Lens types Advantages Disadvantages

 Excellent vision
 Short adaptation
period
 Comfortable to  Require
wear consistent wear to
 Correct most vision maintain adaptation
problems  Can slip off center
Rigid gas-permeable (RGP)
 Easy to put on and of eye more easily
Made of slightly flexible plastics
care for than other types
that allow oxygen to pass through
 Relatively long life  Debris can
to the eyes.
 Available in tints sometimes get
(for handling under the lenses
purposes) and  Require regular
bifocals office visits for
 Available for follow-up care
myopia control and
corneal refractive
therapy

 Very short
 Do not correct all
adaptation period
vision problems
 More comfortable
 Vision may not be
and more difficult to
as sharp as with
Daily-wear soft lenses dislodge than RGP
RGP lenses
Made of soft, flexible plastic that lenses
 Require regular
allows oxygen to pass through to  Available in tints
office visits for
the eyes. and bifocals
follow-up care
 Available in lenses
 Lenses wear out
that do not need to
and must be
be cleaned
replaced in a timely
 Great for active
fashion
lifestyles

Extended-wear  Can usually be  Do not correct all

Available for overnight wear in worn up to seven vision problems
soft or RGP lenses. days without removal  Require regular
 Some lenses are office visits for
FDA-approved for up follow-up care
to 30 days  Could increase
risk of complication
 Require regular
 monitoring and
professional care

 Require little or no
cleaning
Extended-wear disposable  Vision may not be
 Lessened risk of
Soft lenses worn for extended as sharp as with
eye infection if
period of time (usually one to six RGP lenses
wearing instructions
days), then discarded. Lenses  Do not correct all
are followed
also available to wear from one to vision problems
 Available in tints
30 days.  Handling may be
and bifocals
more difficult
 Spare lenses
available

 Vision may not be

Planned replacement  Simplified cleaning
as sharp as with
Soft daily-wear lenses that are and disinfection
RGP lenses
replaced on a planned schedule,  Good for eye
 Do not correct all
most often either every two health
vision problems
weeks, monthly or quarterly.  Available in most
 Handling may be
prescriptions
more difficult