Contact Lens Exams, Fittings, & Brands

Soft lenses are made of a flexible, breathable plastic that allows oxygen to pass through to the cornea. They are easy to adjust to and come in a variety of styles.

Disposable Lenses

Disposable lenses are made to be worn during the day for a set amount of time before being discarded. The length of time these lenses should be worn varies from a day, to a week, to thirty days. It’s important to discard your lenses on schedule to avoid potential problems such as bacterial growth.

You should also ensure you are disinfecting and storing your lenses correctly when you remove them to sleep.

Extended Wear Lenses

Extended wear lenses are designed to be worn continuously for a specific amount of time. Unlike disposable lenses, you do not need to remove extended wear lenses to sleep.

However, you should give your eyes a 24-hour break before switching to a new pair of extended wear lenses.

Rigid gas permeable lenses can produce clearer, sharper vision than their soft counterparts, but typically require a longer adjustment period. They tend to last longer than soft lenses and are more durable as they are made of a rigid plastic specially designed to fit on the eye. Unlike their soft counterparts, they are also prone to scratching, so you should take extra care when inserting, removing, and cleaning these lenses.

For patients with corneal irregularities such as keratoconus, specialty lenses can provide visual clarity and, in some cases, even help improve your vision over time. The lens itself rests on the whites of the eyes (the sclera) and vaults over the damaged cornea, keeping it moist to promote comfort.

Scleral lenses may also be prescribed after some eye-related surgeries to act as a bandage during the healing process.