See without glasses: contact lenses can do that if they suit your eyes and you look after them properly. Here you will find the types, materials, fitting and hygiene explained.
Key points at a glance
- There are soft and rigid lenses, plus daily, weekly and monthly lenses. A fitting with an optician or eye doctor shows which suits you.
- Contact lenses are medical devices and should be fitted, including coloured lenses without a prescription. A glasses prescription is not enough.
- Wash your hands, follow the manufacturer’s care instructions and never use tap water.
- If you have redness, pain or blurred vision, take the lenses out and see an eye doctor.
Types of contact lenses: soft or hard?
What comes into question depends on your cornea, your prescription and your daily life.
Soft contact lenses
Soft lenses are flexible and slightly larger. They sit snugly on the cornea and rarely slip. They need moisture to keep their shape.
Rigid gas permeable lenses
Hard lenses are also called rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses. They are smaller, keep their shape, are usually made individually and rest on the tear film. They take longer to get used to. If pain or dryness continues, speak to your optician.
Special contact lenses
- Toric lenses correct astigmatism.
- Multifocal lenses exist for presbyopia. Read more in Presbyopia: Causes, Symptoms and Solutions.
- Scleral lenses are large rigid lenses that rest on the white of the eye, fitted by specialists.
Contact lenses with and without silicone
Many modern soft lenses are made of silicone hydrogel. Others are made of conventional hydrogel without silicone. Which suits you depends on your eyes, and your optician can advise.
Oakley EYEJACKET REDUX (OO9438 943805)£118.15 P
Miu Miu MU A51S 5AK20P£247.91
Ray-Ban BILL (RB2198 129251)£95.87
Prada PR 65ZS ZVN09T£152.95
Prada PR B15S 17N70R£196.41
Miu Miu MU B07S 16K04O£203.10
Prada PR 15WS 01R0A6£146.27
Ray-Ban CATS 5000 (RB4125 710/51)£95.87Daily, weekly or monthly: disposable and non-disposable lenses
How often you replace your lenses depends on the type:
- Daily lenses are worn once and thrown away. You do not need lens solution.
- Weekly and monthly lenses are cleaned after each wear and stored in fresh solution, then replaced after the time the manufacturer gives.
- Non-disposable lenses, such as rigid lenses, are used for much longer and need careful care.
- Lenses for continuous wear, including overnight, exist only for certain products. Use them only if the manufacturer intends it and your optician agrees.
How long lenses may be worn per day and in a row is stated in the instructions. Answers such as “12 hours” do not apply to every lens. Follow the instructions and your optician’s advice.
What are contact lenses made of? Materials and history
Today contact lenses are not made of glass but of plastics: soft lenses of hydrogel or silicone hydrogel, rigid lenses of gas permeable plastic.
The first lenses in the 19th century were large glass shells, which is why people still ask whether contact lenses are glass. Later the plastic PMMA arrived, and in 1959 Otto Wichterle developed the hydrogel used for soft lenses.
Which contact lenses do I need? The fitting
You cannot read that from a glasses prescription. At a fitting with an optician or eye doctor, the following is checked:
- Your prescription and any astigmatism are measured.
- Your cornea is measured: radius, diameter and shape decide which lens fits well.
- Your eyes and tear film are checked. Say so if your eyes are sensitive.
- You get trial lenses, practise handling them and come back for check-ups.
Lens power can differ from glasses power because a lens sits directly on the eye. There is no single “most comfortable” lens: it depends on material, fit, tear film and care.
Hygiene and care: how to handle contact lenses
- Wash and dry your hands before handling lenses.
- Clean reusable lenses with the recommended lens cleaner and store them in fresh solution. Replace it, never top it up.
- Keep lenses and case away from tap water. Reusable lenses cannot be stored without solution.
- Rinse the case after each use, let it air-dry and replace it regularly. Rigid lenses need their own care products.
Check expiry date and wearing time on the packaging. If you prefer not to use solution, ask about daily lenses.
Contact lenses or glasses? Pros and cons
Are contact lenses better than glasses? Neither is better for everyone.
- Pros: Lenses are discreet, leave no frame in your field of view and do not steam up.
- Cons: Care takes time and getting used to lenses takes patience, though many find them easy with practice.
- Limits: You cannot wear lenses for unlimited hours. If your eyes are irritated, you need your glasses.
So keep an up-to-date pair of glasses alongside your lenses.
Frequently asked questions about contact lenses
What if my vision is blurry with my contacts but not with my glasses?
Take the lens out, check that it is clean and not inside out, and put it back in. If your vision is still blurred, have the power, the fit and your eyes checked by your optician or eye doctor.
What if I cannot get a lens out?
Stay calm, wash your hands and moisten the eye with lens solution. Do not use force or fingernails. A lens can slip under the eyelid but not behind the eye. If it does not work or you have pain or redness, see an eye doctor.
Can I wear a contact lens in one eye only?
Yes, if only one eye needs correcting. Your optician will tell you whether that makes sense for you.
The shop has its own page for contact lenses.
This article does not replace medical advice.
