What are Disposable Contact Lenses?
Disposable contact lenses have been around since 1987. Some disposables are worn only once and then discarded. A new pair is inserted each morning so your lenses are clean and germ-free each and every day without the hassle of daily cleaning and disinfecting. Others are discarded once a week or bi-weekly.
Disposable contact lenses differ from frequent replacement lenses which are replaced monthly or quarterly. Disposable contact lenses are probably the most commonly prescribed kind of lens. Because they offer safety and convenience that is superior to other lenses they have become increasingly popular.
What about the replacement schedule and wearing schedule of disposable contact lenses? These two concepts are often confused. The replacement schedule of a contact lens refers to how often your lens is thrown away. Are they disposable, frequent replacement or reusable? A wearing schedule pertains to how often your lenses are removed - for example you take them out once a day or sleep with them in.
Disposable contact lenses are beneficial to eye health because they prevent protein, calcium, and lipid build-up from occurring. These are found in tears and can make wearing your lenses uncomfortable over time. They also increase infection risk. Disposables also save time and effort.
If you find it tiresome to clean and disinfect your lenses each day and are often tempted to sleep with your lenses in or not clean them at all, disposable contact lenses may be for you. One-day disposables mean you will be able to avoid cleaning procedures completely. It is also healthier for the eye than sleeping in lenses or neglecting cleaning procedures.
Disposable contact lenses were developed as a cost effective alternative to the expensive alternative of frequent cleaning and to provide a safer option in eye care. Modern manufacturing techniques enabled the production of lenses that were affordable and high quality. This made it cheaper to replace lenses more often.
The price of disposable contact lenses depends on where you buy them, which ones you need and where you live and of course you won't need to buy a range of cleaning products! Typically, you can get a prescription for about $1 a day.
Most people can wear disposable contact lenses but you will need to check with your eye doctor to make sure whether your current needs will be met by the available disposable options. You can wear them if you have astigmatism, need
bifocal lenses or want to change your eye color. If your particular prescription is not available in disposable form you might be a candidate for frequent replacement lenses instead.
