthetic Contact Lenses :
A soft prosthetic or cosmetic lens covers the eye to conceal the ocular disfigurement.
These lenses mask-up the underlying problem and match the eye coloring to the normal eye which improves the cosmetic appearance.
Common indications :
Aniridia, Iris coloboma, Congenital defects, Traumatic defect, Ocular albinism, Leukocoria, Micro-cornea, Iris atrophy, etc.
6.
X Chrome Lenses :
X-Chrome contact lens is a red contact lens used to overcome red-green colour vision deficiencies.
These contact lenses are designed to significantly enhance color discrimination in color vision deficiency patients which allows them to fulfill many occupational, leisure and educational goals, which might be difficult with color blindness.
7.
Multifocal Contact Lenses :
These specialized contact lenses are set-up with varying lens powers all in one contact lens i.e. Distance, intermediate and near.
Therefore, you can view the distant objects as well as near objects clearly without putting on additional glasses.
Advantages of Multifocal Contact Lenses :
Clear vision for varying distances from near to far. Spectacle Independence: No need to wear those typical and unattractive bifocals. Better depth perception
CONTACT LENSES
Classification based on Wearing Time :
Daily Wear -
Lenses are worn during waking hours and require daily removal at the end of the day and cleaning.
Extended Wear –
Lenses can be worn 7 days/ 6 nights without daily removal.
Continuous Wear -
Lenses can be worn up to 30 days/ 29 nights without daily removal
Wearing Modalities
Daily Disposable -
Daily Disposable or Dailies are the most convenient, healthy and widely used modality.
These are single-use lenses which are discarded/disposed at the end of each day.
These lenses are much thinner thereby usually more comfortable and breathable.
Two-week replacement Contact Lens -
These lenses require daily cleaning and bi-weekly replacement.
They are discarded after two weeks from opening the pair.
Monthly replacement Contact Lens -
These lenses require daily cleaning and monthly replacement.
They are discarded after a month from opening the pair.
Quarterly replacement Contact Lens -
These lenses require daily cleaning and replacement after every three months.
They are discarded after every three months from opening the pair.
Yearly replacement Contact Lens -
These lenses require daily cleaning and replacement after every one year. They are discarded after one year from opening the pair.