A contact lens (also known simply as a contact) is a corrective, cosmetic, or therapeutic lens usually placed on the cornea of the eye.
Contact lenses nowadays come in all sorts of flexible varieties and in a spectrum of colours and styles. A pair of contact lenses that match your complexion can do wonders for your self-confidence and overall aura.
Among the more popular trends among contacts online include customizable lenses that change the color and shape of the wearer’s eyes. The hottest trend in contact lenses is color contact lenses, which allow you to change your eye color on any day of the week.
Contacts offer many advantages over glasses.
- To begin with, contacts allow more natural vision and do not obscure your natural look Contact users often find their entire field of vision remains intact, whereas glasses may obscure your peripheral vision. This is particularly important for consumers involved in sports or those interested in driving and who want to retain as much of their peripheral vision as possible.
- There is no glare or reflection to worry about when wearing contact lenses. While that’s not the case with glasses, vision is often obstructed in the sun and while driving.
- Lenses help women involved in physically intense activities (like dance and sports) have more confidence and freedom of movement, which in the case of glasses might prove a hindrance.
- If there is a huge gap between the visual capabilities of the two eyes (greater than 2.5 diopters to be exact) then glasses cannot really provide much help and contacts are the only viable solution.
- Ophthalmological conditions such as keratoconus and aniseikonia may not be accurately corrected with glasses. The treatment approach to keratoconus follows an orderly progression from glasses to contact lenses to corneal transplantation.
- Glasses can become a real hassle for people who suffer from severe short sightedness because then the glasses need to be way too thick and heavy. On the other hand, some contacts are actually designed to cure short sightedness without making the wearer’s eyes look small (as is the case with thick glasses).
- On a cosmetology ground, contact lenses do not require a frame. thus they do not alter your natural appearance.
Downside of using contact lenses:
- While modern contact lenses are designed to be very comfortable for most wearers, it is not uncommon to experience some discomfort. In fact, about half of former contact lens users report that they stopped wearing their lenses because they were uncomfortable.
- Since the contacts need to be replaced a lot more frequently, they cost a bit more.
- If the wearer opts to use a conventional lens (as opposed to using a Silicone Hydrogel lens) then there could be a risk of eye infection – especially if the directions are not followed correctly.
Taking Care of Your Contacts:
- Unless you are using daily disposables, your lenses must be cleaned frequently to remove lipid and protein deposits which accumulate naturally from your tears.
- When cleaning your lenses, only use an appropriate contact lens solution, never tap water, and use fresh solution each day.
- Wash your hands before inserting your lenses, and keep your fingernails short and smooth so that you do not damage your lenses or eyes during insertion.
- If you will be using aerosol products, such as hairspray, during your morning routine, do so before inserting your lenses whenever possible.
- Do not wear your contacts for longer than recommended (for example, do not wear the lenses overnight unless they are specifically designed for it), and replace the lenses as often as directed.