If you're the kind of person that can be bothered to maintain your contact lenses properly then you might consider disposable contact lenses which require no maintenance. But if you can't wear disposables and you are using daily lenses that need to be cleaned you want to be sure to follow your eye doctor's instructions for proper lens care.

Typically contact lens maintenance involves using multipurpose solutions that clean and disinfect your lenses. These solutions are the same ones you will use for storing the lenses that can be usually bought in any pharmacy. When you remove your lenses, you should always wash your hands with soap and water to avoid getting bacteria in your eye. Once the lens is removed you want to squirt it on both sides with a steady stream of the solution for 20 seconds - or the amount of time specified on the bottle. Some solutions might specify that you need to rub the lens with your finger in the palm of your hand and if that is the case you want to do this carefully so you don't rip the lens. This step can be important as it may be necessary to remove any protein or microscopic dirt that has built up. After rubbing, you’ll want to rinse again to wash off the debris that you've rubbed off.

Now if you're storing your contact lenses, you want to fill the little storage cases with the solution. Then you want to be sure to put the lens into the appropriate side because some people have a different prescription for each eye and you want to make sure that you're putting the right lens in the right eye when you take them out the next day. While your lenses are soaking in the storage unit the solution will be disinfecting them.

Usually you'll be following the same maintenance steps whether you wear gas permeable or soft contact lenses. Because people very often skip these steps you want to make sure that you make the cleaning as easy and mechanical as possible. Simply make it part of your daily routine just like brushing your teeth.

Remember that proper contact lens maintenance means that everything that touches your lenses has to be clean. This means that you need to wash your fingers before you handle your lenses and make sure that the tips of your solution bottles are clean. Also, you'll need to clean out your storage containers after every time you remove the lenses.

The key behind this advanced technology is oxygen flow. Previously, air couldn't permeate the lens to get to the cornea and lenses needed to be removed in order for the eye to "breathe". But the extended wear lenses let oxygen pass through them to the cornea. This is important because if the cornea is deprived of oxygen for an extended period of time it can result in eye problems including corneal edema and giant papillary conjunctivitis.

Extended wear contact lenses are ideal for today's busy lifestyles since they require minimal maintenance. These lenses are disposable so you simply throw them away after the wear period is over. Then pop in a new pair and you are good to go. No messy cleaning or disinfecting needed.

The first models of extended wear lenses were actually designed to be worn over and over again. These lenses were cleaned and disinfected and then put back in your eye. But these lenses were impossible to completely disinfect and a number of infections in eye irritations happened with this type of lens so manufacturers made a disposable version which is quite convenient. Of course, there is still a slight chance of infection with any contact lenses but if you practice proper hygiene you should minimize your chances of getting an eye infection.

Although the extended wear lenses are very convenient they may not work for everyone. Some people simply do not get enough oxygen in their eyes and will need to wear daily disposable lenses. Others just can't fathom sleeping with the contact lenses in their eyes and are afraid that they'll get lost somewhere inside the eye during sleep (this actually cannot happen although if you rub your eyes in your sleep they may fold over or come out).

Whether you choose extended wear contact lenses or daily wear soft lenses I can assure you that you will find the convenience to be quite pleasant. For people that are into sports, there's nothing like contact lenses to replace eye gasses which can actually be a safety hazard if they break or fall off during play. Plus, the disposable lenses are virtually maintenance free you just need to remember to order enough so that when you dispose of the pair you're wearing you have a new pair to pop right in.

If your child has vision problems then contact lenses can help enhance vision and can also be comfortable for them to wear. Fitting a child for contact lenses is the same process as fitting an adult and they have all the same options in purchasing lenses including extended wear, disposable, and daily wear.

For kids that play sports, contact lenses may be a far superior choice to eyeglasses. Eyeglasses can easily become damaged or broken and can even be dangerous during sporting events plus eyeglasses cost a lot of money and if you have to keep buying new ones because they're broken during sports that can be expensive!

The other advantage with contact lenses for kids is that sometimes children can be cruel and kids who wear glasses often get teased. This can really affect your child's self-esteem and self-confidence especially with young children that can really be hurt by these taunts.

But one thing the parent needs to consider is the maturity of the child. Wearing contact lenses carries with it certain responsibilities and you need to make sure that your kid will be able to maintain the contacts properly in order to keep their eyes healthy. If your kid is pretty responsible about school assignments and chores at home and it's a good bet that there be a good candidate for properly taking care of their contact lenses.

Some parents still want their kids to have contacts even though they may not be ready for the responsibility and in this case the parent will need to take over to make sure that the contacts are properly cleaned and maintained. This is critical because good eye health is important and not caring properly for your contacts can lead to eye damage.

Contact lenses for kids need to be considered carefully because they do have the same risks as for adults and this includes a higher risk of eye infection, abrasion and dryness. Some children may not be good candidates for wearing contact lenses. Either way you want to see your eye doctor can discuss the situation with him before you get your child fitted and a prescription for contact lenses.

The condition may be congenital; i.e., a defect present at birth, such as the absence of pigmentation in the iris. This condition doesn't just result in sensitivity to light - it can be startling to others and create embarrassment for the individual who has this condition.

Lenses may also be used to correct or mask disfiguring eye injuries caused by accidents, to give a patient a more normal-looking appearance.

This lens is not the same as a glass eye; it fits over the eye just like any type of contact lens. These lenses also usually require the same type of maintenance as regular contact lenses and they feel just the same to the person wearing them.

Sometimes prosthetic contact lenses will be used to make an eye that has crossed appear to be in alignment. When the lens is inserted, it makes the colored part of the eye appear in the normal position of the white area instead of over towards the corner. Prosthetic lenses can hide such inconsistencies which can make the eyes look less awkward and gives the affected person a much higher level of self-confidence. It should be noted that this does not actually correct the defect - it only corrects the appearance of the defect.

Unlike traditional contact lenses these prosthesis's are not necessarily used to correct a problem with vision but they can also be made to double for this task as well. Usually, however they are just cosmetic. Like prosthetics for any other part of the body, prosthetic lenses are custom made for the individual. For example, for a person with no pigmentation in the iris, the iris color would be hand-painted directly onto contact lenses. As a result, these lenses are not disposable; it would be horrendously expensive to have customized disposable contact lenses.

Although there are costume contact lenses available over-the-counter, prosthetic contact lenses (which serve a completely different purpose) must be custom-ordered from someone who specializes in fashioning these types of contacts and following the referral from a medical doctor who specializes in eyes (ophthalmologist).

The toric lens is actually made from the same material that traditional contact lenses are made from but the lens is designed differently to deal with the astigmatism. These lenses curve at different angles creating two powers. In addition they also have a way of keeping stable when you move your eye or blank so that they provide crisp clear vision.

While it will take your eye doctor longer to fit you with the toric contact lens, you'll be happy to know that they are available in disposable, multifocal and even colored. Be that as it may, you can expect to pay more both for your lenses and for the fitting. Fitting an eye with these lenses does take a certain amount of expertise so you might want to make sure that your eye care practitioner is experienced with these types of lenses.

You can get toric lenses in soft or rigid gas permeable. With this type of lens, some people actually like the rigidity of the RGP lenses because they provide a bit crisper vision which is important with an astigmatism.

Many of the manufacturers today make soft toric contact lenses and your eye doctor will be able to recommend a brand that is best for your eyes. You can get them as disposables, daily disposables frequent replacement and silicone hydrogel for 30 day wear. If you have presbyopia, you'll want multifocall tprics which are usually an RGP lens and not disposable although there are some manufacturers who do make a soft toric multifocal lens.

But until very recently, contacts couldn't work this way and your only choice was either not to be able to see up close or to wear bifocal eyeglasses. These early bifocals were rather unsightly with a huge line in the middle or a little square cut out for the different prescriptions. People that do need glasses to see far away would where those little half glasses perched on their nose in order to read. Today's bifocal eyeglasses are seamless with no lines, but still nothing beats contact lenses.

Although rather new, bifocal contact lenses are becoming more and more popular each year particularly with older people these days who are more healthy and trying to look younger to match the vibrant way they feel. Just like a bifocal eyeglasses, the bifocal lens contains two prescriptions. If you have a problem seeing distance one prescription will correct that and the other will enhance your close-up vision.

There are three ways a bifocal lens can be made. One way is that both prescriptions can be centered at the cornea so that they are within the boundaries of the pupil itself. With this type of manufacture the eyes learn to adjust to the prescription necessary at the moment. This particular method is called simultaneous placement.

Another method called translating placement is when the bottom of the lens has a prescription for close vision and the top for distance. Another way to make them is to place the prescriptions in concentric circles - one prescription in the inner circle and the other in the outer circle.

These days you can easily get bifocal contact lenses because most major contact lens manufacturers make at least one kind. They are just as effective as eyeglasses and come in extended wear, disposable and daily wear styles. One thing to watch out for, though, is that if you're not used to wearing bifocals you will need some time to get used to them. They can really make you dizzy or feel off balanced until your eyes get used to switching between the two different prescriptions. So if you do get bifocal contact lenses, it's a good idea to keep your old prescription for a while so that you can switch between the two until you are used to these new lenses.

Many people don't realize that there is a wide variety of colors in contact lenses and almost any prescription can be made and include the option for different colors. Even people that do know this, are hesitant to try colored contacts because they don't want to surprise people with the huge change in their eye color. The truth is - you can get contacts that have even a subtle change in color. Even with a subtle change, these can add drama to your looks and make wearing contacts more fun.

For those who don't need them for vision correction and just want colored lenses for the fun of it, you'll still have to see an eye doctor and get a prescription for the lenses. A prescription for lenses that does not include vision correction is called a "plano prescription." The doctor will measure the curvature and width of your eye to get a perfect fit for your new lenses.

One thing that cannot be stressed enough, however, is that even if you have a prescription for lenses that don't have any vision correction you should never share them with someone else. Many people believe that since the lenses won't affect your vision they can swap with their friends, sort of like swapping shirts or dresses. This should never be done under any circumstances, since the lenses are fitted to the shape of your eye. This can make them uncomfortable for someone else to wear; however, the most important reason not to share contact lenses with anyone is that you may be subjecting your eye to harmful bacteria that can cause irritation or worse.

When it comes to colored contact lenses, there are a few options that you need to understand. If you want to completely change your eye color - like from a dark color to a light color -you will need opaque contact lenses. The colored contact lenses are actually tinted and will add a bit of color to these existing color of your eyes. You can find many types of tints and not all of them are designed for changing the color of your eyes.

Some tints are called visibility tints and these are designed to make the lens easier to see so that you can handle them easier. Anyone who's ever dropped a clear contact will agree that a little bit of color can make it a lot easier to find in a sink or on the floor. You can also get enhancement tints which are a deeper tint that work to enhance and intensify your natural eye color.

Some lenses are coated with a UV protection tint and these are great for people who spend a lot of time outdoors. These colored contact lenses don't necessarily change your eye color but they'll help reduce glare from the sun. Along these lines, a great innovation is a transitional contact lens that darkens to the color of sunglasses when exposed to the light and transitions back to clear once you get indoors.

Eyes are a focal point in human communication. If eyes are the windows of the soul, then colored contact lenses are the window dressing!

Your typical soft contact lenses contain a lot of water but the gas permeable lens is less watery and therefore less susceptible to protein deposits that can accumulate on the lenses blurring your vision. Another advantage of low water content is that the lenses are less likely to harbor bacteria. Both of these things are critical components of good eye health.

With the gas permeable contact lenses, oxygen can still flow through the lens into your cornea but the plastic itself is more durable which makes the lenses less prone to becoming damaged and easier to handle. These lenses are great for extended wear because of the high degree of gas permeability. Allowing oxygen into your eyes is critical because when your eyes can breathe they can flush away bacteria and other pollutants like they are supposed to. In addition, they help keep your eyes from becoming irritated and dry.

These lenses are not flimsy and flip floppy like soft contact lenses and won't dry out or tear as easily provided that you care for them properly. This can save you money because a torn lens is no good and needs to be thrown away.

Although the lenses do have benefits, they are not really as comfortable as the traditional soft lenses. The first couple of days might be particularly uncomfortable and you will spend some time getting used to the lenses. However, once your eyes adjust to the lens they can be quite comfortable. If you don't wear them all the time though, you'll have to go through the same thing each time you wear them for you to get used to them.

Another big drawback of gas permeable contact lens is that when you take them out sometimes you can get blurry spots on them that might take a couple days to clear up. This usually causes people to stop wearing the lenses but then this starts the adaptation period of getting used to them all over again.

The first step is to get contact lenses that are just right for you. Your eye care professional will make that decision after a thorough eye exam. He or she will write you a prescription, taking into account the wear characteristics you want, such as disposable, extended wear and more. State-of-the-art equipment and experience allow eye doctors to fit everyone with contacts that are individually perfect for them and that fit exactly.

While certain lenses require a break-in or adjustment period, they should not be uncomfortable for very long. RGP lenses, for example, are firmer than soft contacts. They will take a few days longer than soft lenses to feel right.

During that period, you're getting used to something that is new and your eyes are conforming to the lens and vice-versa. Soft lenses should feel comfortable within a day or two at most. You should adjust to any contact lens by the period described by your doctor. Any longer than that and it's time to take them back.

Before deciding that the lenses are not right for you, though, make sure you're using them correctly.

Toric lenses for example, used by those who have certain types of astigmatism, can only go in correctly one way. Because they combine multiple shapes to correct the condition, if they are rotated upside down they won't fit right, nor will they correct your vision appropriately. Similar comments apply to bifocals or progressives, which are often designed to be worn only one way.

For most people, contact lenses differ between left and right. Getting them backwards will not give you optimal correction. It should be obvious, but it isn't always. The reason is that your eyes may differ only by a small amount and other things can interfere with optimal vision, such as cloudiness on the lens from improper cleaning. Most lenses come with a mark on the right lens, just in case you get them mixed up. Your eye care professional will point this out to you when the lenses are first dispensed.

Inserting the lenses

Make sure you clean your hands and the lens thoroughly before you insert them. Small contaminants make a big difference when it comes to something as carefully crafted as your contacts. Protein and bacteria buildup are much quicker on lenses that aren't prepared correctly.

Also, make sure you put them in correctly. With eyes that only differ a little, it's easy to get them backwards and not know it. Some designs simplify the issue by actually imprinting a tiny L and R on the lens. Others rely on you to see that the left and right are correct after they're inserted, and reverse them if they're not. Toric lenses make clear which way they are to go - follow that.

Wear your contact lenses according to their designed use. If you have daily wear lenses, don't treat them like extended wear models - take them out before bed. If you fall asleep with the lenses in, even during the day, use eye drops and allow the eye to get moisturized before removing them. Ironically, closed eyelids during sleep can cause them to dry out, since you produce less tear solution then. Allow your eyes time to adjust. If you are using daily wear lenses like extended wear lenses, perhaps it's time to speak with your eye care professional about extended wear.

Some soft lenses can accidentally flip inside out. But even single vision lenses are designed to only be worn one way. Before inserting, ensure they look like a slice of a sphere with no ridges. If there's a tiny lip, they likely have gotten turned inside out. Firmer lenses, such as RGP models, show this more prominently, but it should be visible on others, too. Because it can be hard to see without your contacts in, have a pair of glasses handy or get used to feeling for the small ridge.

With proper care and use, your lenses should not be irritating. Continuing to wear lenses that are irritating can lead to eye health problems. If they bother you, consult your eye doctor and ensure that your prescription and practices are both what the doctor ordered.

Those old hard contact lenses were made out of material called polymethyl methacrylate, otherwise known as Lucite - a plastic you might recognize in some old jewelry and household products. While this allowed for great vision correction it was pretty uncomfortable to put in your eyes. Not only that but it took quite a bit of maintenance to keep these clean and healthy.

This material was also not gas permeable and so it did not allow oxygen to flow through to your eyes, therefore it was not advisable to wear the hard contact lenses for more than 12 hours. Even at that, they could probably get pretty uncomfortable.

Thankfully, soft contact lenses were invented that are much more comfortable and a lot easier to maintain as well. Soft contacts are made with water so that they float freely on the surface of the eye. They're quite comfortable and you can get used to wearing them in no time at all. They also allow oxygen to pass freely through the lens onto the cornea of the eye.

One of the drawbacks of the soft lenses is that they are not as durable as hard lenses and you can easily tear them when handling them. Also, the vision you get with these lenses isn't quite as sharp as with hard corrective lenses. But even though it's not as crisp, the vision is quite clear - usually better than eyeglasses and most people find it quite satisfactory.

Protein buildup, however, can be more of a problem with soft contact lenses and over time this buildup can have a negative impact on your vision. Not only that but it can make the lenses uncomfortable. However, if you properly care for your lenses this will minimize the buildup of protein and is also important for good eye health.

The technology behind contact lenses is evolving with breakneck speed and along with that so is the technology of the cleaning and disinfecting solutions used. At first, there were separate solutions for cleaning, disinfecting and storage but today one solution can do the job for everything making it much more convenient.

Properly cleaning your contact lenses is important, but if you don't have time for that you can simply get disposable lenses that you throw away after each time you wear them. When it's time to put a new lenses you simply open brand-new ones!

Soft contact lenses come in a variety of types you can get daily wear, or extended wear which can be worn for a day, a week or a month depending on your particular situation. It's never been easier to get good vision correction than it is today!