Hard Contact Lenses; a Thing of the Past

Hard contact lenses, as we knew them a decade ago, no longer exist. Thanks to advances in technology in the contact lens industry, these lenses have been replaced by more comfortable lenses that are much healthier for the eye and easier to wear.

The hard contact lenses of the '70s and '80s were made of a hard plastic material called Polymethylmethacrylate, or "PMMA". PMMA is the same material that forms the basis of most hard plastics. The problem with PMMA was that it did not allow for any oxygen to reach the cornea; and the eye needs plenty of oxygen to stay healthy. This lack of oxygen would cause swelling, cloudy vision, and discomfort; and could even lead to painful scratched corneas. These hard lenses also often forced the eye to “mold” into the lenses; which made it nearly impossible to use glasses once the lenses were removed.

However, technology has allowed many improvements to contact lenses in the last decade or so, and therefore hard contact lenses have been replaced by two choices: soft contact lenses or RGP contact lenses. Soft contact lenses are, obviously, softer and considered by most people to be the most comfortable contact lenses available.

Many people, however, have specific eye conditions (such as severe astigmatism) that do not work well with soft contact lenses. Also, for many people, crisp, clear vision is of utmost importance. If that's your case, RGP contact lenses might be the best contact lenses for you. 

RGP stands for “rigid gas permeable” and, as the name implies, are still more “rigid” in nature than soft contact lenses, although not nearly as hard or uncomfortable as hard contacts. The “gas permeable” means that the material used to make RGP lenses allows plenty of oxygen through to reach the eye. As a matter of fact, some of the most recent RGP contact lenses allow nearly the same amount of oxygen to reach the eye as when you aren't wearing contacts at all.

This oxygen permeability benefits the wearer in several ways. First and foremost, it keeps the eye healthy. Secondly, the lens stays more comfortable since it is not drying out the eye. And finally, the vision stays crisp and clear, since there isn't any damage to the cornea.

While RGP lenses take some getting used to, many people prefer them over soft contact lenses. However, each person is different, and so it's best to “try on” a pair, if possible, before choosing a lens to invest in. Many manufacturers offer free samples of contact lenses, or a free trial. This way, you can try out a pair for a week and see if this is the right type of lens for you.

In order to do this, you need to go to the website(or call a manufacturer)and ask for a free trial certificate or coupon. Then, make an appointment with an eye care professional for an eye exam. You can't order contact lenses without a prescription, so an appointment is necessary. Just be sure to ask first if they will honor your coupon, as not all eye care specialists carry all brands.

Then, try the lenses for a week. You might be surprised, and relieved, at how far technology has come since the days of hard contact lenses.

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