Daily Contacts

What you need to know about daily eye contact lenses

Whether you're recently sick of wearing glasses and are ready to finally try out contacts for the first time or you've been putting in contacts since you were a teenager, there are some important facts to know before deciding if daily wear contact lenses are right for you.

What are daily contact lenses?

Daily eye contact lenses are contact lenses meant to only be worn during your waking hours. In other words, you must take your contacts out when it's time for bed. There are different types of contact lenses for daily wear including those that can be worn and reused for up to several months and others that are meant to be used for one day only and then disposed of. In contrast to daily eye contacts, extended wear lenses are another option of eye contacts. Technically, extended wear lenses are made to be safer to wear for long periods at one time and can even be worn as one sleeps through the night and into the next day. However, sleeping with lenses is not recommended by doctors, no matter how convenient it may be. Longer wear of contacts always poses a greater risk of experiencing problems. Sleeping with contacts on, even with extended wear contacts, will likely lead to irritation and discomfort.

What are the types of contacts for daily wear?

Disposable lenses (daily, weekly, biweekly & monthly are most common)
Soft lenses
Hard lenses
Hybrid lenses

Why should I switch to contacts?

Everyone decides to switch from glasses to contacts for different reasons. Many people dislike how they look wearing their glasses. Even if you enjoy wearing glasses, you may want to at least have the option to go glasses-free every once and a while. Some find glasses to be distracting or even irritable to the bridge of the nose. Whether you would like to switch to contacts for cosmetic purposes or practical ones, make sure to talk with your doctor about if contacts are right for you. Some vision problems may not be corrected in a practical manner using an eye contact lens; there may be some cases where glasses are better. There are also some vision and eye conditions that may be exasperated further by wearing contacts. For example, a person with moderate to severe allergies with symptoms of itchy, dry, or watery eyes may not be a great fit for contacts and perhaps should stick to wearing glasses.

Are daily contacts Safe to Wear?

As stated in response to the previous questions, it is true that there are risks to wearing contacts, even daily ones! Everyone has heard some sort of horror story involving eye contact. Whether you heard a story on the news about a contact disaster or were told by your mom as an anecdote to scare you into using proper hygiene, extreme cases of contact malfunctions continue to terrify people.
Some common fears include:

Can my contacts get stuck to my eye and require surgery to remove them?
Can I cause permanent damage if I accidentally sleep with my daily eye contacts in?
If I accidentally trap bacteria behind the lens, is it possible I could develop an infection and lose an eye?
Is it safe for me to wear my contacts every single day?

While these questions may seem silly or dramatic, some are actually quite valid. Infections, lenses sticking to dry eyes, trapped bacteria, and irritability from daily wear can certainly all occur if you don't practice good contact hygiene. Take proper care to wash your hands before removing or putting in your contacts so as to not spread bacteria or germs. If you have lenses meant to be worn any longer than once before being disposed of, make sure to clean them thoroughly after each wear. You can wear contacts every single day, but you may want to take a break every once in a while if you notice any irritation. Luckily, as long as proper hygiene and care are followed, the above extreme-case scenarios are scarce and are unlikely to happen to you. It is more likely that you may experience discomfort, irritation, or even a treatable infection. And if this is the case, the conditions should be relatively mild and avoidable and can be easily treated by your family eye doctor or physician.

What daily lenses are Safe?

The safest type of daily lenses are once-a-day disposable lenses. These are made to be only worn only once (for usually 12 hours or less) and then disposed of as soon as they are removed.

What daily eye contacts should I get?

First and foremost, ask your doctor what he or she recommends would be the best options for you. After your options are approved by your doctor, it comes down to preferences. There are several types of disposable contacts including one-day contacts, weekly contacts, monthly contacts, and even ones that are longer-use. Generally, disposable contacts are the most comfortable to wear and the safest (as the less you wear contacts, the less likely they are to cause problems), so they are a popular choice. However, some may feel deferred by the price because putting in brand new contacts daily can get rather pricey for some.

Which daily wear contacts are the most comfortable?

According to eye doctors and people who regularly wear contacts, the most comfortable contacts to wear daily are the disposable once-a-day contacts. Since these contacts are made to only be worn once and therefore breakage is less likely, daily disposable contacts can be made extremely thin. This tends to be the most comfortable on the eye.

Which Contact Lenses are Best?

The "best" contacts, even the best daily contacts, depends on what you are looking for. Furthermore, it depends on what your definition of best is exactly. Many eye contact lens users recommend daily disposable contact lenses as the best daily contact lenses because they are the safest and often easiest to use. However, this does not mean this will be the case for you. For example, some contact lenses are more expensive than others, and this may play a role in your final decision. Or perhaps you place the highest value on convenience, and therefore longer-wearing lenses might be your top choice because you can keep them in longer. Or maybe you are prone to infections and since daily disposable eye contacts are the most hygienic and safest option, this would be your top choice. Regardless of what your initial favorite might be, it is always best to discuss with your eye doctor the different types of contact lenses to determine which would be best for you.

Why buy everyday contacts vs extended-wear?

The last time we checked, you don't need to wear contacts while you sleep. In other words, extended-wear contacts are essentially unnecessary. It can be convenient to not have to remember to take your contacts out at bedtime, but chances are that you will want to take them out anyway to be more comfortable.

How much do daily eye contact lenses cost?

The cost of your daily wear contacts depends on the following factors:

Where you purchase your contacts
Your prescription strength
Your insurance coverage (if you live in the United States)
How often you plan to wear contacts on a daily basis vs your glasses
The brand you choose (and the types of contacts that brand offers)
The materials used to make your contacts
If you choose to get colored eye contacts

Keeping in mind that the above factors can greatly influence the cost of your contacts, the general range of contact prices is anywhere from $5.00 to $50.00 a box. They can also be sold in bulk quantities meant to last the whole year. Again, the price greatly depends on how many lenses would roughly cover a year's supply.

Where to buy daily eye contacts?

Most people order their everyday contacts online or at their eye doctor's office. These days, shopping for contacts is very easy and straightforward. With all of the buying options, you can even save money by shopping for contacts online vs in person or visa-versa. If you are unsure where to purchase your daily wear eye contacts, ask your eye doctor for guidance.