In the U.S. contact lens marketplace, 82 percent wear soft lenses, 16 percent wear rigid gas-permeable and only 2 percent wear hard. Contact lens sales are regulated by the FDA (Food And Drug Administration) and the FTC (Federal Trade Commission.) You'll want to take simple precautions to make any lens purchase safe and effective.

Be careful about buying cheap contact lenses, they may not be the quality you want; discounted quality contact lenses are the most desirable. Always buy from a reputable company; you can buy discount contact lenses without a prescription, but the company is selling you a prescription device as if it were an over-the-counter device, in violation of FTC regulations - selling you lenses without having a prescription from you.

While the ability to hold water increases the oxygen permeability of soft lenses, it increases their fragility quotient as well. You can become adjusted to soft lenses within just a few days, compared to several weeks for rigid ones. Some doctors prescribe disposables as planned-replacement lenses, which are removed, disinfected, and reused before being discarded.

Although easier to handle and less likely to tear, rigid gas permeable lenses are not as comfortable initially as soft contacts and it may take a few weeks to get used to wearing the RGPs, compared to just a few days for soft contacts. Extra-thin soft lenses are on the market for very sensitive people. Keep in mind contact lenses are often more complex than they appear.

If you live an active lifestyle, NIGHT & DAY breathable lenses will allow you 30 hours of continuous wear. Soft lenses also come as disposable products, that is, used once and discarded, or as planned-replacement lenses. Rigid lenses generally give you more clear vision.

With planned-replacement lenses, the doctor works out a replacement schedule tailored to the needs of each patient. Soft lenses are easier to adjust and are much more comfortable than rigid lenses, because they conform to the eye and absorb and hold water.

Before you buy online, check to see if there are any testimonials at the online supplier's website. Carefully check to make sure the company gives you the exact brand you ordered, the name of the lens, the power, sphere, cylinder, if any, axis, if any, diameter base curve, and peripheral curves, if any. Check to see if you have a health insurance plan that includes vision coverage.

If you have an insurance plan, the insurance plan's seller's prices may or may not be better than what you can find elsewhere; this should be just one option when you're shopping for lenses. Get a feel for how the retailer handles customer service calls; in case you have a problem after your order arrives. Wherever you buy, shop for quality and value and don't forget you want to do what's best for your eye health.

Rebates may be available from the seller, from the manufacturer, for first-time contact lens wearers and for individuals who buy lenses and get an eye exam. When you place your order make sure your lenses are available and not out of stock, because you'll need them now. Beware of attempts to substitute a brand different from the one you want when buying contacts.

Extended-wear rigid lenses can cause unexpected, undesirable, reshaping of the cornea. The risk of corneal ulcers for people who keep extended-wear lenses in overnight is 10 to 15 times greater than for those who use daily-wear lenses only while they are awake. Heat disinfection is the only method effective against the microorganism Acanthamoeba keratitis, a common culprit for contact lens wearers, and it also kills organisms in and on the lens case.

Don't wear lenses any longer than they're prescribed for, nor when sleeping unless you are otherwise directed. One sight-threatening concern is the infection Acanthamoeba keratitis, which is caused by improper lens care; this difficult-to-treat parasitic infection's symptoms are similar to those of corneal ulcers. To be sure your eyes remain healthy you shouldn't order lenses with a prescription that's expired or stock up on lenses right before the prescription is about to expire; it's much safer to be re-checked by your eye doctor.

Make sure to visit a reputable eye doctor for a complete eye examination once a year, or more frequently if needed. It's becoming easier and easier all the time to shop online and often the shipping is free. If you prefer the way you look without glasses or find glasses to be cumbersome and awkward, contacts can provide the ease, convenience and comfort you need.