There are so many different types of contact lenses available now that sometimes the differences between them can be confusing. The most popular type is the daily wear lenses that are put into the eyes at the start of the day and then removed at night. They are disposable, which means you do not have to be concerned about cleaning and storing; just wear and throw away. They are relatively inexpensive and start at about £55 for a three month supply.
For around the same price, you can buy the kind of lenses that are worn for two weeks before being removed and replaced. These lenses are also available as bifocal and you can get a colored version if you fancy changing your eye color for a while!
Monthly contact lenses are used for a month at a time, although they are taken out and stored at night, and then disposed of and replaced with another pair. These lenses usually come in packs of six, so the pack will keep you in lenses for six months. Do not be tempted to make lenses last for longer than intended as they can deteriorate and damage the eye.
Colored contact lenses are usually available as two weekly or daily wear and can completely change your appearance by enhancing your existing eye color or changing it completely; chameleon style!
For those who have had their eyes examined carefully by a registered optometrist and have their doctor’s approval, it is possible to wear ‘continuous wear’ lenses, without removing them, for up to a month and they are available as torics and bifocals.
Once a contact lens routine has been established it becomes as automatic as brushing teeth or taking a morning shower. The process of establishing what are the right lenses for you should be lengthy and involve some training in how to clean and store lenses, how to re-order them and how often to have a re-test to ensure the lenses are of the correct prescription.
Most reputable suppliers of contact lenses will not supply lenses to anyone with a prescription more than a year old and in the UK it is the law to supply lenses only on receipt of a valid prescription. Many contact lens wearers prefer to have their eyes tested every six months in spite of this and often find their prescription has changed even in that short space of time.
Contact lenses offer all the advantages that glasses cannot: with glasses you cannot change your eye colour and you cannot achieve full peripheral vision.