There are over 34 million contact wearers in America. The idea of contact lenses has been around for hundreds of years. It is said that the first person to conceptualize the idea of contact lenses was Leonardo da Vinci in the early 1500's. It wasn't until 1971 that soft contact lenses entered the market, followed by GP or gas permeable contact lenses in 1978. Extended wear contacts received FDA approval in 1981 and disposable contacts were introduced in 1987.Today's contact lenses do more than improve vision.
Some contacts are specifically manufactured to change eye color only. With dozens of different colors available some contact lens wearers change their eye color slightly, and some go for a totally different look, such as brown eye to green or blue eye to brown. There are contacts that have special effect lenses that produce effects on the eye such as jaguar and zebra stripes, a yellow cat eye with a vertical pupil, black spiral, stars & stripes and fire. The FDA considers lenses described above as cosmetic only. Depending on your state you may not need a prescription to purchase them.
If your contact lenses are to be corrective then you will require a prescription to purchase them.Another recent advancement in contact lenses is light filtering lenses. These lenses work as do lens specific sport sunglasses by filtering certain lights such as blue light, so that baseballs, golf balls and tennis balls are easier to see. There are also contact lenses that block ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light has been linked to cataract formation.There are many types of contact lenses available, hard contacts, gas permeable lenses and soft lenses. We will now give you some advantages, and disadvantages of each kind.
Hard contact lenses are less costly in the long run as they aren't replaced often, and actually allow the wearer better, clearer sight. Soft contact lenses are easier to fit than hard lenses. Gas permeable or GP lenses allow you eyes to breath better and will not dry your eye out as much as soft lenses. Soft lenses are comfortable from the moment you put them on whereas hard lenses at first are very uncomfortable and take some getting used to.There are safety concerns with any type of contact lenses. Extended wear contact lenses, soft or rigid, when worn long term and overnight can lead to risk of infection and corneal ulcers which can permanently damage eyesight.
Most ophthalmologists believe it is better for your eye that you do not wear any type of contact lens overnight. Cleanliness if also of utmost importance for lens wearers. To reduce the risk of infection you should only use commercial sterile saline solutions when cleaning your contact lenses.It is best to check with your licensed ophthalmologist to discuss which contact lens is best for you..
Article courtesy of http://www.lense-shopper.netTen Things To Know About Contact Lenses
1. How hard is it to get used to wearing contact lenses?Everybody adjusts to wearing contact lenses differently. How long it takes for a person's eyes adjust to wearing contact lenses varies and depends on the sensitivity of the eyes and also on the type of contact lenses being worn. Typically it will take from one day up to about two weeks.2. How do you take care of contact lenses?Proper care of contact lenses varies depending on the type prescribed.
Disposable and extended wear brands are simply thrown away after they are used. Soft contact lenses and gas permeable lenses require more care to ensure longevity and to protect against infecting the eyes.3. Do you have to be a certain age to wear contact lenses?Age does not matter as long as the person wearing contact lenses can responsibly care for them. If not cared for properly, contact lenses can become damaged or lost, and they can become infected and cause serious injury to the eyes. Parents should be part of the decision...
Ten Things To Know About Contact Lenses
Discount Contact Lenses
Contact lenses are very popular, both for cosmetic and medical reasons. Contact lenses now come in so many colors that we have a great range of choices available. However, the best way to obtain the right type of lenses for you would be to contact your ophthalmologist, optometrist or optician, who would be able to advise and guide you on what will be the best option for your eyes.
Even though contact lenses are more popularly known for cosmetic reasons, many have forgotten that contact lenses are actually medical devices that can only be fitted by an eye-care practitioner. It is important to learn the right method of placing the lenses in your eyes so that you do not damage your eyes in the process.
In the United States, it is not possible to legally purchase contact lenses unless you have a valid written prescription by a qualified eye-care practitioner.
There are various types of contact lenses to suit the needs of different individuals. Various types...
7 Ways to Find Cheap Contact Lenses
Have you ever bought contact lenses and wished that you could get them without spending so much money? If you have, you will be happy to know that there are a couple of ways to get cheap contact lenses without sacrificing quality or your prescription.
1- Most people tend to think that buying their contact lenses from the eye doctors' inventory is the most expensive way to get them. This isn't always the case; often times your doctor will have special pricing for a large supply of contact lenses. If you are willing to buy your lenses a year at a time, your doctor will probably, be able to match the prices of other suppliers.
2- Looking online may be a good source of cheap contact lenses, but it is a buyer beware world. When purchasing anything on the internet can be risky, this is especially true when you want to buy medical equipment. This is not to suggest, however, that the internet is a bad place to get contact lenses, just be sure that you are dealing...
7 Ways to Find Cheap Contact Lenses
Have you ever bought contact lenses and wished that you could get them without spending so much money? If you have, you will be happy to know that there are a couple of ways to get cheap contact lenses without sacrificing quality or your prescription.
1- Most people tend to think that buying their contact lenses from the eye doctors' inventory is the most expensive way to get them. This isn't always the case; often times your doctor will have special pricing for a large supply of contact lenses. If you are willing to buy your lenses a year at a time, your doctor will probably, be able to match the prices of other suppliers.
2- Looking online may be a good source of cheap contact lenses, but it is a buyer beware world. When purchasing anything on the internet can be risky, this is especially true when you want to buy medical equipment. This is not to suggest, however, that the internet is a bad place to get contact lenses, just be sure that you are dealing...
Contact Lenses A Better Vision Option
There are over 34 million contact wearers in America. The idea of contact lenses has been around for hundreds of years. It is said that the first person to conceptualize the idea of contact lenses was Leonardo da Vinci in the early 1500's. It wasn't until 1971 that soft contact lenses entered the market, followed by GP or gas permeable contact lenses in 1978. Extended wear contacts received FDA approval in 1981 and disposable contacts were introduced in 1987.Today's contact lenses do more than improve vision.
Some contacts are specifically manufactured to change eye color only. With dozens of different colors available some contact lens wearers change their eye color slightly, and some go for a totally different look, such as brown eye to green or blue eye to brown. There are contacts that have special effect lenses that produce effects on the eye such as jaguar and zebra stripes, a yellow cat eye with a vertical pupil, black spiral, stars & stripes and fire. The FDA considers...
Contact Lenses A Better Vision Option
Ten Things To Know About Contact Lenses
1. How hard is it to get used to wearing contact lenses?Everybody adjusts to wearing contact lenses differently. How long it takes for a person's eyes adjust to wearing contact lenses varies and depends on the sensitivity of the eyes and also on the type of contact lenses being worn. Typically it will take from one day up to about two weeks.2. How do you take care of contact lenses?Proper care of contact lenses varies depending on the type prescribed.
Disposable and extended wear brands are simply thrown away after they are used. Soft contact lenses and gas permeable lenses require more care to ensure longevity and to protect against infecting the eyes.3. Do you have to be a certain age to wear contact lenses?Age does not matter as long as the person wearing contact lenses can responsibly care for them. If not cared for properly, contact lenses can become damaged or lost, and they can become infected and cause serious injury to the eyes. Parents should be part of the decision...
Ten Things To Know About Contact Lenses
Colour Contact Lenses - Corrective, Therapeutic and Cosmetic
Contact lenses are classified as corrective, therapeutic, and cosmetic. For those who are short sighted, near sighted, or who have astigmatism (all refractive defects of the eye) corrective contact lenses are in order. In these cases, an eye patient will mostly likely be prescribed "spherical" lenses. Therapeutic contact lenses cure other problems that are non-refractive, like "dry eye," and some types of therapeutic lenses even deliver medicine to the eye.
Two types of cosmetic lenses are colour contact lenses and special effects contact lenses. While these lenses occasionally correct vision when needed (they are basically spherical lenses), they also can blur vision because of their design.
Colour contact lenses essentially change the appearance of the eye. Some people may require colour contact lenses for less superficial reasons (perhaps they have a physical deformity on their iris) while others may simply want to ditch their natural brown eye color for a more...
Colour Contact Lenses - Corrective, Therapeutic and Cosmetic
Color Contact Lenses - an Easy Way to Change Your Look!
Want to change something about your appearance? How about your eye color? You would be amazed how eye color affects your image. Find out what color contacts can do for your appearance and see how to get the best out of them Color contact lenses optionsEnhancement contact lenses are designed to enhance the color of light eyes. They don't change your color, but give your eyes a light blue, aqua or green tint. Enhancement color lenses make your eye color brighter and more defined.The most popular enhancement color contacts are Acuvue 2 Colors Enhancers by Johnson & Johnson and Freshlook Dimensions by Ciba Vision. Freshlook Radiance is also a very interesting design; these lenses create an illuminating effect.
Enhancement color contacts only work on light eyes; on dark eyes they will not have any effect at all.Opaque color contacts completely change the color of your eyes. They work equally well for light and dark eyes. Even if you have a very dark brown eyes...
Color Contact Lenses - an Easy Way to Change Your Look!