Although you may be most accustomed to soft contact lenses, a second, less familiar brand of contact lenses exists: gas permeable (GP) contact lenses, sometimes known as oxygen permeable lenses.
Actually, hard lenses are a more modern technology than soft contacts, and they last longer, can be more successful in improving vision, and provide improved durability and resistance to protein deposits. Additionally RGP lenses may also be cheaper in the long run than soft lenses. Certainly, you need to first discuss with your eye care practitioner to decide whether RGPs fit your needs. Our optometry staff can help you figure out if hard lenses are suitable for you.
Since an RGP is constructed from stiff material, it does a great job of maintaining its form when you blink, which tends to allow for sharper vision than the average soft lens. Furthermore GPs are extremely long-lasting. Although they will crack if stepped on, they don’t easily rip like soft lenses. Also, because they're composed of substances that don't contain water, proteins or lipids from your tears won't stick to GPs as readily as they will to soft lenses. People that are especially fussy about quality of vision will most likely choose GPs.
On the downside, RGPs must be worn consistently in order to reach optimum comfort. Additionally, there are some who experience “spectacle blur” with GPs, which is when vision is unclear when contact lenses are taken out even while still wearing glasses. While the effect is only temporary, it can require constant GP usage.
When considering RGP lenses, make sure to first speak to your eye doctor to determine if you definitely are a candidate. You never know…hard lenses might be the right match for you!
