You want to always buy your contact lenses from a well-known reputable company. You can buy discount contact lenses without a prescription, but the company would be selling you a prescription device as if it were an over-the-counter device, which is in violation of FTC regulations, in other words, selling contact lenses without having a prescription from you. You’ll want to take simple precautions to make any lens purchase safe and effective when you order. There are many kinds of contact lenses on the market including novelty, colored, crazy, Halloween, special effects, theatrical, costume, scary, glow in the dark, wild eyes, mirrored, black, white, and red among others. You can also get astigmatism contact lenses and bifocal contact lenses.
Once you get a contact lens prescription, it’s possible to buy from stores, online, over the phone, or by mail. Contact lens sales are regulated by both the FDA (Food And Drug Administration) and the FTC (Federal Trade Commission.)
Soft lenses also come as disposable products, used once and then discarded, or as planned-replacement lenses. And rigid gas-permeable lenses tend to actually be cheaper over the life of the lens, even though they cost more, because they last longer than soft lenses. And bifocal correction is possible with both soft and rigid lenses.
Contact lenses give you excellent peripheral vision for sports, driving, safety, and performing among others. And extra-thin soft lenses are on the market for very sensitive people. Soft lenses aren’t as likely as rigid lenses to pop out or get foreign material like dust underneath them.
There are also a few rigid gas-permeable lenses that are designed and approved for wearing overnight. And extended wear contact lenses are used for overnight or continuous wear, thus ranging from one to six nights or up to 30 days. The length of continuous lens wear depends on the type of lens you get and the doctor’s evaluation of your tolerance for overnight wear.
With planned-replacement lenses, the eye doctor works out a replacement schedule to meet the needs of each patient. And rigid lenses generally will give you clearer vision.
Beware of attempts to substitute a different brand from the one you want when buying your contacts. Make sure to have a current, valid prescription when you do order contact lenses. There are many good contact lens suppliers now online making their lenses available at a good discount for both prescription and non-prescription lenses.
When you do place your contact lens order, make sure to request the manufacturer’s patient information for your type of contact lenses. It’ll give you important risk and benefit information as well as specific written instructions for use. And always ask what rebates are available to you. You have many choices today; you can buy contact lenses from an eye doctor, at an eye clinic, on the Internet, from an optical store or a warehouse club.
Whenever you do place your order make sure that your lenses are available and not out of stock, because you’ll likely need them as soon as possible. Make sure to focus on the value, not just the price because most people, who are looking for the best price, are really looking for the best value.
Be aware that extended-wear rigid lenses can cause unexpected and undesirable, reshaping of the cornea. Heat disinfection is the only method that’s effective against the microorganism Acanthamoeba keratitis, which is a common culprit for contact lens wearers. It also kills organisms in and on the contact lens case. To be sure your eyes remain healthy you shouldn’t order lenses with a prescription that has expired or right before the prescription is about to expire. You should get re-checked by your eye doctor.
You don’t want to wear lenses any longer than they’re prescribed for or when you’re sleeping unless you’re otherwise directed to. A basic rule is to never swap your contact lenses with anyone else. Soft extended-wear lenses bind down on the eye when it’s closed. But they are porous and allow some tears through during sleep and because they have so little form, their binding has very little effect on the shape of the eye.
If your first lens fitting is performed by an eye care practitioner, he or she can also help minimize or eliminate the cause of any eye irritation that is associated with the new lenses. If you’re looking for cheap contact lenses, you may find that the cheap materials or other ways of cutting costs will affect the quality you want. And if you’re planning to buy contact lenses, you should buy the best quality you can get, even if it’s at a higher price because you don’t want to skimp on the quality when it comes to your eyes.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Easy Guide To Buying Contact Lenses
Friday, July 16, 2010
Your Must-Know Guide To Discount Contact Lenses
Sales of contact lenses are regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the FTC (Federal Trade Commission.) Always buy from a reputable company; you can buy discount contact lenses without a prescription, but then the company is selling you a prescription device as if it were an over-the-counter device, in violation of FTC regulations – selling you lenses without having a valid prescription from you. The choice of which lens is right for you should be based only on an examination by your eye doctor or eye care professional, not over the phone.
There are many kinds of contact lenses available: novelty, colored, crazy, Halloween, special effects, theatrical, costume, scary, glow in the dark, wild eyes, mirrored, black, white, red and many others. Before you buy contact lenses from anyone other than your eye care professional, it pays to become a wise consumer first.
In some models, both lenses correct for near and distance vision and in others, one lens is for near vision, and the other is for distance. Extra thin soft lenses are on the market for very sensitive people. The length of continuous lens wear depends on the type and your doctor’s evaluation of your tolerance for overnight wear.
If you plan to wear lenses for more than 18 hours a day for the purpose of eye color change, then buy colored soft lenses. It is important for your eyes to have a rest, without lenses, for at least one night following each scheduled removal. And bifocal correction is possible with both soft and rigid lenses.
Soft lenses are much easier to adjust and are much more comfortable than rigid lenses, because they conform to the eye and absorb and hold water. Newer soft lens materials include silicone-hydrogels so as to provide more oxygen to your eyes. Also there are also a few rigid gas-permeable lenses that are designed and approved for overnight wear. Rigid gas-permeable contact lenses are more durable, resistant to deposit buildup, and generally give clearer, crisper vision.
When you place your order for contact lenses, request the manufacturer’s written patient information for your contact lenses; it will give you important risk and benefit information as well as instructions for use. Buy your contact lenses from a supplier that you’re familiar with and know is reliable or has name familiarity. When you receive your order, if you think you’ve received incorrect contact lenses, check with your doctor or eye care professional right away; don’t accept substitutions unless your eye care professional approves it.
Make sure you have a current, valid prescription when you order your contact lenses. Compare prices – get quotes from two, three or more online and offline suppliers. Before you buy online, check to see if there are any testimonials on the online supplier’s website.
Carefully check to make sure the company gives you the exact brand and specifications you ordered, the name of the lens, the power, sphere, cylinder, if any, axis, if any, diameter base curve, and peripheral curves, if any. Wherever you buy, shop for quality and value and don’t forget you want to do what is best for the health of your eye. Rebates may be available from the seller or from the manufacturer, for first-time contact lens wearers and for individuals who buy lenses and also get an eye exam.
Don’t wear lenses any longer than they’re prescribed for, nor when sleeping unless you are otherwise directed to. 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 serious infection. One sight-threatening concern is the infection called Acanthamoeba keratitis, which is caused by improper care of the lenses; this difficult-to-treat parasitic infection’s symptoms are similar to those of corneal ulcers.
Microorganisms may be present in distilled water, so always use commercial sterile saline solutions if you plan to use enzyme tablets in water for any disinfection. Daily-wear lenses are removed each day for cleaning and are a safer choice, provided they aren’t worn during sleep. Be careful about extended-wear rigid lenses because they can cause unexpected, undesirable, reshaping of the cornea.
If you lead an active lifestyle, contact lenses can provide you with almost natural vision. No matter which lenses your doctor prescribes, be sure to ask for oral and written instructions and follow them carefully. It is becoming easier and easier to shop online and often the shipping is free.
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.