Soft contact lenses are definitely the most usually advised contact lens provided. Made from soft, flexible plastic, it is estimated that about 87% of contact lens users in the U.S. wear soft lenses.
Quick History
In 1971, Bausch & & Lomb provided the extremely first commercially easily offered soft contact lens. For a number of years, this basic soft everyday wear lens was the only type of soft contact lens used. This lens ideally was suggested to last in between 6 and 12 months and required daily cleaning and weekly enzymatic treatment.
In 1981 the FDA licensed the really first contact lenses licensed for extended or over night wear.
It wasn’t up till 1991 that the extremely first frequent-replacement contact lenses were provided. Frequent-replacement contacts are typically altered every 1 to 3 months. The next year, 1992, non multiple-use contacts (disposed every 2 weeks or less) existed.
In less than a years, frequent-replacement and non recyclable lenses wound up being the lenses of choice for the big bulk of eye care business. Today around 75% of soft contact lens customers are utilizing some sort of frequent-replacement or non multiple-use lens. Frequent-replacement and non multiple-use contacts are easily offered as both everyday and extended wear.
Soft Contact Lens Options
As shown, everyday wear contacts are gotten rid of and tidied up daily, while extended wear lenses can normally be utilized continuously for as much as 7 days (or more as CibaVision’s Focus Night & & Day contacts have really been licensed for roughly 30 days consistent wear).
Non multiple-use contacts are, as the name suggests, eliminated on a regular period, while the non-disposable contacts are tidied up and decontaminated before reinserting the contacts.
Customers who pick prolonged wear requires to comprehend the consisted of threat of eye infections and issues that include oversleeping contacts. I normally avoid extended wear, nevertheless will fit contacts as extended wear simply after the customer understands the consisted of threat and grant be seen for more routine follow-ups. I also will use a silicone hydrogel lens item for these customers.
Type Of Soft Contact Lenses Available
Soft contact lenses are easily offered for a series of visual corrections.
For customers with considerable astigmatism, I will normally make use of a soft toric contact lens. Toric contacts have in fact improved substantially over the last number of years. Many customers who have really never ever had the ability to utilize contacts due to their astigmatic prescription are now able to efficiently utilize contact lenses.
Soft bifocal contacts are a relatively existing option for customers requiring a reading prescription or bifocal. Along these precise very same lines, monovision continues to be an exceptional option for these extremely exact same customers. Monovision correction does not use a bifocal contact, nevertheless rather uses one contact for the variety vision (typically the dominant eye) and one contact for the near vision.
Soft contact lenses come as either clear or with an existence (handling) tint. The existence generally has no effect on eye color, nevertheless exists to help you see the lens while you’re handling it. These lenses are not the like cosmetic soft contacts.
Cosmetic soft contacts have really been popular sellers thinking about that their introduction. Now customers with or without a prescription can change the color of their eyes with colored or tinted contacts.
CibaVision’s Wild Eyes contact lenses and CooperVision’s Crazy Lenses are novelty lenses that are pleasurable to fit around Halloween.
Concluding Thoughts
Part of the aspect for the success of soft contact lenses is the benefit these lenses supply over stiff gas permeable (RGP) contacts. As a result, they have a much shorter change period. In many cases with soft contacts, vision may not be as sharp similar to RGP contacts.
When advising a soft contact, my really first lens of choice is CibaVision’s O2Optix. This lens can be utilized for roughly one week extended wear or 2 weeks daily wear. For customers who may not want a non recyclable lens (this is actually unusual), I will recommend CibaVision’s Cibasoft Visitint fundamental daily wear.
For customers who experience drying with their contacts, I will generally recommend contacts with more current, moisture-retaining items. Such contact lenses include Proclear Compatibles by CooperVision and Acuvue Advance with Hydraclear by Vistakon (Johnson & & Johnson). Vistakon has in fact simply recently launched the Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear, which is primarily targeted for customers who experience contact lens dryness.
In spite of your own circumstance, possibilities are outstanding that you will end up utilizing a soft lens if you pick to try contacts Be sure to review with your eye care business all the options you may have, supplied your prescription, age, needs, and expectations.
Various customers who have really never ever had the ability to utilize contacts due to their astigmatic prescription are now able to efficiently utilize contact lenses.
Monovision correction does not use a bifocal contact, nevertheless rather makes use of one contact for the variety vision (typically the dominant eye) and one contact for the near vision.
Part of the element for the success of soft contact lenses is the benefit these lenses utilize over stiff gas permeable (RGP) contacts. In many cases with soft contacts, vision may not be as sharp similar to RGP contacts.
For customers who experience drying with their contacts, I will often recommend contacts with more current, moisture-retaining items.
Various customers who have in fact never ever been able to utilize contacts due to their astigmatic prescription are now able to efficiently utilize contact lenses.
Monovision correction does not use a bifocal contact, nevertheless rather makes use of one contact for the variety vision (typically the dominant eye) and one contact for the near vision.
Part of the element for the success of soft contact lenses is the benefit these lenses offer over stiff gas permeable (RGP) contacts. In some cases with soft contacts, vision may not be as sharp as with RGP contacts.
For customers who experience drying with their contacts, I will usually recommend contacts with more current, moisture-retaining items.