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Not very long ago, it wasn't uncommon for eye care providers to have to inform a patient that their prescription was out of the range of contact lenses, and they must continue using their glasses. With a surge in technology of materials and designs, however, almost everyone that has corrective vision needs is now eligible to wear some form of contact lens in lieu of their glasses. For many, this now means the freedom of being able to express themselves without feeling self-conscious of their eyewear or worry about breaking or damaging their eyewear during activities such as sports and fitness. There are several different factors that need to be determined when looking at different types of contact lenses: material, design, and wearing schedule.

Over the years, many different materials have been tried. The first contact lenses were "hard" contact lenses, made primarily from a material called PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), a type of acrylic. While effective at correcting vision, these lenses were extremely uncomfortable, and had little to no oxygen permeability, so overwear of them could cause damage to the cornea from lack of oxygen. These "hard" lenses have now been replaced by Rigid Gas Permeable lenses, or RGPs. RGP lenses are "hard" when compared to their soft counterparts, but unlike the PMMA lenses of yesteryear, RGPs are designed with multiple materials that allow differing levels of oxygen permeability and comfort. Many optometrists dislike fitting RGP's lenses, as the "trial and error" fitting must often be employed, and is time consuming for both the doctor and the patient. Often you will find that the doctor charges a premium exam fee for fitting these lenses, which incorporates the (typically) multiple followup visits upon which the patient will return for fit adjustments. RGP lenses are useful for very high prescriptions, large amounts of astigmatism (or cylindrical shape of the front of the eye), and to manage an ocular disease called keratoconus, upon which the cornea develops irregular shaping, rendering standard soft contact lenses useless. Soft contact lenses, which are most commonly prescribed, are made from hydrophilic materials and conform to the shape of the eye. They come in a variety of material options made by several manufacturers, and depending on the rest of the ocular correction and lifestyle needs of the patient, will be selected to best match all factors of the patient's visual needs.

Once it has been determined what material

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