Disposables
All contact lenses are disposable. When we talk of true disposables, we mean soft contact lenses that once opened are discarded at least once every two weeks. Disposing of contact lenses on a regular basis helps to reduce the build up of debris and cellular materials that can cause adverse health effects on your eyes. Besides being healthier for your eyes, there are other advantages.
Vision is consistently better, and replacing lost or torn lenses is fast and inexpensive. When using daily wear two week disposables, enzymatic tablets are not necessary. Cleaning and disinfecting can be as simple as using only one solution.
Most people prefer to wear disposables on a daily wear basis. They are cleaned, disinfected and stored after each day of wear. Some people may sleep up to a maximum of six straight nights to avoid daily insertion and removal. There is a much greater chance of complications when sleeping with any contact lens. The most commonly used disposables are Acuvue, Baush & Lomb, and Newvue.
The simplest to care for daily wear contact lenses are the single day disposables. The most popular is the One Day Accuvue. No cleaning or disinfection is needed for these lenses are packaged 30 per box and are delivered directly to your home or business.
Planned Replacement
Planned replacement lenses are disposed every one, two or three months. Discarding your lenses in this manner is less costly than disposables and still gives you most of the advantages. Planned replacement is the fastest growing choice of contact lens patients.
Traditional
A single pair of contact lenses used for one year is becoming less and less common. Tearing or losing just one contact can increase the cost over what you would have spent on a Planned Replacement system.
Colors
Contacts to enhance or change the color of your eyes are available in disposables and traditional lens types. A contact lens that enhances your eye color combines your natural eye color with that of the contact lens color creating a unique new eye color. These lenses work best if your natural eye color is lighter. If you have darker eyes, then opaque lenses are used to change your eye color to the color of the contact lenses.
Astigmatism
Contacts for astigmatism are available in one, two or three month planned replacement as well as traditional lens types. Most people that wear contacts have some mild degree of astigmatism. A small amount of astigmatism that is not corrected for does not affect vision greatly. During your eye examination, the doctor can show you an approximation of what your vision might be with and without your astigmatism corrected if you were using contact lenses.