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Overview» Contact Lenses
All About Contact Lenses
Introduction
Contact lenses are small, ultra-thin, optical lenses worn directly on the eye to correct vision problems (like nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism or presbyopia). Contact lenses can be hard or soft, can replace glasses or bifocal glasses and can also enhance or change the color of your eyes.
Most contact lenses are soft, or “hydrophilic,” meaning they are made of water. (This is how soft contact lenses stay soft.) Soft contact lenses are extremely thin and are manufactured from materials that allow oxygen to pass through them and reach the eye surface.
Almost everyone can wear contact lenses - even some babies are fitted with contact lenses when they have eye problems! Most people start wearing contacts in their early teens, but even children as young as 8 years old can learn to wear (and take care of) contact lenses.
Direct Debit payments
You can pay for your contact lenses with the convenience of Direct Debit, giving you the following advantages:
- Regular, automatic shipment of your lenses and solutions - no need to remember to order
- Free emergency consultations
- Three month's warranty on all lenses, just bring them in if you have a problem
- Free replacement of damaged or lost contact lenses
- 10% discount on sunglasses, prescription sunglasses, or spectacles
- Free trials of contact lens upgrades as they are made available
Types Of Contact Lenses
Soft contact lenses come in four basic categories:
Spherical (Regular) Contact Lenses: These lenses correct basic vision problems like near-sightedness (myopia) and far-sightedness (hyperopia). Most people who wear soft contact lenses wear spherical contact lenses.
Contact Lenses for Astigmatism: These lenses correct astigmatism by compensating for the shape of the eye. Vision correction with contact lenses for astigmatism can be as good as what you would get with glasses.
Contact Lenses for Presbyopia: Bifocal contact lenses are used to correct presbyopia (inability to focus sharply for near vision related to aging). Bifocal Contact Lenses are a comfortable, effective alternative to wearing glasses (or regular contact lenses with special glasses for reading).
Color (Cosmetic) Contact Lenses: Color (Cosmetic) contact lenses are regular spherical contacts that have a special color layer within the lens - allowing the color to blend with your own natural eye color, while never touching your eye. This unique color layer allows anyone to change or enhance their eye color, whether you have light eyes, dark eyes, or even 20/20 eyes.
Wear And Replacement Schedules
Soft lenses are recommended for three basic wear and replacement schedules:
Daily Wear: Wear them during the day, take them out at night, clean and disinfect them, and put the same lenses back in the next day. Daily wear lenses are worn for two weeks and then discarded and replaced with a new pair.
Flexible Wear: Wear them all day and all night, even while sleeping. Continuous wear lenses are worn for 6 nights, 7 days and then discarded and replaced with a new pair.
Daily Disposable: Wear them for one day and then throw them away. Daily disposable contact lenses can be thrown out and replaced every day.
Debunking Contact Lens Myths
MYTH: Contact lenses can get lost behind your eye.
FACT: Absolutely not - it’s physically impossible for a contact lens to get “behind” your eye. A thin membrane covers your eye and connects to the inside of your eyelids, so the lens can’t move off the front surface of your eye.
MYTH: Contact lenses can get fused to your eye.
FACT: There are lots of “urban legends” about contact lenses getting stuck or fused to people’s eyes. While contact lenses are never a substitute for protective eyewear, the lenses do offer an additional barrier to injury to your eye, and can virtually always be removed with a little patience.
MYTH: Contact lenses are a pain to take care of.
FACT: Contacts are simple and hassle-free. For regular lenses, ask your practitioner about an easy-care, one-step lens solution. Or you can choose daily disposable lenses that you wear for a day and toss away - or even “extended or flexi- wear” contact lenses that you can sleep in.
MYTH: Contact lenses hurt.
FACT: Soft contact lenses are very comfortable and easy to wear. Most people “get used to” their lenses in just minutes, and afterwards say it feels like wearing nothing at all in the eye.
MYTH: Contacts can pop out of your eye and get lost.
FACT: Hard contact lenses used to do this sometimes, many years ago. With proper selection and fitting, lenses should stay in place no matter what you do.
MYTH: Teenagers shouldn’t wear contact lenses.
FACT: Lots of contact lens wearers are teens - even some children. Wearing and caring for contact lenses is very important, but it’s easy and an excellent alternative to wearing glasses. If you’re responsible enough to take care of your lenses, age doesn’t matter.
MYTH: People over 40 shouldn’t wear contact lenses.
FACT: People of all ages wear contact lenses successfully. And thanks to bifocal contact lenses, many Baby Boomers are kissing the reading glasses goodbye, too.
MYTH: You can get “pink eye” and other infections from contact lenses.
FACT: Some lens-related health problems do occur, but these are almost always a result of poor cleaning routines or other care-related issues. If you follow your Eye Care Professional’s directions, your eyes are at little risk of infection.
Optikal is an approved Acuvue® Centre of Excellence, so you can purchase your lenses secure in the knowledge that you are in excellent hands. Why not call for an appointment now? You could soon be confidently seeing without glasses!