Contact Lenses: More Choices Than Ever

Many people new to contact lenses have a lot of questions: What's the first step?, How do I read my prescription?, How can I tell if my contact lens is inside out?, Aren't all contacts pretty much the same?, and so on. Read this article for information on these and other new-wearer topics, then move on to the articles in the rest of the Contact Lenses section for more in-depth discussion.

First Off: See Your Optician

If you want to wear contact lenses, you must first see an optician. This is the case even if you don't normally wear glasses, and just want contacts to change your eye color. The reason? Contact lenses are medical devices that need to be properly fitted by an eyecare practitioner.

The optician will check your eyes to make sure it's okay for you to wear contacts; today, nearly everyone can, but there are a rare few who can't. Then, he or she will determine your prescription.

The difference can be subtle.

Which Way's the Right Way?

A question many first-time wearers have is, "How will I know if my contact lens is inside out?" The trick is to place the lens on your finger so it's forming a cup, then hold it up directly in front of your eyes so you're looking at the side of the cup. If it's forming a "U" with the top edges flared out, it's inside out; if it's forming just a "U," it's correct.

Some contact lenses also have a laser marking, such as the brand name, on the edge to help you (if you can read it properly, the lens is not inside out). Don't worry if you place a contact lens in your eye inside out: it will probably feel uncomfortable, but it can't do any damage.

On to the Good Stuff: Picking Out Contact Lenses

The selection of contact lenses available can best be described as "vast." Don't worry about becoming overwhelmed though. Contact lenses can be broken down into several main categories based on what they're made of, how often you need to replace them and whether you can sleep in them.

Contact lenses are made of many different types of plastic, but they are divided into two main groups: soft or rigid gas permeable. Soft contacts contain from 25-79% water, are easy to adjust to and are quite comfortable. Rigid gas permeable contact lenses take longer to adjust to, but are more durable and more resistant to deposit buildup. They tend to be less expensive over the life of the lens (but the initial cost is higher) and can offer some people crisper vision than they would get with soft contacts.

The replacement schedule of a contact lens refers to how long you can safely wear it before you need to throw it away. With RGPs, you generally replace them every several years; because they're so hardy, it doesn't make sense to replace them more often. Soft contact lenses come in a wider variety of replacement schedules:

Typical Replacement Schedules for Soft Contacts
Type of Contact Lens	Replace it Every:*
daily disposable	1 day
disposable (extended wear)	1 week
disposable (daily wear)	2 weeks
frequent replacement (also called "planned replacement")	1 month to several months, depending on brand
conventional	1 year
*These figures vary by individual, as some people's eyes produce more deposits than others' and therefore decrease the lifespan of the lens.

Wear schedule refers to whether you may sleep in your contacts. The kind you can sleep in are called extended wear, and the others are daily wear.

New Options

The big buzz in the contact lens world is that 30-day contact lenses are back. The good news is, they're made out of a different type of material than those that were available in the 80s. With these, a lot more oxygen reaches your eyes while you're wearing them, making them a much safer and more comfortable option.

Quite a few companies are now making both bifocal and toric lenses in disposable and frequent replacement styles, in addition to the conventional ones (which last one to several years) that have been around for some time.