Daily, Monthly Or Yearly Disposable Contacts? Where To Invest Your Money?

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