CONTACT LENSES

Contact lenses are the lenses which are planted on the cornea of the eye. contact lenses can be use for correcting or improving the vision and also as a cosmetic way to enhance the color of the eyes.

Adolf Fick introduced contact lenses for the first time in 1887. His contact lenses were made of Brown glass. Plastic contact lenses were introduced in 1936 by William Feinbloom. They were light in weight and also convenient to use.

Types of Contact Lenses:

• Corrective Contact lenses : Corrective Contact lenses are designed to correct or improve vision. This type of lenses can treat myopia (short-sightedness), hypermetropia (farsightedness), astigmatism and presbyopia. You must make sure that you remove contact lenses at night otherwise it would cause irritation in the eyes and you may feel uncomfortable.
  
• Cosmetic or contact lenses : Cosmetic or contact lenses are aimed at changing the appearance of the eyes. These lenses can either entirely change the color of the eyes or enhance the natural color of your eyes to make them more attractive.
  
• Theatrical contact lenses : Theatrical contact lenses are used by entertainment industry to give an unnatural look to the eyes especially in horror movies.
  

• Therapeutic contact lenses : Theatrical contact lenses are used to treat the non-refractive disorders. These lenses are used to treat keratopathy, dry eyes, ulcers in cornea and cornea erosion and many others.
  
• Disposable contact lenses : Disposable contact lenses are the ones which should be disposed off at a prescribed period of time. There are certain contact lenses which should be disposed off daily. These lenses are recommended for the people suffering from the eye allergies who wear them sparingly.
  

Then there are lenses which should be disposed off in two weeks or a period of one month. Rigid gas permeable lenses last for many years and are very durable.

Advantages of Contact Lenses:

• Contact lenses perform the same functions the conventional eyeglasses do. However, they look more attractive than the eye glasses.
  
• Contact lenses are light in weight and virtually invisible.
  
• Wet weather does not have any impact on the contact lenses while there would be no visual clarity in the eye glasses in the rainy season. Besides, contact lenses also give you a wider field of vision.
  
• While there are chances of eye glasses falling while playing, contact lenses, if placed in a right manner have no such chance. Contact lenses are advisable for almost all sports.
  
• Colored contact lenses can increase the beauty of your eyes by giving a new color to them or by enhancing its natural color.
  
• You can also match colored contact lenses with your attire and create a style statement.
  

Disadvantages of Contact Lenses:

• Excessive wear of contact lenses may lead to ptosis which may lead to drooping of the upper eye lid.
  
• Contact lenses, if worn for longer periods, may lead to allergy in the eyes and even conjunctivitis.
  
• Contact lenses may also lead to ulcers in the cornea, corneal abrasion and corneal erosion.
  

Tips for using Contact Lenses:

• Before wearing the contact lenses, make sure that you clean your hands with a soap that is devoid of any moisturizers or fragrances.
  
• Make sure that you regularly clean and disinfect the lens in a solution to achieve clear vision and prevent any kind of infection or eye problem.
  
• When not using the contact lenses, keep them in the solution, so that next time you want to use them, they are clean and free from any germs.
  
• Make sure that whenever you are wearing the contact lenses, never rub your eyes. This is very important especially for those who are wearing the contact lenses for the first time because initially you may feel uncomfortable and experience irritation in your eyes.
  
• Always wash your eyes with clean water before wearing and after removing the contact lenses.