Discover The Truth About Contact Lenses

Why wear contact lenses?

Today's contact lenses are the modern alternative for vision correction. They are very comfortable to wear, easy to handle and transform the lives of millions of contact lens wearers.

With contact lenses you will join the community of active people who are using this modern way of vision correction. Experience with your friends the convenience when you party, the freedom when you play sports and the elegance when you go out for a dinner. You will just look different in contacts - just try it.

How to choose the right contact lens?

When you decided to go for a contact lens trial you should go to your optometrist and ask for a trusted brand of quality. Do not compromise here. You should always ask what is the best for your eyes and your lifestyle. Your optometrist will inform you about the options available and will do some examinations before he will give you trial lenses. Be prepared to pay an examination fee as the examination is necessary before wearing lenses to keep your eyes healthy. It only takes some minutes and it's painless.

However there is still a lot of unknown with regards to contacts. This brochure will help to clarify, educate, share experiences and more importantly to encourage you to take action and to go to your optometrist and ask for a free pair of trail lenses to experience yourself the freedom contact lenses can provide you in your own life.

What are the most common Myths & Mysteries behind contact lens wear?

Let's start with dispelling the common Myths & Mysteries. You may ask also your optometrist in case you have any questions to the content of this brochure. It's up to you to explore your future with contact lenses.

MYTH 1: Contact lenses are uncomfortable.

Are you sure? Did you ever try them? Many years have past since contact lenses were launched. But in the last few years there has been an immense development in new contact lens materials. Just compare how quickly computers did develop within 1 year. Similar development happened in the last years with contacts.

These new lenses are extremely soft, thin, and flexible - and very importantly - keep its moisture for fantastic comfort. The material and design allow the lens to conform to the unique shape of your eye. Also since they are replaced regularly, your lenses always feel clean, fresh and comfortable. In fact, contact lenses are so comfortable; it feels like wearing nothing at all.

MYTH 2: I don't like the idea of putting something in my eye.

This is a normal reaction for someone new to contact lenses. In fact it has a name: "pokaphobia" or fear of touching the eye. While it is understandable to be a little hesitant at first, this feeling rapidly disappears. Once your optometrist shows you how to properly apply and remove your lenses, you'll see it's as easy as putting on and taking off your shoes. Millions of wearers are doing it, so why not you - try it and you will see.

MYTH 3: Contact lenses regularly lead to eye infections.

Contact lenses themselves do not produce infections. Pathogenic germs from the surface of a dirty contact lens initiate infections. Only lack of proper hygiene or misuse of contact lens may cause such problems.

If you follow the instructions given by your optometrist and disinfect the lenses regularly, you will enjoy the convenience of wearing contact lenses without any interruptions.

Also important to keep in mind that the more often you change your lenses the healthier for your eyes, because there is less opportunity of build up of organic deposits, like lipid and protein coming from your natural tear film, which are nutrition for germs. As long as you disinfect your lens properly, clean them carefully and replace them as directed germs have no chance to survive.

MYTH 4: Contact lenses are unhealthy.

Contact lens materials are biocompatible. Similar materials are often used in many other medical disciplines. In addition they let enough oxygen pass through the lens. That's why with modern contact lenses lack of oxygen for the eye is history. Contact lenses are produced in a design, which suits the shape of the eye for optimal comfort. Comfort issues, known from the history in contact lenses have disappeared when an optometrist fits your contact lenses properly. That means when properly fitted, properly cared for, worn and replaced as instructed by an optometrist, contacts are a healthy option for vision correction. Since contact lenses are medical devices, it is important to follow the instructions of your optometrist.

MYTH 5: Contact lenses won't allow my eyes to breathe.

For healthy eyes a certain amount of oxygen needs to reach the cornea and therefore has to pass through your contact lenses. This amount needed differs if you wear your lenses just throughout the day or if you want to sleep in your contacts. Your optometrist will recommend the most appropriate contact lens, which suits your needs and your lifestyle. If you follow the recommendation of your optometrist you can be confident that your eyes will not lack oxygen to breathe.

However, although the contact lens material itself is critical for the sufficient supply of oxygen to the cornea, oxygen supply depends on more factors. For example lens care is a very important criteria. Any deposit on the surface of the contact lens will block off oxygen going through the lens. That's why cleaning and disinfection is so important for eye health. Combined with short replacement cycles, proper contact lens care will let you enjoy your lenses to its full potential.

MYTH 6: My contact lens can get stuck behind my eye.

No, it is not possible for a contact lens to get lost behind the eye. The contact lens can only stay on the front of the eye, or under your eyelid, if displaced. The eye has a protective barrier that covers the white of the eye and loops under the upper and lower lids to prevent a contact lens from moving behind it.

MYTH 7: The lenses will fall out of my eye if I move quickly.

Thanks to the anatomy of human eye, it is virtually impossible for soft contact lenses to fall out. That's why you can do all kinds of sports while wearing contact lenses. The way in which a contact lens holds onto the eye, depends on the diameter of the lens. That's why rigid lenses, which are usually smaller in diameter, do not stick as good to the eye as soft contact lenses. Soft contact lenses very rarely fall out - they never do when they are fitted properly. One more reason to visit a contact lens specialist for a proper contact lens fit.

MYTH 8: Cleaning contact lenses takes forever.

Cleaning contact lenses is very important for your eye-health. Luckily, today's simplified, multipurpose solutions make lens care and maintenance much easier than in the past. However, the time required for lens care depends on the type of lens care regimen you choose. The best way to disinfect and clean your lenses is doing it overnight and let your care solution work while you sleep. Always follow the instructions mentioned on the label of your contact lens care solution.

If you are a person who appreciates convenience just choose a daily disposable contact lens. You will have a fresh pair of lenses everyday and you simply throw them out before you go to sleep. So you will never have to worry about cleaning at all.

MYTH 9: I cannot apply make-up when wearing lenses.

You can. What you need to do is to follow the right order of actions: apply make-up after you put your contact lenses on your eye and take them out before you remove it - it's just as simple. When you use aerosols like hair spray you should close your eyes to avoid spray sticking to the lenses.

MYTH 10: Colour contact lenses are only for those who have vision correction needs.

Colour contact lenses are available with and without correction powers. That means that you can wear coloured lenses even when you do not need vision correction. However, even if you do not need vision correction, colour contact lenses must be fitted and prescribed by an optometrist and require the same care as any other contact lens.

MYTH 11: All contact lenses are pretty much the same.

That's not true. Thanks to the advancement in technology, there are many different types of contact lenses available. Though the selection options are many, you can divide contacts in two main categories: Contact lenses for daily wear and for overnight wear. Because everyone's eyes, vision correction and lifestyle needs are different, it is important to consult your optometrist to find the best contact lens, which suits your eyes and your lifestyle.

MYTH 12: The higher the water content of a contact lens the more oxygen goes through it.

This is a very common misunderstanding. The new generation of contact lenses made from silicone hydrogel materials provide much more oxygen although the water content is lower than the most of the traditional soft lenses.

MYTH 13: Contact lenses won't give me clearer vision than glasses.

In fact, it is often the opposite. Contact lenses are sitting directly on the cornea and therefore correct your vision directly on the eye and not 1-2 cm away like glasses do. That's why in many cases contact lenses provide better vision. They provide you with a wider field of view and peripheral vision than glasses no matter where you look as you lenses do move with the movement of your eyes unlike glasses. In addition, contact lenses don't fog up, fall off, or break during physical activities, and they are unaffected by rain. In any kind of sport contact lenses provide a much better vision than glasses.

MYTHS 14: I can't wear contact lenses because I have astigmatism.

In the past contact lenses for astigmatic correction were not available in all materials. But innovations in the last few years have changed this. Astigmatism is no longer a barrier to wearing contact lenses.

MYTH 15: As I'm presbyopic I can't wear contact lenses. I need glasses only for reading or using a computer.

There are different ways to correct presbyopia (the need for reading glasses) with contact lenses. One technique is so called "monovision". With monovision your optometrist is using different powers in both eyes to correct your vision. It works very well for young presbyopes around 45 years of age. In addition, there are special lenses, so called "Bifocals" available for presbyopic patients as well. These lenses have specific areas to correct the vision for the distance and the near allowing good vision under a variety of lighting conditions. Presbyopia is not a barrier for wearing contact lenses.

MYTH 16: I'm too young to wear contact lenses.

There is no age limit: babies as well as seniors can wear contact lenses. In a recent report, the average age for teens to start wearing contact lenses was 13 years. Moreover, contact lenses are an exceptionally convenient vision correction option for teenagers who tend to be often involved in sports or recreational activities as a part of their daily routine.

MYTH 17: I'm too old to start with contact lenses.

People of any age can benefit from wearing contact lenses. The only limitation to contact lenses is contraindications for contact lens wear. But contraindications are independent of age and usually also independent of the type of contact lens to be used.

MYTH 18: Contact lenses cost a fortune.

The actual cost of contact lenses is less than people think. With advancing technology, there is a wide range of contact lenses in the market. Depending on which type you wear and how often you replace them. Your optometrist will help you to find the contact lens that suits best your vision correction, life style and budget needs.

Share the knowledge.

If you gained something by reading this literature, there's a good chance that a family member or friend could also benefit. So spread the word to the people you care about. It's worth it.