As it is rightly said, eyes are the window to the soul. And with our increasing dependence on our eyes to earn our livelihood, they have become perhaps the most important organ of perception for us. And why only the professional life, many people choose their eyes to describe themselves, to express their style and to put on that delicate touch of passion and lust. With so much on the line, eye is now a very important aspect of health care routines today. And with the gradual shift from spectacles to contact lens, an overall know-how about the various types of contact lenses available in the market and the ones suitable for your eyes is necessary before you go and buy these accessories for your eyes.
Although a large number of varieties are available in the market, the limitation of your power correction requirements restricts your choice. The first step towards choosing a contact lens begins with a visit to the optometrist who will test your eyes and suggest the suitable lens based on your ocular health, nature of occupation and other requirements. Now, based on the suggestions and your preferences you can choose the most suitable contact lens for your eyes.
Depending upon the material and texture, contact lenses can be classified in the following categories:
• Soft lens: made of soft plastics, they hold more fluid and hence are more comfortable. Some of them also come with UV shield. Being disposable, with a short period of use, they pose a lesser chance of infection and involves lesser cleaning. In spite of its many advantages, it has a few drawbacks; it absorbs more pollutants and thus causes irritation. They are also fragile and can rip off easily.
• Rigid Gas Permeable hard contact lens: made of silicone polymer, they are more rigid and hence more durable than soft lenses. Although they maintain their shape better and offer a clearer vision than the soft lenses, the trade-off comes at an increased risk of developing corneal ulcer and reshaping of the cornea.
• Daily disposable lenses: These are meant to be worn only once and then disposed off. This results in almost no requirement for maintenance and the least risk of infection. So, if your eyes are sensitive and allergic, these should feature in your choice of lenses. Although the individual lenses cost less, the recurring cost is pretty high.
• Silicone extended wear disposable lenses: these have been developed recently, where the silicone material prevents sedimentation and irritation of eyes. These can be worn for 30 days before disposing them.
• Bifocal lenses: similar to bifocal glasses, they have two powers, for both distant vision and near vision on the same lens and are prescribed for people with presbyopia.
• Toric lenses: these are prescribed to people having astigmatism.
• Colored lenses: these are for the style statement and come in various colors, depending upon the user’s choice.
Thus, you need to give due consideration to several factors, like your lifestyle, your comfort, your personality and choose the contact lens that suits you best. As far as the eyes are concerned, you should never compromise on the quality for the cost. These are your eyes, and they deserve the very best.