3 Different Types Of Prescription Contact Lenses To Consider

Patients who do not wear contact lenses often assume that prescription contact lenses are all, more or less, the same. This is not really the case. There are many different types and styles of lenses, and your eye doctor will work with you to determine which are best suited to your needs. The following are three of the most common types of prescription contact lenses that offer various benefits for patients.

Daily Wear Contact Lenses

These are contact lenses that are only meant to be worn for one day. In other words, each morning, you put in a new set of contact lenses, and at the end of the day, you throw them away. These lenses work really well for patients who are really prone to eye infections. There's much less chance of bacterial growth since you are not storing the lenses overnight. Daily wear lenses are also convenient for people who travel since you do not need to worry about storage. Your eye doctor may also recommend these lenses if you only wear contacts every now and then.

Extended Wear Lenses

Some people like to wear contact lenses overnight as they sleep. If you have a job that requires you to get up and immediately jump into action — such as working as a firefighter or EMT — these can be really beneficial. Typically, you need to take the lenses out once a week and give your eyes a break, but you can put this off for a day or two if your schedule so demands. Extended wear lenses breathe more than regular lenses, which helps protect you from eye infections even though you don't remove them at night.

Tinted Lenses

Have you always wished your eyes were a different color? Then tinted lenses might be for you. The central portion of the lens is lightly tinted to make your eye look a different color. You can see through these lenses like any other contacts. Typically, tinted lenses are standard-use lenses that you have to take out every night and change out every one to two weeks. They do allow less oxygen permeation than some other lens types, so they may not be a good choice if you're prone to infections or eye dryness.

Remember, these are just three of the most common types of contact lenses; there are others. Talk to your eye doctor about your needs, and they can make a recommendation.