Are Gas-Permeable Lenses Right For You?
Posted on: 5 February 2019
If you're like most people, you're likely familiar with soft contact lenses, however they aren't the best choice if you have a certain prescription or eye issue. Contact lenses were originally made of glass, but they were often impractical and came with a variety of inconveniences. Today, modern soft lenses have become popular, but there is a type of hard contact lens that is still available. Here is more information on these modern hard contact lenses, called gas-permeable lenses, and how they can help improve your vision.
Types Of Gas-Permeable Contact Lenses
While the first hard contact lenses were made of solid glass back in the late 1800's, modern hard lenses are made of moderately-rigid plastics. These type of lenses have the advantage of staying clear and not breaking down as quickly as regular soft lenses. They are smaller in diameter than soft lenses and only cover part of the cornea. However, large scleral gas-permeable lenses that cover the entire cornea and part of all of the whites of the eyes are available.
Conditions Where Gas-Permeable Contacts Work Better
Gas-permeable contact lenses provide very sharp vision for all vision problems, but they are especially helpful if you have a severe astigmatism or other corneal issues. These lenses don't change their shape, so they can provide consistent vision correction over a long period. Scleral lenses are often the best choice if you still need correction after laser surgery or you have keratoconus. Scleral lenses are especially ideal if you have a severely irregular cornea and your vision cannot be adequately corrected by glasses.
Considerations For Gas-Permeable Contact Lenses
Gas-permeable contact lenses take a little time to adjust to and you should wear them at least several times a week to stay adapted. Otherwise, you may experience discomfort after not wearing them for a while. Standard-size gas-permeable lenses are smaller than soft lenses and have an increased chance of becoming dislodged. This may make them less then ideal if you play certain sports. Because they tend to move around more, there is an increase chance of getting dust under the lens and having it scratch your cornea.
While gas-permeable contact lenses are not right for everyone, if you have special issues with your cornea, or a difficult prescription, and you must wear contact lenses, then they could be right for you. If you decide to wear these type of lenses, make sure you wear them as much as possible to keep your eyes adjusted. Always follow up with your optometrist at the recommended intervals to keep your eyes healthy.
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