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Contact Lenses

What are the different types of Contact Lenses?

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

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.

For more information on Contact Lenses, click here.

AcrySof® IOLs

With 25 million implants worldwide, AcrySof® lenses are the most frequently implanted in the world, as physicians appreciate the long-term clinical results and unmatched stability of the lens. Recent advances to this line of lenses also address other visual disturbances while correcting for cataracts:

For patients with cataracts and presbyopia there is the AcrySof® ReSTOR® lens, which corrects for both conditions at the same time virtually eliminating the need for spectacles after surgery. Clinical trials showed that over 80 percent of patients receiving this lens never required glasses for any task following surgery.

To learn more about this product, visit www.acrysofrestor.com.

For patients with cataracts and spherical aberration there is the AcrySof® IQ lens, which corrects both conditions simultaneously.

For patients with cataracts and astigmatism there is the AcrySof® Toric lens, which corrects for both conditions simultaneously.