A guide to contact lenses

If you have a vision condition, you may have considered getting a pair of contact lenses. But are they right for you?

Let’s explore the basics of contact lenses, plus some of the essentials of taking care of them and your eyes.

Contact lenses are thin, rounded lenses that are typically made from a special type of plastic. They’re designed to sit on the surface of your eyes in the tear film to help correct your vision, in place of glasses.

Lenses can help a number of vision conditions, including short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism.

There’s a variety of reasons why you might choose to wear contact lenses instead of (or in addition to) regular glasses. It might be for appearance reasons, because of your work or hobbies, or just because you want to take a break from your frames!

If you’re interested in wearing contact lenses, it’s important that you discuss it with your optometrist first, as not everyone is an ideal candidate for them (for instance, if your eyes can’t naturally lubricate themselves or if you’re prone to eye infections).

If lenses are right for you, your optometrist will do some measurements of your eyes, including their curvature, so they can recommend the right type for you. They may also recommend a pair of trial lenses, which you can wear for a short period and report back on.

Your optometrist will also teach you how to put in and take out your lenses and discuss how to take care of them and your eyes.

Contact lenses come in many shapes, sizes, colours and tints. Also, daily disposable and reusable lenses.

Daily disposable lenses are worn for one day and then thrown out, while fortnightly and monthly replacement lenses can be used for multiple days before discarding them, provided they are removed, cleaned and stored in disinfecting solution each night.

Extended-wear lenses can be used for longer periods (usually a week or 2 but sometimes up to a month), and may be suitable for overnight wear for some people.

The major advantage of daily disposable lenses is that:

• they’re safer (reusable lenses carry a higher risk of infection)
• they don’t require cleaning
• you get a fresh pair every day
• they tend to be more convenient
• there will usually be spare pairs available for emergencies.

I also find that daily disposable lenses are ideal if you plan on alternating between lenses and glasses.

Contact lenses are most commonly made with soft materials (soft contact lenses), with soft daily disposables by far the most popular variety.

Hard contact lenses (also known as rigid gas permeable lenses), which are made from a malleable plastic that allows oxygen to pass through the lens to the eye, may be helpful for people with certain eye conditions or allergies.

Your optometrist will discuss the best option for you.

In order to prevent any damage or infection to your eyes, it’s important to properly care for your contact lenses. Here are my top tips.

This helps to prevent contaminants from entering your eyes, which can cause infection.

Every pair of contact lenses has its own specific requirements around use and care. Follow the advice of your optometrist and avoid relying on other contact lens wearers to tell you the dos and don’ts (again, all prescription lenses are different).

If you wear reusable lenses, it’s important that you clean and disinfect them every time you remove them, with the intent of using them again. It’s important to follow the advice of your optometrist and follow your contact lens solution care instructions.

Always discard the old solution when you put your lenses in your eyes and pour fresh solution from the bottle into the lens case when you are removing your lenses!

It’s important to clean your lens case every day and allow it to air dry, avoiding cloths or towels when doing so (which might not be as clean as you think). You should also replace your lens case at least once a month.

If you wear contact lenses, you may need to book in check-ups with your optometrist more frequently than when wearing glasses. Contact lenses carry a higher risk of infection compared to glasses, so it’s important to ensure that your eyes are adequately monitored.

You should also book in appointments for replacement lenses ahead of time, so you don’t risk running out.

As well as staying on top of your replacement schedule, it can also help to keep a spare pair of contact lenses around for emergencies. It also pays to keep a pair of glasses, even if you don’t regularly use them.

This might seem like a no-brainer, but: Always make sure that you’ve taken out your old lens before placing a new one in!

Placing a new lens on top of an old one can be dangerous, as it may put excess pressure on your eye and could distort your vision, as well as not being very comfortable!