Convenience, visual acuity and independence from fogged glasses in glasses are the reasons why contact lenses are chosen by more and more Poles. How to choose a solution for “those who want more” from the thicket of lenses available on the market.
A discreet alternative?
For centuries, vision defects have been corrected with glasses. Today, more and more people with visual impairment also use comfortable contact lenses that allow for the correction of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and presbyopia (presbyopia). Active people, athletes, manual workers, cooks, doctors and drivers eagerly reach for the “discreet method of correction”. Contact lenses are also popular among professions where image is a priority: TV presenters, actors, musicians and politicians.
There are many types of lenses on the market that can be adapted to our needs and preferences. There are daily wear lenses, wear lenses and continuous wear lenses. The eye care professional selects lenses to be worn according to the patient’s lifestyle. Due to the replacement mode, we can choose among single-day and reusable lenses. Another criterion for classifying lenses is the material they are made of.
Rigid lenses allow for the correction of more complicated eye defects, while soft lenses (hydrogel and silicone-hydrogel) are used in the most common eye defects. Another division of lenses concerns their purpose.
In addition to corrective lenses (the so-called spherical lenses – for the correction of myopia and farsightedness, toric lenses – for people with astigmatism, multifocal lenses – for people with presbyopia), we can find dressing and cosmetic lenses. Dressing (therapeutic) lenses are a type of dressing in diseases and after corneal procedures or injuries, while cosmetic lenses do not correct vision defects, but allow you to instantly change the color of the iris.
“How tailored”
Everyone who starts their adventure with lenses should see an ophthalmologist or optometrist who, based on the interview and tests performed, will suggest the appropriate type of lenses.
The selection depends primarily on the type of vision defect, lifestyle, which determines the lens replacement procedure, and the patient’s preferences. Young and active people who do not like to worry about remembering when to replace their lenses and do not want to spend a lot of time caring for them, will appreciate one-day lenses. On the other hand, two-week or monthly lenses will be the optimal choice for orderly and systematic people whose lifestyle is stable (more or less constant hours of sleep, starting and finishing work).
They require care treatments that can be easily incorporated into the established rhythm of daily routine activities. Monthly lenses for flexible, extended or continuous wear are the solution for those who want to forget for a longer time that they wear lenses at all, and perform care treatments when they have the time and willingness to do so. They can remain in front of our eyes for a longer period (the manufacturer’s and specialist’s recommendations should be carefully followed).
Lenses can be a convenient method of vision correction also for people who have a very irregular lifestyle, they often fall asleep in the middle of the day and work late at night. It is also an optimal option for mothers who feed their little ones and have to get up every 3 hours at night. As you can see, adjusting the type of lenses to your lifestyle is the key to getting satisfaction from using them. However, the most important thing is health, so the decision about the choice of wearing mode must be made by a specialist each time.
When deciding on the “discrete correction method”, we should take into account two more important parameters for eye health: hydration and oxygen permeability. The cornea of the human eye is not vascularized, i.e. it does not receive oxygen via the bloodstream. Moisture is supplied by the lacrimal glands, while the cornea receives oxygen directly from the atmosphere. That is why it is so important that the lenses maintain adequate humidity for a long time and do not obstruct the access of air to the eye.
Currently, the market is dominated by silicone-hydrogel lenses, which maintain optimal hydration and very high oxygen permeability. However, it should be remembered that each manufacturer works on the basis of its own technology. Hence, despite the use of the same type of material, a particular lens model may have better or worse oxygen permeability and hydration. Before buying, it is worth considering not only the optical values, dimensions and type of material, but also the specific values of telenopermeability and hydration. The higher the parameters, the healthier and more comfortable the use of contact lenses is.
Expectations and reality
Before putting on contact lenses for the first time, we often wonder how we will feel in them? Will they be perceptible and we will walk all day knowing that we have an eye on something? In no case – well-chosen, put on and properly maintained lenses should not be uncomfortable. Especially that modern lenses are extremely soft, thin and flexible and perfectly keep the eye moist.
An example of the latest generation silicone hydrogel lenses are Bausch + Lomb ULTRA® lenses, designed for people with high visual requirements such as prolonged work at the computer or frequent use of electronic devices when the frequency of blinking decreases. Thanks to the MoistureSeal® technology, Bausch + Lomb ULTRA® lenses retain 95% of hydration for 16 hours, and the exceptionally high oxygen transmission (163 Dk / t) guarantees adequate corneal oxidation, which contributes to the maintenance of healthy eyes in good condition.
To sum up, well-chosen contact lenses are so comfortable that we quickly forget about them. If we feel bad in them, we should go to a specialist for consultation. Perhaps our lens is damaged or on the wrong side. Other causes of discomfort may be wearing lenses after the deadline, sleeping in unsuitable lenses without consulting a specialist or not following the rules of hygiene.
We often forget that the comfort of using lenses is influenced by the care fluid, which should not be selected on your own. The care fluid should be selected by a specialist during consultation at the office and recommended by the lens manufacturer. Thanks to this, we are sure that it is suitable for the type of lenses we wear, which allows us to achieve maximum comfort of use.
Contact lenses and liquids for their care are medical products within the meaning of the Act of May 20, 2010 on medical devices.