Disposable contact lenses

Disposable Contact Lenses

Disposable contacts were first introduced in 1987. Since then they have become one of the most popular options for contact lens wearers. They're comfortable, safe and come in a variety of different types.

Disposables are designed to be worn and discarded either daily, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. There is however a distinction between the wearing schedule and the replacement schedule that you need to be aware of. Some are designed to be worn daily and discarded daily. But some that are labeled dailies are removed daily, cleaned and stored, then reused up to their intended lifetime. That lifetime can be one week, two weeks, or even as long as a month. Make sure that you know which is which when you decide on your contact lenses.

Changing your contacts on a regular basis greatly reduces the risks of any issues arising. The amount of oxygen that reaches the cornea is greatly reduced even by the best of contact lenses. That ups the chances of infection. Longer wear cycles also increase the odds of corneal abrasion, conjunctivitis and other eye health issues.

However, changing lenses more frequently can increase the odds of introducing other kinds of health problems. One example would be where some wearers can suffer an allergic reaction to the preservative solutions used with contact lenses. Wearing a pair of disposables continuously for a week, then simply throwing them away, eliminates that possibility. They come packaged in a sterile solution, so they never need to be cleaned unless they're removed and re-inserted.

Convenience is a huge factor in disposables, not surprisingly. Daily insertion and removal still requires cleaning, sterilizing and regular placement of the lens. While many contact lens wearers establish a routine, others find the practice something they would prefer to avoid. Disposables offer that option. Some are designed to be worn once and then just tossed. Many types of extended wear disposables can stay in overnight, or a week, or even up to a month.

Since those are inserted only once, they never need to be cleaned or sterilized at all. You only need to ensure that your hands are clean, insert the lenses and discard the lenses at the end of the stated wearing period. No muss, no fuss. But, that convenience comes at a price.

Cost of course is a factor that has to be considered and the cost is not always small. While prices vary over time, disposable contact lenses are typically more expensive over the long run. Naturally there is a price for that convenience. But the daily costs are lower, since the lens is intended to be used only for a short period.

One way manufacturers can do that, of course, is to use different materials and production methods. The result is a safe, comfortable lens but one that may not provide the same optimally sharp vision that another style can.

Still, many sports enthusiasts enjoy disposables thanks to their tight fit, which results in them being very hard to knock loose. And if the quality is good enough for them, it will probably be good enough for most everyone.

Investigate your options in disposable contact lenses and you may well find one that is just right for you and your lifestyle.