Soft contact lenses - are they safe?
I have a very bad eyesight and I don't look good in glasses. I want to switch to contact lenses, but there is a lot of talk about contact lenses causing eye infection. Are soft contact lenses safe? This is a very common question. Many people would like to switch to contact lenses, but they are afraid that this can cause diseases such as keratitis (inflammation of the cornea) Lets look at the dangers wearing contact lenses might present and how you can avoid them.There are two main lens types - RGP (rigid gas permeable lenses) and soft contact lenses. Here we will talk about soft contact lenses, since they are the most popular type.Contact lenses features that can put you at risk of keratitisThe quality of your contact lenses, how much oxygen they let through to your eyes and how high is the percentage of water in the lens should all be considered.
It is important to select lenses made from high quality polymer with a high (more than 50%) water content. Also the lenses should "breathe" - in other words, they should let enough oxygen through. A good choice would be Acuvue Advance lenses or any of the Focus contacts. Also see more suggestions on healthy contact lenses.Another consideration is the thickness of the lens. The more corrective power your eyes require, the thicker the lens is.
A thick lens presents a higher risk of infection. If your eyesight is very bad, RGP lenses might be a better choice for you, instead of soft contact lenses.Third, having your lens properly fitted is especially important. The lens shouldn't be too tight across the surface of your eye. There should be space for tears between the lens and your eye. Only an experienced eye doctor can fit your lenses properly.
You should never buy contact lenses without a prescription, on the assumption that they will fit you. Most likely they won't, and you can do irreparable damage to your eyes.Another problem is exposure to pollution, smoke, dust or pollen. Lenses tend to collect even the smallest particles from the air. This causes discomfort and, quite often, inflammation of the cornea. If you feel that there is something stuck between your eye and the lens, take your lens off immediately and wash both the lens and your eye.
See additional eye health suggestions.Sleeping in your contact lenses isn't recommended. Contact lens manufacturers realize that people would very much like to have a lens that they can wear continuously for several days. They put a lot of research into producing such lenses: for example, Focus Night and Day is said to be safe for 30 days of continuous wear, and Acuvue is designed to be worn for a week.However, from your health point of view it is better to be safe than sorry; don't sleep in your lenses. Of course, if you live in the mountains where the air is crystal clear, wearing your lenses for several days might be all right. But most of us live in polluted cities and travel a couple hours a day through peak hour traffic.
Just imagine all that dust collecting between the delicate surface of your eye and a lens for a week, or a month ? It's not a pleasant thought, is it?Early symptoms of keratitis are blurry vision (while wearing lenses) and discomfort when exposed to light. If you notice these signs, don't wear your lenses and see a doctor.After reading this article you probably think that soft contact lenses are dangerous and you are better off with your old glasses. Please don't. Modern brand-name contact lenses are designed to minimize the risks and, if they are properly fitted, worn according to the schedule and properly cared for, they are quite safe. The most important thing is to follow the advice given above and see your eye doctor immediately, if you start to feel discomfort..
Tanya Turner is a contact lens expert and a founder of www.1-contact-lenses-consumer-guide.com/, where you can find unbiased information about eye health and all types of contact lenses with reviews and picturesContact Lenses : How to wear and not tear
If you've never had contact lenses or haven't worn them ina long time and need a refresher, here's a few tips on whatto do and what not to do when wearing and caring for yourlenses. First on the list, make sure to listen to what your doctortells you. When he or she prescribes the lenses in thefirst place, they know what type of lenses they are givingyou as well as the type of care they will require. Some people need to remove their lenses for a few hourseach day and let their eyes 'rest,' especially in the firstfew weeks of wearing new lenses.Learn to carry rewetting drops with you. Nothing like dryeyes during work or a meeting will make you wish you hadstashed an extra bottle of solution in your car.
Avoid excessive rubbing at your eyes while wearing them andwear sunglasses when you're in the bright sun. If youreyes hurt excessively or you experience severe itching andredness, call your doctor. These are signs you don't wantto ignore.One thing your doctor will do on the day you...
Contact Lenses : How to wear and not tear
Contact lenses > Contact Lenses : How to wear and not tear
Colour Contact Lenses - Corrective, Therapeutic and Cosmetic
Contact lenses are classified as corrective, therapeutic, and cosmetic. For those who are short sighted, near sighted, or who have astigmatism (all refractive defects of the eye) corrective contact lenses are in order. In these cases, an eye patient will mostly likely be prescribed "spherical" lenses. Therapeutic contact lenses cure other problems that are non-refractive, like "dry eye," and some types of therapeutic lenses even deliver medicine to the eye.
Two types of cosmetic lenses are colour contact lenses and special effects contact lenses. While these lenses occasionally correct vision when needed (they are basically spherical lenses), they also can blur vision because of their design.
Colour contact lenses essentially change the appearance of the eye. Some people may require colour contact lenses for less superficial reasons (perhaps they have a physical deformity on their iris) while others may simply want to ditch their natural brown eye color for a more...
Colour Contact Lenses - Corrective, Therapeutic and Cosmetic
Contact lenses > Colour Contact Lenses - Corrective, Therapeutic and Cosmetic
Are Gas Permeable Lenses a Viable Option for You?
Most people using contact lenses for correcting their vision look to soft contact lenses as the means for better eyesight. However, rigid gas permeable lenses are still being used and are a viable alternative for those people seeking better vision than what they get with soft contacts.
Rigid gas permeable lenses (RGPs) are much more technologically advanced than the old hard contacts lenses. Hard contacts are made of a material called polymethylmethacrylate or PMMA. The health of the eyes came into question with these types of hard lenses. These contacts let very little oxygen into the eye which caused great discomfort over time.
I should know because I wore them for years.
In the early part of the 1980s a new contact was introduced to help oxygen pass through the lens to the eye. Called gas permeable or rigid gas permeable (RGPs), these lenses are far more comfortable than the old-style hard contact lenses.
The RGPs are made from...
Contact lenses > Are Gas Permeable Lenses a Viable Option for You?
ESS Creates Interchangeable Prescription Lenses for Its CDI? Sunglasses
To meet the needs of their customers who require corrective lenses, ESS has launched a new prescription insert accessory for their popular CDI? sunglasses.
This new insert allows for the rapid interchange of multiple lens types ? clear and tinted, or prescription and non-prescription ? all in one sunglass frame.The CDI? sunglasses include two sets of interchangeable lenses, which can be swapped out by sliding the lenses in and out of the frame.
Now, ESS is introducing the CDI? Prescription Insert system, which consists of a pair of lens carriers that slide in and out of the frame just like the standard CDI? lenses.
The lens carriers can be fitted with prescription lenses by any optometrist, and then inserted in the CDI? frame.
This system is ideal for those who want to have clear and tinted prescription lenses, or those who occasionally wear contact lenses and want their sunglasses to be able to accommodate either standard lenses or prescription lenses.....
Contact lenses > ESS Creates Interchangeable Prescription Lenses for Its CDI? Sunglasses