Extended Wear Contact Lenses - Why They Are So Popular

What are extended wear contact lenses and why are they gaining popularity?

Many people who suffer from myopia, or nearsightedness have several options to consider: eyelasses or regular contact lenses can be used if desired.

For people who are searching for the easiest and most convenient visual aid extended wear lenses are an option that deserves some serious consideration.

You see, many types of contact lenses are described as “daily wear only”, because the materials they are made from can keep the oxygen from getting to the eye’s cornea.

Your eyes must have fresh oxygen to stay healthy and this is why people who wear regular contacts have to remove them during the nighttime and then replace the lenses in their eyes the next morning.

What Makes Overnight Wear Possible?

Thanks to high tech materials and improved manufacturing techniques the extended wear contacts made of silicone hydrogel contain substances that are permeable to oxygen.

It is this permeability of these lenses that makes such a difference to users. Oxygen permeable lenses mean that they do not block the transfer of oxygen to your eyes.

In other words if you choose extended wear lenses you can wear them for hours, days, or even weeks at a time without damaging or injuring the sensitive tissue in your eyes.

Pure vision, Acuvue and Focus Night and Day are some brands of extended wear contact lenses that have proven to be very popular thus far. Many consumers are thrilled with the easy convenience these products provide and now you may want to check these products out for yourself.

FDA-approved extended wear lenses to be worn or up to 30 days:

• Air Optix Night & Day (Ciba Vision)
  
  
Pure Vision (Bausch & Lomb)

FDA-approved extended wear lenses to be worn for up to 7 days:

• Air Optix (Ciba Vision)
  
  
• O2 Optix (Ciba Vision)
  
  
• Acuvue Oasys (J & J)
  
  
• Biofinity (CooperVision)

It’s very important that anyone who is planning to wear these types of contact lenses understand how important the product’s instructions really are.

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Tips On Use

• A pair of extended wear contact lens can be extraordinarily comfortable and some people may be tempted to overlook some basic care and safety precautions that must be followed.

  Never attempt to prolong the use of any extended wear contact lenses past their prescribed period of wear.

  If you are wearing a pair of lenses that are meant to be worn for 7 days, then that is exactly what the instructions mean. You should not try to wear them for even a little bit longer than the 7 day period, no matter how comfortable they might feel.

• Keeping water away from your eyes is another important rule to remember when you are wearing these types of contact lenses.

  If you are not planning to remove them before swimming or showering it is best to wear some eye goggles or take other precautions to keep irritating water from your eyes and contacts.

• Even though these contact lenses are ultra comfy to wear and they allow needed oxygen to transfer to your eyes they still have to be cleaned every day.

  It is possible for microscopic bits of debris and dust to collect on these types of lenses and these pollutants can eventually damage the lens and your eyes. To avoid such problems as scratched corneas you must remember to remove and clean extended wear contact lenses every day.

• Even though these lenses are made to wear for up to 30 days at a time you should make certain that you remove them whenever your eyes begin to feel uncomfortable, irritated or tired.

  Just a few minutes rest and cleaning the lenses will probably help, but you might also want to let your eyes rest for 4-12 hours before re-using your extended wear contact lenses.

• People who are using these contact lenses should remember that smoke and dust can create problems. Therefore you need to stay away from smoky environments or areas where dust is unavoidable. Needless to say if you are a smoker you should not smoke while wearing these kinds of contacts.