Extended wear contact lenses are able to provide contact lens wearers with more freedom than any other type of contacts available on the market. With them, you can wake up with crisp, clear vision each morning without having to put your contacts in or grab your glasses since these lenses do not have to be removed each day and can be worn overnight.
Since they do not require daily cleaning or rinsing, extended wear contacts are often desired for the added convenience that they can provide the wearer. These lenses also offer those with vision correction needs a non-surgical alternative to LASIK surgery.
Contact lenses were initially FDA approved for continuous overnight wear for up to two weeks in the 1980s. However, the approval was modified to 7 continuous days after an increase in eye infections amongst those who wore contacts overnight was noticed.
The extended wear lenses that are available today are made from a new material, silicone hydrogel, which allows more oxygen to reach the wearer’s eyes when the contacts are worn. When silicone hydrogel lenses are worn approximately 6 to 7 times more oxygen reaches the lens wearer’s eyes, which helps to maintain good eye health.
Several different brands are available. Depending on which brand the wearer has, the contacts can be worn continuously anywhere from a week to a month without having to be removed, rinsed or disinfected. Most extended wear lenses are disposable lenses that are worn for the prescribed duration then are discarded and replaced with a fresh pair.
Although extended wear lenses have many advantages to offer, it is important to keep in mind that not everyone is a candidate for continuous wear. Those considered to be good candidates should currently wear daily lenses whether they are soft of rigid gas permeable.
Even if someone is not a good candidate for continuous wear, they may still be able to receive the benefits of extended wear lenses if they are removed daily. For lens wearers that experience dryness, redness and/or discomfort after wearing their lenses for several hours reach day, silicone hydrogels can make the lens wearing experience more comfortable.