Most people think that rigid gas permeable lenses are similar to the old style hard contacts. They confuse them with PMMS first generation lenses. RGPs are made from a combination of silicone and fluorine, giving them greater flexibility and high oxygen permeability. RGPs are far ahead of the equivalent eye care products from the past.

You will shortly see why they might be the right choice for you. They give great vision correction to almost all patients. You are on the right track to investigate them for your eyes.

The silicone and fluorine they are made of allow oxygen to pass through to the eyes. This makes them more comfortable to wear and healthier to the eyes than hard contacts. Oxygen is extremely important to the eyes. Lack of oxygen will cause eye problems, including inflammation of the cornea. RGPs may even be more oxygen friendly than most soft contacts. In short, they make for happy eyes.

What is really exciting about them is that they are much more durable than the softer variants, and also more resistant to protein deposits. Protein deposits are a form of debris naturally produced by the eyes and may cause complications to the wearer.

Some eye care specialists are of the opinion that RGP contacts can slow down the onset of nearsightedness or myopia. Spectacles and soft contacts do not offer this benefit, one more good reason why RGPs may be a good choice for school-aged children.

Oxygen permeable lenses may also be a proper choice if you suffer from astigmatism. Rigid lenses retain their shape better than soft lenses, thus providing sharper vision to people who have astigmatism. Astigmatism is present when the surface of the cornea is different from a perfect ball-shape curvature, and the eye is shaped like a football rather than a baseball.

Keratoconus is a hereditary disease that causes the cornea to thin; this leads to a conical distortion of the cornea and this in turn leads to serious astigmatism and blurred vision. In advanced cases rigid gas permeable contacts provide the best treatment.

RGPs are hugely versatile in their application and actually help you to see well! The reason for their popularity is simply that many wearers find them a superior product to the soft alternatives. The lower costs of these lenses, as well as lower maintenance demands, should also be a factor that impacts on the lens choice of the patient.

If you're picky about your vision you will appreciate the crisp view offered by RGPs. They are easy to clean, relatively cheap to purchase, and will last much longer. Consider them if you don't get great results from the softer choices on the market.