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July 31, 2006
Contact Lenses for Kids
There's no age restriction on contact lenses for kids. In fact, even very young children can wear them and many do for a variety of reasons. How can one decide whether contact lenses for kids make sense? Like any decision, it's important to consider the benefits against the disadvantages.
Contact lenses for kids make sense for the same reasons they do for adults. They help enhance appearance, they are comfortable to wear and they are a good choice for improving vision. Add to these reasons the facts that fitting a child isn't an issue and that children have all the same options as adults including daily wear, extended wear, continuous wear and disposable and it's difficult to argue against contact lenses for kids.
Kids who participate in sports find that wearing contact lenses is much easier than dealing with the hassle involved in wearing eyeglasses. Eyeglasses and sports aren't always a good match. They break more frequently and replacing children's eyeglasses isn't cheap!
Kids can be cruel, and children who wear eyeglasses find that they're frequently subjected to unnecessary taunting and name-calling. Such behavior can seriously impact a child's self-esteem and confidence, especially when they're young and don't know how to disregard the words being said.
Studies have shown that contact lenses for kids, in particular rigid gas permeable styles, have the added benefit of helping to keep nearsightedness from progressing.
There is something else to consider before making a final decision, however. Although a child's age isn't necessarily a consideration, a parent may wish to consider a child's maturity level. With the decision to wear contact lenses comes an understanding that the wearer has certain responsibilities that must be upheld. Since no two children mature at the same pace, a parent really is the only person who can make this determination.
It helps to think about the ways in which the child does or does not currently show responsibility. For example, how is the child at caring for pets, or at finishing chores or at completing school assignments?
If a child isn't yet mature enough to handle the responsibility, the parent then has to determine whether he or she is willing to take responsibility for cleaning, maintenance, insertion and removal of the contact lenses and also for scheduling eye examinations and follow-up visits as necessary.
If a child is mature and is motivated, that child likely will be a good candidate. And since most children take instruction well, especially when someone other than a parent gives it, they generally are very good at wearing and caring for contact lenses as they've been instructed by the eye doctor.
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Contact lenses for kids do present the same risks as adults have including a higher incidence of eye infection, dryness or abrasion. Some children, even though they may be very motivated, are not good candidates for wearing contact lenses either.
As always when in doubt, talk the decision over with someone who has experience prescribing contact lenses for kids.
Posted by Vision at 12:19 PM | Comments (0)
July 30, 2006
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 extremely comfortable. And because they're more rigid, they are better at correcting vision than soft contact lenses. It all has to do with 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 that vision is crisper and clearer.
Gas permeable lenses offer even more benefits than comfort and better vision although those reasons alone make these lenses worthy of consideration. Unlike soft contact lenses which contain much water, gas permeable lenses are better able to prevent protein deposits from accumulating on the lenses. And because the water content is much lower, these contacts are less likely to harbor 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, which makes handling the lenses easier and less prone to damage, oxygen is still able to flow through, helping to keep eyes from becoming dry or irritated. The high gas permeability is also what makes these materials perfect for use in extended wear contact lenses. Eyes can breathe better, and the lens design ensures 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 flimsy as soft contact lenses. They won't tear or dry 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 frequently 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 saves 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. There is an adaptation period and for the first few days or more of wearing gas permeable lenses, some wearers feel much discomfort. Once the eyes adjust, the lenses are 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 again and even again.
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Another unfavorable side effect is that upon removal, blurry spots sometimes appear and can take a day or so to clear up. Because of this, there's a tendency to stop wearing the lenses, but in doing so, the adaptation period has to restart. It becomes somewhat of a Catch-22 situation. 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 can turn into a lifelong commitment.
Posted by Vision at 12:24 PM | Comments (0)
July 29, 2006
Prosthetic Contact Lenses
When you look at someone, one of the first things you notice is the other person's eyes. What you may not notice is that sometimes, those eyes that peer back are covered with prosthetic contact lenses. Prosthesis is any artificially-created device that's been created to replace a body part. Most often it's the prosthetic limbs that grab the media attention, but prosthesis can be created for various body parts including heart valves, teeth and even the eyes.
Prosthetic contact lenses are not the same as prosthetic eyes. When just the lens needs replacement, it means that the eye still is intact. The prosthetic contact lens fits right over the eye, just as any type of contact lens would. It requires the same type of maintenance routine as other types of contact lenses and it feels the same, too.
Prosthetic contact lenses are perfect for people who have suffered an eye injury that has caused the eye to become somehow disfigured. They're also worn by individuals who have lived with an eye defect since birth. Such injuries and defects can leave the eye looking abnormal. For example, sometimes there is one big black circle where normally there would be a dark pupil surrounded by an eye color. A condition known as albinism might result in one eye being lighter in color than the other. The pupils might for some reason be misshapen or a person may have a deficiency in his or her color vision.
Prosthetic lenses can also be used to realign an eye that has 'crossed'. No surgery is involved and when the lens is put into place, the colored part of the eye appears to be in its 'normal' position in the center of the white area as opposed to the corner. Prosthetic contact lenses can disguise such inconsistencies making the eyes less awkward to look at and leaving the affected individual with a much higher level of self-confidence.
These contact lenses aren't always needed to correct a vision problem, although they can easily be made that way. Oftentimes, they're purely cosmetic in nature. Since each reason for needing prosthetic contact lenses is unique, so too is the manufacturing process. The easiest way to create this type of prosthetic device is to work from close-up pictures that have been taken of both eyes. Digital photographs work best and provide the truest colors making it much easier to match eye color and any unique eye coloring patterns.
Caring for prosthetic contact lenses is no different from normal contact lens maintenance routines. Because of the hand-crafted nature of these lenses, they generally are not made to be disposable. That means daily cleaning and disinfecting and weekly enzyme cleansing routines to remove protein build-up are important to both preserving the coloring of the contact lenses as well as preserving the health of the eye.
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If you feel you could benefit from prosthetic contact lenses, discuss this option with your eye doctor.
Posted by Vision at 12:25 PM | Comments (0)
July 28, 2006
The Different Types of Contact Lenses
The types of contact lenses available today are nearly as numerous as the corrective issues they're designed to correct. But today's contact lenses don't even need to be corrective in nature. Many are purely aesthetic, enabling a wearer to change eye color from brown to violet, for example, or to change from the appearance of human eyes into eyes that resemble that of a cat or wolf or even an alien!
Contact lens prescriptions include information on proper fit, measuring such attributes as curvature and diameter. But the prescription also contains other pertinent information such as proper measurements for correcting vision as well as the brand of contact lens believed most suitable for the patient's situation.
It's not necessary to understand all the different makes and models of contact lenses. That's more the responsibility of vision specialists since they're the ones responsible for making the final determination based on their training, knowledge and past experience.
There are several ways to categorize contact lenses. One way is to categorize contacts by material type. Plastic is the material of choice when it comes to contact lenses. Its fluid nature enables a more comfortable fit and its availability makes contact lenses more affordable. Plastic lenses fall into 3 general categories including gas permeable, hard and soft.
Another way to categorize contact lenses is by their wear and replacement schedules. As for wear schedules there are daily wear and extended wear lenses. Daily wear lenses are designed to be inserted and removed every day whereas extended wear contact lenses can remain in place for one to several weeks before removing.
And based on replacement schedules, there are disposable contact lenses and non-disposable. Daily wear disposable are worn once and then throw right away, completely eliminating the need for cleaning. Regular disposable contacts are worn several weeks before being thrown away. Again, the goal with disposables is less maintenance which lowers the risks of infection and other eye problems. Non-disposables require careful and regular maintenance as they don't get replaced until torn or until a patient's prescription changes.
And finally there are some special kind contact lenses. Theatrical contact lenses started out being designed for and used by actors and other performers. Giving eyes the ability to change from normal-looking to horrific and demonic, theatrical lenses are gaining in popularity among everyday users. Used primarily as a way to change a person's look, the lenses generally are not designed for corrective purposes, but they do require a prescription for proper fitting.
Besides theatrical lenses, there are contact lenses that offer protection against damaging ultraviolet light - lenses called varichrome that darken when exposed to bright sunlight making sunglasses an unnecessary accessory, and contact lenses designed to change the color of one's eyes.
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Then there are the specialized contact lenses such as toric lenses that correct more troublesome astigmatisms, bifocal contact lenses which help a person see both close up and far away, spherical or aspherical lenses, and monovision lenses in which one lens assists with close up vision and the other lens is dedicated to distance vision.
Posted by Vision at 12:28 PM | Comments (0)
July 27, 2006
Bifocal Contact Lenses
Nature intended for us to see both near and far, but for some reason nature also decided that as people aged, these vision-enhancing abilities would begin to diminish. The condition in which the lens in the eye becomes less flexible with age is called presbyopia and it causes a diminishing ability to see objects up close. Fortunately bifocal contact lenses can help correct what nature has taken away.
Up until recently the only choice that people affected by presbyopia had was an eyeglass prescription. The look at first was quite noticeable, with a line cutting horizontally across each lens. People wearing bifocal eyeglasses tended to keep the glasses perched towards the tip of the nose and the head would adjust upwards or down, depending on whether the person was looking close up or far away. The line along the lens gave way to clear lenses, and that was a huge improvement. Then finally, the bifocal contact lens was created.
Bifocal contact lenses are becoming more popular with each passing year, especially as the elderly strive to fight the signs of aging. Like the eyeglass lens, each bifocal contact lens actually includes two different prescriptions. One of the prescriptions will be such that distance vision, if it's a problem, will be corrected. The second of the two prescriptions will enhance near distance.
There are three ways that the two prescriptions can be situated on a contact lens. Both of the prescriptions can be centered within the cornea so that they are within the boundaries of the pupil. With this placement, the eyes learn to decide and adjust to the prescription that's needed at the moment. That is known as simultaneous placement.
Translating placement is similar to that of bifocal eyeglass lenses - the top portion of the lens has the prescription for near vision and the bottom half has the prescription for distance. Another option is the placement of the different prescriptions in concentric circles with one prescription situated in the outermost circle, and the other within the inner circle.
Bifocal contact lenses are readily available as all the major manufacturers now produce at least one version. They are just as effective at correcting presbyopia as eyeglass prescriptions, so the decision as to which is better is based on the individual and his or her willingness to put forth the extra effort needed to wear and care for bifocal contact lenses. In addition to the various prescription placement options, wearers can choose bifocal contact lenses in extended wear, daily wear and disposable styles.
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Someone new to wearing bifocal contact lenses should expect an adjustment period as the eye needs time to learn how to adjust to the different prescriptions. At first, vision can cause a feeling of being 'off-balance' and this can be bothersome but it does pass. It may be necessary to switch to a different type of prescription placement, but once the right one is found, there should be no further problems.
Posted by Vision at 12:29 PM | Comments (0)
July 26, 2006
Contact Lens Maintenance
Many people don't realize how important proper contact lens maintenance really is. When you think about it, wearing contact lenses isn't natural. What you're actually doing is willingly placing foreign objects into your eyes which are some of the most sensitive parts of the body. You wouldn't normally allow something unsanitary into your body, yet people place dirty contact lenses into their eyes all the time!
If that's what you do, you need to stop immediately. Then you need to either change your contact lens prescription to disposable lenses which require little or no maintenance, or you need to have your eye doctor remind you of the steps involved in proper contact lens maintenance. Following the eye doctor's recommendations is the key to success because contact lenses and cleaning products are not created equally.
More often than not, contact lens maintenance involves using one of the commercially-available multi-purpose solutions that take care of cleaning, disinfecting, rinsing and storage. After removing a contact lens, with hands that have first been washed using non-moisturizing soap, shoot the lens with a steady stream of the multi-purpose solution for a minimum of 20-seconds (or as directed), making sure that both sides of the lens are sprayed. Some solutions require that the contacts be rubbed in the palm of the hand using a clean fingertip to help loosen dirt, protein, cosmetics and other debris. Be sure to rinse each lens as directed as this is an important step in helping rid the lens of foreign matter.
Then, fill a clean storage unit with that same solution and place the cleaned lens into the appropriately labeled storage container. While the lenses are being stored, the solution will disinfect them. Repeat these steps for the other lens.
The maintenance steps generally are the same regardless of whether you wear soft contacts or gas permeable lenses. Because the maintenance steps were so frequently being skipped, it was important to devise ways to make cleaning as quick and as simple as possible. Again, your eye doctor is the person who should advise you on a suitable maintenance routine and to whom you should turn when questions arise.
Those wearing daily contact lenses that aren't disposable usually need to add an extra step to their maintenance routines, especially if they wear soft lenses or older styles of gas permeable lenses that are more prone to protein build-up. As an extra precaution, using an enzyme cleaner weekly (or as directed) is highly recommended.
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Everything that may come into contact with your contact lenses must be kept clean. That includes fingers, hands, tips of solution bottles and storage containers.
Never use water for cleaning. It may contain contaminants and it's too harsh for some lenses.
Develop a cleaning routine and stick with it. Never change without first checking with your eye doctor or specialist.
If maintenance isn't happening on a regular basis, switch to disposable lenses. You're the type of person for whom these lenses were invented!
Posted by Vision at 12:32 PM | Comments (0)
July 25, 2006
Daily versus Extended Wear Contact Lenses
One of the biggest advancements in contact lens technology has been the development of the extended wear lens. Extended wear contact lenses can be left in place around the clock for seven days (and longer depending on the type of material used) before needing to be removed. Prior to that, only daily wear contact lenses were available.
The key difference between daily wear and extended wear contact lenses is the flow of oxygen. Extended wear lenses can transfer oxygen from the air through the contact lenses and onto the cornea so that it can breathe. When the cornea doesn't get an adequate supply of oxygen, it is susceptible to a number of different eye problems including giant papillary conjunctivitis and corneal edema.
Extended wear contact lenses are perfect for busy people because they require minimal maintenance. They're also a good choice for individuals who work odd hours and double shifts such as doctors and firefighters. Extended wear disposable lenses are the most convenient because they're simply thrown away after they're removed.
The first extended wear lenses were not designed to be thrown away. Wearers reinserted the same pair after removing them for routine cleaning and disinfecting. Because it was not possible to completely cleanse and disinfect these lenses, infections and irritations were common. Infections, although more rare, are still a risk and those who choose extended wear lenses are advised to get frequent eye examinations.
Even though they're convenient, these lenses are not right for everyone. Some are uncomfortable with the idea of leaving their contacts in while sleeping. They think (incorrectly) that they might become lost inside the eye and such thoughts can cause anxiety. For others, the eyes just aren't able to get enough oxygen, and they need to switch to daily lenses.
Daily wear soft lenses have always been the most popular of the contact lens types. They're soft and comfortable, cause minimal eye problems and they're easy to get used to. Because they are made mostly of water, they adhere well and float freely on the surface of the eyes.
They're perfect for those involved in sports and hobbies where wearing eyeglasses can become a safety issue. They're made from a more durable plastic than disposable daily wear lenses so they're not as likely to tear from handling. And since these lenses don't need to be replaced until they either become damaged or the wearer's prescription changes, they can be the most cost effective of the various types of lenses.
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The downside of daily wear soft contact lenses is that they do require routine maintenance. They need to be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed before they're stored otherwise protein will begin building up. Although daily cleaning takes only minutes, it's an easy step to skip because to the naked eye, the contacts don't appear 'dirty'. Disposable daily wear lenses are practically maintenance-free and are a better choice if the wearer is not disciplined enough to follow a regular contact lens cleaning schedule. They're still removed daily, but they're disposed after a few weeks.
Posted by Vision at 12:34 PM | Comments (0)
July 24, 2006
Hard versus Soft Contact Lenses
There was a time when rigid (hard) lenses were the only options. Today however, these relics have been replaced by widely accepted, more flexible materials. Hard contact lenses are so rarely prescribed in fact that nowadays they're practically obsolete!
Hard contact lenses...
Early hard contact lenses were made out of polymethyl methacrylate or PMMA, also known as Lucite. This material was very uncomfortable but it did allow vision correction without any distortion. It took people a long time to get used to wearing hard contact lenses and they also required a considerable amount of maintenance.
The material used to make hard contact lenses caused other problems as well. It was non-gas permeable meaning that it did not allow much oxygen to flow through. Because of this, people were advised against wearing hard lenses for more than 12 hours at a time. It's no wonder few people still wear this type of lens and even fewer vision specialists prescribe them.
Soft contact lenses
Fortunately, technological advances led to the creation of a more comfortable lens – the soft contact lens. These lenses are prescribed most often because practically anyone can wear them. Soft contact lenses are made with water so they float more freely on the surface of the eye. Because they're so comfortable, it's easy for people to get used to wearing them. In addition, the lens is very porous which means that oxygen can freely pass through the lens where it can reach the cornea.
This comfort does come at a price, but fortunately, it's a small one. Soft lenses are not as durable as other types of lenses meaning they're more likely to tear, even when being handled under normal circumstances. Another downside of soft contact lenses is that vision isn't as sharp as it can be with other types of corrective lenses. But even though vision might not be as crisp, it's clear enough that most people don't even notice it's lacking.
Another potential negative is that soft contact lenses are more susceptible to protein build-up. Over time such build-up can distort or negatively impact vision. The build-up of protein also can cause discomfort. For these reasons, the importance of properly caring for soft contact lenses cannot be stressed enough.
Luckily, as fast as the technology behind contact lenses is evolving, so too is the market for contact lens cleaning and disinfecting solutions. In the beginning, there was a separate product for each step: cleaning, rinsing, disinfecting and storage. Now, one product can easily handle all the steps, without needing to rub the lenses to remove protein deposits.
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For those who either don't have the time or who aren't disciplined enough to properly care for their soft contact lenses, disposable contact lenses are usually the perfect solution. These soft contact lenses are designed to be thrown away after a certain period of time, daily, weekly or monthly. Since the lenses are thrown away rather than continually reused, the chances of bacterial infection and/or protein build-up are greatly reduced.
If it's a choice between hard contact lenses and soft, soft wins hands down!
Posted by Vision at 09:15 AM | Comments (0)
July 23, 2006
Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses
The latest improvements to hit the contact lens market are silicone hydrogel contact lenses. Categorized as a soft contact lens, this new material is surpassing rigid gas permeable contact lenses in the areas of comfort and clarity. What is it about silicone hydrogel contact lenses that give them such capabilities?
It all comes down to the material that's used. Unlike standard soft contact lenses which are made using a considerable amount of water, these contact lenses contain silicone. Silicone is highly gas-permeable and as such it allows the free flow of ample amounts of oxygen through each of the lenses. Such a flow ensures that the cornea gets a continuous supply of oxygen which promotes a healthier eye.
When the cornea gets sufficient oxygen, the corneal epithelium is more likely to remain intact and that's necessary for ensuring clear and acute vision. When the epithelium breaks down, microbial keratitis may become an issue. These new lenses, because of their low water content, are also effective at keeping bacteria from adhering to the lens surface. That greatly reduces the likelihood of a microbial infection.
Another benefit of these lenses is that because of their low water content, they are less likely to dry out after extended periods of wear. This is not the case with standard soft contact lenses which regularly dehydrate and need constant replacement. Plus, the plastic materials used in soft lenses are not gas permeable meaning that oxygen can only reach the cornea by passing through the water. Since water is far less permeable than silicone, insufficient oxygen can become a problem.
The people who may benefit most from lenses made with silicone are those who prefer extended or continuous wear contact lenses. Several contact lens manufacturers have come up with silicone hydrogel contact lenses that can be worn up to 30 days, day and night, without needing to be removed. At the end of the 30-day period, the pair is thrown away and a new pair is inserted. Most brands using silicone, however, are still only approved for 7-day usage.
When comparing silicone hydrogel contact lenses to other types of daily wear contact lenses, the benefits are not as noticeable. There is minimal difference in comfort levels, but more importantly, only a few prescriptions are so far offered using the new silicone hydrogel materials. That alone places a significant limitation on who is and is not a viable candidate for silicone hydrogel contact lenses.
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If a person is comfortable with extended wear lenses, and has the correct prescription, silicone hydrogel contact lenses can be an affordable and safer alternative to undergoing LASIK eye surgery. LASIK surgery costs are in the range of $2,000 and that's per eye! For many people, the procedure is unaffordable especially since most health insurance policies consider it to be cosmetic surgery and won't cover the costs. LASIK is a surgical procedure and as with any type of surgery, there are risks involved and success cannot be guaranteed.
Posted by Vision at 09:17 AM | Comments (0)
July 22, 2006
Where to Buy Contact Lenses
Contact lenses, even those that are purely theatrical in purpose, cannot be purchased without first obtaining a prescription. This might sound confusing however there is a simple explanation: in the United States, this is the law.
With prescription in hand, an individual can purchase contact lenses anywhere he or she chooses. That's an important point because by law, an eye doctor is required to give patients copies of their prescriptions upon request.
At the office
Very often, contact lenses can be purchased right at the optometrist's (or ophthalmologist's) office. The eye specialist will generally recommend this since it provides an opportunity to have the patient return. Once back in the office, the patient can put in the newly purchased lenses enabling the eye specialist to review the fit and talk about other issues as necessary such as proper care and follow-up appointments.
The biggest advantage of buying contact lenses directly from the eye doctor is convenience. Should the prescription not be right, the problem prescription can be remedied right away. While such a scenario isn't common, it does happen. The downside is that you generally won't get the best deal price-wise. The costs of such personalized attention likely will be built into the cost of the contact lenses. So what's really most important to judge is the overall value of shopping at the office.
Retail outlets and Internet
Many retail and discounted outlets sell contact lenses, and the most common prescriptions likely will be available without having to place special orders. Individuals with common prescriptions and/or who have been wearing the same prescription for years already know that fit won't be an issue so they are more likely to look for sources offering the best price and quickest availability. Besides competitive prices and quick availability, retail outlets offer convenience. Some have eye care specialists working on site so assistance is never far away. Be sure to check the return policy just in case there's a problem.
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Purchasing contact lenses via the Internet is very popular nowadays. Ordering is easy and so is comparing prices. Once you've located an Internet outlet, you'll need to fax a copy of the prescription along with your order. The prescription will need validation, but this generally won't take long. Buying contact lenses via the Internet is fast, convenient and the price will be right, but be sure of your source before ordering. It should reputable and secure and ideally it should offer access to customer service should assistance be needed. Also check out the costs of shipping and handling before ordering as they can add quite a bit to the order total.
Posted by Vision at 09:33 AM | Comments (0)
