Gas Permeable Contact
Lenses
Benefits of Gas Permeable Contact Lenses
Gas permeable contact lenses offer the best of both worlds.
Rigid but less so than traditional hard contact lenses, gas
permeable contact lenses are very cost effective as well.
Due to the fact that they're more rigid, they are better at
correcting vision than soft contact lenses. This is due to
the structure of the polymers used to make these lenses. The
oxygen-permeable materials are better able to hold onto the
lens shape and better shape means of which vision is crisper
and clearer.
Gas permeable lenses have even more benefits than comfort
and better vision although those reasons alone make these
lenses worthy of consideration. Different from the soft contact
lenses which contain a lot of water, gas permeable lenses
are better able to prevent protein deposits from building
up on the lenses. And because the water content is much lower,
these contacts are less prone to develop bacteria. Both are
important steps in keeping eyes healthy.
Another benefit of gas permeable contact lenses is that even
though the plastic is more durable, it has made the handling
of lenses easier and less prone to damage, oxygen is still
able to flow through, hence helping to keep eyes from becoming
dry or irritated.
The high gas permeability is also the factor which makes
these materials perfect for use in extended wear contact lenses.
Eyes can breathe better, and the lens design has ensured that
tiny bits of bacteria and other particles can be flushed from
the eye rather than trapped on the eye.
Gas permeable lenses are not as fragile as soft contact lenses.
They not easy to be torn or out as easily and if cared for
properly, each lens should last a long time. If you wear soft
lenses, you know how easily they tear, how often you're reaching
for replacement lenses and how often you're reordering. The
cost of disposable lenses adds up quickly, and for some, switching
for gas permeable lenses actually helps to save money.
With all of these benefits and more, gas permeable contact
lenses should be the number 1 choice among contact lens wearers.
But they're not. Why aren't these lenses the most popular
type?
There are times when comfort is compromised. With permeable
lenses, there is usually an adaptation period and for the
first few days or more of wearing gas permeable lenses, some
wearers feel much discomfort. However, once you are adapted
to the lenses, it will be back to measuring high on the comfort
meter. But when people don't wear gas permeable lenses on
a regular basis, they sometimes have to go through the adjustment
period over and over.
Another unpleasant side effect is that upon removal, you
might notice blurry spots which can take a day or so to clear
up. Due to this factor, there's a tendency to stop wearing
the lenses, however, if you have done so, the adaptation period
has to restart. It becomes somewhat of a Catch-22 situation.
Generally, gas permeable contact lenses feel great and can
be a great deal, but understand that once you start wearing
this type of contact lens, it might be a lifelong commitment.
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