Q:
What are disposable contact lenses?
A: Disposable contacts are based on a very simple premise:
the more often they are replaced, the clearer they stay, the more
comfortable they are, and the healthier they are to wear. Soft
lenses are made of a porous material and contain a significant
amount of water so many parts of our tears are absorbed into the
matrix of the lens.
Oil, mucus, calcium and especially protein, build-up in and on
the surface of the lens and no matter how well one might clean
and disinfect (many wearers don't do one or either) the lens still
collects this debris. Over time the lens transmits less oxygen,
which is needed to keep the cornea healthy. With less oxygen transmission,
the eye is at increased risk of infection and other complications.
There is no better way to keep contacts clean than to replace
them on a frequent basis. This is what makes disposable contact
lenses so attractive and why Dr. Chet recommends that all soft-lens
wearers use them.
Any contact lens that is replaced on a regular schedule can be
considered a disposable lens. By convention, today's disposable
contacts are replaced on three schedules depending on the lens
design and Dr. recommendation.
Quarterly replacements are the least frequently discarded. These
are usually non-disposable products that manufacturers sell in
multiples at a reduced price to make it more attractive to replace
sooner than one-year. Some of the most complicated astigmatic
prescriptions fall into this category.
The most common replacement schedules are weekly to monthly. Most
prescriptions can be filled with these lenses, as most manufacturers
make these kinds of lenses. Single use lenses are the latest addition
to join the disposable lens arsenal. For occasional wearers what
could be better than putting on a fresh pair each time? These
are available mostly in simple near and farsighted designs.
