Contact Lenses 101 Part 1: Contact Lens Materials (2023)

FAQs

Contact Lenses 101 Part 1: Contact Lens Materials? ›

Contact lens materials are typically based on polymer- or silicone-hydrogel, with additional manufacturing technologies employed to produce the final lens.

Contact lens materials are typically based on polymer- or silicone-hydrogel, with additional manufacturing technologies employed to produce the final lens.

Precision1 uses a new silicone hydrogel material, verofilcon A, and includes a permanently adhered 'microthin' (2 to 3 µm) layer of moisture. Alcon says this feature, which it calls SmartSurface, improves comfort and supports a stable tear film.

Silicone hydrogel lenses offer an increased level of comfort and oxygen throughout the day when wearing lenses. For two weekly and monthly contact lenses, silicone hydrogel material helps to ensure that your lenses remain breathable throughout their entire wearing cycle.

SILICONE HYDROGEL 1 Day (somofilcon A) Soft (hydrophilic) Contact Lenses for Daily Wear Single Use are a hydrophilic co-polymer of silicone containing monomers and hydrophilic monomers which is cross-linked with tetraethyleneglycol dimethacrylate and di-functional methacryloxypropyl-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane).

These lenses are made of a silicone hydrogel material containing an internal wetting agent, visibility tint, and UV absorbing monomer and are tinted blue using Reactive Blue Dye #4 to make the lenses more visible for handling.

Contact lenses are produced in a variety of different materials in order to guarantee the comfort, breathability and lasting moisture of the lens.

Silicone hydrogel's high oxygen permeability means contact lens wearers are less likely to suffer from corneal hypoxia or a lack of oxygen supply to the cornea. Another benefit of high oxygen permeability is that silicone hydrogel contact lenses are much more suitable for extended or continuous wear.

Popular brands of silicone hydrogel contact lenses include Acuvue Oasys (Vistakon), Air Optix Aqua (Alcon), Biofinity (CooperVision) and PureVision2 (Bausch + Lomb).

This is an advanced type of lenses which are softer and more porous than regular hydrogel lenses, which allows more oxygen to the cornea. Soft Lenses are made of water-containing plastics called hydrogels. These are thin and can conform to the surface of the eye.

What are the 3 types of contact lenses? ›

Contact lenses may seem like they are the same - simple pieces of plastic that correct your vision. However, there are several differences that can play a key role in the fitting your unique eyes. Different brands make contact lenses that vary in everything from material to shape to recommended replacement schedule.

Silicone Hydrogel material: Allows a high amount of oxygen to reach your eyes. Hence, provides superior eye health.

Hubble contacts are made with a material called Methafilcon A by Shine Optical Co. Essentially, the lenses only come in one shape and size and the material they're made from is outdated. Very few contacts are still made with Methafilcon A and most optometrists won't recommend products made from the material.

The Bausch + Lomb Biotrue® ONEday lens material, HyperGel® (nesofilcon A), is a hydrophilic copolymer of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and N-vinylpyrrolidone, and is 78% water by weight when immersed in a sterile saline solution.

Biotrue ONEday is made from HyperGel™, an innovative, next generation of daily disposable material that has the best features of conventional hydrogels and silicone hydrogels.

Soft, hard, and hybrid contact lenses are all made using types of plastic, but maybe not the kind of plastic that comes to mind when you hear that word. Different types of contacts are made using various high-tech polymers that allow oxygen to flow through to reach the cornea—a necessity when it comes to eye health.

Toric lenses

Toric contact lenses are made from one of two materials: Hydrogel. Silicone hydrogel.

Permanent contact lenses are a type of implantable lenses called phakic intraocular lenses (PIOLs), and are made of clear, flexible plastic.

For example, the highest Dk material (lotrafilcon A) is the stiffest, and the lowest-Dk material (galyfilcon A) is the softest.

Are Warby Parker lenses glass or plastic? ›

Our frames come standard with impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses that block 100% of UVA and UVB rays.

“Ionic: lenses have a negatively charged surface, thus will attract positively charged proteins in the tear film. “Non-ionic” hydrogel lenses are coated in order to reduce the negative surface charge, thus, reducing the attraction of protein deposits.

Laser Surgery as a Contact Lens Alternative

Laser surgery corrects some of the common problems of vision such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia.

Silicone hydrogel lenses are made from a soft, flexible property that increases oxygen permeability. In fact, this type of contact lens material allows up to 5 times more oxygen to permeate through the lens to the eye than standard soft lenses.

Lenses made from newer silicone hydrogel materials tend to be more comfortable. They allow more oxygen to pass through to the cornea and take less time to adapt to, as well as being comfortable for longer. Switching to daily disposable or silicone hydrogel lenses could significantly reduce any discomfort.

Hydrogel lenses generally have a higher water content and much lower oxygen permeability than silicone hydrogel lenses. Low oxygen transmissibility is a major contributor in contact lens‐related complications, such as corneal inflammation or neovascularization (Dillehay 2007).

Acrylic lenses are much more hydrophilic than silicone lenses. The contact angle (a measure that reflects relative hydrophobicity of intraocular lens (IOL) material) for acrylic lenses is 73 degrees, whereas for silicone it is 103 degrees.

The drawback of silicone hydrogel lenses is their tendency for the lens to collect more debris and protein deposits from your tears.

During the day, having your eyes open brings in oxygen to your cornea. Monthly and other extended wear contact lenses are typically silicone hydrogel lenses that have higher gas permeability: they allow five or more times the oxygen through the lens compared to standard contact lenses.

Soft Lenses

Roughly 50% of the weight of a soft lens is due to the water it contains, making them extremely comfortable and super easy for you to wear. Soft lenses are hands down the most popular type of contact lens. Approximately 90 percent of contact lenses worn in the U.S. are soft lenses.

What is the most common type of contact lenses? ›

Soft contacts are the most common type of contact lenses and account for over 85% of contact lenses dispensed. Traditional soft contact lenses consist of soft plastic polymers and water. They allow oxygen to permeate through the lens material to the cornea.

Hard contact lenses are the second option of contact lenses available. These lenses have come a long way since the 1970s. Hard contact lenses today are rigid gas permeable lenses which allow for more flexibility and oxygen to pass through the lens to the cornea, while still maintaining their shape on the eye.

Different brands of contact lenses are made from different materials, and just because another brand has a similar base curve and diameter does not mean it will fit the same. Wearing the exact brand that you have been prescribed will help prevent medical problems and allergic reactions to the different materials used.

People with dailies don't have to worry about cleaning the lenses because you just throw them away each night and put in a new pair each morning. However, a monthly lens may work better for people who find solace in a daily cleaning routine or those who don't want to keep a large stock of contacts on hand.

Although, not everyone can wear them comfortably. Eye conditions, such as dry eye disease or blepharitis, may make wearing contacts uncomfortable and risky. A severe refractive error, allergies, or contact lens intolerance can also make wearing contact lenses difficult.

While plastic has become the most popular choice of lens material in recent years, glass lenses are still preferred by some for the following reasons: Clarity. Glass lenses provide the clearest vision with the smallest amount of distortion. Scratch resistance.

Hubble Contacts are made of methafilcon A, a soft contact lens material that was FDA approved in 1986 and hasn't changed since. So why do I groan whenever I hear about Hubble Contacts? There are several reasons.

Easyvision Opteyes (Same as Biofinity) lenses are made from Silicone Hydrogel, using a specific formulation developed by CooperVision. They have a water content of 48%, and a Aspherical lens design.

The complaint alleges the defendant violated the Contact Lens Rule by: 1) failing to properly verify consumers' prescriptions; 2) selling contacts after prescription verification requests were denied; 3) altering prescriptions by substituting its own Hubble brand when that wasn't what the consumer was prescribed; and 4 ...

Because of its high Abbe value therefore, Trivex lenses can offer a better optical experience than polycarbonate lenses. This is especially the case for those with higher prescriptions, as the severity of the aberrations tend to increase with stronger prescriptions.

Is Biotrue contact lens a silicone hydrogel? ›

Are Biotrue contacts silicone hydrogel? Biotrue ONEday contacts are not made from silicone hydrogel, but from hydrogel. There are pros and cons with both materials but hydrogel lenses are known for their high water content and comfort.

Like most plastics, CR39 is tough and resists scratching, heat and most chemicals. It is the clearest lens material in common use on the Abbe scale at an average value of 58. Comparatively, Trivex is the next clearest to CR39 at 45, and polycarbonate is 32 (highest numbers are better).

Both multi-purpose solutions are designed to keep your contact lenses effectively clean as Biotrue has a dual disinfection system, compared to ReNu which has a triple disinfection system. Biotrue contact lens solution are more advance in that they deliver an even longer contact lens wear of moisture and hydration.

These results demonstrate that Opti-Free Express provides greater lens wearing comfort than ReNu MultiPlus, especially later in the day. An improvement in lens comfort should translate into greater patient satisfaction, decreased contact lens dropout and greater patient retention.

The correct answer is lucite. The conventional hard contact lenses were made of a hard plastic material called polymethyl methacrylate also known as Lucite.

Contacts are actually made from medical grade, hypoallergenic materials. So, in most cases, the contact materials do not cause the allergic reaction. Rather, the 'allergy' is caused by a buildup of contaminants. However, in rare cases, people can develop an allergy to the actual lenses.

Contact lenses are made from Polyvinyl chloride. Polyvinyl chloride is provided as a great benefit as besides making lenses it is also helpful in making buildings, electronics health care's, and other sectors. The vinyl helps in producing sliding frames which are easily durable and helpful in making glasses.

There are many reasons that your eyes might reject your contacts. Your eyes can develop an intolerance to contact lens fluid, bacteria from unclean contacts, or even the material of the lenses themselves. Some common causes of contact lens intolerance include: Improper use, storage, or cleaning.

Some of the reasons why you might experience contact lens discomfort include the wrong lens fit, poor hygiene practices, allergies, dry eyes, medications, and underlying conditions. A good aftercare routine can go a long way in helping you to reduce eye discomfort.

ACUVUE^® Theravision^® with Ketotifen has built-in allergy medication, that is seamlessly embedded into the contact lens and offers triple-action relief. 50% of medication will release in the first 15 minutes of wear, and it will continuously deliver over the next 5 hours.

Is it safer to wear glasses than contact lenses? ›

Almost all complications are due to poor hygiene and maintenance, but the fact remains that contact lenses do carry more risk than eyeglasses. Oversights in lens care can cause irritation, conjunctivitis, dry eye syndrome, and other uncomfortable eye problems.

As they go through sewage systems, contact lenses break down into smaller particles and ultimately form microplastics. These microplastics pollute the oceans and are mistaken for food by marine animals.

The correct answer is Hydrogel. Contact lenses are normally made of Hydrogel.

Contact lenses have been used for decades to correct vision. Their materials have evolved to enhance vision as clearly as possible while maintaining the eye health of the user, ultimately resulting in a plastic polymer, silicone hydrogel.