Daily, Monthly Or Yearly Disposable Contacts? Where To Invest Your Money?
Over the years, however, different types of contact lenses have been developed to suit individual needs and preferences. As a result, we now have daily, monthly disposable contact lenses, and yearly disposable contacts.
Based on your vision prescription and lifestyle, you may choose to go for contacts that are designed for daily replacement, up to one month or even one year of daily wear. The advantage of daily disposable lenses over monthly and yearly disposable contacts is that you can quickly dispose of the used pair of contacts and wear a fresh pair the next day.
There is no need to clean and disinfect the daily disposable contact lenses as you use a new lens for each use.. On the other hand, both yearly and monthly disposable contact lenses are more cost-efficient and environment-friendly than daily disposable contacts. Also, you can quickly clean and disinfect them for use the next day.
Types Of Contact Lenses
Typically, there are three main types of contact lenses, which are based on their replacement modality (the duration for which you can keep them on before replacing/cleaning them).
1. Daily Disposable Lenses
As the name suggests, these contact lenses are only meant to be used for a single day. Every day, you open a fresh pack of lenses in the morning and dispose of them before you retire for the night. The design of these daily lenses is usually quite thin, and they have high water content.
2. Monthly Disposable Contact Lenses
You can wear these contacts daily for up to a month. Unlike daily disposable lenses, the monthly contacts are reusable, and after usage, you can store them in fresh contact lens solution., Monthly contact lenses are long-lasting and more durable. However, you must rinse, clean and disinfect them regularly so that they do not cause any irritation or allergies in the eye.
3. Annually Disposable Contacts
These contact lenses are Designed for longer time usage, these contact lenses provide extremely clear vision and comfort. The lenses, apart from being sturdy, are also convenient to use. For example, Optima 38 is annually disposable contact lenses from Bausch + Lomb are manufactured using ‘Reverse Process III’ technology and are thinner than daily-wear soft lenses with low water content. These lenses are made from Polymacon, which offers lesser deposits.
Things To Consider When Choosing The Right Contacts
After understanding the key differences between the three types of contact lenses, you must consider the following factors to choose the right pair of contact lenses:
- Upkeep
Out of the three types, daily lenses require the least amount of upkeep. Every day, you can open a new pack of contacts and dispose of the used pair before calling it a day. However, it would help if you made sure that you always have a sufficient number of fresh lenses. As, you cannot over-wear them in case you suddenly run out of supply.
Both yearly and monthly contact lenses require more upkeep. After using for the day, you must rinse, clean and disinfect your contacts with contact lens cleaning solution before storing them away in their cases. Not only do you have to follow the maintenance regime religiously, but you also have to change the contact lens solution regularly.
Winner: Daily disposable lenses - Use
The choice of contact lenses also depends upon the frequency of use, i.e. whether you plan to wear contacts daily or you need them for sparse usage. Daily disposable lenses work best for most individuals who can use them daily without hassles. Even though these lenses are the costliest among the three types, these lenses are recommended by eye care professionals for daily use as they are the safest options for your eyes.
Daily contact lenses also work well if you need to wear them for specific activities, such as exercising or jogging. You can wear them and dispose of them without worrying about storing them safely in a case. While both monthly and yearly disposable contact lenses are suitable for daily use, they require more care and regular cleaning.
Winner: Daily disposable contact lenses - Convenience
Daily disposable contacts are the most convenient of the three types of contact lenses. Whether you are going out on a vacation or business trip, you can always pack the required number of daily contact lenses, without worrying about taking the cleaning solution or the contacts storage kit.
On the other hand, you only need to carry the storage of your contact case and the cleaning solution in case of yearly and monthly contact lenses. Thus, you won’t have to worry much about counting and carrying the exact number of daily contacts as your vacation days.
Winner: Daily disposable contacts - Prescription
The choice of contact lenses depends on different factors, including your prescription, comfort and eye sensitivity. Out of the three types of contact lenses, not all are available for all prescriptions. Both yearly and monthly disposable contact lenses have thicker composition than daily disposable contacts. Thus, they are more durable, long-lasting, and less prone to drying out.
On the other hand, daily disposable toric lenses offer limited power availability, which means that they are not suitable for providing vision acuity at higher magnifications. In other words, if you need a high power of vision correction, in case of astigmatism or presbyopia, it is advisable that you opt for monthly or yearly disposable contact lenses.
Winner: Annual and Monthly disposable contact lenses
Empower Your Vision With The Right Pair Of Contacts
The choice of contact lenses comes down to your individual needs and preferences. If you are interested in exploring different types of contact lenses, it is advisable to consult your optometrist before you start using a particular type of brand of lenses.
At Bausch+Lomb, we offer a wide range of contact lenses and cleaning solutions to suit your vision requirements. We offer the following types of contact lenses, depending upon their usage and disposability:
Daily Lenses
• SofLens Daily Disposable
• Biotrue® ONEday
• Bio true ONEday Lenses for Presbyopia
• iConnect Daily Disposables
• Soflens Daily Disposable For Astigmatism
• BioTrue ONEday Toric
Monthly Lenses
• iconnect Oxyrich
• SofLens 59
• PureVision2 HD
• Ultra Contact Lenses
• PureVision2 For Astigmatism
• SofLens Toric(Available in Monthly Now)
• PureVision 2 for Presbyopia
• Soflens Multi-Focal
Sources:
https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/vision-and-vision-correction/types-of-contact-lenses?sso=y
Related Articles
6 Things To Adopt In Your 40s To Look Younger
Whether you are still in your late 30's or a couple of years into your 40's, you can see significant changes in yourself. As you age, you start looking more mat...
Know MoreThings You Should Know About Contact Lens Materials
Choosing the right contact lenses is crucial than just buying a pair of eyeglasses. It is because contact lenses come in direct contact
w...
Astigmatism 101 : And Why It Should Not Scare You
When people are diagnosed with astigmatism, they’re not sure what it means. It is a common vision disorder like myopia or hyperopia. Know More
4 Types Of Contacts & What Makes Them Unique
If you have recently decided to either switch to contact lenses, then you may face some difficulty in selecting from the various types of contact lenses avai...
Know MoreWhat Are the Habits That Affect Your Vision?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 2.2 billion people around the globe have either vision impairment or are suffering from blind...
Know MoreHere’s What You Need To Know About Colored Contact Lenses
You will find countless ways to change your look nowadays. Be it trying out new fashion trends or getting a new hairstyle, there are many ways to make a stat...
Know MoreIs Multifocal Lens for You? Here’s What You Should Know
Multifocal contact lenses are usually used for correcting presbyopia and help people see clearly across a range of distances – far, in between, and distant l...
Know More