You may prefer contact lenses for the many benefits they bring compared to traditional eyeglasses. Contact lenses provide you with natural sight away from the obstruction you may experience with eyeglass frames. Also, you might have experienced the fogginess in eyeglasses when temperatures change or when wearing masks. You may also need to be careful when you move to avoid them falling and getting destroyed, or getting in the way when doing physical activities.
Soft, disposable contact lenses are the most commonly prescribed, and usually come in monthly, biweekly or daily replacement schedules. It is now debated on which of these is the best choice. Multiple options could work in your favor, but you may first need to check with your local eye specialist.
Daily Contact Lenses
Daily contacts get disposed of every day after use, and on a new day, you will have to get a fresh set to wear. You do not need to clean or store them for the next day's use. They are very thin and have a lot of moisture, and once you remove them, you should not use them again.
Biweekly and Monthly Contact Lenses
These are considered more "eco-friendly" because you only need to buy one or two replacement lenses for the month. On average, one person can use 12 pairs per year compared to the dailies, exceeding 300 pairs. However, the environmental impact of plastics to create the contact lens solutions to store the contacts should be considered as well.
Which is the Best Option?
On average, people prefer daily contacts as they are more convenient and comfortable than monthly contacts. When you reuse your contacts, there is an increased risk of eye infections like conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers, which can lead to permanent damage to the eyes or even complete blindness. In addition, monthly contact lenses also require constant cleaning for optimum performance. However, some higher or more complicated prescriptions do not come in a dailies option.
Some factors to consider
Cost
Monthly/biweekly contact lenses cost less because instead of 720 lenses, you are only receiving 24-48 lenses. The average cost for a box of 12 pairs of monthly lenses estimates at about $200 to $360, depending on the brand. Contact lens solution must also be purchased for storing and disinfecting extended wear lenses. Daily contact lenses can cost $600 to over $1000 for an annual supply, but usually come with $150 to $300 rebates for annual supply purchases.
Your Prescription and Usage
Your eye doctor will determine whether you should choose monthly or daily contact lenses. If your prescription is more complicated, your options may be more limited because some dailies do not come in higher prescriptions, especially for those with astigmatism. If you don't wear contacts often, dailies might be a better option as well because you don't have to worry about storing the contacts and keeping them clean when you're not wearing them.
Comfort and Risk of Infection
If you are prone to eye infections or dry eye, you will want to try the most comfortable lenses possible. If it feels too tight or loose, you may experience discomfort after continuous use. Handling the contacts in unsanitary conditions may also increase risk of contamination and eye infection. Biweekly and monthly contact lenses must also be replaced every two weeks or every month, and overwear can cause discomfort due to buildup of deposits and bacteria on the lenses.
Age
Dailies may be more suitable for children and teenagers because they don't have to responsible for remembering to replace their lenses with new ones when the two week or month period is over. Contact lens hygiene is important to remember for kids.
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