What s New in Contact Lenses?

Have you ever considered contact lenses but thought you were not a suitable candidate? Were you previously wearing contact lenses but gave up because of problems with them? Today s state-of-the-art contact lenses may be the answer for you! They are safer more comfortable and convenient and fit more people than ever before.

Virtually every kind of contact lens is available in a disposable or planned replacement format that makes lenses healthy affordable and simple to care for.

Daily Disposable

Daily disposable lenses provide the convenience of no lens care and the comfort of new fresh lenses every day. You replace your contact lenses each day so you no longer need to worry about cleaning your lenses. This is an ideal option for people with allergies because one-day use reduces the chance of the build-up of pollen and other deposits. It is also great for people who only wear contact lenses occasionally - for sports social occasions or when traveling. Daily disposables combine ocular health benefits with comfort and convenience all at an affordable price.

Extended Wear Contacts

Recent dramatic advances in contact lens materials now allow contact lenses to stay in the eye overnight for up to 30 days. New extended wear contacts are made from extremely permeable silicone hydrogel materials that provide the eye with up to six times more oxygen than conventional contact lenses. They offer the advantage of waking with clear vision and eliminating the nightly storage daily insertion and removal of lenses. As compared to traditional lens material the silicone hydrogel does not show an increase in risk of ocular complications. It is highly recommended however to schedule regular examinations with your eyecare practitioner if you wear this type of contact lens.

Toric Contact Lenses

Designed especially to correct astigmatism toric contact lenses will correct this eye condition where an irregularly shaped cornea or lens distorts vision. Manufacturers make toric lenses from the same materials as regular contact lenses thus they are available in soft and rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses. In the past toric contact lenses were very difficult to manufacture expensive and somewhat uncomfortable to wear. Today s soft toric lenses can be mass-produced accurately and affordably. They come in more powers than ever before and are also available in disposable lens designs including daily disposable.

Multifocal Contact Lenses

For people with presbyopia there are multifocal contact lenses. They work similarly to bifocal spectacle lenses where different parts of the lens are responsible for correcting vision at varying distances. Multifocal lenses are available in soft and RGP materials. Most RGP lenses are custom made while soft bifocal lenses are available in disposable formats and many different designs. Now you can drive read see distances and continue an active lifestyle all without your glasses.

Coloured Contact Lenses

Coloured contact lenses enhance or change eye colour and they are an easy and fun way of making a fashion statement. They come in dozens of colours and intensities. Most coloured contact lenses are available with or without a visual prescription and come in disposable or frequent replacement lenses. Tinted lenses require the same fitting and care procedures as other contact lenses even if they have no visual corrective power.

There are four types of coloured contact lenses. These are visibility tints enhancement tints opaque colour tints and light-filtering tints.

A visibility tint is a light blue or green tint that is added to a lens to help wearers see the lens better during insertion removal or if it is dropped. Because the tint is extremely light it does not affect eye colour.

An enhancement tint is a translucent tint that is slightly darker than a visibility tint and its purpose is to affect eye colour. It does not change the eye s colour but can enhance a wearer s existing eye colour. People with light coloured eyes who wish to intensify their eye colour usually use this form of tint.

A colour tint is a stronger tint that can significantly change eye colour. Colour contacts are readily available in a diverse assortment of colours including hazel brown grey green blue and violet. Coloured contacts attempt to reproduce natural shades except for in the centre of the lens that lies over the pupil which is transparent.

Active people who enjoy sports can use light-filtering tints to enhance certain colours around them such as the brightness of a golf ball. Specific objects appear brighter and are easier to focus on as surrounding colours are made dimmer by the contact lenses.

Ultraviolet Blocking Contact Lenses

Ultraviolet (UV) lenses absorb ultraviolet radiation to protect eyes against overexposure that can lead to various conditions including cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. UV rays come from the sun and electronic monitors. UV contact lenses cover only the cornea; because they cannot cover the entire eye these contact lenses cannot replace sunglasses. They work best when used in conjunction with sunglasses. Strongly consider these contact lenses if you have age-related macular degeneration have had cataract surgery or are sensitive to light. However UV contact lenses can be worn by any contact lens wearer.