Most contact lens wearers are usually surprised and happy with the level of comfort they find that lenses provide. It’s easy to order the perfect low cost contact lenses online today. Once that you have your contact lens prescription it’s easy to buy discount contact lenses online or from stores, over the phone, or by mail if you wish.
Make sure that you always buy from a reputable company. You can buy discount contact lenses without a prescription, but the company is selling you the lenses as if it were an over-the-counter device, is violating FTC regulations. If you’ve always wanted to change the color of your eyes then color contact lenses can provide baby blues, gorgeous greens, and heavenly hazels. You can even get some unusual colors and patterns and designs.
There are a few differences in the water content and shape of the lenses between different brands. The ability to hold water increases the oxygen permeability of soft lenses and increases their fragility also. In some lenses, one lens can correct for near and the other correct for distance vision.
The rigid gas-permeable contact lenses are much more durable, are resistant to deposit buildup, and generally do give you a clearer, crisper vision field. There are two general recognized categories of contact lenses. They are – soft and rigid gas permeable. So you don’t get them mixed up you can mark the rigid lenses to show which lens is for which eye. They won’t rip or tear, so they’re very easy to handle and work with.
The length of your continuous lens wear depends on the type of lens and your doctor’s evaluation of how you will be able to tolerate them for overnight wear. There are a few rigid gas-permeable lenses that are approved for overnight wear too. Rigid gas-permeable lenses are usually much less expensive over the life of the lens since they last longer than soft lenses do.
The extended wear contact lenses are for overnight or continuous wear ranging from one to six nights or for up to 30 days or so. With planned-replacement lenses, the doctor usually works out a good replacement schedule that will meet the needs of the patient.
Before you buy any contact lenses online, do some research to see if there are any testimonials at the online supplier’s website or if they are mentioned in any contact lens forums. If you have a health insurance policy or health plan, the insurance plan or policy’s prices from the vendors they provide may or may not be better than what you can find online or elsewhere. Make sure to check to see if you have a health insurance plan that includes vision coverage and if it doesn’t you may want to consider another health insurance company in the future that does include vision insurance.
Make sure to compare prices; don’t just get the most convenient lenses. Get quotes from two or three different online suppliers and offline vendors. Ask about prices and any discount or senior discounts at your doctor’s office when you have your eye examination, or during a follow-up visit after you get your prescription. Often discounts and newspaper coupons can be found but one needs to ask if there are any. When you get your contact lenses order, if you think you’ve received an incorrect lens, check with your eye doctor or eye care professional as soon as possible and don’t accept any substitutions unless your doctor approves it.
If you like get a good feel for how the retailer handles their customer service calls in advance of ordering, in case you have a problem after your order arrives. There are many good contact lens retailers and vendors on the Internet now making the lenses available at low cost or a good discount for both prescription and non-prescription lenses.
Make sure not to wear your lenses any longer than they’ve been prescribed for, nor when sleeping unless you’ve been told it’s okay. If you use disposable lenses always throw them away after the recommended wearing period or risk medical problems. The soft extended-wear lenses will bind down on a closed eye, but they’re porous and allow some tears to get through during sleep. And because they have so little form to them, their binding has very little effect on the shape of the eye.
Heat disinfection is the only method that is truly effective against the microorganism Acanthamoeba keratitis, which is a common culprit for many contact lens wearers. It will also kill organisms on and in the lenses case. Acanthamoeba keratitis is caused by improper lens care and this difficult-to-treat parasitic infection’s symptoms are similar to those of corneal ulcers so be careful. Make sure to getting a proper fit because contact lenses that are poorly fitted can lead to painful eyesores, eye inflammation, and serious eye abrasions.
LASIK and laser correction surgery and its risks can be frightening and too expensive for some people but many people do choose this type of vision correction. But contact lenses can provide a safe, cheap or low cost comfortable and time-tested alternative. If you haven’t had a check-up in the last year or two, you may have issues or problems with your eyes that you’re not aware of, or your contact lenses may not correct your vision as much as you’d like them to do. And if your first lens fitting is performed by an eyecare doctor, he/she can help minimize or eliminate the cause of any eye irritation or discomfort associated with your new lenses.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Hot Tips About Cool Contact Lenses To Save You Money
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Thinking About Getting Contact Lenses? Wha You Need To Know First
If you are considering getting contact lenses for the first time then there are a few points to consider before deciding which sort are best for you. But even before this you should know all the facts to enable you to decide whether contact lenses are really what you want and whether they are suitable for you. Some people are just not suited to contact lenses and find them irritating, annoying or just too difficult to wear. Having said that if you do carry on and get used to them you may well find they are much more practical and comfortable than you had imagined.
For these and many other reasons the first step when you are thinking of investing in contact lenses is to see your optometrist. Contact lenses should only be bought with a prescription. If you buy cheap lenses without a prescription then you may well be buying something that will not be the appropriate contact lenses for your eyes. Any reputable dealer whether online or not should only sell you contact lenses after you have been to a registered practitioner and been given a prescription.
There are many different types of contact lenses available but the two main types are: soft gas permeable or rigid gas permeable. Soft contact lenses are more malleable and for some people easier and more comfortable to wear but can work out more expensive as they often need to be replaced more frequently. This can be anything from one day to one year. Contact lenses generally referred to as rigid gas permeable lenses are preferred by some not only as a cheaper option but also some wearers believe the quality of vision provided is better.
There are also contact lenses that you wear constantly for up to 30 days without removing them. These are a very convenient option if you dislike the daily hassle of putting in your contact lenses, or even if you would just like to have the option to sleep in your lenses when it suits you.
As well as the general contact lenses there are more specialist lenses such as bi focal. These help you with your vision if you have difficulty with both things close to you and also with far away objects. They take a little more getting used to than more conventional contact lenses, but are worth persevering with. When you are used to them you will wonder how you ever did without them.
Lenses for astigmatism are now widely available and many specialist lenses, colors, or contact lenses with designs on them are also obtainable for people with astigmatism. The total cost may be slightly higher but this should not be too expensive.
There are also contact lenses available purely for aesthetic effects such as changing the color of the eyes, for example from brown to blue. You can even use contact lenses to create a dazzling array of effects for the eye. As well as every color you could think of there are patterns such as tiger eyes, hypnotic spiral patterns, flames, cats eyes, contact lenses that make your eyes look completely white and even contact lenses with the logo of your favorite football team on them. Despite the fun aspects of these types of contact lenses it should always be remembered that they are still the same as more usual types of contact lenses and should be looked after and used just as carefully.
There are now contact lenses available that will help you to see better when you are not even wearing them. Although this all sounds a little science fiction there is very good science behind it. You wear the lenses when you go to sleep and they change the shape of the eye as you sleep. The effect is much the same as having laser treatment but without the lasers. The main drawback is that it is not long lasting and the contact lenses need to be worn frequently as the effects only last for about 24 hours. They can however produce extremely good results.
Whatever type of contact lenses you are looking for remember that you should only buy after seeing an optometrist. Then you will be sure that you are getting the right lenses for your particular needs.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Your Quick Guide To Tips And Facts About Contact Lenses
Contact lens sales are regulated by the FDA (Food And Drug Administration) and the FTC (Federal Trade Commission.) In the U.S. contact lens marketplace, 82 percent wear soft lenses, 16 percent wear rigid gas-permeable and only 2 percent wear hard. Among the many kinds of contact lenses you can buy are: novelty, colored, crazy, Halloween, special effects, theatrical, costume, scary, glow in the dark, wild eyes, mirrored, black, white, and red.
Before you buy contact lenses from anyone other than your eye care professional, it pays to be a wise consumer. You’ll want to take simple precautions to make any lens purchase safe and effective.
Disposable lenses don’t come with instructions for cleaning and disinfecting, while those labeled specifically for planned replacement do. People who have good distance vision but need help for reading can get a monovision reading lens for one eye. You can mark rigid lenses to show which lens is for which eye; they don’t rip or tear, so they’re easy to handle.
Rigid gas permeable contact lenses are more durable, resistant to deposit buildup, and generally give a clearer, crisper vision. It’s important for your eyes to have a rest, without lenses, for at least one night following each scheduled removal. If you plan to wear lenses for more than 18 hours for the purpose of eye color change, then buy colored soft lenses.
You can become adjusted to soft lenses within just a few days, compared to several weeks for rigid ones. There are two general categories of contact lenses – soft and rigid gas permeable. Rigid lenses generally give you more clear vision.
While the ability to hold water increases the oxygen permeability of soft lenses, it increases their fragility quotient as well. The length of continuous lens wear depends on the lens type and your doctor’s evaluation of your tolerance for overnight wear.
When you receive your order, if you think you’ve received an incorrect contact lens, check with your doctor or eye care professional right away; don’t accept any substitution unless your eye care professional approves it. If you have an insurance plan, the insurance plan’s seller’s prices may or may not be better than what you can find elsewhere; this should be just one option when you’re shopping for lenses. Compare prices – get quotes from two or three online and offline suppliers.
Make sure you have a current, valid prescription when you order contact lenses. Wherever you buy, shop for quality and value and don’t forget you want to do what’s best for your eye health. Buy your contact lenses from a supplier you’re familiar with and know is reliable or has name familiarity
Carefully check to make sure the company gives you the exact brand you ordered, the name of the lens, the power, sphere, cylinder, if any, axis, if any, diameter base curve, and peripheral curves, if any. When you place your order make sure your lenses are available and not out of stock, because you’ll need them now. Check out how long the online supplier has been in business before you buy.
The use of homemade saline made by using salt tablets mixed in water is one of the biggest contributors to Acanthamoeba keratitis in contact lens wearers: the FDA no longer condones the use of salt tablets. Getting a proper fit is essential; contact lenses that are poorly fitted can lead to eyesores, eye inflammation, and eye abrasions. Be aware that extended-wear (overnight) contact lenses – rigid or soft – increase the risk of corneal ulcers, which are infection-caused eruptions on the cornea that can lead to blindness; symptoms include vision changes, eye redness, eye discomfort or pain, and excessive tearing.
Don’t wear lenses any longer than they’re prescribed for, nor when sleeping unless you are otherwise directed. Under the binding down of a rigid contact lens during sleep, the flow of tears and oxygen to the cornea is reduced; lack of oxygen leaves the eye vulnerable to infection. Extended-wear rigid lenses can cause unexpected, undesirable, reshaping of the cornea.
It’s becoming easier and easier all the time to shop online and often the shipping is free. If you lead an active lifestyle, contact lenses can provide you with close to natural vision. Remember to use only contact lenses that are FDA-approved and only if prescribed by a licensed eyecare professional.