Contact Lenses are a great option!

Here are some great advantages when considering contact lenses:

• Contact lenses do not interfere with your peripheral vision which is beneficial while playing sports and driving
• They may provide better comfort than spectacles as you will not have the weight on your nose and they won’t slip down your nose
• Contact lenses do not fog up when the temperature changes, going from cold to hot
• Contacts lenses will not bounce around or fall off while playing sports or exercising
• Contact lenses provide variety so you can try changing the colour of your eyes with coloured contact lenses
• Contact lenses allow you to wear your non-prescription sunglasses and be fashionable
• They are less obvious than spectacles which are great for that special occasion or when you wish to change the way you look!

There are two types of contact lenses; Soft contact lenses and Rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses.

Soft contact lenses

Soft contact lenses are more commonly used due to their initial comfort and ease of fitting. There are two types of soft contact lenses;

• Daily disposable– these lenses are great for occasional use or for anyone who wants the most convenient option. Each day a new and fresh lens is used. No cleaning – no hassle!
• Daily reusable– these types of lenses are the better option for patients who would like to use the lenses more often. These lenses are cleaned and stored overnight and ready to be reused the next day. These can be bi-weekly or monthly depending on the brand of the contact lens

RGP or hard contact lenses

RGP or hard contact lenses are made of a harder plastic than soft lenses which allows more oxygen through to the cornea and can reduce the risk of corneal irritations. RGP’s provide great vision, durability and can be less expensive than soft lenses in the long term as they need to be placed less frequently than soft lenses.

Contact lenses are a medical device and should be fitted with by an Eye Care Practitioner and not bought ‘over the counter’. There is no official age at which you can start wearing contact lenses. You may not be ‘too young’ or ‘too old’ to try! We, at Ferreira Optical will talk you through the process, fit you with a trial pair and help you decide if contact lenses can work for you.