Debunking Contact Lens Myths

Thinking about contact lenses? But unsure if you are cut out for contact lenses? We will attempt to debunk the most common CL fears.

Fear of touching your eye!

It is only natural to be afraid of putting in a piece of plastic into your eye! Just remember that in the US 1 in 6 people is a contact lens wearer. So you’re not alone and every single contact lens wearer was apprehensive at the onset.

Learning how to wear your  lenses is like riding a bike . It may seem daunting at the beginning but once you get the hang of it , it will just be the next part of your daily morning routine after brushing your teeth.

In reality you never touch your eye , you simply hold your eyelids firmly apart and insert the lens over your eye. Your eye care professional will give you clear instructions on how to insert your lens and how to remove. You can view a video on this here.

Discomfort

Lens materials have leaped bounds over the last 10 years and contact lenses have become more comfortable than ever. The secret is finding the right lens for you. Do not be afraid to experiment, always under the supervision of your eye care professional.

How do I know which lens to buy? With so many  brands on the market it is very easy to feel at a loss as to where to begin .  Most Brands will offer you trial lenses so you can always test a pair before purchasing . It is important to ask yourself the following questions in order to stream line your options.

Why do I want to wear lenses? Is it for sports? Dance ? gym ? going out?

When one starts out wearing lenses it is usually with the intention of wearing them occasionally. For occasional wear daily disposable contact lenses are the right choice. You just wear a pair when you require them and throw them out once your’e done. However if you intend to wear your lenses on a daily basis probably monthly disposables will be a more cost effective option for you. Again your eye care professional can guide you .

How long will I be wearing my lenses ? Is your plan to wear them a couple of hours or for 4-6 hours or more daily? In such cases silicone hydrogel contact lenses allow more comfortable wear at extended hours as they allow more more oxygen to enter the eye. You can see our blog here on silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

What can I afford? If money is not an issue for you then Daily disposable contact lenses are surely the option from a health as well as a convenience aspect. Daily contact lenses are available in silicone hydrogel as well as water gradient contact lenses. If on the other hand you would like to restrict your allotted budget on contact lenses you can opt for monthly disposables.

Risk of Infection – well contact lenses are medical devices which are inserted into the eye and require the correct handling and hygienic techniques. It is important that you read up about these and avoid at all costs the common mistakes contact lens wearers make when wearing contact lenses. We have a very handy do’s and don’t’s list right here. Be sure to read it.

Losing lens behind the eye – this is a myth , your lens cannot get lost behind your eye. Don’t worry about this AT ALL!