Types of Contact Lenses

If you are considering buying and wearing contact lenses, you may be wondering what types of contact lenses are available on the market today.  Through this brief article, you are provided with an overview of the different types of contact lenses that actually are available today.

Of course, if you find that you have more specific questions about the types of contact lenses that are on the market and available today after reviewing the information in this article, you should contact your eye care professional.  Your eye doctor can aid and assist you in narrowing down those contact lenses that are best for you and your vision.

Material Types

There are a number of different materials from which contact lenses are made in this day and age.  The three most common types of contact lenses that are on the market today, as far as material considerations are concerned, are soft, RGP and hard. 

Soft:  This type of material from which contact lenses are made tend to be the most comfortable and easiest to wear.  In addition, the contact lenses made from this type of material are the least durable of all contact lenses.  Nonetheless, because of the type of material these contact lenses are made of, oxygen transfer to the eyes is easily done. 

RGP:  Rigid gas permeable lenses, or RGP contact lenses, are sturdier than basic soft contact lenses.  With that said, these contact lenses still allow a relatively easy transfer of oxygen to the eyes.  For this reason, these contacts are comfortable and generally safe to wear for most people.  These contacts are a bit more durable that traditional soft contact lenses.

Hard:  Hard contact lenses are made from the most durable type of material from which contact lenses are made in this day and age.  For this reason, because these contact lenses are firmer -- harder -- they tend to be less comfortable than soft or RGP contact lenses.  The oxygen transfer to the eyes is also less when hard contact lenses are utilized.  With all of this said, hard contact lenses are the most durable types of contact lenses available on the market today.

Daily Wear Versus Extended Wear

Contact lenses are also classified based on the manner in which they are worn, based on the extent of time that they can be worn.  Generally speaking, there are daily wear contact lenses that need to removed from a person’s eyes on a daily basis.  On the other hand, there are extended wear lenses which actually can be worn for a number of days (and nights) at a time. 

Special Contact Lenses

There are a variety of special contact lenses that are on the market today.  These include the following types of specialty contact lenses that are available on the market today.

Bifocals:  These contacts are for people who would wear bifocal eyeglasses -- people afflicted with both near and far sightedness.

Colored:  These contact lenses are tinted in such a way that a person can use them to change the color of their eyes.

Toric:  These contact lenses are designed for people who have an astigmatism.

UV Blocking:  These contact lenses provide a level of protection for the eyes against harmful UV rays from the sun.

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