Contacts Lenses – The Rigid and The Soft

Contact lenses come in many different designs, sizes, wearability and material, but basically there are two main common types of lens, rigid and soft.

The Rigid.

These lenses include PMMA(hard) lenses and Gas Permeable, lenses plus some specialist lenses used for cosmetic reasons. PMMA lenses were the first small lens available and have been around for over 50 years. They were called hard lenses because the material is very robust and lenses can last over 15 years.  Their disadvantages are that they are not good for corneal health as during wear the cornea doesn’t get enough oxygen and they are also the most difficult to get used to!

Gas Permeable lenses were developed in the 70’s to overcome the main disadvantages of the rigid lens. As the name implies, the materials allows oxygen through it to allow the cornea to breath. Gas permeable lenses are a group of materials which are continually under development to get the best conditions for the health of the eye. They are also more comfortable than the hard lenses – a distinct advantage.

The Soft

Soft lenses are exactly that, soft, flexible and the most comfortable type of lens. Although probably second best to gas permeable lenses for eye health, their advantages outweigh this for most people.  The materials available allow flexibility of wear, for a few hours, one day a week for golf to 24 hours a day. Not all people are suitable for all types of wearing schedules, but with each material development, more people can benefit from lens wear.