Disposable soft contact lenses are designed to be worn for a short period of time and then thrown away. They've been around since 1987 and are made in such a way that they're produced and sold so inexpensively they can be discarded. Disposable lenses are very thin and have a high water content. They're available in tints and bifocals. In general, there's a minimal risk of eye infection if the wearing instructions are followed. There are two types of disposables: planned-replacement and extended-wear. Planned-replacement can be worn on a daily-wear basis and thrown away after two weeks, a month, or whatever planned amount of time is determined by an eye doctor. Extended-wear disposables can be left in your eyes for a number of days without removing them and then discarded. If disposable lenses are worn on a daily-wear basis, they must be cleaned and disinfected daily. There are also one-day replacement lenses, designed to be worn for only a day and then thrown away. They can provide the health benefits, comfort, and clear vision of a new lens every day, combined with no required lens care. Some disadvantages of disposable lenses are that your vision may not be as sharp as with rigid gas- permeable lenses, RGPs (R-G-Ps), and disposables don't correct all vision problems. Handling them may also be more difficult. Although they're less expensive individually than non-disposables, the cost of daily or weekly replacement can be higher overall. If you're wearing disposable lenses, you'll have to carefully follow the schedule for throwing away used lenses. You should also have your vision checked more often than if you wear other types of lenses, usually every three to six months.
©2006 Crossroads Mobile. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
