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[A741]Astigmatism Soft Contact Lenses

by Lesley Lyon, Les

Soft contact lenses are thin, dome shaped discs made of complex plastic material positioned on the cornea to focus images on the retina. Contact lenses are a safe, convenient, comfortable and affordable alternative to spectacles. There are basically two types of lenses, rigid gas permeable lenses (RGP) and soft lenses.

RGP lenses are semi- rigid lenses made from a plastic that allows oxygen through the eye and are the best, clinically. They are also easy to take care of, durable and give a clear vision. They are useful to all types of vision correction like astigmation, bifocals, and post surgery and cosmetic for all groups of age.

Soft lenses: Soft lenses made from water absorbing plastics, are flexible and membrane like for maximum comfort. Since they do not displace easily from the eyes, they are ideal for sports.

Silicon based soft lenses allow maximum oxygen to the cornea and therefore they can be safely worn for a month continuously. Soft lenses can correct all types of refractive errors. They are available for Toric (to correct astigmation), bifocal, weekly disposable, extended wear and cosmetic purposes.

Toric lenses: Toric lenses are made from the same material as regular contact lenses, the difference being in the design of the lenses. Toric lenses have two powers of curvatures at different angles, one for astigmation and the other for myopia or hyperopia. Toric contact lenses have a mechanism to keep the lens stable on the eyes even while blinking. The cost of the Toric lenses is more than the spherical lenses and fitting expenses are also more.

Disposable lenses are replaced every two weeks or sooner and are designed to be worn and then replaced with a new pair of lenses. Disposable contact lenses are favored because of their health and convenience benefits.

Daily disposables or one-day disposables are contact lenses that are discarded every night and replaced in the morning with a new pair. This option is the best because there is no lens cleaning and since there are no lens deposit build up there are no eye problems.

Extended wear lenses are approved to be worn without removal up to seven days .A "super permeable" lens material "silicone hydro gel" is approved up to 30 days of wear without removal. This is also known as continuous wear.

It is important to follow certain guidelines for safe handling of soft contact lenses:

Moisturizing soaps are not good for contact lenses and the hands should be dry before handling them.

One lens should be removed and cleaned with the recommended solution and the lens should be rubbed in the palm of the hand with a few drops of solution and the process should be repeated for the second lens.

Rinsing is an important step to remove the loosened debris.
Place the lenses in the lens holder filled with fresh water solution because disinfecting kills microorganisms in the lenses.

Avoid tap water on the contact lenses and accessories because it may cause serious eye infections.

Never touch the solution bottle tips as it can become contaminated.

When asked "what would you prefer - soft contact lenses or rigid?", most people would say "soft, of course". The idea of having a hard object in your eyes scares people and eye doctors know about this, so they tend to prescribe soft lenses for their patients. But which type provides more benefits for your eye health and gives you better comfort and vision? The answer isn’t as obvious as you might think it is.

Vision clarity

Both high quality soft and RGP contact lenses provide good vision. However, studies have shown that properly fitted RGP lenses provide better vision. This is important for people who rely on their eyes in their jobs - truck drivers, pilots - and for certain sports, like shooting.

Also, many soft lens wearers report that their contacts feel funny in the dark and their vision decreases. RGP don’t have this problem.

Eye health comparison

Two important factors determine how healthy a contact lens is for your eyes - oxygen permeability and resistance to protein build-up.

RGP lenses let through 2-4 times more oxygen than soft contact lens. Therefore the risk of corneal inflammation is much lower. The only soft lenses that have oxygen permeability comparable to RGP lenses are silicon hydrogel contacts, like Focus Night and Day or

Soft lenses are more prone to protein build-up than RGP contacts. Of course, if you wear daily disposable soft lenses, this is not an issue. But if you use monthly or quarterly replacement lenses, by the end of its life the lens is covered with proteins no matter how carefully you clean it. RGP are made from totally different material - plainly said proteins and other secretions don’t stick to them.

Use as color contacts to change your eye color

Here RGP lenses can’t compete with soft contacts. All color contact lenses are soft - an RGP lens is smaller than the iris (the colored part of your eye), so it can’t change your eye color effectively. See more information about

Which is more expensive - RGP or soft lenses?

Soft lenses cost per pair is lower than RGP lenses. But considering that RGP lenses are usually good for at least 2 years, the picture turns the other way around. Lets say you wear Acuvue 2 week disposable contacts and buy them at $15 (6 lenses per box). 2 years supply would cost you $ 240. This is definitely more than you would pay for RGP contact lenses, if you know where to buy ..

On the other hand, RGP lenses can break and are easy to lose. So if you think that in two years you might loose your lens a couple times, soft disposable lenses are more cost effective for you.

Comfort comparison

Many people think that rigid lenses aren’t comfortable. This is nothing but a misconception. People who wear RGP lenses usually don’t feel any discomfort; in fact, they don’t feel the lens at all.

However, soft lenses feel good from the first time you put them in, while RGP require a 5-7 days adjustment period. They feel strange initially but, after a week, most people adjust to them quite well.

If you aren’t happy with the soft lenses you currently wear, ask your doctor if RGP contacts would be better for you. If your optometrist knows that you aren’t afraid of the word "rigid", he or she might suggest that RGP lenses would suit your better.

Article Source : Contact Lens Solution

About Author

Both Lesley Lyon & Tanya Turner are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Lesley Lyon has sinced written about articles on various topics from Sauna, Finances and computers and the internet. The web guide on contact lenses - for understanding. Lesley Lyon's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.

Tanya Turner has sinced written about articles on various topics from Eyewear, Home Management and Eyewear. Tanya Turner is a contact lens expert and a founder of , where you can find unbiased information about eye health and a. Tanya Turner's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.