by Craig Miles

Created on: October 03, 2008   Last Updated: October 11, 2008

Contact lenses: Who needs glasses?

The transition to using contact lenses has been a growing trend due to recent developments in the field, including the variety of contact lenses to suit different eye types. It has become much easier than ever before to be free of those old, disrupting glasses. Before you decide to buy contact lenses however, it is important to know the differences and where to buy contact lenses.

Contact lenses fall into two categories; Soft and Gas Permeable (GP). Soft contact lenses are comfortable but are an older technology, and fit around the entire cornea. On the other hand, GP contact lenses are more rigid and smaller, but are longer lasting and can provide better vision. One of the main problems wearers of contact lenses face is with irritation of eyes. Eyes can become red and itchy, and in some cases blurred vision can occur. These could be due to eye sensitivity, poor maintence of contact lenses, poor fitting, or simply needing new lenses.

Consumers can buy contact lenses from several outlets. Eye doctors and optical retail stores are the most common, but buying contact lenses online and from merchandise stores may save you money. Due to the amount of outlets to buy contact lenses, it is important to look for discounts and how long one box will last. A typical set of disposable contact lenses will usually set you back $40-$50 to last around six weeks, depending on your eye type, brand and type of contact lenses you have purchased. Insurance and rebates will assist in reducing this cost further.

Novelty contact lenses can also be purchased, even if they are not prescription lenses. The most common of these are coloured contact lenses, where you can enhance your eye colour, or change it completely. Other novelty contact lenses include glow in the dark lenses, and various lenses with different shapes and patterns. At many stores you can buy contact lenses that are themed towards the time of year it is.

It is important to consult your optometrist before using contact lenses so that they can be fitted correctly and the correct methods of using them can be discussed. Following all of the right steps can result in your glasses becoming a thing of the past.

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