Choosing to wear contact lenses instead of prescription glasses has many benefits. Increased comfort, freedom from bulky eyewear and improved peripheral benefits top the list of reasons why people switch to contacts from glasses. There are several different types of contact lenses on the market. Ensuring that you choose the best contact lenses for yourself will take some time and effort. You must familiarize yourself with what’s available, what the differences are between varieties of contact lenses, and what will suit your lifestyle and needs best. Of course, the first step in switching from glasses to contacts (or just getting contacts for vision correction) is to visit your eye doctor. It must be determined that you actually need corrective lenses and that contact lenses are appropriate for you. After that, your doctor will give you a prescription for your corrective lenses.

If you arm yourself with information prior to visiting your eye doctor, you will be better prepared to make decisions regarding some of the different options available to you.

Soft Contact Lenses

Soft contact lenses are made of soft, pliable plastics. Soft contact lenses appear to be more comfortable and easy to adjust to other types of lenses. Soft lenses allow oxygen to reach your cornea.

Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses

While rigid gas permeable lenses (or RGP’s) are harder and stiffer than soft contact lenses, they do not bear any relation to the old style of “hard” contacts. Most rigid gas permeable lenses contain an amount of silicone, which is oxygen permeable. This means that oxygen can passes through the lenses and can get through to your eyes. On average, rigid gas permeable lenses last longer than soft contact lenses. They may also provide better vision, durability and deposit resistance. RGP’s can be easier to clean and due to their long-lasting quality may prove to be cheaper in the long run.

Toric Lenses

Toric lenses are designed to have the effect of a cylindrical lens, usually in combination with the effect of a spherical lens. Nearsighted and farsighted people who also have astigmatism are prime candidates for toric lenses. Usually, these people have been told they are not suitable for regular contact lenses, but may be able to use toric lenses.

If one of your eyes has astigmatism and the other does not, you may be told to use a spherical lens in one eye and a toric lens in the other. Toric lenses are made from the same materials as regular contact lenses but have a few notable differences. Some of these differences include:
- They are not symmetrical and may contain a specific “top” and “bottom”
- They must be designed to maintain their orientation
- They correct for both cylindrical aberration and spherical aberration
- They may be a bit more expensive and are generally intended for extended wear

Vial Lenses

Vial contact lenses are basically rigid gas permeable lens that are designed to be worn for up to a year. Vial lenses must be removed, cleaned and sterilized on a daily basis. Vial lenses can be either soft or rigid. The main difference between vial lenses and other types of contact lenses lies in the amount of time that one pair of lenses will last. Though daily wear contact lenses and disposable lenses have grown in popularity, may people still prefer the durability of rigid gas permeable vial lenses. Vial lenses last a long time and are said to provide excellent vision correction. On the other hand, they tend to be thicker than disposable lenses and can take a while to get used to.

Consider Your Needs

After getting familiar with what each type of contact lens offers, consider your lifestyle and needs in order to determine what’s best for you.

Choosing to wear contact lenses instead of prescription glasses has many benefits. Increased comfort, freedom from bulky eyewear and improved peripheral benefits top the list of reasons why people switch to contacts from glasses. There are several different types of contact lenses on the market. Ensuring that you choose the best contact lenses for yourself will take some time and effort. You must familiarize yourself with what’s available, what the differences are between varieties of contact lenses, and what will suit your lifestyle and needs best. Of course, the first step in switching from glasses to contacts (or just getting contacts for vision correction) is to visit your eye doctor. It must be determined that you actually need corrective lenses and that contact lenses are appropriate for you. After that, your doctor will give you a prescription for your corrective lenses.

If you arm yourself with information prior to visiting your eye doctor, you will be better prepared to make decisions regarding some of the different options available to you.

Soft Contact Lenses

Soft contact lenses are made of soft, pliable plastics. Soft contact lenses appear to be more comfortable and easy to adjust to other types of lenses. Soft lenses allow oxygen to reach your cornea.

Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses

While rigid gas permeable lenses (or RGP’s) are harder and stiffer than soft contact lenses, they do not bear any relation to the old style of “hard” contacts. Most rigid gas permeable lenses contain an amount of silicone, which is oxygen permeable. This means that oxygen can passes through the lenses and can get through to your eyes. On average, rigid gas permeable lenses last longer than soft contact lenses. They may also provide better vision, durability and deposit resistance. RGP’s can be easier to clean and due to their long-lasting quality may prove to be cheaper in the long run.

Toric Lenses

Toric lenses are designed to have the effect of a cylindrical lens, usually in combination with the effect of a spherical lens. Nearsighted and farsighted people who also have astigmatism are prime candidates for toric lenses. Usually, these people have been told they are not suitable for regular contact lenses, but may be able to use toric lenses.

If one of your eyes has astigmatism and the other does not, you may be told to use a spherical lens in one eye and a toric lens in the other. Toric lenses are made from the same materials as regular contact lenses but have a few notable differences. Some of these differences include:
- They are not symmetrical and may contain a specific “top” and “bottom”
- They must be designed to maintain their orientation
- They correct for both cylindrical aberration and spherical aberration
- They may be a bit more expensive and are generally intended for extended wear

Vial Lenses

Vial contact lenses are basically rigid gas permeable lens that are designed to be worn for up to a year. Vial lenses must be removed, cleaned and sterilized on a daily basis. Vial lenses can be either soft or rigid. The main difference between vial lenses and other types of contact lenses lies in the amount of time that one pair of lenses will last. Though daily wear contact lenses and disposable lenses have grown in popularity, may people still prefer the durability of rigid gas permeable vial lenses. Vial lenses last a long time and are said to provide excellent vision correction. On the other hand, they tend to be thicker than disposable lenses and can take a while to get used to.

Consider Your Needs

After getting familiar with what each type of contact lens offers, consider your lifestyle and needs in order to determine what’s best for you.