Contactlenses

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OverviewMost people who need to wear glasses can wear contact lenses.

There are two main types of contact lenses: • softlenseswhichmouldtotheshapeofyoureye• rigidgaspermeablelenses(RGPlenses)whicharefittedcloselytotheshapeofyoureyeandarelessflexible.

MostcontactlensesfittedintheUKaresoftlenses.Theyareavailableassingleusedaily,fortnightlyandmonthlydisposablelenses,andmorespecialistlensesthataredesignedtolastforlonger.RGPlenseslastlongerthansoftlensesandareusuallyreplacedeveryonetotwoyears.Thismeansthattheymaybecheaperinthelongtermthandisposablesoftlenses.Likeafittedleathershoe,RGPlensescantakealittlemoregettingusedtothansoftlenses,andsoarenotsuitableifyouonlywanttowearlensesoccasionally.

Ifyouwearanyreusablelens,youwillneedtousespecialsolutionstocleananddisinfectthemsothattheyaresafetoputbackintoyoureyes.Youdonotneedtocleanordisinfectsingleusedailydisposablelenses–youjustthrowthemawayafteruse.

Ifyouhaveanyconcernsaboutthehealthofyoureyes,pleasevisityourlocaloptometrist.Optometristsarethe eye health specialists on the high street. An eye examinationisavitalhealthcheckandshouldbepartofeveryone’snormalhealthcare.

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Which type of contact lens is best for me?

Thetypeoflensthatisbestforyouwilldependuponseveralfactors.Theseincludehowoftenyouwanttowearyourlenses–forexampledoyouwanttowearthemjustforcertainactivitiessuchassport,ordoyouwanttowearthemmostofthetime,instead of glasses?

AssoftlensesareinitiallymorecomfortablethanRGPlenses,theyareidealforpeoplewhoonlywanttowearlensesoccasionally.RGPlensesarealittlemoreuncomfortablethansoftlensesatfirst,sotheytakeabitmoregettingusedto.But,theylastlongerandmaybebetterforpeoplewhohaveirregularlyshapedeyesorhaveastigmatism(seebelow).SpecialtypesofRGPlensesthatyouwearonlyatnight,areavailabletotemporarilycorrectshortsight.Thistreatmentiscalledorthokeratology.

Can I wear contact lenses if I have astigmatism?

Astigmatismiswherethecornea(thewindowatthefrontoftheeye)orthelensinsidetheeyeisshapedmorelikearugbyballthanafootball.Thismeansthatifyouwearasoftcontactlens,youwillneedatoriclenstoseeclearly.Toriclensestaketherugbyballshapeintoaccount,butiftheyrotateonyoureyeyouwillnotseeclearly.Softcontactlensesthat correct astigmatism are specially designed not to rotate. There are many different types of soft toriccontactlensesand,unlessyouhavealotofastigmatism,itislikelythatyouroptometristwillbeabletofindalensthatsuitsyou.

Ifyouwear

anyreusable

lens,you

will need to

usespecial

solutionsto

clean and

disinfect them

so that they

are safe to

putbackinto

youreyes.

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AsRGPlensesdonotmouldtoyoureyeslikesoftlenses,theycancorrectsomeastigmatismwithoutneedingtobespeciallydesigned.Thisisbecauseyourtearsfillinthegapbetweenthelensandyoureye,neutralisingtheastigmatismandallowingyoutoseeclearly.Thismeansthatitdoesn’tmatterifthelensrotates.Ifyouhavealotofastigmatism,youmayneedtohavetoricRGPlenses.Theselenseswillbespeciallydesignedforyouandsoareunlikelytorotateonyoureye.Thismeansthattheywillgivemorestablevisionthansofttoriclenses.

Is it better to have disposable lenses or those that last longer?

Thisisoftenamatterofpersonalchoice.Youdonotneedtocleananddisinfectsingleusedailydisposablelensesaftereachuse,asyousimplythrowthemaway.Thiscanbeagoodoptionforpeoplewhodonotweartheirlensesveryoftenorwhowantmaximumconvenience.Thismayalsobemorehygienicthancleaning,disinfectingand re-wearing old lenses. Not all contact lens typesorprescriptionsareavailableassingleusedailydisposablelenses.Youroptometristwilltellyouwhattypesoflensesaresuitableforyou.Ifyouwearlensesalot,singleusedailydisposablelensesmaycostmorethannon-dailydisposablelenses(thosethatyoucleananddisinfectandthenwearagain),althoughyoushouldremembertoincludethecostofcontactlenssolutionsifyouarecomparingthepriceofsingleusedailydisposablelenseswiththepriceofnon-dailydisposablelenses.

Modern contact lensesareverysafe,aslongasyoufollowyouroptometrist’sadviceabouthow to wear and lookafterthem,andhaveregularcheck-ups.

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Are contact lenses safe?

Moderncontactlensesareverysafe,aslongasyoufollowyouroptometrist’sadviceabouthowtowearandlookafterthem,andhaveregularcheck-ups.Itispossiblethatanythingthattouchesyoureyecouldintroduceaninfection.Toreducethechanceofinfectionyoushouldalwayswashanddryyourhandsbeforetouchingyoureyesoryourcontactlenses.Useliquidsoapratherthanabarofsoap.Ifyouareathomeyoushouldtrytouseyourowntowel.Ifyouarenotathomeyoushoulddryyourhandswithanairdryerorpapertowelwhereverpossible.Neverrinseyourlenseswithtapwater,orstoreyourlensesintapwaterbecausethismaycauseaninfectioninyoureye.Youshouldalsoavoidshoweringwhilewearingyourcontactlenses.

Can I swim in contact lenses?

We do not recommend swimming in contact lenses.Thisisbecausethereisanorganismthatlivesinwater(Acanthamoeba)thancancauseaveryseriousinfectionifitgetsinyoureye.Ifyouneedglassesandwanttoseeclearlywhileyouareswimmingwerecommendprescriptionswimminggogglesasasaferalternative.Theseneednotbeexpensive.

We do not recommend swimming in contact lenses. There is an organism that livesinwatercancauseaveryseriousinfectionifitgetsinyoureye.

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How long can I wear my contact lenses for?

There are many different types of contact lenses available.Thismeansthatmostpeoplecanwearlensesformostoftheday.Youmayfindthatyoureyeslookredorfeeldrytowardstheendoftheday,soyouroptometristmayadviseyounottowearthemfortoolong.Evenifyoutriedcontactlensesunsuccessfullyafewyearsago,youmayfindthatmodernlensmaterialsmeanthatyoucannowwearthemforlonger.Youroptometristwillbeabletoadviseifthisisthe case.

Can I sleep in contact lenses?

Althoughsomecontactlenseshavebeendesignedtowearovernight,researchhasshown that sleeping in contact lenses greatly increasestheriskofinfection.Ouradviceistoremoveyourlensesbeforeyougotobed.Ifyouroptometristhastoldyouthatyoucansleepinyourcontactlenses,itisimportantthatyouknowwhatcomplicationsmaydevelopandhowtolookoutforthem.Youmustalsobeabletotakeyourlensesoutinanemergency.

Ifyouareshortsighted,youmaybeabletowearspecialcontactlensesthatyousleepin.Thesetemporarilycorrectyourshortsightsothatyoucanseeclearlyduringthedaywithoutglassesorcontactlenses.Thisiscalledorthokeratology.

Evenifyoutriedcontact lenses unsuccessfullyafewyearsago,youmayfindthat modern lens materials mean thatyoucannow wear them for longer.

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I need to wear different glasses for distance and reading - can I have bifocal or varifocal contact lenses?

Whenyoureachyourfortiesitiscommontofindthatyouneedadifferentprescriptionforreadingthanyouneedfordistance.Thisiscalledpresbyopia.Thismaymeanthatyouneedtwopairsofglasses,oryouneedbifocalorvarifocalglasses.

There are three main options to correct presbyopiawithcontactlenses.

1.Youmaychoosetohavecontactlensestocorrectyourdistancevision,andwearreadingglassesoverthetopwhenyouneedthem.

2.Youmayhavebifocalorvarifocalcontact lenses.

3.Youmaywearlensestohaveoneeyecorrected to see in the distance and one eyecorrectedfornearvision.Thisiscalledmonovision.

Eachofthedifferentoptionshasadvantagesanddisadvantagesandyouroptometristwillhelpyoudecidewhichisbestforyou.

Sleepingincontact lenses greatly increases theriskofinfection.Ouradviceistoremoveyourlensesbeforeyougotobed.

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Will I be able to put my lenses in and take them out?

Mostpeopleareabletoputtheirlensesinandtakethemoutwithoutanyproblems,althoughitcantakesomepractice.Itisimportanttohaveback-upglassesevenifyouwearcontactlenseseveryday.Ifyouneedtowearglassesforreading,youmayfindyouneedtoputyourglassesontohandleyourcontactlenses(forexample,soyoucanseeclearlywhencleaningthem).Yourcontactlenspractitionerwillmakesurethatyouareabletohandlethelensessafelybeforeyoutakethemhome.

Somecontactlensesarelightlytintedtomakeiteasierforyoutoseethemwhenyouareputtingtheminandtakingthemout.Thistintwillnotaffectyoursightandiscalledahandlingtint.Thisismuchlighterthanthetintthatisusedtochangethecolourofyoureyes,andyouwillnotnoticeitwhenyouwearyourcontactlenses.

Can I get contact lenses to change the colour of my eye?

Softcontactlensesareavailablewhichchangethecolourofyoureyes.Youcangettheseeitherwithaprescriptioninthemtocorrectyourvision,orwithout.Youcanalsogetnoveltycontactlenseswhichdonothaveaprescriptioninthem.Eventhoughthesearesoldasnoveltyitems,theystilltouchyoureyeandcarryariskofinfection,soitisimportanttomakesurethattheyarefittedbyaqualifiedprofessional,justlikethosewhicharenotcoloured.Youroptometristwillbeabletogiveyoumoreinformation.

It is important tohaveregularcheck-upstomakesurethatyourcontactlenses are still suitableforyou,and are not damagingyoureyes.

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Can I wear make up with contact lenses?

Youcanwearmakeupwithcontactlenses,butitisbesttoputyourcontactlensesinbeforeyouputyourmakeupon.Itisbesttowearwater-solublemakeup,ratherthanwaterproof,asifthisgetsintoyoureyeitwilldissolveinyourtearsandnotgettrappedunderyourcontactlens.Youshouldnotweareyelineronthe‘wet’partoftheedgeofyourlids,asitmayblocktheglandsthatproducepartofyourtears.Instead,youshouldputitontheskin,outsideyourlashes.

Can I get my contact lenses online?

Ascontactlensestouchyoureyestheymustbetherightprescriptiontoallowyoutoseeclearly,andtherightshapetostopthemdamagingyoureyes.Thismeanstheymustbefittedbyaqualifiedoptometrist,contact lens optician or doctor. When the contactlenspractitionerissatisfiedthatthelensesaresuitableforyou,theywillgiveyouacopyofyourcontactlensprescription(specification).Whereveryoubuyyourlensesitisimportanttomakesurethatthelensesyouaresuppliedwithareexactlythesameastheonesyouhavebeenfittedwith,asonlythencanyoubesurethattheyaresuitableforyou.

As contact lenses touchyoureyestheymustbetheright prescription toallowyoutoseeclearly,andthe right shape to stop them damagingyoureyes. This means theymustbefittedbyaqualifiedoptometrist,contact lens optician or doctor.

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Do I need to have regular check-ups if I wear contact lenses?

Itisimportanttohaveregularcheck-upstomakesurethatyourcontactlensesarestillsuitableforyou,andarenotdamagingyoureyes.Thisshouldbeatleastevery12months,butmaybemoreoftenifrecommendedbyyourpractitioner.Whereveryoubuyyourlensesyoushouldcheckwhetherthepriceyouarepayingincludesthesecheck-ups.Yourcontactlensspecificationwillcontainanexpirydate.Youwillnotbeabletobuylensesafterthatdate.Itisimportantthatyouhaveacontactlenscheck-upbeforeyourspecificationrunsoutifyouwanttocontinuetobuylenses.

It is important thatyouhaveacontact lens check-upbeforeyourspecificationrunsoutifyouwanttocontinuetobuylenses.

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Formoreinformation,pleasetalktoyourlocaloptometrist.

ThisleafletisproducedbytheCollegeofOptometrists,theprofessional,scientificandexaminingbodyforoptometryintheUK.OurmembersuseMCOptomorFCOptomaftertheirname.MembershipoftheCollegeshowstheircommitmenttotheveryhighestclinical,ethicalandprofessionalstandards.LookforthelettersMCOptomorFCOptomtocheckifyouroptometristisamember.

IfyoualsospotthelettersDipCLorHigherCertCLafteryouroptometrist’sname,thismeansthattheyhaveundertakenfurthertraining,andhavecompletedeithertheProfessionalDiplomaorProfessionalHigherCertificateinContactLensPractice.

Pleasevisitwww.lookafteryoureyes.org for more information.

Thisinformationshouldnotreplaceadvicethatyouroptometristorotherrelevanthealthprofessionalwouldgiveyou.

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YOUR LOCAL OPTOMETRIST

Ifyouwouldlikethisleafletinlargeprint,pleaseemailpatients@college-optometrists.org

TheCollegeofOptometrists42CravenStreetLondon,WC2N5NGTel:02078396000

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