Contact Lenses 101: What a Tampa Optician Wants You to Know

Contact lenses are not the same glass shards you dread to put on your eyes anymore. They have become more versatile and softer, and even have become a fashion choice. However, it is better to see them as a solution to vision problems, rather than a fashion statement.

This article briefly discusses all the important facts that you should know about wearing contact lenses to correct your vision.

What Are the Different Types of Contact Lenses?

Contact lenses are divided into three categories. Each category serves a different need and contains different subtypes of lenses.

Soft Contact Lenses

An eye doctor in Tampa would most likely prescribe you a soft contact lens. They are soft on the eyes and cause minimal irritation. They’re recommended for vision issues, including blurred vision, farsightedness, short-sightedness, and nearsightedness, and come in two types:

Daily Disposable Lenses: Daily disposable contact lenses are known for their convenience—wear them for a day and then throw them away. Dailies are the ideal contact lens for busy people who don’t have time to clean and care for their contacts. They are also recommended for those with allergies, since they don’t lead to bacteria buildup.
Bi-Weekly Wear Lenses: Bi-weekly contacts are contact lenses you replace every other week. Also known as 2-week disposable contact lenses, these lenses offer a balance between lower maintenance and comfort. Bi-weekly contacts, like ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses, still need to be taken out nightly, but they are designed to last longer before you need to dispose of them and start with a fresh pair after 2 weeks.
Monthly Wear Lenses: Monthly contacts are simply contacts you wear for a month, or 30 days. Just like most contact lenses, you’ll need to remove them each night before you go to sleep. But, unlike daily disposable or bi-weekly contacts, you can keep these for a full month. It is important to note that monthly contacts need a little more care and upkeep, so plan to care for them and keep them clean during wear.

Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses

Rigid gas permeable lenses are great if you’re looking for a softer option than the soft lens. They are more durable than a soft contact lens, and instead of sticking on the cornea, they float over it – giving your eyes more breathing room. You can wear them regularly and put them off at night. Or, you can choose the 30-day lens and put them on for a month straight.

That said, your eyes might take some time to adjust to this lens.

Specialized Contact Lenses

These are contact lenses that are custom-designed based on your eye issues:

Scleral contact lenses: These are large rigid gas permeable lenses that extend to the white portion of your eye.
Hybrid contact lenses: These rigid gas permeable lenses are suitable for age-related loss of vision.
Multifocal contact lenses: These specialized contact lenses are perfect for dealing with presbyopia, myopia, and hypermetropia at the same time.
Tinted contact lenses: They are suitable for cosmetic needs. That said, they can compensate for those suffering from color blindness.
Orthokeratology: They are rigid gas permeable lenses that mold around the curve of your cornea while you sleep to prevent invasion of contamination.

However, before we choose a contact lens for you, we first have to surmise whether your eyes are fit to handle contact lenses.

Contact Lens Examination

The goal of this examination is to learn whether contact lenses are suitable for your eyes. There should be a smooth surface for the lenses to rest on – that is why an eye examination is crucial.

Once the examination is complete, we will determine how much correction you need. We will then move on to taking your eye measurements before getting you fitted with the contact lens that you need.

Tips for Putting on Contact Lenses

Here are the five tips we give anyone putting in a contact lens for the first time.

Make sure that you relax before putting on the lens. There should be no sudden movements and no scratching.
Always rinse your lens once daily, even if you opt for a 30-day or two-week lens.
When disposing of the contact lenses, please put them in individual plastic containers, outer paperboard cartons, or foil blister covers before disposing of them.
Listen to what your doctor says when changing your contact lenses.
Always follow the prescribed schedule for wearing and replacing your lenses.

Get your Contact Lenses Today

Looking for the best contact lenses? Get them today from Florida Eye Center, the best optical specialist in Tampa. We will get you fitted with what you require in no time.

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