Colour Contact Lenses - Corrective, Therapeutic and Cosmetic

Two types of cosmetic lenses are colour contact lenses and special effects contact lenses. While these lenses occasionally correct vision when needed (they are basically spherical lenses), they also can blur vision because of their design. Colour contact lenses essentially change the appearance of the eye.

It is important that a person finds colour contact lenses that suit their natural features though; otherwise their eyes may look strange.

Some people may require colour contact lenses for less superficial reasons (perhaps they have a physical deformity on their iris) while others may simply want to ditch their natural brown eye color for a more appealing blue. Natural shades like hazel or blue are available but so are wilder colors like purple. A subtler colour contact lens is the tinted lens, which enhances one's natural eye color, as opposed to drastically changing it.

Contact lenses are classified as corrective, therapeutic, and cosmetic. For those who are short sighted, near sighted, or who have astigmatism (all refractive defects of the eye) corrective contact lenses are in order. In these cases, an eye patient will mostly likely be prescribed spherical lenses. Therapeutic contact lenses cure other problems that are non refractive, like dry eye, and some types of therapeutic lenses even deliver medicine to the eye.

Prescribed, corrective colour contact lenses are actually more popular than lenses that are purely cosmetic though; sometimes people prefer certain tints to help them see their environment better (colorblind people have had mild success with tinted lenses that make it easier for them to discern colors), others like to have tinted lenses that can be found easily when they are dropped on the ground or in the sink, while still others simply want a new eye color.

Jocelyn Meadows is a net writer who has written articles on a variety of subjects. These include colored contacts and non prescription colored contacts

The Convenience of Contact Lenses

The contact lens has come a long way from its beginnings as an unwieldy hard piece of plastic, hard to put in and hard to take out. Now there is a variety of contact lens types, doing different things and offering different advantages. For most people, the days of scratchy, hard lenses, and tiny plungers to pull them off the eye have disappeared. Today's contact lens is easier to put in, easier to wear, and easier to take out.

The increasing ease of use is part of the reason that the contact lens is so convenient these days. You do not have to worry about your glasses falling off while you are playing sports, and you do not have to worry about a contact lens falling off. Additionally, when you are wearing a pair of glasses, your peripheral vision can suffer. It is hard to see things very clearly out of the corner of your eye, and it can be a dizzying experience since you see so well looking forward. Wearing contact lenses gets rid of the problem of uneven peripheral vision.

And the increases in technology make the contact lens convenient for other reasons. There are many contact lenses now that are made so that you do not have to take them out every day. These lenses are designed to be left in for a week at a time. Some of them can even be left in your eye for as long as two weeks, or even a month. This means that you do not have to mess with putting them in or out, and you are ready to go nearly every morning. These types of contact lenses are made so that oxygen goes through them, making it possible for your eye to "breathe."

But if you are wary of having something in your eyes even while you sleep, it is possible to get disposable daily contact lenses. This is a great way to have the benefits of associated with the contact lens, without having to go through all of the care that contact lenses need. Daily contact lenses are meant to be thrown away at the end of the day. You put them in when you wake up, and before you go to bed, you take them out and throw them away. You do not have to think of them beyond that.

Even if you have more traditional views on wearing contact lenses, like taking care of one pair for a month, taking them out every night and soaking them in solution, there are still options. Some contacts are made to let more oxygen in, so that they are better for your eyes, even if you wear them 12 or 14 hours per day. Additionally, some contacts are made for sensitive eyes, so that even people whose eyes might not be able to handle a regular contact lens have no trouble wearing the special lenses in comfort. There are even soft lenses made now for astigmatism.

No matter your requirements, chances are that you can comfortable enjoy the convenience of contact lenses.

Learn more about contact lenses, and where you can purchase them, by visiting the Contact Lens Directory

Ordering Contact Lenses

Contact lenses, like regular glasses, can only be bought by prescription from a qualified ophthalmologist, optometrist, or optician. Now even these physicians can directly supply the contact lens packages at the hospital or through a private practice instead of making the patients go to an optician. Also, most optical shops have an optician in the store for patients who wish to get their eyes checked before buying the proper contact lenses.

Now patients have the option of getting their eyes checked and buying the contact lenses at an optical shop or from the physician himself. Also, ordering the contact lenses via mail is a popular option. Although most people order online without the hassles of visiting an optician, it might not be a good option for first time users.

It is a good decision to shop around for the best deals being provided by the manufacturers of contact lenses. Most leading contact lens manufacturers tend to give some discounts on their products to keep up with the growing competition in the market. Visiting their websites would give insight of all the current offers made by these companies. Also, some companies offer some discount if the customer places an order online by a specified date. Many websites provide comparison charts so that the customers can compare the prices and various deals presently available.

Although most online opticians are reliable when it comes to delivering their products on time, it is important to find the most reliable ones. Faulty contact lenses might result in complication later on and may injure the eye severely in certain cases. It is important to buy the lens online from leading optician chain stores. The product being bought must be 100% reliable, especially when dealing with a sensitive organ like an eye.

In the event the right website cannot be found, the yellow pages are another option for placing a mail order. Many companies provide shipping and delivery of contact lenses of various brands.

The best option is almost always visiting the shops personally. This gives an idea about the price range as well as the variety of contact lenses available in the present market

Soft Contact Lenses

There are three kinds of contact lenses including soft contact lenses, rigid glass permeable contact lenses, and hard glass contact lenses. Most physicians suggest the soft or the rigid glass permeable contact lenses and in very rare cases prescribe the hard glass contact lenses. Bifocal, astigmatic, colored and other contact lenses are all available in these three kinds.

Soft contact lenses are made of hydrophilic plastic. As soon as they are applied, they absorb the water in the eyes and become soft and pliable. This allows them to fit perfectly in the eye. They are very popular as vision correction lenses and comfortably contour to most eyeballs without any complications.

As mentioned, lenses for people with astigmatism either due to near or far sightedness, bifocals problems, color contacts, and practically every other kind of vision correcting lenses can be found in soft contact lenses varieties. A specialized variety of soft contact lenses are also used these days to reshape the cornea during nights. This helps in giving clear vision even without the contacts during the day, but is not a permanent solution to the problem and the specialized lenses need to be worn every night for good vision the next day. Cornea reshaping helps to encounter myopia during the day.

Since most eyes can adjust to the soft contact lenses, they are definitely more popular than other types of contacts. Also, since they mold well to the eyeball, chances of dust particles getting caught and causing irritation is considerably lesser. Patients who use them find it easier to handle them while inserting and removing as they stick to the finger due to their softness.

Soft contact lenses require much care. The best option would be to use the disposable kind if the patient can afford them since they are the expensive kind in contact lenses. They must be cleaned in a sterilizing solution if they are not the disposable kind. After the soft lenses are cleaned, they must be stored in storing solution and must not be allowed to dry. In the event the lenses are not clean, they are liable to cause eye infections, irritation, and itchiness. It is suggested to choose disposable contact lenses. If the daily disposable ones are too expensive, the next option would be to change the lens at least once a week or once a month at the latest.

Negligence in taking good care of soft contact lenses can result in the lenses causing severe damage to the eyes and wreaking further havoc with the eyesight in the future.

How to choose your Acuvue contact lenses

Why wear Acuvue contact lenses?

Acuvue contact lenses are the main substitute for glasses (another method would be surgery). They are easy to wear and easy to take care of. Children as well as elders use them without problems. They don?t hurt, they don?t get lost or stuck (as some might think) and they can?t pop out of your eyes (as the rigid contact lenses used to do years ago). With the proper care, they cause neither eye irritations, nor other ocular problems.

So you can see how easy it is for people to wear them. Just follow the next steps and you will obtain your Acuvue contact lenses in no time. When it comes to health, Acuvue is one of the top trademarks in the contact lenses industry. So the quality is guaranteed. With the Acuvue contact lenses, you will feel comfortable while seeing better or looking gorgeous (depending on the choice you make regarding corrective Acuvue contact lenses or cosmetic ones). But what are the steps that you have to follow?

1. First, you have to get a medical opinion on you eyes? condition. Depending on the region that you live in, you will have to pay a visit to an optometrist, an ophthalmologist or an optician. He will analyze your eyes and give you a prescription which you will use to buy your Acuvue contact lenses.

2. If you are not sure what type of Acuvue contact lenses you want, choose one of the brands that the doctor recommends being the best. Think about your eyes as they are the ones that will be affected by poor quality contact lenses. Further on (because there are many types of Acuvue contact lenses), you have to decide if you want correctional contact lenses, cosmetic ones or even a combination between the two. You can even take a short test on the Acuvue web-site, which will help you decide what type of Acuvue contact lenses fit you best.

3. Buy your contact lenses from a store in your city or by using the Internet. The Internet stores offer different promotions and sometimes it might even be cheaper for you.

4. Enjoy your improved vision or the wonderful look that the Acuvue contact lenses give you. Wear the contact lenses as prescribed. Never use your Acuvue contact lenses or the cleaning solution more than indicated (or after the expiring date). Clean the lenses as recommended and, if you accidentally damage them, don?t hesitate to throw them away. Damaged contact lenses can do more harm then good. Your health is at stake.

Which Acuvue contact lenses are better?

Knowing what type of contact lenses Acuvue produces will help you decide which ones fit you. The spherical contact lenses are the regular ones. They are correction contact lenses for short-sightedness, far-sightedness and similar problems. These Acuvue contact lenses include Acuvue, Acuvue Advance with Hydraclear, Acuvue 2, 1-Day Acuvue and Acuvue 2 Colours. For the persons that suffer of astigmatism, Acuvue produces Acuvue advance contact lenses for Astigmatism and, for the ones that have presbyopia, there are Acuvue Bifocal Contact Lenses. There are also colour Acuvue contact lenses. They are called Acuvue 2 Colours and they offer you the choice between ten different shades, for light eyes as well as for dark eyes. You also have to consider the wearing and replacement period. The daily wear Acuvue contact lenses (that you have to take off at night), the extended wear Acuvue contact lenses (that can be worn a week without taking them off) and the type of one day-use Acuvue contact lenses - they all offer various possibilities of wear for any client?s taste.

The best advice one can receive is to take care of your lenses properly. This should not be very difficult to do, but, if you neglect this aspect, your health might be at risk. Don?t forget to clean your Acuvue contact lenses every time you use them, before and after you put them on. Handle each contact lens in turn, so you won?t get them mixed up. Replace the cleaning solution after each use. Make-up should be applied after putting the Acuvue contact lenses on. When applying deodorant or hair spray, try to avoid eye contact, as the contact lenses are very sensitive to these. Even if you don?t like it, you should always try to have a spare pair of glasses because it is not recommended to wear Acuvue contact lenses while having a cold or while going in a smoky or dusty environment. Germs or dust particles can get into your very sensitive eyes

Getting familiar with Acuvue contact lenses

Acuvue contact lenses are one of the best and most popular brands of contact lenses known today. The Acuvue contact lenses series include a lot of different types of contacts like Acuvue, Acuvue Advanced, Acuvue 2 Colors. The Acuvue contact lenses are available in a lot of areas being recognized throughout the world. An exception is the Acuvue Oasys which is more difficult to find because it?s a relatively new type of contact lenses and isn?t as widely known as the other contacts in the brand.

Like any other contact lenses the Acuvue contact lenses are designed to correct vision problems like far sight, near sight, astigmatism or the inability to change focus from far to near. They are soft lenses and are made from plastic polymers like etafilcon A, galyfilcon A or senofilcon A. Some of the Acuvue contact lenses even have a cosmetic purpose: they are designed to change the color of the eye to what you?ve always desired.

The Acuvue contact lenses have different wearing periods. Some are designed to be worn for two weeks and after 14 or 15 days you?ll have to replace them. Some of them are made for only one day use so, you put them on when you wake up and throw them away at the end of the day. Usually all the contacts are made for day-time usage so when you sleep you must take them off for you?re personal health, but there are a few Acuvue contact lenses which have been approved for over night use.

Even though they are probably the best type of contact lenses, you shouldn?t get Acuvue contact lenses just because this reason without checking with your ophthalmologist first. Your eye care professional can show you what fits your problem best. This professional can teach you everything about cleaning, disinfecting, storing and replacing your contacts. Taking good care of your contact lenses should develop as a habit. If you chose the 1 Day Acuvue contact lenses you don?t have to worry about any cleaning and storing because you?ll be throwing them away after every use.

Here are a few tips on wearing and replacing your Acuvue contact lenses, a guide on how to take the best care of your eyes and lenses. If you have daily wear lenses you should know that they have to be removed and disinfected every time you take them of, probably at the end of the day. This type of Acuvue contact lenses have to be replaced every couple of weeks. The continuous wear lenses are less demanding then daily wear lenses. You can sleep with them on and taking them off at the end of the day isn?t necessary. That saves a lot of your time because you don?t have to clean them every day. This type of lenses has to be discarded after one week. There is a whole different story with the daily disposable Acuvue contact lenses because they are the easiest to use: you just put them on in the morning, take them off in the evening and throw them away. You can replace them with a fresh pair every day.

Looking good is a common goal for women and one of the purposes of the Acuvue contact lenses is making them have a nice appearance. So, if you are a woman and wear contact lenses here are a few things you should look at before starting to wear them. Never apply your makeup after you put your contacts on. Some of the substances found in the make up might damage the lens. When taking off your eye make-up you should remember to remove your Acuvue contact lenses first. Every time you put your contacts on you should wash your hands before that because simple things like moisturizer can cause different problems to the eye or damage the lens. You shouldn?t wear your Acuvue contact lenses when you go to the hair salon because all the sprays and fumes can be dangerous. Mascara with lash-building fiber and fake eye-lashes can be harmful to the Acuvue contact lenses. And now a general tip, for all those who wear contacts: when you take a bath you have to be sure to remove your contacts first because of the water and vapors.

If you plan on getting contact lenses, either to correct eye problems or just for cosmetic use, you should first check with your ophthalmologist. If you haven?t made up your mind on what brand you want think of choosing Acuvue. The Acuvue contact lenses are one of the best contacts out there and in the end quality makes the difference.

A Guide To Discount Contact Lenses

Contact lenses are more expensive than regular glasses. Even when the lenses are available on sale, the solutions to keep them clean and the eye drops would make up for the rest. Despite the high price, many people prefer contacts to glasses.

When it comes to contact lenses, it pays to shop around to find the best deal. Buying contact lenses usually involves paying for a whole package that might include the eye exam, contact lens, the solution, and eye drops. Some eye clinics keep a store of contacts that can be bought from their pharmacies. However, almost all the shops that deal with contact lenses usually have a doctor on board who can do a checkup in the shop itself before recommending the right pair of lenses.

Price checks can be conducted online where many websites provide comparison charts for easier decision making. Another alternative would be to visit a few shops and get a good knowledge of various types, models, and packages available and the wide range of discounts being offered for each. Comparison-shopping helps in getting the best bargain. Any optical shop would be able do a checkup on the premises, so the best option is to compare the prices on the whole deal instead of looking at the price of only one pair of contacts.

Optical shops provide the best deals since they are always trying to make money and increase their market share. It is wise to invest in a well-established contact lens package than in cheaper ones because there might be a possibility of eye problems later on with the cheaper brands. Some online optical shops offer mail-in rebates. They can be ordered online and are sent by a mail order, which can prove to be very convenient. Some websites specialize in taking mail orders and can be very reliable as well.

Free Contact Lenses - How You Can Get Them At Insane Prices

Unfortunately, contact lenses are way more expensive than eyeglasses. Even though a pair of lenses is significantly cheaper than a pair of glasses, contact lenses must be replaced time and time again and they require cleansing solution too. Occasionally hospitals and charity organizations will offer eye checkups and give out free contact lenses but there is a way you can save money on contacts regularly.

Instead of purchasing lenses through your doctor, shop around online! Not only is it more convenient to buy contacts online, but it also allows you to easily research the brands that your optometrist has recommended. But most of all, you can sometimes save up to 70% on lenses buy purchasing them over the internet. Pay attention to consumer reviews and shipping costs.

And be careful on the World Wide Web. Your eyes are delicate and important - do not order contact lenses online if you are not well researched about the web-based company selling them to you. As long as you are familiar with the brand and quality of the contacts you order however, you should be fine.

Also, cosmetic contact lenses are not typically purchased but when they are, they are much cheaper than prescribed lenses and even go at bargain prices sometimes. When someone buys these lenses, it is for mere decorative purposes though.

Decorative color contact lenses and special effect contact lenses are available without prescription and a wide variety of options and prices exist - but anyone interested in these prescription free contact lenses should be especially concerned about the reputation of the company selling them. More anonymous internet companies sporting prescription free contact lenses may not be as reliable as a local eye care professional. Make sure the lenses are FDA-approved before purchase.

A Guide to Buying Contact Lenses Online

There are few things we cannot purchase online these days. From groceries to furniture, you can simply click, order and receive your purchase in the comfort of your home. This rule also applies to buying contact lenses. Once you have a current prescription, you can bypass the trip to the optician's office for your renewals. You can get your new stock of contact lenses at home with as much ease as you get your Amazon.com purchases. That said, just like any other purchase you make online, you need to be cautious and wise. All online stores are not created equally. Most of these merchants are of good faith and have an impeccable reputation, but there are a few bad apples out there in the cyber world. The ideal scenario is for you to get a referral from a doctor or a friend, because at least you'll have a point of reference and you'll also be able to rely on the experience (good or bad) of someone else.

The following points should help you take simple precautions to make your Internet, phone or mail purchase safe and effective for you and your family.

Before buying your contact lenses...

§ Make sure that your prescription is ALWAYS current and correct.

§ Your last complete check up should be less than 24 months (2 years). Longer than that and you may not be aware of problems with your eyes. This means that your contact lenses won't correct your vision.

§ Check your prescription's expiration date. Did you know that an expiration date for prescriptions is set by your state (for US residents)? For some states it's 12 months others 24 months, and some states leave it up to your optometrist.

§ If you're prescription has expired, go see your doctor for a check-up and new prescription, don't order new lenses until that's done.

§ If the merchant doesn't carry the contact lens brand prescribed by your doctor, don't (EVER) accept a substitute. Your doctor prescribed a specific brand for a specific reason.

§ If you didn't get an order you paid for or if you're being given the run around or if an online merchant refuses to respond to your emails and phone calls, it's time for you to take some serious action. You should immediately report any problems that arise from your purchase from a US supplier to the FDA's MedWatch reporting form. You'll find more information by visiting their site at: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch .

There is little doubt that convenience is an incredible commodity, but you need to make sure you're not being tricked or duped when purchasing contact lenses online. Be vigilant, ask for referrals, ask questions and report any problems as soon as they arise. You might also want to contact your credit card company to ensure they freeze debits to unscrupulous merchants.

Gisele Brosnan is an Editor for www.contact-lenses.youthful-body.com. Our site it dedicated to provided information on Contact Lenses. www.contact-lenses.youthful-body.com also provides information on Lasik Eye Surgery. You can also get more information on alternatives to eyeglasses by visiting our blog www.contact-lens.youthful-body.com

Contact Lens - See The World In A Different Way

Are you tired of wearing those rose-tinted spectacles on your nose all the time? Then you should start wearing the contact lens to see the world in a different way. Contact lenses are thin, curved plastic disks that are designed to cover the cornea, the clear front covering of the eyes. These delicate objects cling to the film of tears over the cornea because of the surface tensions. So try out contact lenses as a great alternative to those monotonous eyeglasses.

Who wears contact lenses?

Contact lenses are medical devices that need to be properly fitted by an eye care practitioner. So you should visit an optician before you want to wear a contact lens. Contact lenses are wonderful items that are used to correct eye conditions like:

§ Myopia [nearsightedness] § Astigmatism [distorted vision] § Hyperopia [farsightedness] § Presbyopia [need for bifocals]

Contact lenses are also used in therapeutic cases where an uneven cornea blurs vision, such as scarring or keratoconus.

Types of contact lenses

Many types of contact lenses are available to suit particular occasions. Whether you want to wear contact lenses for fashionable purposes or for medical purposes, you can wear any of the following types:

§ Gas-permeable lenses - are lenses made of silicone and fluoropolymers that allow oxygen in the air to pass through the lens. § Soft contact lenses - are plastic materials that incorporate water. The water makes the lenses soft and flexible, which allows the oxygen to reach the cornea. o Extended wear contact lenses - last for continuous 2-4 weeks. o Daily disposable lenses - carry a very low amount of infection risk o Toric contact lenses - available in soft and rigid materials, they correct moderate astigmatism. § PMMA lenses - one of the old lenses that are very durable and allow oxygen from air to directly reach the cornea.

You should remove contact lenses at bedtime due to risk of infection.

Benefits of contact lenses

For those who lead an active style, contact lenses promise complete convenience and durability. Following are the benefits of using contact lenses:

§ Provides close to natural vision with no side effects § Provides excellent peripheral vision for driving, and sports § Contact lenses provide complete ease, comfort and convenience to eyes § Contact lenses change the eye color to baby blues, heavenly hazels, gorgeous green and other different colors. § Contact lenses make your eye power stable and prevent it further from increasing. § Contact lenses are perfect for those who want to avoid laser surgery and its risks.

How to care for your contact lenses?

You should take proper care of your contact lenses to enjoy their best uses. Following are the ways you can care for your lenses:

§ Contact lenses must be cleaned, rinsed and disinfected to remove dust and dirt. § Contact lenses should never be dissolved in homemade saline solutions. § Do not sterilize your contact lenses; just throw them away when they become useless. § Do not take your lenses in and out repeatedly for the whole day.

In case of any inflammations or irritations you should always consult your optician for best results.

Sharon Albright is the owner of Contact Lens Site. Read more articles on Contact Lens and visit her recommended resources

Contact Lens ? See The World In A Different Way

Are you tired of wearing those rose-tinted spectacles on your nose all the time? Then you should start wearing the contact lens to see the world in a different way. Contact lenses are thin, curved plastic disks that are designed to cover the cornea, the clear front covering of the eyes. These delicate objects cling to the film of tears over the cornea because of the surface tensions. So try out contact lenses as a great alternative to those monotonous eyeglasses.

Who wears contact lenses?

Contact lenses are medical devices that need to be properly fitted by an eye care practitioner. So you should visit an optician before you want to wear a contact lens. Contact lenses are wonderful items that are used to correct eye conditions like:

§ Myopia [nearsightedness]
§ Astigmatism [distorted vision]
§ Hyperopia [farsightedness]
§ Presbyopia [need for bifocals]

Contact lenses are also used in therapeutic cases where an uneven cornea blurs vision, such as scarring or keratoconus.

Types of contact lenses

Many types of contact lenses are available to suit particular occasions. Whether you want to wear contact lenses for fashionable purposes or for medical purposes, you can wear any of the following types:

§ Gas-permeable lenses ? are lenses made of silicone and fluoropolymers that allow oxygen in the air to pass through the lens.
§ Soft contact lenses ? are plastic materials that incorporate water. The water makes the lenses soft and flexible, which allows the oxygen to reach the cornea.
o Extended wear contact lenses ? last for continuous 2-4 weeks.
o Daily disposable lenses ? carry a very low amount of infection risk
o Toric contact lenses ? available in soft and rigid materials, they correct moderate astigmatism.
§ PMMA lenses ? one of the old lenses that are very durable and allow oxygen from air to directly reach the cornea.

You should remove contact lenses at bedtime due to risk of infection.

Benefits of contact lenses

For those who lead an active style, contact lenses promise complete convenience and durability.
Following are the benefits of using contact lenses:

§ Provides close to natural vision with no side effects
§ Provides excellent peripheral vision for driving, and sports
§ Contact lenses provide complete ease, comfort and convenience to eyes
§ Contact lenses change the eye color to baby blues, heavenly hazels, gorgeous green and other different colors.
§ Contact lenses make your eye power stable and prevent it further from increasing.
§ Contact lenses are perfect for those who want to avoid laser surgery and its risks.

How to care for your contact lenses?

You should take proper care of your contact lenses to enjoy their best uses.
Following are the ways you can care for your lenses:

§ Contact lenses must be cleaned, rinsed and disinfected to remove dust and dirt.
§ Contact lenses should never be dissolved in homemade saline solutions.
§ Do not sterilize your contact lenses; just throw them away when they become useless.
§ Do not take your lenses in and out repeatedly for the whole day.

In case of any inflammations or irritations you should always consult your optician for best results.

Sharon Albright is the owner of Contact Lens Site. Read more articles on Contact Lens and visit her recommended resources

Not Comfortable in Your Contact Lenses? Clear Care Solution is a Great Alternative

What is Clear Care?

Clear Care contact lens solution by Cibavision is an excellent product that is temporarily unavailable but can be replaced with Ultracare. Clear Care will be back on the shelves by June 2006. What makes Clear Care special? Two things: (1) it cleans better and (2) no preservatives come in contact with your eyes. How does it work? Your lenses are soaked in a buffered 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution. H2O2 is a very powerful disinfectant and it also cleans off surface deposits. In fact, it disinfects and cleans better than all-in-one soaking solutions such as Optifree, Complete, Solocare or B & L Renu.

A word of CAUTION! H2O2 can never come in contact with your eyes. This is why Clear Care has a red tip to indicate to you to not use it for rinsing. You should keep a separate bottle of saline for rinsing purposes. The contacts are stored in a case with a disc at the bottom that neutralizes the H2O2 and turns it into neutral unpreserved saline within six hours. If H2O2 does accidentally get into your eye, your eye will be red and burning. Rinse copiously with saline or tap water. A short time of contact will not cause permanent damage.

Why is Clear Care Not in Stores Lately and What is the Alternative?

Why is Clear Care impossible to find these days? There was human error on the assembly line; someone applied some lubricant to a machine incorrectly. The product was subsequently tested and met safety standards but was not up to Novartis (Cibavision solution division) standards. Several months worth of product was hence destroyed. This is an inconvenience for consumers but a comfort to know that Novartis will not compromise on quality.

What can be used until Clear Care comes back on the shelves?

Ultracare is an excellent alternative. It is also a 3% buffered H2O2 solution but a tablet is added to neutralize instead of the disc. The solution turns pink (with a special vitamin B indicator) to indicate when the H2O2 is neutralized and safe for the eyes.

What are the Real Benefits?

What can Clear Care really do for you, the contact lens wearer? In some cases it can make a huge difference in contact lens comfort. Solution intolerance is a hugely overlooked cause of lens discomfort. Anybody with sensitivity to contacts, discomfort or inability to wear them for sufficient hours should give it a try. Of course, if you do have symptoms, be sure that you have had a check up with your eye doc as well as an assessment to be sure that you are in the best contacts for your eyes. Many patients swear by Clear Care. For a huge number of people it has relieved their discomfort and been the only thing that enabled them to continue wearing contacts.

Dr. Kaayla T. Garner has been an optometrist for 25 years in various settings from prisons to laser centers. She is well versed in vision therapy, laser surgery and contact lenses.

Dr. Garner is the owner of http://www.contactlenses-on-line.com, a website offering free contact lens fitting info

Cheap Color Contact Lenses - How to Get the Best Price

Color contacts are hot now - everybody wants to have beautiful bright eyes. And the best news is you don't have to pay a fortune for these eyes. Follow these tips to get cheap color contact lenses online and enjoy a new look without hurting your budget.

Tip 1: Select color contacts that don't cost a fortune

Color contact lenses are not as expensive as they were five years ago and prices can vary dramatically from brand to brand. Of course, you don't want to go for the cheapest color lenses (their look will only disappoint you), but it is still possible to find good color contacts that don't cost a fortune.

First of all, colored lenses can be divided into two major groups - disposable color contacts and annual replacement color lenses. Usually a box of disposable color contacts costs less than a single annual replacement lens. However, it is cheaper to buy a pair of annual replacement lenses than a year's supply of disposal color contacts.

Disposable color lenses which you usually replace every month or 2 weeks are typically sold in boxes of six lenses. Good examples of disposable color contacts are Freshlook Colorblends (monthly lenses), Acuvue 2 Colors (2 weeks disposable) and Expressions (monthly replacement). Annual replacement (which are good for a year) lenses like Durasoft 2 Colors or Illusions come in vials and the price is usually indicated per vial (one lens).

However, be careful. Some sites offer cheap, 'no brand' color contacts. You don't want to get those - not only do they look obviously fake, but they are not comfortable in your eyes.

Tip 2: Look at comparison and review sites to find the cheapest price

After you select the brand you want and have obtained your prescription, it is time to find the best deal. Online prices are generally much lower than those offered by an optometrist's office. Also, from time to time online contact lens retailers put selected lenses on sale, which can get you an even better discount. There are plenty of sites that sell discount color contacts online - you can visit several of them and compare the prices.

But there is an easier way. There are many review sites that help consumers compare online deals. Visit a review site that compares prices at several online contact lens stores and gives reviews of color contact lens merchants. This way you can be sure that the company you want to buy your lens from is reputable and honest.

Tip 3: You can get cheaper color lenses if you buy large quantities.

Most online contact lens retailers give you additional discounts and free shipping on large orders. Even if you order different colors, you can usually get lower prices. For certain color lenses you can also get rebates, if you order a year's supply.

Tip 4: Get free trial color contacts before you order

Few people know about it, but you can try popular color contacts for free. Color contact lens manufacturers are happy to give you a chance to try their color contacts. They can't just send you a pair, however, because you need a prescription for color contacts the same as you do for any contact lenses. But you can get a trial certificate from manufacturer's site, and with this certificate you can get a trial pair at your doctor's office.

Tatyana Turner publishes Contact Lenses Consumer Guide where you can find tips on safe contact lens shopping, lens price comparison and reviews of cheap color contact lenses

Contact Lenses Online - Good But Don't Forget the Bad!

We all know that the internet has changed all our lives in many different ways, not least for the consumer of virtually any product. A classic example of this is the ability to order contact lenses online. At one time, a customer with a sight defect was generally known as a patient, and therefore the method of 'treatment' was exclusively in the hands of the professional, i.e Ophththalmologist, Optometrist or Optician. In the progressively impatient world where speed, convenience and costs are major factors in our lives this is no longer the case. While it may be a good thing for some it is not without it's pitfalls. Although it is law in many countries to be able to make a supply of contact lenses only when a valid dated prescription is produced, it seems that this aspect of the law can often be overlooked due to the international nature of the internet.

Maybe the role of Optician is no longer valued to the consumer, customer or patient whichever you wish to call them, but it is essential that the protection of their eyesight is maintained. It is the duty of suppliers to make it clear to their 'customers' the importance of regular check-ups and aftercare.

Many of the products nowadays are exceptionally good and the onset of disposable lenses in recent years has definately helped reduce a lot of contact lens related eye problems. However there are still complications that do occur from time to time. These range from mild irritation or symptoms of dryness, to major corneal disease.

When buying contact lenses online it is important to remember the implications this can have on ocular health. Often contact lens related eye problems can go unnoticed and sometimes have no symptoms at all.

If a subjects eyes ever go red or sore they should remove their lenses immediately. If the symptoms don't recede very quickly they should consult an eyecare professional straight away.

Some common reactions that need professional help are as follows:

Superior Epithelial Arcuate Lesions (SEALS) is a mechanical injury to the corneal cells, which is characterised by an arc-like lesion at the superior corneal periphery. Symptoms range from none to foreign body sensation or lens edge awareness.

Infiltrative Keratitis is an inflammatory reaction of the cornea, which has symptoms of mild to moderate irritation, redness and occasional discharge.

Contact Lens Acute Red Eye (CLARE) is an inflammatory reaction of the cornea and conjunctiva, which is characterised by a small, focal and diffuse peripheral corneal infiltration. Often there is no symptoms prior to eye closure but patients are often awoken from sleep by symptoms or soon after waking. The symptoms are irritation to moderate pain, redness,tearing and photophobia (light sensitivity).

Contact Lens Induced Peripheral Ulcer (CLPU) is another inflammatory reaction of the cornea which is characterised by a lesion in the corneal epithelium (surface cells) and infiltration of the anterior stroma (the middle layer of the cornea). The symptoms range from none to severe to moderate pain, irritation or foreign body sensation. Also there will usually be redness and tearing.

Contact Lens Papillary Conjunctivitis(CLPC) is a mechanical / inflammatory reaction of the upper eyelid characterised by localised papillae and hyperaemia (a cobblestone appearance) with fine mucous strands on the cornea. Symptoms are itching, lens awareness, increased mucous and intermittant blurring. The lens will also not appear to be fitting very well due to pressure from the papillae.

There are many other contact lens related conditions and if there is any doubt an eyecare professional must be consulted immediately. Also despite the convenience of online ordering it is imperative that a customers visit their optician for routine scheduled aftercare visits.

Online contact lens ordering is here to stay, but always remember prevention is better than cure.

James Oliver is an Optician in the UK. He writes for http://www.buy-contact-lenses-online.info and also http://www.about-lasik-surgery.com

Costume Contact Lenses - It's ALL in the Eyes

Sometimes making your costume that much more outstanding requires an extra effort! Whether for Halloween or for a fun dress-up party, costume contact lenses can add a special touch to your outfit. They are inexpensive and easy to use and come in more varieties that you can think of. What type of lenses will make your costume a winner?

So you have the perfect costume ready to go, and you think special contact lenses would heighten the dramatic effect, but you have a few questions. Can you get costume contact lenses without a prescription? The answer is yes. Costume contact lenses come in a prescription and non-prescription order and will fit all eyes. However, it is not advisable to wear contacts when you do not have a doctor's consent. You may also be wondering how long your contacts will last. Amazingly, even though costume contact lenses are made for fun, if you take care of them, they can last up to one year. This means that your costume is good for more than one night!

Now that you feel more comfortable with the practicalities of costume lenses, you can start to think about what lenses will suit your costume best. There exists a wide variety of special lenses to choose from. You can select a recognizable look such as the cat's eye, alien, wolf, jaguar, zebra or devil. Some of the most famous costumes in Hollywood history, such as Michael Jackson's zombie from the video Thriller, can be emulated with special white-out eyes. Or, if you are looking for a more subtle change in eye colour to suit your costume, you can choose black, white, red or bloodshot. When a funky design would add a certain flare to your costume, you can find psychedelic, zigzag or starry lenses to complement your look. If you are dressing up as a particular celebrity but you do not have their eye colour, you can choose very natural contact lenses that will give you their recognizable look, such as 'Old Blue Eyes' for example. Natural coloured contact lenses come in blue, brown, green, hazel, turquoise, aqua and grey, just to name a few. The natural look can certainly complement a special costume, but these lenses look real enough to be worn with daily wear. If you are seeking a change in your appearance, but want nothing drastic, changing your eye colour is a good way to do it.

Special effects contact lenses can completely change your look. These specialty lenses can turn a good costume into a great costume. If you are looking to set yourself apart and have your costume stand out, special effects costume contact lenses will help you achieve your goal.

Johnny Valentine is avid special effect contact lens user and connoisseur. He is the proud author of the website Special Effect Contact Lenses, and has always been intrigued by cinema's art of deception

How to Care for Color Contact Lenses

Caring for color contact lenses is not at all difficult. However, it is very important to take proper care of your color contacts, otherwise your eyes can become irritated or even infected. Discover how to care for your colored contacts simple and fast.

Whether you wear Freshlook color contacts, Acuvue 2 Colors, Expressions Colors, or custom-made color or special effect lenses, caring for them is exactly the same. All you need is a good contact lens solution, a contact lens case, a pair of soft plastic tweezers and a couple of minutes.

First of all, you should use a proper contact lens solution for cleaning your colored lenses and storing them at night. Never use ordinary water - it is full of bacteria and won't clean your lenses properly anyway.

The best solution to use is a no-rub multipurpose solution, like Opti-Free Express No-Rub. Most solutions require you to rub your lenses on the palm of your hand to clean them; however, rubbing can damage the color, which is why you need a no-rub solution. It is also a good idea to get a solution marked "for sensitive eyes" - even if your eyes are not sensitive, it can't hurt. Get a large bottle of solution, if you wear your color contact lenses every day. If you only wear them for special ocasions, though, you are better of with a smaller bottle because, once contact lens solution is opened, it is only good for six months.

The days when you needed a saline solution for storing your lenses and a cleaner for cleaning them are long gone - multipurpose solutions have taken their place. A multipurpose solution can disinfect your color lenses and remove protein build-ups, so all you need to do is to put your lenses in a case with fresh solution overnight. Be sure that you buy solution for soft contact lenses, though: solutions for rigid lenses have a different formulation.

If you use disposable contact lenses like Freshlook Colorblends or Acuvue 2 Colors, multipurpose solution is enough. If you wear more expensive hand-painted lenses that supposed to last for a year, though, you should also use protein removing tablets, to prolong the life of your lenses. This is especially recommended if you wear your color lenses every day. The pills are called enzyme or enzymatic cleaner. Soaking your lenses in this type of cleaner, once a month, will keep the color vivid and bright for many months.

For storing your color contacts you will need a contact lens case. It is best to use a case with screw-down lids, so the solution doesn't leak. If you have several color lenses, you can label each case, or get colored cases. You should wash your case with soap at least once a week and let it sit for a few minutes in boiled water, to kill bacteria, then let it dry before putting your lenses back in. It might be a good idea to carry an extra lens case, filled with solution, with you all the time - just in case your color lens folds in your eye or dust gets under it. If this happens, you can just pop out your lenses out anytime you want.

Color contact lens care step-by-step

1. Wash your hands with soap and dry them 2. Take your color lens out and thoroughly rinse each side of it with multipurpose solution, by putting some solution on it 3. Fill your contact lens case with fresh solution, place your lenses in, screw the lid on and leave your lenses to soak for at least 6 hours, or overnight. It is important to use fresh solution every time you place your lenses in it; recycling is not a good idea, in this case. 4. When you are ready to wear your contacts, rinse each side again and pop them into your eyes

Simple, isn't it? Enjoy your beautiful color contact lenses - with a bit of practice caring for them will become your second nature.

Tatyana Turner provides you with information about Halloween contact lenses, and colored contacts with reviews and pictures

Information About Contact Lenses

Contact lenses are optical accessories which rest directly on the cornea (the transparent, dome-shaped window covering the front of the eye.). Their task is to provide a better and natural vision than present-day spectacles.

Distortion caused by side vision and eye-lens distance is eliminated in using contact lenses. With spectacles the eye-lens distance makes the size of the objects appear smaller or bigger than actual depending upon whether you are near sighted or far sighted.

Spectacles block the peripheral vision because of the frame. When you look downwards, upwards or sideways you are looking outside the perimeter of the lens which makes you look at object without the eye glasses resulting in distorted or blurred vision because you are not looking through the optic zone.

This is more so because of the smaller frames fashionable these days. When you wear contact lenses, regardless of which way you look, you are always looking through the optic zone resulting in perfect vision. Contact lenses are resistant to scratches and easy breakage. They are also resistant to fogging and will provide clear vision even on a rainy day.

There are basically two kinds of contact lenses: Soft contact lenses and Rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses. Both types can be used to correct all kinds of vision problems - hyperopia, myopia, presbyopia and astigmatism.

Soft lenses are easier to wear and more comfortable. This is the reason why they are selected by more than 80 percent of users. RGP lenses are used only when you must wear them constantly over a long period of time.

Selecting a contact lens depends upon the result of your optical examination. It is a smart idea to tell your ophthalmologist that you desire to use contact lenses and not glasses, so that he/she can test your eyes in view of that. A number of ophthalmologists do not advise contact lenses unless you ask them for a set.

Wearing contact lenses is appropriate to certain people like sports persons, acrobats, riders, etc., because they do not get in the way of their professional life. If you are in any of these professions and have a preference to wear spectacles, you can wear contact lenses on the job and swap them for glasses in your free time.

Are you planning to wear contact lenses? Visit Contact Lenses Center for the information about colour contact lenses. You will also find a lot of information on cheap contact lenses. http://www.contactlensesreviews.info/alerts/

Contact Lenses And You

Contact lenses are practically a new concept for most people. A lot of people still prefer to wear glasses in order to correct their own visual problems. But sometimes, using eyeglasses present some disadvantages that need to be addressed. If a person is regularly wearing eyeglasses of the ordinary sort, he is likely more susceptible to glare and the occasional reflective properties of glass that can greatly affect his clear vision. Varying weather conditions might also affect eyeglass wearers in a lot of ways. When it?s raining, one?s eyeglasses can easily get hazy from the raindrops and can render it useless in an instant.

On cold days, eyeglasses tend to fog up more often especially when going inside warmer quarters. One will need to wipe it frequently just to get rid of the moisture and get a clearer vision on everything as well as to avoid being laughed at for having fogged up eyeglasses. And one of the most despised things about wearing eyeglasses is that it can make one look unattractive. This is actually the frequent complaint of a lot of many people out there. Such disadvantages may have persuaded inventors to look for other alternatives in correcting vision problems.

These disadvantages may have spurred the invention of the contact lenses of late. With contact lenses, there is finally an alternative which can do away with the drawbacks experienced with wearing eyeglasses. Contact lenses make it possible for one to finally improve one?s vision without having to wear eyeglasses. It can be such a welcome answer to people with vision problems but do not want to wear prescription eyeglasses. With contact lenses, it would be difficult for others to recognize a person?s vision problems unlike prescription eyeglasses which is a plain giveaway in itself.

There are two types of contact lenses available for people. They can choose either from soft contact lenses or the rigid gas permeable types. Soft contact lenses can contain from 25 percent to as much as 79 percent water which makes them soft and more comfortable to wear.The rigid gas permeable contact lenses meanwhile can take longer to get accustomed to. Its one advantage is that it is made of a more durable material than soft contact lenses and can offer crisper vision as compared to contact lenses of the softer varieties. Rigid gas permeable lenses are also more resistant to deposit buildup and tend to be less expensive over the life of the lens when compared to the softer versions which may even require frequent replacements.

The life of a rigid gas permeable contact lens can usually last for a couple of years except when in need of a new prescription pair. But with soft contact lenses, there is a need for regular replacement of new lenses. There are soft contact lenses that can be worn for a year before needing a replacement. There is also the frequent replacement type of contact lenses which may require you only one month of wearing before needing a new replacement.

There are also contact lenses available that can be worn only for short periods for convenience. These are the disposable types of contact lenses. They are further divided into different types depending on the level of convenience that you wish for. There are daily and extended wear disposable contact lenses which offer you a week or two of use before of disposing. For the ultimate in convenience, there is the one day wear only disposable contact lens which has virtually eliminated the need for cleaning the lenses which can sometimes be a chore. But disposable contact lenses can be very expensive for most to use regularly except, that is, if you have money to burn and you look for comfort and convenience more than the cost.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides contact lens resources on www.all-contact-lenses.info

Weird And Crazy Contact Lenses

Crazy Contact Lenses - Offers You With The Weirdest Look

Crazy contact lenses give you the weirdest kind of look that you can ever think of. Hitherto, actors and actresses of horror movies and serials used these contact lenses to give a nightmarish experience to the audiences. But these days the crazy contact lenses are popularly used by laymen to give themselves the spookiest look.

Why wear crazy contact lenses?

The crazy contact lenses are used solely for the purpose of style. They are zero powered contact lenses and are mainly designed to provide fun and entertainment. So you do not need any prescription from opticians to get these lenses. You can simply visit the contact lenses stores and choose the best crazy contact lenses for yourself. However, if you suffer from any type of eye irritation or eye inflammation after you wear the crazy contact lenses, immediately consult an optician to avoid further eye damages.

Varieties of crazy contact lenses

The crazy contact lenses are available in various designs. This type of contact lenses range from designs of yellow cat eyes, striped zebra style, flags/ cross designs, colorful spirals to sunshine lenses. However, you can easily choose the contact lenses from the following two types: * Monthly crazy contact lenses - these lenses are flexible and you can wear them for a period of one month or 30 wearing times. * Standard crazy contact lenses - these lenses ensure maximum comfort as you can wear them for an extended period of 18 months.

When you choose any of these crazy contact lenses and start wearing them, you should regularly cleanse and rinse them in disinfecting lens-cleaning solutions.

Tips to experience the best of crazy contact lenses

The opticians and contact lenses manufacturers always specify on perfect caring of contact lenses. So when you wear a pair of crazy contact lenses, you should also abide by the following tips to experience the comfort of the best contact lenses: * Do not apply make-ups and perfumes, lotions and sprays to avoid any damage to the crazy contact lenses. * Use prescribed solutions for cleaning your crazy contact lenses. Do not use tap water, saliva or homemade solutions. * Before handling your crazy contact lenses, wash your hands with soap water to ensure maximum safety.

Use the cleaning solutions particularly as prescribed by your doctor, for it helps to retain the spooky color of the crazy contact lenses.

So wear the crazy contact lenses to feel different, look unique and give a go-crazy shock to others around you.

Halloween Contact Lenses - Go Crazy With These Special Lenses

Make your Halloween festival on 31st October a special one by using some crazy Halloween contact lenses. Since a long time, your children had been aspiring to go insane with spooky dresses during Halloween! Right? So now is the time you give them a pleasant surprise with some go-crazy Halloween contact lenses. Watch how the insane color of their eyes match the eerie dress they are wearing. It's even time for you parents, to treat yourself with these Halloween contact lenses.

Correct your vision and enhance your style with Halloween contact lenses

Here is good news for people who possess eye power yet desperately wants to wear Halloween contact lenses. In this case, you should consult a doctor for a proper prescription. Depending on prescribed advice, you can now buy those Halloween contact lenses, which not only help in visual correction but also give a surprising look to your eyes. If you do not possess eye power, and simply want to wear Halloween contact lenses to honor the occasion, then visit the contact lenses stores and choose some special mind- boggling Halloween contact lenses to get the spookiest look!

Different Halloween contact lenses in vogue

The Halloween contact lenses are much in vogue now. Not only do they enhance the jack o' lantern look of the Halloween Eve's Day, the lenses are also elaborately used by performers of horror movies and eerie television serials to give the audience a blood-chilling feel. Ranging from yellow tiger's eye lenses, Banshee lenses, dollar sign eyes, spider web sprayed lenses, fearfully striped lenses to those of vampire red lenses, Halloween contact lenses will give you the best feel of the occasion.

Tips to use your special Halloween contact lenses

Whether you are wearing the Halloween contact lenses or your children are wearing them, you must be aware of the following tips to enjoy the best use of the lenses: * You should get the correct contact lenses cleaning solution so that the colors do not get washed off. Rinse and disinfect the lenses regularly in these cleaning solutions. * Never use the Halloween contact lenses of some other people. It can even cause blindness. * Do not wear the contact lenses for more than 8 hours to avoid eye problems. * Do not sleep, bathe or swim with Halloween contact lenses. Avoid wearing the lenses specially when you are cooking.

So next time when you choose some real crazy dresses for your Halloween special party, also buy a spooky pair of Halloween contact lenses to give a complete eerie look to yourself or your excited children.

Author is marketer for sites such as :

Contact lenses

Contact Lenses Information

Contact Lenses-How To Get The Most Out Of Them

Contactlenses and why we wear them.

We wear contact lenses mainly because we are vain.

But, they come in handy for any kind of sports, people even wear them while swimming although you have to watch they don't float out.

The Inventor of the contact lens concept was Leonardo da Vinci in 1508,who sketched and described several forms of contact lenses.

Hard contact lenses

Hard contact lenses are manufactured from a rigid material, PolyMethylMethacrylate (PMMA). This substance is also combined with other plastics to increase the oxygen permeability. Visual acuity is perfect.

In 1632 Rene Descartes of France suggests the first hard contact lens, which idea was actually developed in 1801 by Thomas Young; resulting in a quarter-inch-long, water-filled glass tube, the outer end having a microscopic lens,and he is the first user. In 1887 a German Glassblower, F.E. Muller of Wiesbaden,fabricates the first piece of glass acting as a contact lens which could be seen through seen through and tolerated.

Soft daily wear lenses have the main advantage that they allow the eyes to be oxygenated through the lens. They're also easy to adapt to and difficult to lose. You can get them in all kinds of colours. Fantastic for wearing in sport activities. Not a panacea for all vision problems and they have to be thoroughly cleaned. Maximum lifespan 1 year.

In 1936 William Feinbloom, a New York optometrist, manufactures the first American- made plastic contact lenses. These were still hard lenses.

The first soft, water-absorbing plastic lenses were developed in 1960 by Otto Wichterle and Drahoslav Lim .

Disposable lenses 1.Extended-wear disposable

Soft lenses that you are able to wear for an extended period of time, up to six nights, and then you can throw them away. They hardly require any cleaning and have virtually no chance of causing eye infection if user instructions are followed...

You can get them tinted and as bifocals. Your Vision may not be as sharp as with other lenses and they do not correct all vision problems. More difficult to handle.

2. Planned soft daily replacement lenses

Soft daily wear lenses that you replace on a planned schedule, either every two weeks, monthly or quarterly. Require thorough cleaning and disinfection. all vision problems. Not easy to handle.

Colored lenses

There are 4 types of colored contact lenses: visible tints, tints to enhance, color opaque tints and tints that filter light Most of these colored contact lenses are available in plano form (without visual correction), as well as for astigmatism, who need bifocal correction, or who want a disposable or frequent replacement lens.

Astigmatic lenses (toric) were first introduced in 1978 and approved for distribution in the United States.

These lenses contain both a spherical and cylinder component to correct prescriptions which have astigmatism. Lenses may be thicker in one meridian or have modified thickness profiles to enable the lens to maintain the correct orientation on the eye.

Bifocal contacts became available in 1982 for commercial distribution.

There are a variety of designs in bifocals, essentially all trying to provide a transition or reading zone for use at near distances. The different designs include; + aspheric multifocal - + simultaneous vision concentric - has either a central near or distance zone with surrounding zone of opposite type to centre (eg, centre near,distance surround) + diffraction/holographic - based on diffraction grating principles.

Eye exercises There seems to be a natural alternative to eyeglasses, contacts, intacs, and even Lasik surgery, which is a series of eye muscle exercises over a period of 30 days that supposedly corrects your vision to quite an extent.

The validity of this method of vision correction has not been fully proven.

Frank Hague is very interested in Contact Lenses http://www.contactlens-now.info http://www.cataract-eye-surgery-bonita-springs.info http://www.eye-surgery-now.info

Proper Care Of Contact Lenses For Better Vision And Healthy Eyes

Contact lenses can give you better vision than glasses but if you don't care for them properly you may not only impair the way you see through them but you could also harm the health of your eyes. That's why it is critical that you develop proper care habits when it comes to your contact lenses.

First and foremost, you should follow the guidelines for the type of contacts you wear. Different makes of contacts have different procedures for cleaning and storing and you need to care for them per the manufacturers instruction. Improper care can result in uncomfortable contacts and could also ruin your contact lenses or harm your eye.

When it comes to your eyesight you need to take every precaution to protect them but many contact lens wearers are lax in this area. Proper cleaning is important and you should use the solutions suggested by the manufacturer and not plain water. Water and homemade saline solutions can contain micro-organisms, chlorine and other minerals that can damage the lens and harm your eyes.

Your eyes are very sensitive and can easily become infected when you do not clean your lenses properly. The lens develops a build up of deposits that can irritate the eye. Lens cleaning solutions will break down the deposits and disinfect the lens.

Unless you are wearing disposable lenses you must clean your contacts after every wear. Use an appropriate lens case for storage and clean the case and allow to air dry between uses.

Do you try to extend the wearing of your contacts? You should refrain from doing this as it can cause discomfort. Some contacts are meant to be thrown out after one day of wear. Others can be worn for a week or a month without removing them in between. Most require removal and cleaning every day. It is important to know the schedule your contacts are intended for to prevent problems with your eyes.

Removing your contacts can be a chore at the end of the day but it is important to remove them properly. When you remove or insert your contacts be sure to handle them with clean, dry hands. Avoid washing your hands with soaps containing perfumes or oils and don't allow sunscreen, hand cream or nail polish remover to come in contact with them.

If your eyes are dry and irritated you can also use eye drops to remoisten your contacts while wearing them rather than trying to take them out. In fact, if your eyes do feel dry and the contact is sticking try to remoisten your contacts before attempting to remove them.

If you wear makeup you should insert the contacts before applying cosmetics and remove them before washing cosmetics off. Powders and sprays can irritate contact lens wearers so be careful when applying powdery shadows or hair spray when wearing contact lens.

If your eyes do become irritated when wearing your contacts do not rub them! This can be very harmful to the lens or your eye. If it is not comfortable to wear them, simply remove them and clean them in cleaning solution before putting them in again. Sometimes it is best to wait a day or two before trying to put them back in. Make sure you store them properly during this time.

Your vision is pretty important so you want to take care to protect it from harm. This means seeing your eye doctor regularly and following his directions for care. If you do think you've injured or infected your eye do not wear your contacts until you have been seen by an eye care specialist.

Lee Dobbins writes for Body Care Zone where you can find out more about taking care of yourself as well as read more articles on eye care and contact lenses

What You Might Not Know About Color Contact Lenses

Do you want to be noticed in a crowd, but don't know how? You want to change something about how you look, but are afraid to do anything that is permanent, right? If so, colored contact lenses might be what you have been searching for. Even if you do not use contact lenses as a way to correct vision, you can still use them to provide a change in your appearance.

Color tints however, are the contacts that are used to change eye color; these are what most people think of when color contacts come to mind. The color tint lenses have a deeper color added to the lens that allows the natural color of the eye to be completely hidden. These are the types of lenses that are available to transform the eye into something that is truly unusual.

The most important tip, do not, under any circumstances share your contacts with anyone. This is mentioned because most people that use color contact lenses don't intend for them to be permanent and the desire to try them might over rule common sense. This is said strictly for your safety.

The visibility tint is a lens with a light green or light blue tint that has been added for ease of contact use, this is also very helpful if one is dropped, but does not affect eye color at all. The enhancement tint lenses feature a solid and translucent tint of color that does affect eye color, but only slightly. These color contact lenses are not meant to change the eye color, but rather to enhance it, to make it more intense.

Color contact lenses come in a variety of colors and shades. They are available in blue, green, brown, violet, hazel and grey with new colors emerging all the time. These are great for someone who is tired of how they look and want a temporary change. Color contact lenses are available in three basic tints, the visibility tint, enhancement tint and the color tints. Each of these types of contacts serves a specific purpose for contact lens wearers.

 John Mancini has been writing about Contact Lenses online and offline for a long time. Visit http://ez-contact-lenses.net or http://ez-contact-lenses.info to read more about matters like contact lens online and bifocal contact lenses.

How To Find Cheap Contact Lenses

Contact lenses are a popular alternative to glasses for many people. They offer a less noticeable alternative to corrective vision, however, they can be expensive to purchase. The contacts and the supplies that are needed to care for them can far out weigh the price of a pair of glasses. Therefore, many people are interested in where to get cheap contact lenses and supplies. Follow these tips to help you in your search.

A fairly new way to purchase cheap contact lenses is through mail order centers. These companies are generally wholesalers that are able to secure a good price on the contacts because of the amount they promise to purchase from the manufacturer. As with purchasing on the internet, it is important to make sure that you are dealing with a trustworthy company, even if they do have cheap contact lenses.

Another way to get good quality, cheap contact lenses is to ask about pricing between private label and generic label contact lenses. Many contact manufacturers make lenses for private companies as well as for generic pricing. These are exactly the same lens, but differ on pricing alone.

Looking online may be a good source of cheap contact lenses, but it is a buyer beware world. When purchasing anything on the internet can be risky, this is especially true when you want to buy medical equipment. This is not to suggest, however, that the internet is a bad place to get contact lenses, just be sure that you are dealing with a reputable supplier.

If you have optical insurance available to you, this is also a way to get cheap contact lenses. Many insurance companies cover not only glasses but also contact lenses as long as they are used for a vision correction issue. Be sure to check with your contact lens supplier to be sure that they participate in your insurance plan.

Most people tend to think that buying their contact lenses from the eye doctors' inventory is the most expensive way to get them. This isn't always the case; often times your doctor will have special pricing for a large supply of contact lenses. If you are willing to buy your lenses a year at a time, your doctor will probably, be able to match the prices of other suppliers.

If you find that, you can get cheap contact lenses by ordering them either online or through some other mail order company, ask about services such as shipping times, shipping rates and return policies. The answers to these specific questions will help you to determine if the company you are thinking of buying from is legitimate.

John Mancini has been writing about Contact Lenses online and offline for a long time. Visit http://find-contact-lenses.net or http://contact-lenses-web.com to read more about matters like color contact lenses and contact lens online.

Bifocal Contact Lenses - A Babyboomer's Experience

I wore contact lenses all the time when I was younger. I preferred them to glasses, they gave me superior vision to glasses and they were comfortable to wear.

I was prescribed my first pair of contact lenses when I was around 20-years-old (a long time ago - I'm one of Australia's four million babyboomers). They were the old-fashioned hard lenses, they required little care and provided great vision for many years.

My next pair of contact lenses were the newer soft lenses six or seven years later. The soft lenses were revolutionary at the time and didn't cause the cornea distortion that was an issue with the earlier hard lenses. However, the new soft lenses required a lot of maintenance. They had to be boiled and soaked and were more trouble than they were worth so after a year or so I went back to wearing glasses.

More recently I moved from single focus glasses to correct my myopia to multifocal lenses to deal with my presbyopia (the syndrome that many people experience as they age when they find that their arms aren't long enough to read a book or a menu!). I've been very happy with the multifocal glasses, I wear them all the time as I can't see a great deal without them and I stayed with glasses until quite recently.

I like to surf and swim when I'm on holidays and we were planning a trip to Tonga and I wanted to be able to go snorkelling and to see the coral and the tropical fish so I thought I'd try bifocal contact lenses with a view to being able to swim and see at the same time!

So off I went to the optometrist. He was very helpful and explained that due to a combination of my myopia, astigmatism and presbyopia that I was unlikely to achieve the sort of vision I received from my glasses with bifocal contact lenses. However, since I mostly wanted the lenses for distance vision I was prepared to give them a go.

He ordered in some disposable contacts and I went back the next day to try them out.

With bifocal contact lenses one lens is designed for distance viewing and the other lens is designed for reading.

It was a little uncomfortable at first to put contact lenses into my eyes again after so many years but I achieved it without too much difficulty. The weird thing was trying to get used to one eye seeing distant objects and one eye seeing close up.

My optometrist sent me away for half an hour to see how I managed. I made it to my local cafe where I enjoyed a cappuccino and even managed to read the paper without covering up one eye! My optometrist was happy with that result so I wore the one pair of disposables (they last two weeks) and drove home wearing my new contacts...

I didn't wear the new contact lenses the next day, however the day after I thought I'd better try them again and start to get used to them. I needed to build up my wearing time. I had little difficulty the second time although - as predicted by the optometrist - I didn't have great close-up vision with them. Although, that said, I could manage to read quite well. Perhaps it's not that I couldn't see close-up ... I think I was still trying to get used to the idea of one eye having distant vision and one eye having close-up vision. The lenses themselves were quite comfortable.

I wore the contacts most days while I was on holidays - I wasn't completely happy with the level of vision that I achieved with them but they served their purpose of allowing me to swim, snorkel and see at the same time. Most of the time the lenses were quite comfortable. One lens irritated my eye slightly but I think that was only from long wear. The longest time I wore the lenses was for about nine hours one day when I was sailing.

Once the holidays were over and there was no more snorkeling, it was back to work in front of a computer.

I gave the bifocal contacts a go while using the computer - but it just didn't work for me. The distance wasn't right. I can read a book okay with the lenses but when I use the computer I'm too far from the screen to focus and I can't sit any closer to overcome the problem as I have a large monitor.

I've seen the optometrist again but there is no other bifocal contact lens solution available for me. I tried them for about a month before abandoning the project. I ordered a new pair of glasses instead!

I'd use the contacts again if I was going on holidays and wasn't going to be using a computer all the time but I just don't find them practical for everyday use. I think the issue for me is the inability to focus both eyes at once on any object.

About the only time when I found them useful was when I was reading and that wasn't the purpose of them - I wanted the bifocal contacts more for distance than for reading. Still, they served the purpose when I was snorkeling and swimming!

Alison Stevens in an online author and publisher, an offline editor and an enthusiastic and fit babyboomer. Visit her website http://www.choose-bifocal-contacts.com to find out if bifocal contact lenses will suit you!

Disposable Contact Lens

Lens that are used temporally and replaced after a specified period of time are termed as disposable contact lenses. A doctor advises to replace the contact lenses to maintain the smooth functioning of the eye.

There are different terminologies regarding the types of contact lenses. 'Disposable contact lenses' are those that are replaced after every two weeks or even earlier. 'Frequent contact lenses' are exchanged after a month or even quarterly. 'Traditional or reusable contact lenses' are replaced in six months or in a year.

People commonly face two kinds of confusion i.e. about the replacement schedule and wearing schedule intervals. Replacement schedule refers to the frequency of replacing the lens. Wearing schedule means just removing the lens for a shorter time and wearing them again. They fail to understand the true nature of the lenses whether it is disposable, frequent contact type or traditional type. They are not even able to decide if they should remove them while sleeping or to wear them during sleep.

It is really beneficial to change your lenses as often as possible, because protein, calcium, lipids etc get collected day by day thus causing uneasiness in the eye and increasing the risk factor of infection.

Paul has been providing answers to lots of queries through his website on a wide variety of subjects ranging from satellite phones to acne. To learn more visit http://www.askaquery.com/Answers/qn1539.html

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Secrets to Know Before You Buy Contact Lens

Do you wear contacts, but only buy them from your eye doctor? Are you looking for a better alternative to buy contact lenses? If you have thought about buying your contacts from a source other than your eye care professional, you are not alone. The amount of people with a contact lens prescription that buy their contacts online or from warehouses is growing. What do you need to know before you buy contact lenses?

When you buy contact lenses, you need to focus on value and not on price alone. The overall value includes the availability of the contacts that you use, if they accept your insurance (and if you need to do paperwork or if they do it for you), ease of getting the contacts (do they deliver), their customer service department and price. Taking all of these points into consideration will help you to find the absolute best value for you.

The best places to start your search are, of course, your eye doctor, the internet and wholesale retailers as well as mail order houses. Be sure that you know exactly what type of contact lens you need to purchase before you agree to anything. Ask about their return policy if you receive a contact lens other than what you ordered.

You may be starting your search for contacts with preconceived notions as to which are the best source to buy contact lenses, throw those out! Do not discount any place that sells contacts, look into what they have to offer and what their prices are; you might be surprised at where you will find the best quality and price.

Did you know that you have the right to have your contact (and glasses) prescription copied so that you can shop around for eyewear? The legislation, in Feb. 2004 gave that right to consumers in all 50 states. This means that you do not have to buy contact lenses only from your eye care practitioner. You can shop around anywhere that contacts are sold. Doing this gives you a better selection at a better price.

John Mancini has been writing about Contact Lenses online and offline for a long time. Visit http://contact-lenses-web.com or http://contact-lenses-now.net to read more about matters like contact lens online and cheap contact lenses

Contact Lenses And Why We Wear Them

We wear contact lenses mainly because we are vain.

But, they come in handy for any kind of sports, people even wear them while swimming although you have to watch they don't float out.

The Inventor of the contact lens concept was Leonardo da Vinci in 1508,who sketched and described several forms of contact lenses.

Hard contact lenses

Hard contact lenses are manufactured from a rigid material, PolyMethylMethacrylate (PMMA). This substance is also combined with other plastics to increase the oxygen permeability.
Visual acuity is perfect.

In 1632 Rene Descartes of France suggests the first hard contact lens, which idea was actually developed in 1801 by Thomas Young; resulting in a quarter-inch-long, water-filled glass tube, the outer end having a microscopic lens,and he is the first user.

In 1887 a German Glassblower, F.E. Muller of Wiesbaden,fabricates the first piece of glass acting as a contact lens which could be seen through seen through and tolerated.

Soft daily wear lenses have the main advantage that they allow the eyes to be oxygenated through the lens.

They're also easy to adapt to and difficult to lose. You can get them in all kinds of colours. Fantastic for wearing in sport activities.

Not a panacea for all vision problems and they have to be thoroughly cleaned. Maximum lifespan 1 year.

In 1936 William Feinbloom, a New York optometrist, manufactures the first American- made plastic contact lenses. These were still hard lenses.

The first soft, water-absorbing plastic lenses were developed in 1960 by Otto Wichterle and Drahoslav Lim .

Disposable lenses

1.Extended-wear disposable

Soft lenses that you are able to wear for an extended period of time, up to six nights, and then you can throw them away. They hardly require any cleaning and have virtually no chance of causing eye infection if user instructions are followed...

You can get them tinted and as bifocals. Your Vision may not be as sharp as with other lenses and they do not correct all vision problems. More difficult to handle.

2. Planned soft daily replacement lenses

Soft daily wear lenses that you replace on a planned schedule, either every two weeks, monthly or
quarterly. Require thorough cleaning and disinfection. all vision problems. Not easy to handle.

Colored lenses

There are 4 types of colored contact lenses:

visible tints,
tints to enhance,
color opaque tints and tints that filter light
Most of these colored contact lenses are available in plano form (without visual correction), as well as for astigmatism, who need bifocal correction, or who want a disposable or frequent replacement lens.

Astigmatic lenses (toric) were first introduced in 1978 and approved for distribution in the United States.

These lenses contain both a spherical and cylinder component to correct prescriptions which have astigmatism. Lenses may be thicker in one meridian or have modified thickness profiles to enable the lens to maintain the correct orientation on the eye.

Bifocal contacts became available in 1982 for commercial distribution.

There are a variety of designs in bifocals, essentially all trying to provide a transition or reading zone for use at near distances. The different designs include; + aspheric multifocal - + simultaneous vision concentric - has either a central near or distance zone with surrounding zone of opposite type to centre (eg, centre near,distance surround) + diffraction/holographic - based on diffraction grating principles.

Eye exercises
There seems to be a natural alternative to eyeglasses, contacts, intacs, and even Lasik surgery, which is a series of eye muscle exercises over a period of 30 days that supposedly corrects your vision to quite an extent.

The validity of this method of vision correction has not been fully proven.

About Cataracts by J Schipper Contact Lenses by J Schipper

Fight Back Age With Bifocal Contact Lenses

If you are lucky enough to wear contact lenses without problems, you probably do not like the idea of having to switch back to glasses, let alone bifocals as you age. However, your eyes are not able to focus on what you are looking at with just the contacts anymore. Now, you have the option of using bifocal contact lenses to improve your vision as you age. Use these tips to know when to think about getting the bifocal contacts.

Finally, you will begin to notice that none of the glasses from the drug store are helping your vision. The time is right to start looking into whether or not bifocal contact lenses are the right choice for you.

Mono Vision lenses accomplish much the same thing as the bifocal contact lenses, but at a fraction of the cost. The way Mono Vision works is to fit one eye with a near vision contact and the other with a far vision contact. You will automatically adjust to the eye that is right for the viewing that you want to do, although it will take some getting use to. The price of Mono Vision contact lenses is roughly $200.00.

As you get tired, if you are in poor lighting, reading poor quality material or if you have many tasks that are performed near you, you will notice that you are not seeing as well as you expect to. At this point, you may want to get some reading glasses that are commonly available in a drug store. These will act as a magnifying glass and help to rest your eyes.

Be sure to ask your doctor if it is possible for you to have a trial period when switching to bifocal contact lenses. This type of lenses is not right for every person and may not be right for you either; it is nice to know that you will not be locked into anything that you do not like.

The first thing that you will notice is that the smaller reading material becomes harder to read. You might feel as if you want a magnifying glass. As the eye aging progresses you will find that performing tasks that are near you will become more difficult, you may even need help.

Because the use of bifocal contact lenses is fairly new, check with your optical insurance provider to see if they are covered under your plan. If they are not, you may be able to take advantage of your employers flex spending plan.

John Mancini has been writing about Contact Lenses online and offline for a long time. Visit http://contact-lenses-web.com or http://ez-contact-lenses.info to read more about matters like contact lens online and color contact lenses.

Facts About Colored Contact Lenses

Colored Contact Lenses are the fashion statement of the day. They are available in shades of green, blue, and sometimes lavender. Colored contacts need to be matched to your skin tone for best results.

There are four main types of colored contacts, although there is little difference them. Visibility tint lenses have a slight tint that will help you locate the lens when it is in your eye easily. This is particularly helpful if the lens should slip out of place.

Enhancement lenses have an obvious tint to change the eye color of the wearer. Change is generally more effective for people with light colored eyes such as blue, hazel, or green. These lenses are a great way to initiate subtle changes to your eye color.

Opaque color tint lenses are generally used for those who have dark colored eyes such as such as brown eyes. Opaque color tint contacts have very distinct and very obvious color pattern designs. They look like real irises. The drawback to these lenses is that they affect the vision of individuals with large pupils because the opaqueness can block parts of the field of vision.

Light filter lenses are relatively new in the marketplace. These lenses are great for tennis players and golfers because they enhance colors. The changes are coming from the lenses. An example would be a golfer who loses a ball in the grass might ordinarily ??miss?? the ball and deem it lost or with the enhancement of light filter lenses might be able to find it because the white will be whiter and the green greener thus making the ball stand out more. The green-yellow of a tennis ball is enhance thus improving its visibility and increasing the chances of it being seen even in bright sunlight.

The light filtering lenses could be disposable or not. They are generally soft lenses and the eyes tend to adjust to them easily. Within this type of lenses there are many options. Talk to your eye care professional-they will help you figure out the best contacts for you.

Though these lenses are safe you should contact your eye care professional especially if you have problems like itching or redness in the eye or any uncomfortable feelings. You need to take care of the lenses in a way similar to how the original lenses were taken care of. They are reasonably priced and can be purchased online with a prescription of course. There are an abundance of deals and discounts available.

Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of products which includes Bifocal Contact Lenses and Contact Lenses and more. http://www.2020-contact-lenses.com

Are contact lenses better than eyeglasses?

Contact lenses float on the surface of eye. There are two types of contact lenses. Soft lenses are made of very soft water soluble materials, which take the shape of the eye when worn. We can change these disposable lenses daily, after two weeks or once in a month depending on the brand and material.

Hard lenses are produced from hard gas-permeable plastic and it covers only part of the cornea. Today colored lenses are also available.

Contact lenses are better than eyeglasses for certain vision disorders like shortsightedness, long-sightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia. In the field of sports people prefer it because eyeglasses are hard to handle. Some prefer it for its wider view. Eyeglasses don't cover the sides. Temperature, rain or perspiration does not affect contact lenses. And lastly people for the look factor buy contact lenses. It is a fact that eyeglasses do not look good on many faces.

But contact lenses also have disadvantages such as:

1. The eye becomes drier than normal

2. Risks of eye allergy increase if the contact lenses are not handled properly.

3. It is not good for people with conditions such as diabetes.

Hence we can safely say that it is the condition that decides whether eyeglasses or contact lenses are better. It also depends on the user's personal choice.

Paul has been providing answers to lots of queries through his website on a wide variety of subjects ranging from satellite phones to acne. To learn more visit http://www.askaquery.com/Answers/qn577.html

Bifocal Contact Lenses for Presbyopia

Developments in the field of contact lens technology are producing ever better contact lenses that are increasingly convenient to wear throughout the whole gamut of vision conditions and lifestyles. Bifocal contact lenses are today available to correct presbyopia, a common problem in the over-40 age group.

Presbyopia is a vision condition in which they eyes are not able to focus clearly on near objects. It usually begins after the age of about forty when the lenses in the eye start reducing in flexibility. Presbyopia affects around 90 million adults in the USA alone and about one in four patients passing through an optometrist's door will suffer from it.

Symptoms of presbyopia include difficulty in reading, difficulty in seeing in low lighting conditions and, occasionally, headaches.

Traditionally these vision problems were addressed with the old-fashioned reading glasses. Or existing eyeglass wearers could opt for bifocal eyeglasses. However the use of modern contact lenses for use with presbyopia has some distinct advantages beyond their cosmetic appeal. For example they can be well suited to other aspects of a wearer's lifestyle such as sporting activities, exercising or using a computer.

Recently, contact lenses for correcting presbyopia have become available in more convenient types such as disposable or frequent replacement varieties. Today these are very popular lens types providing obvious benefits for the wearer.

HOW CONTACT LENSES CORRECT PRESBYOPIA

From a technical perspective, there are three distinct ways by which contact lenses can be used to correct presbyopia, each with advantages and disadvantages for particular types of patient. But the important thing here is that there is a choice and each wearer is likely to find one method best suited to their unique situation. The different contact lens methods are as follows:

MONOVISION

The monovision technique involves using in one eye a lens for seeing near objects and in the other eye a lens for seeing distant objects. Many people find that monovision works very well for them. It relies on the brain's ability to selectively process and combine information from the best available sources in order to provide the clearest possible vision. In some instances, the optometrist might employ a bifocal lens in one eye and a normal distance lens in the other. The main problem associated with monovision is the apparent loss of depth of vision for some patients.

BIFOCAL CONTACT LENSES

As with traditional bifocal eyeglasses, each lens in bifocal contact lenses possesses two powers - one for seeing near objects, the other for distant objects. Some types of bifocal lenses when magnified look a little like a bull's eye with an central inner zone surrounded by the outer zone. The drawback to this type of lens is that in certain conditions of reduced lighting, the vision might not always be as sharp in certain areas.

MULTIFOCAL CONTACT LENSES

Multifocal contact lenses work very much like the progressive lenses for eyeglasses. These lenses possess several zones of differing power in order to assist the eye gradually as it changes its focus on different objects at different distances. Therefore these lenses are designed to function well for seeing near, intermediate and distant objects. Their drawbacks are typically the same as for bifocal contact lenses, with occasional loss of visual acuity.

Bifocal lenses are available in two basic design types, 'Translating' and 'Simultaneous', the essential characteristics of which are as follows:

TRANSLATING BIFOCAL LENSES

Another name for the translating lens type is an 'alternating lens'. Gas Permeable bifocal lenses are regularly of this type. Their usage is very much like that of traditional bifocal eyeglasses. The wearer will look through one zone for distance vision then 'translate' to look through the other zone for near vision. Both zones aren't looked through at the same time.

SIMULTANEOUS BIFOCAL LENSES

The majority of soft bifocal contact lenses on the market are of the 'simultaneous' type. As the name implies, with simultaneous lenses the wearer actually looks through the various powers of the lenses at the same time. What happens is that the brain steps in and 'suppresses' the power or powers, which aren't needed at that particular time in order to see clearly. There exist further subdivisions of this lens type, but we won't go into the details in this brief overview.

As with all contact lens selection and wear, choosing the right type of bifocal lens depends equally as much upon the wearer's unique lifestyle as his unique vision characteristics. For example a patient who regularly undertakes sporting activities will have different needs from one who only needs to wear them socially or for use at work.

However, the success of adopting bifocal contact lenses relies very much on the expectations of the wearer who should realize that, almost by definition, bifocal lenses are very much a compromise and that he or she is never going to regain the acuity of vision in all environments that they had when younger. In most cases this is perfectly acceptable and bifocal lenses have now earned their place in the optometrist's ever-expanding repertoire.

BY DR. BIANCA TAVARES

This article about eye health and bifocal contact lenses is copyright by Dr Bianca Tavares. It can be reprinted freely online as long as the entire article and this resource box are included.

Dr Tavares' writing about eye health and bifocal contact lenses can be found regularly at Contact Lens Advisor