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Types of Contact Lenses

Editor — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:48:03 +0000

There are two general categories of contact lenses – soft and rigid gas permeable (RGP). All contact lenses require a valid prescription.

Soft Contact Lenses
Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Contact Lenses
Extended Wear Contact Lenses
Disposable (Replacement Schedule) Contact Lenses
Decorative (Plano) Contact Lenses

Soft Contact Lenses

Soft contact lenses are made of soft, flexible plastics that allow oxygen to pass through to the cornea. Soft contact lenses may be easier to adjust to and are more comfortable than rigid gas permeable lenses. Newer soft lens materials include silicone-hydrogels to provide more oxygen to your eye while you wear your lenses.

Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Contact Lenses

Rigid gas permeable contact lenses (RGPs) are more durable and resistant to deposit buildup, and generally give a clearer, crisper vision. They tend to be less expensive over the life of the lens since they last longer than soft contact lenses. They are easier to handle and less likely to tear. However, they are not as comfortable initially as soft contacts and it may take a few weeks to get used to wearing RGPs, compared to several days for soft contacts.

Extended Wear Contact Lenses

Extended wear contact lenses are available for overnight or continuous wear ranging from one to six nights or up to 30 days. Extended wear contact lenses are usually soft contact lenses. They are made of flexible plastics that allow oxygen to pass through to the cornea. There are also a very few rigid gas permeable lenses that are designed and approved for overnight wear. Length of continuous wear depends on lens type and your eye care professional’s evaluation of your tolerance for overnight wear. It’s important for the eyes to have a rest without lenses for at least one night following each scheduled removal.

Disposable (Replacement Schedule) Contact Lenses

The majority of soft contact lens wearers are prescribed some type of frequent replacement schedule. “Disposable,” as defined by the FDA, means used once and discarded. With a true daily wear disposable schedule, a brand new pair of lenses is used each day.

Some soft contact lenses are referred to as “disposable” by contact lens sellers, but actually, they are for frequent/planned replacement. With extended wear lenses, the lenses may be worn continuously for the prescribed wearing period (for example, 7 days to 30 days) and then thrown away. When you remove your lenses, make sure to clean and disinfect them properly before reinserting.

Decorative (Plano) Contact Lenses - Colored lenses

Some contact lenses do not correct vision and are intended solely to change the appearance of the eye. These are sometimes called plano, zero-powered or non-corrective lenses.

For example, they can temporarily change a brown-eyed person’s eye color to blue, or make a person’s eyes look “weird” by portraying Halloween themes. Even though these decorative lenses don’t correct vision, they’re regulated by the FDA, just like corrective contact lenses. They also carry the same risks to the eye. These risks include:

If you’re considering getting decorative contact lenses, you should:

get an eye exam from a licensed eye care professional
get a valid prescription that includes the brand and lens dimensions
follow directions for cleaning, disinfection, and wearing the lenses, and visit your eye care professional for follow-up eye exams

What are the best places to buy contact lenses online:

AClens - a full-service, direct delivery contact lens supply company. Currently, AClens ship lenses to all 50 US states as well as Europe, South America and the Far East.

All major brands and contact lenses at 50-70% below retail.
All contact lenses dispensed by AC Lens are the exact lenses prescribed by your doctor. They’re delivered to you in safe, sealed containers direct from the manufacturer.
No membership fees.
AClens low prices are available to ALL customers.
30-day money back guarantee.
Items may be returned within 30 days of purchase provided they are unopened, undamaged and in original condition. Defective lenses can be exchanged for the same product if the manufacturer confirms the defect.
Free online consultation with Optometrists.
This service is entirely free of charge and is available to both customers and other visitors from the online community.

Contact lenses brands available at AClens:
Acuvue, Air Optix, Bausch & Lomb, Biomedics, Boston, Ciba Vision, Focus, Frequency, Freshlook, Proclear, Purevision, Soflens
Types of contact lenses: Daily Disposable, 1-2 Week Disposable, 1-3 Month Disposable, Conventional (Vial), Toric, RGP (Oxygen Permeable), Colored and Tinted, Bifocal

Types of Contact Lenses is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

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Buying Contact Lenses Online

Editor — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:33:17 +0000

Contact lenses are the number one choice for many people with vision correction needs. For many, contact lenses provide flexibility and convenience. There are many different lenses available for a variety of needs and preferences. Contact lenses can be used to correct a variety of vision disorders such as Myopia (nearsightedness), Hyperopia (farsightedness), Astigmatism, and Presbyopia (poor focusing with reading material and other near vision tasks).

Buying contact lenses directly over the Internet with a valid contact lens prescription is a great way to have your contacts delivered conveniently to your door. But you should also be careful of several things.

The following questions and answers should help you take simple precautions to make your purchase safe and effective.

What do I need to consider when buying contact lenses?

Is your contact lens prescription current? You should always have a current, valid prescription when you order contact lenses.
If you have not had a check-up in the last one to two years, you may have problems with your eyes that you are not aware of, or your contact lenses may not correct your vision well.
The expiration date for your prescription is currently set by your state. Some require a one-year renewal, some a two-year renewal. If your state has not set a minimum expiration date, Federal regulation sets a one year date unless your eye care professional determines that there’s a medical reason for less than one year.
To be sure that your eyes remain healthy you should not order lenses with a prescription that has expired or stock up on lenses right before the prescription is about to expire. It’s safer to be re-checked by your eye care professional.

What does a valid contact lens prescription include?

As defined by FTC regulations, a prescription should contain sufficient information for a seller to completely and accurately fill the prescription. This includes the following items:

Patient’s name
Examination date
Date patient receives prescription after a contact lens fitting (issue date) and expiration date of prescription
Name, address, phone number and fax number of prescriber
Power
Material and/or manufacturer of the prescribed contact lens
Base curve or appropriate designation of the prescribed contact lens
Diameter, when appropriate, of the prescribed contact lens
For a private label contact lens, the name of the manufacturer, trade name of the private label brand, and if applicable, trade name of equivalent brand name

What can I do to avoid serious problems when buying my contact lenses?

Don’t Take A Chance on Using an Old Contact Lens Prescription!

Ask your eye doctor how often you should have check-ups. See the doctor regularly. The check-ups give your doctor a chance to check the fit of your lenses and change your prescription as your eyes change. Lenses that don’t fit can hurt your eyes.

Always contact your doctor for advice. A doctor can see early signs of damage that can lead to serious problems, even blindness. You may not notice these signs in their early stages.

Buying contact lenses

Order your contact lenses from a supplier you know is reliable. Contact lenses are often more complex than they appear.
Request the manufacturer’s written patient information for your contact lenses. It will give you important risk/benefit information as well as instructions for use.
Beware of attempts to substitute a different brand than you presently have. While this may be acceptable in some situations, there are differences in the water content and shape between different brands. The correct choice of which lens is right for you should be based only on an examination by your eye care professional, not over the phone.
Carefully check to make sure the company gives you the
- exact brand
- lens name
- power
  - sphere
  - cylinder, if any
  - axis, if any
- diameter
- base curve
- peripheral curves, if any

If you think you have received an incorrect lens, check with your eye care professional. Don’t accept a substitution unless your eye care professional approves it.

What are the best places to buy contact lenses online:

AClens - a full-service, direct delivery contact lens supply company. Currently, AClens ship lenses to all 50 US states as well as Europe, South America and the Far East.

All major brands and contact lenses at 50-70% below retail.
All contact lenses dispensed by AC Lens are the exact lenses prescribed by your doctor. They’re delivered to you in safe, sealed containers direct from the manufacturer.
No membership fees.
AClens low prices are available to ALL customers.
30-day money back guarantee.
Items may be returned within 30 days of purchase provided they are unopened, undamaged and in original condition. Defective lenses can be exchanged for the same product if the manufacturer confirms the defect.
Free online consultation with Optometrists.
This service is entirely free of charge and is available to both customers and other visitors from the online community.

Buying Contact Lenses Online is an article review from: Medicinezine.com