Contact Lenses: Types, Benefits and How to Care for Them

Contact lenses are optic devices worn directly over the eyeballs to correct common visual defects such as hypermetropia, myopia, and astigmatism. Some people also wear contact lenses for cosmetic purposes to change their eye color.

Types of contact lenses

Contact lenses are usually categorized based on the following:

• Central Function

  This classification is done depending on the specific function of the lenses. These include:

  • Refractive Error Lenses: These lenses correct refractive defects like myopia, hypermetropia. They enable light from objects to enter the eye at the correct intensity or power.

  • Color Correction Lenses: These enable people with color blindness to differentiate between various hues better.

  • Cosmetic Contact Lenses: These can be used by everyone, irrespective of their eye defect, to change their iris color.

  • Therapeutic Scleral Lenses: These lenses are positioned on the sclera and are useful for patients with extremely sensitive corneas due to eye diseases such as microphthalmia, severe dry eye syndrome, etc.

  • Therapeutic Soft Lenses: These specialized lenses are developed to treat non-refractive eye disorders, including bullous keratopathy and corneal abrasions.

• Manufacturing Material

  Contact lenses can also be classified according to the type of manufacturing materials used. For example, lenses made from oxygen porous, chemically inert, unique silicone materials are often called rigid lenses. In contrast, lenses made from silicone hydrogel are known as soft lenses. Another type of lens is a combination of rigid lens and soft lens called hybrid lens.

• Wear Routine

  Here, the contact lenses are classified according to their wear routine. These include daily wear, extended wear, and continuous wear.

• Replacement Plan

  This classification is done depending on whether the lenses are intended for single-use or long-term use.

Benefits of Contact Lenses

People may prefer to wear corrective spectacles or contact lenses or a combination of both, depending on the situation. Wearing contact lenses has certain benefits, including the following:

• They are often more convenient to wear than glasses.
• Teenagers and younger adults may prefer to wear corrective contact lenses to look more attractive.
• Contact lenses move along with your eye, thus providing a natural field of sight and reduce distortions.
• Unlike glasses, contact lenses do not have any frames to obstruct your vision.

• Since contact lenses do not have any moisture build-up caused by weather conditions like humidity, heat, rain, or even bodily perspiration processes, they are great for outdoor activities, e.g., sports, biking, etc.

• If you wear contacts, you can purchase any fancy pair of sunglasses or goggles without the need to customize them as per your prescription lenses.

Useful Tips to Maintain Contact Lenses

Even though contact lenses altogether abolish the use of spectacles and are incredibly convenient, you must strictly adhere to hygienic handling of contact lenses to avoid any possible eye infection.

Therefore, always wash your hands with soap or a disinfecting hand wash and dry them thoroughly before you touch your lenses. This will ensure no germs or dirt particles are transferred to your eye while trying to wear or take off the contact lenses. If transferred to your eyes, dirt particles may cause itching, redness, allergies, and infection.

Also, remember that contact lenses are made from hydrophobic materials, so they do not mix well in water. Make sure to store your contact lenses only in lens solutions within the contact lens case provided. Additionally, keep the case very sterile.

If you are thinking of getting rid of your glasses by replacing them with contact lenses, make sure to give us at Netralayam Eye Care Center a call. We are a renowned eye hospital in Kolkata and would be more than happy to help you.