When the world around you starts fading and gets blurred, there is something wrong with your eyesight. It’s a horror to visit an eye specialist and know about the weakness in your vision. Imagination takes a turn and a new spectacles-clad picture of your own self comes to mind. Everyone around you wonders why those big glasses hide those beautiful eyes. But, there is still a ray of hope which can you can see without spectacled eyes. You all guessed it right — contact lenses.
Lenses are certainly a great alternative to spectacles as they provide equal vision from all sides. Moreover, they are transparent and can be fitted well in the eyes without causing any burden, unlike glasses. The designing of the lenses is such that they are lightweight and virtually invisible. They give a boost to self-esteem and confidence of a person who had been wearing unbecoming bulky spectacles. They are giving tough competition to the glasses because of the new, improvised variants in the market for all kinds of vision correcting measures. Ideal for people involved in sports, contact lenses render a fresh vision of perception and hope.
It has been estimated that nearly 28-38 million people in the United States, use lenses. A contact lens alters the problem and focuses light onto the retina appropriately. It’s not only designed for people with near sightedness or myopia but is also a boon for those with astigmatism, far sightedness or hypermetropia and byopia. The different kinds of corrective lenses intended for use are spherical, cylindrical, multifocal and toric.
The spherical lenses and the most common ones are prescribed in case of near-sightedness and to alter the aberration. The cylindrical ones are suitable for those with the cylindrical vision problem. The toric lens is a combination of both spherical and cylindrical lens. The multifocal lenses adjust the aberrations of both myopia and hypermetropia, hence they are quite expensive as well as difficult to make. There are lenses which are cosmetically colored and add a tint of glamour and fun.
The lenses also have a certain wear time. Ideally, the lenses must be taken off after 10-12 hours, but a few specifically designed lenses have overnight wear-ability which can be as long as a few days and even months.
Specialists advise you to remove lenses before sleeping. This is because lenses restrict the oxygen permeability in the eye and cause infections. As the air porosity of the lenses with extended wear time is higher so they allow proper air passage through the eye for a designated time period. There are different brands to choose from hence you should replace the lenses as prescribed. The frequency of replacement ranging from a few weeks to even years majorly depends upon the kind of lens. A few corrective lenses that can be implanted in the eye surgically can be used lifelong.
The contact lens care is an essential element to provide a hygienic environment for them to last long —
- Wash your hands before applying or removing the lenses from the eye.
- Try to change your solution daily.
- Rub the lenses gently as any harsh touch may scratch the upper layer causing ulcers in the eye.
- Dispose off your lenses before the expiry date. Extended usage can cause infection and unwanted deposits on the lens.
- Use enzyme tablets every month to disinfect the surface of the lens from dust and protein deposits on the lenses.
As the technology is advancing, new variants are cropping up. Soflens has introduced daily disposable lenses with high definition optics which don’t give any blur or halo in the vision. SynergEyes has introduced hybrid lenses ideal for people with astigmatism. These lenses have higher gas permeability and promote corneal health. The Air Optix has launched lenses with new silicone hydrogel, which produces negligible friction during blinking and increases comfort. The Aquaform technology introduced in the Avaira lenses keeps them soft, wet and moisturized while passing the oxygen to cornea.
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